HMI Command To PLC #2 Based on Signal From PLC #1

[AabeckControls]

I am experimenting & trying to find the limits/possibilities of AdvancedHMI. I have a test setup of 2 computers & a tablet running A-HMI connected to 4 PLC's: SLC5/05 over Ethernet, SLC5/04 with NetENI over Ethernet (Which message between themselves) and 2) SLC5/03's connected through Ethernet COM ports.

A-HMI reads & controls all 4 PLC's OK.
 
Is there any way that A-HMI can receive a signal from the 5/05 on one Ethernet driver (the main PLC in this test set-up) and command the COM based PLC's through the 2 DF-1 drivers?

[Archie]

Do you mean something like a communication bridge where a bit/value in 1 PLC would get relayed over to a bit/value in another PLC through AdvancedHMI?

[AabeckControls]

Yes, If A-HMI see's a bit ON (or OFF) from the 5/05, I want to send a click-bit automatically to either of the 5/03 PLC's over a DF-1 driver, which the 5/05 can't message to. Is this possible? If so, what about moving an analog value from the 5/05 to a 5/03?

Everything I've seen on the objects you can only select one communications driver, so I was wondering if one object for a DF-1 driver can look at the status of another object for the Ethernet driver.

[Archie]

I would do this with a DataSubscriber

- Add a DataSubscriber to the form
- Set the ComComponent to the source PLC
- Set PLCAddressValue to the source register
- Double click the DataSubscriber to get to the DataChanged event handler
- Enter this code:

DF1Com1.Write("B3/0",e.values(0))

The DF1Com1 would be the driver pointing to the target PLC and B3/0 would be changed to the target register.

[AabeckControls]

Archie,

Thanks. I'll try that tomorrow, if I don't hit the Powerball tonight (so I'm 105% sure I'll be doing it tomorrow).

[abslcplc]

Archie, (sending this from my day jobs account)

Did I put the line in the correct area? Or do I replace all the email coding with this line? I only have one DataSubsciber so I don't know why the code has two listed.

Tried it as shown here & when the screen comes up VS crashes with an error pop-up wanting to quit the program.

+ Private Sub DataSubscriber1_DataChanged_1(sender As Object, e As Drivers.Common.PlcComEventArgs)
       
+  Private Sub DataSubscriber2_DataChanged(sender As Object, e As Drivers.Common.PlcComEventArgs)
       
-    Private Sub DataSubscriber1_DataChanged(sender As Object, e As Drivers.Common.PlcComEventArgs) Handles DataSubscriber1.DataChanged
        DF1Com5.Write("B13:1/15", e.Values(0))
    End Sub

[Archie]

That looks correct, but lets put some error traps:


Private Sub DataSubscriber1_DataChanged(sender As Object, e As Drivers.Common.PlcComEventArgs) Handles DataSubscriber1.DataChanged
  Try
        DF1Com5.Write("B13:1/15", e.Values(0))
  Catch ex as exception
       MsgBox(ex.message)
  End Try
End Sub

[abslcplc]

Now it doesn't crash, but I get a pop-up that the "Input String was not in a correct format."

I can close the pop-up & continue but the 5/05's status is not making it to the 5/03 - and I am communicating with both PLC's on the same screen, showing valid status & values from both.

[Archie]

I'm guessing it doesn't like something about e.values(0)

Change the message to this

msgbox(ex.message & "-" & e.values(0))

[AabeckControls]

Archie,

Now it pops-up "Input String was not in a correct format-True"

[Archie]

So now this should take care of it

Code: [Select]

Try
   if e.values(0)="True" then
        DF1Com5.Write("B13:1/15", 1)
   else
        DF1Com5.Write("B13:1/15", 0)
   end if
  Catch ex as exception
       MsgBox(ex.message)
  End Try

[AabeckControls]

Archie,

Works great!

Now I just hope I don't get carried away & put 20 -30 DataSubscriptions in, already got 20 integers & 32 bits being messaged through the Ethernet between the 5/05 & the 5/04 - hope I can keep the controls to the 5/03's to a respectable number.

EDIT: Plus I found I have to have each DataSubscription on every screen, or if I'm on a screen that doesn't have one the bit on the 5/03 stays at it's last state (ON & won't turn off) until I get back to a screen that has the D.S.

[Archie]

In order to make it more efficient, I would write the complete B13 word instead of individual bits. For example, subscribe to the word in the source PLC, then write to B13:1. Then the target PLC would get all 16 bits in a single write.

If you do that, then first code sample I posted would work. I put in a fix for the next version that will also let the first code sample work when writing to a bit.

[AabeckControls]

Archie, 

Now I got a headache  - I went through & pasted the DataSubscription on every screen, then pasted the code above into every screen;s code. Did a rebuild & got errors for every page I didn't have the DF1Com5 driver already on.

Then when I tried to reopen MainForm to copy the DF1 driver it showed the exception screen & when I clicked Ignore the screen appeared with no FormChangeButtons - and Visual Studio crashed (twice.)

When I restarted VS & reopened the project if I didn't close the screen that opened automatically VS would crash. Now I can keep VS open, but every screen has no FormChangeButtons - with the error "The variable FormChangeButton__ is either undeclared or was never assigned.

FormChangeButton.vb is listed in the solution window, but not the Toolbox anymore. Tried Adding an Existing component & adding it from the original download folder, but it just overwrote the one in the Solution window.

Going to overwrite the project with a networked archive from a couple days ago & restart this.

[Archie]

When VS gets quirky, the first thing to do is close VS, then delete these folders:

\AdvancedHMI\bin
\AdvancedHMI\obj
\AdvancedHMIControls\bin
\AdvancedHMIControls\obj
\AdvancedHMIDrivers\bin
\AdvancedHMIDrivers\obj

If your PC is setup to show hidden file, then also delete AdvancedHMI.sou

After doing that, open the solution and perform a Rebuild All.

A note of caution, never do a Rebuild All if you have a form open in design view.