I tried to set up RSLinx and FTView Studio in XP Mode and RSLinx can only see one device on our controls lan.
If necessary, I may go back to RSLinx 2.57 to get it back, since the drivers I gained going to 2.59 are of no use on that PC anyhow. I will worry about it tomorrow when I get back to work. In doing that, I may have broken the Emulate driver, and it didn't fix the crashing problem (blowing away the harmony files fixed the crashing problem). A week or two ago, I had problems with RSLinx crashing very frequently, so I updated it from 2.57 to 2.59. I remember installing Emulate, Logix, Linx and others a few months ago on my new Win7 machine, and I thought I tested everything, and maybe I did. I was able to figure out what I needed using alternate methods. It's not a deal breaker, just something I noticed today when I was trying to analyze some code from a machine that was unavailable for real testing. That may be the case, but I have slept since then )
The first time time I installed Emulate 500 in '06 on my old XP box, and the recent time a couple of months ago, I don't recall the "EMU" driver being a separate installation or optional within the RSLinx/Emulate installation. It is not available in the drop down list when I configure drivers.
I did not install it outside of the normal installation of Emulate 500 and RSLinx. If Visual Basic is required, I at least need model code to reverse engineer.Is the driver NOT available in Linx OR did you not install it? Would like to do it within communication scheme we are currently using, but are open to whatever is required that we can figure out with reasonable instructions. We have limited experience in house, and do not have the Visual Basic experience to do this. Or if the PLC could be made to send a "ctrl-_" command through RSLinx, that would be a snap. It could be indirectly, by using the PLC to change the value of a cell in Excel, if that can trigger the macro. The idea is for the PLC to trigger the macro. We want the macro to automatically run at the end of every complete machine cycle.
Right now the data is written to a database by a macro that runs whenever the operator selects the shape that has the assigned macro. =(RSLINX|CE!'F17:3,L1,C1') where CE! is the “communication channel”. Excel sees the data stored in the PLC’s memory using cell content like this. The PLC receives pressure measurements into its memory from pressure transducers wired into input channels with analog to digital conversion. That program runs an inspection machine through a cycle. The PLC executes a program when the operator simultaneously pushes two real-world palm buttons (discrete PLC inputs). (Yes, Excel is a terrible human-machine interface, now I know why. (I hope I’m saying this correctly.) Effectively, Excel running on my panel-mounted touchscreen all-in-one computer running Windows 7 is my operator interface for the PLC.
You will have to sift through this info to pick out what you really need…īackground: Excel and the PLC communicate using RSLinx Classic (Revision 2.57.00.14 CPR 9 R 3) software as the interface. Currently the only trigger is a shape inserted directly inserted into a sheet, with a macro assigned to the shape.
Goal: I am trying to get Excel 2010 to execute an existing macro, with the trigger being an external command or action from an Allen Bradley MicroLogix1100 PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) through RSLinx Classic software from Rockwell Software.