Discrete PLC IO Points and X-Ref Table

[Anonymous]

If I place a number of discrete PLC IO points on various sheets can a cross reference table be generated that shows where each point is located (like with relay output contacts)? I've played with this a little and a cross reference table is generated but it is not reliable or predictable as to what information will be included in the table. For instance, the unused IO points are listed but only one of the placed IO points is listed (and it is listed without the terminal number info in the table).

[dougmcalexander]

Currently with AcadE the individual I/O symbols cannot be used in association with the full PLC module symbols serving as a cross-reference.  The parent or first individual I/O point inserted contains the xref information for all the child I/O points.  I have heard numerous requests for the ability to insert a complete I/O module and set it to serve as only a cross-reference symbol where the I/O descriptions and assigned addresses are bi-directionally maintained.  I have added it to the wish list.

[Anonymous]

The individual PLC I/O symbols have a 1st point and a 2nd point version. Is not the 1st I/O symbol a parent symbol and the 2nd I/O symbol a child symbol? If so, doesn't the 1st I/O symbol maintain the xref information and therefore have the ability to generate a cross reference table? Daniel Schuman, TCSA 412-826-3737 (PA) 805-546-0475 (CA)

[dougmcalexander]

You are correct!  The 1st symbol is parent and the 2nd+ symbols are children.  The 1st will contain the cross-reference to the others.  But only cross-reference data, no address descriptions.  What I see requested often is a master symbol that looks like a PLC symbol, which serves as the parent.  Each time an individual I/O point is inserted the master symbol shows the individual I/O point's address and description assignment.  You can also edit the addresses and descriptions from the master.  You can even insert the master first and pre-load the addresses and I/O descriptions and have them automatically assigned as you insert individual I/O points.  Autodesk owns an Electrical CAD software in Europe called ecscad which functions this way.  It is currently available only in Europe.  I work with it because I provide training and implementation support for ecscad for global customers.  It is nice how ecscad handles the individual I/O symbols, but it doesn't offer the parametric insert capability for the complete symbols like AcadE has.  If we could have the best of both it would be great!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the information. I now understand why the cross reference ACDE was generating was so flaky and missing what information I expected to see. As you said, it is too bad the parent symbol capability in the European software is not in the US ACADE software. Thanks for adding to the wish list. Regards, Daniel Schuman, TCSA 412-826-3737 (PA) 805-546-0475 (CA)

[JonWilshusen]

Has this functionality ever been implemented?  Its been almost a decade since this post was originally posted.

I'd like to have a PLC (dynamic) on a sheet with references to where the I/O points are on other sheets.  I as able to do this in Promis-e.

Maybe I need to figure out a different workflow... what a pain.

Jon

[Anonymous]

I'm curious about the same thing. In the old Promis-e, you had a PLC card that acted as a parent for all of your I/O symbols. The program would include a cross reference next to the input/output on the card that told where it was located in the project. It was a pretty handy feature.