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U90Ladder to M91 comms issue


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A fair few years ago we installed U90 on a laptop running XP to support a M91-2-R1 we have installed in a small filling machine. Used software and DL and UL on and off for years with no issue. Laptop had dedicated serial port. Life was good. Then filling machine sat dormant for a few years.

Now filling machine is being re-commissioned and our new laptop is running VMWare, where we can still use our old XP environment.

For the life of me, I am unable to establish an RS232 connection to UL or DL to PLC. 

Yesterday - running U90 version 6.01 in WIn XP 0n VMWare, Moxa UPort USB to serial converter, checked device mgr, Moxa is COM2. In M90 OPLC settings, tried every possible setting and unable to establish a connection,

However using Controller>Operating System>Check Current OS, set to COM2 communications is established and reports PLC OS is up to date.

Using  Tools>UniDownloader Designer>Get OPLC Information, Get Com Parameters and Get PLC status all establish comms and reports PLC info as it should.

What is it about M90 OPLC settings>PC Communication Port Settings that just refuses to connect even though other comms dialogs clearly work fine. I'd think this rules out a hardware problem?!

Today I DL the latest revision of U90 and installed  in a Win 7 environment in VMWare. In this Win 7 OS, the Moxa port adaptor is COM3, and I have exactly the same issue. PLC OS check and UniDownloader Designer can both establish comms with PLC, but M90 OPLC is just unable to establish a connection.

In both instances, I'm running U90.exe as admin.

I'm at my wits end. Can anybody help?

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  • MVP 2023

From what I can gather, the Moxa does not use a Prolific chip.  This is likely the issue. Joe T on the forum has written about how only the method of initial basic access is possible due to 2 different methods being in use for comms.  The main one used for down and upload will fall over, whilst the initial "checking things" method works.  I did a quick search but couldn't find the post.

1).  You will find many references on the forum to serial issues.  Any decent brand of USB to serial converter works, but they must use a genuine Prolific chip.  Many fakes out there.  I use Shentek when I need to.

2).  I and many others here have dedicated old laptops that serve specific purposes.  It will cost you next to nothing to have such a thing with a genuine onboard serial port running XP, and all your headaches will disappear.  All they are for is communicating with specific devices.  Cruise around the forum and you'll find many, many references to how making things "modern" constantly creates issues for people who need to talk to things via older serial comms.

@Joe Tauser  can you again elaborate on the issue, or know the link to your post I'm talking about above.

cheers, Aus

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  • MVP 2023

And as an aside, which I've also written about here, note that umpteen zillion gizmos out there that have a USB port for PC comms actually have an internal converter.  You have to be very careful plugging such things into your PC as they can completely stuff up working port drivers.  Before plugging anything new with a usb port into your system, at the very least take some sort of backup you can roll back to that will NOT have any reference at all to possibly installed NEW drivers.

cheers, Aus

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15 hours ago, Ausman said:

From what I can gather, the Moxa does not use a Prolific chip.  This is likely the issue. Joe T on the forum has written about how only the method of initial basic access is possible due to 2 different methods being in use for comms.  The main one used for down and upload will fall over, whilst the initial "checking things" method works.  I did a quick search but couldn't find the post.

1).  You will find many references on the forum to serial issues.  Any decent brand of USB to serial converter works, but they must use a genuine Prolific chip.  Many fakes out there.  I use Shentek when I need to.

2).  I and many others here have dedicated old laptops that serve specific purposes.  It will cost you next to nothing to have such a thing with a genuine onboard serial port running XP, and all your headaches will disappear.  All they are for is communicating with specific devices.  Cruise around the forum and you'll find many, many references to how making things "modern" constantly creates issues for people who need to talk to things via older serial comms.

@Joe Tauser  can you again elaborate on the issue, or know the link to your post I'm talking about above.

cheers, Aus

Thanks for the response Ausman. I too most certainly miss the dedicated serial port in a laptop.  We don't have any such beast left here, so adaptors are our only way. I have connected to a myriad of brands and types of devices with this particular MOXA adaptor and laptop, and this is the first potential problem device. 

I didn't know there was a battery inside this PLC, no mention of it in documentation I've seen.

I will look for another USB-serial adaptor with Prolific chip and have another go.

Edit - looking at Shentek adaptors, they all say FTDI chip. No good?!

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  • MVP 2023

I think Ausman tip

15 hours ago, Ausman said:

have you changed the battery for brand new? 

good idea.

It is possible that connection parameter losted if battery low. PLC global init needed after battery replace.

You can also try to set comm settings to default.

U90_set.jpg.68cbf3e1309a8d3f0bdbb6bfc6178d0a.jpg

Your problem looks like this

 

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  • MVP 2023

Shentek must have changed because mine is definitely a Prolific.  But old!  I don't have it on hand at present to give numbers etc.

Also, have a read of this:    https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/6708-jazz-usb-to-serial-converter/?do=findComment&comment=27303

I'd try the battery first, though.

Also  just ensuring that you have all comms parameters set correctly.  And here's something interesting.  I went into my U90 install to check how to set things, and opening advanced in the comms box everything fell over.  As in serious issue restart needed.  This has never happened before.  I can't help but think it is related to this problem which I still haven't had time to pursue:

https://forum.unitronics.com/topic/8660-v1040-lost-gsm-modem-connection-after-os-update/?do=findComment&comment=36456

So I'm wondering what driver your adapter is using?  Even though you are using XP, wondering whether it put a later driver in, and this might be the issue.  But I still think Prolific is the main key.

And FYI, the battery is a CR 2450 and is awkward to get to.  It's under the board.  Easiest access is to NOT push the locking tabs in on the back, but use a small flathead to "flare" the edge of the main panel that the locking tab engages on, ease the tab out a bit then do it to the other 3.  Remove boards, and remove the display connector to get the last one out.

cheers, Aus

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  • MVP 2023

PS to the FYI, take super care putting the I/O PCB back in.  It's really easy to misalign the pins and bend things.  Poop!  With the I/O on a fair angle to the main board so that you can easily see things, engage the "outermost" pair first and that guides things much better.

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Joe, strange that you linked again to the one in my post.  Such great memories!

And I have checked again on my converter.  My 485 422 is a Shentek with an FTDI, but my 232 one with prolific is definitely a product from them, but apparently badge engineered.  Was purchased as a Shentek from a big name seller years ago. 

Just as an aside, I've attached a useful little program I found a while back.

cheers, Aus

PL2303_CheckChipVersion_v1006 - Copy.exe

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  • 1 month later...

Glad to report that problem here has been solved!! As it turns out, the problem is VMWare and U90s inability to communicate properly in that environment.

Installed U90 in the non-VM Win 10, and once we were able to run it with admin privileges (grrr, corporate computing systems...) it communicates like it should with any of the 4 USB to serial adaptors we'd amassed. 

I have not seen any reference by Unitronics to U90's compatibility with VMs. 

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  • MVP 2023

Glad you finally got it going.  It is really infuriating when something that worked fine is made redundant through an "improvement" made by someone who doesn't realise all the ramifications of what they are doing.  Or they DO know, and simply put it in the too hard basket so that those impacted have to figure it out themselves.

Youngies are especially good at doing this, as they think that everyone is like them with the very latest gizmo/phone/etc, so they make everything only work with the latest versions.  Here in Aus, a lot of Govt issued apps etc do NOT work on slightly older stuff, as the Youngie developers are doing it on their Govt provided very latest gizmos.  They just don't get it!  And finally when they are told about the issue, it's a case of "WHAT? You want it to work on all OSs from 2 years ago?  Jeesh, you're such a dinosaur!"

"No, we want it to work on stuff much older!  Your thing only works on the very latest release.......you dumbclucks!  Not everyone in the populace is able to spend $1+K every 3 months on the very latest phone, like you do!"

end of rant.......

For interest's sake, when I have some spare time (ha ha) I might play with my virtual system and usb adapters.  My VM is Oracle based.

cheers, Aus

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