PLC COMBO CARD ADDRESSING ISSUE

[Anonymous]

Hello ALL,

I have an issue with an Allen Bradley combo card.

if i create a 1769-IF4XOF2 card from the Autocad  I get the PLC address to change from the Input to the output with the numbers starting over at the point where the input and outputs switch. The address that change are labeled as %%A+0, %%A+1. 

When i insert a 1769-IQ6XOW4 card it does not have the same %%A+0 parameter on it. I edit the card with symbol builder and insert the %%A+0 but then the addressing stops at the %%A address and says the rest must be manually added.

Any idea where i am going wrong. I need the addressing to restart at the switching point from Inputs to outputs.

Thanks

Dennis

[trabuck7]

Are you inserting the card with the parametric PLC tool? You mention editing with the symbol builder but the symbol builder shouldn't be used for that purpose. You should create a new module with the PLC Database File Editor. When it asks for the addressing for your outputs, enter A+0 and it will automatically increment to A+1 and so forth.

[Anonymous]

I used the parametric PLC tool to start for both symbols.

We save the symbol and rename them so the next person who needs that card can simply grab it with the part number/s already attached to them.

It works fine for the first symbol but not for the second one.

When inserting from the parametric tool it asked for the address on both card at the break point just fine. If I insert from the tool, readdressing the 2nd card fails to make the switch from in to out,  the addresses just continues as if there is no break point only on the 2nd card.

So if i put in the card as I:0/00 it asks at the correct point and I put in O:0/00. works fine. If i have to readdress that card it will not see the break point and addresses the card from I:0/00 to I:0/15

[trabuck7]

I understand now. I'm not sure if there is way to readdress them and prompt for a change when inserting it as a normal symbol. At the point of inserting the second (non-parametric) symbol, the software recognizes it as just a component with multiple attributes. That's one of the benefits of using the parametric build utility since you can define break point and such. You'd have to manually type the correct address in the edit component window. Inserting the card using the parametric build should automatically populate the Manufacturer and Catalog as long as you have it defined in the PLC File Editor.

Let me know if I am missing the point on something here, and maybe someone else will chime in if they have another solution or understand something I'm not.

[Anonymous]

Yeah the issue is still it works as a normal symbol on 1 but not the other. it doesn't change the I or O but it does set the count back to 0 as pictured in the 1 post attachment. Both of those symbols pictured are "normal" symbols not inserted from the PLC tool but from our library.

Thanks for your help!!!

[Anonymous]

Attached are the 2 symbols. The 1769-IF4XOF2 card works like i need but the 1769-IQ8OW6 card does not reset the count for the outputs.

If anyone can point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks

Dennis

[robert_creel]

Can you post a screenshot of the parameters for both from the ACE_PLC.MDB ?

[trabuck7]

If you are inserting the second icon as a normal symbol, like from the icon menu, and enter a new address in the 'First Address' box, then it will not prompt you to change the output pins. There is no way the program can know that those output pins are actually different than the input pins. This is why it should be parametric built each and every time. I want to understand your process further to nail this down..

Step 1: Create the first card using the PLC builder - this works as should since the program knows where the address points should begin and end and where to change the addressing.

Step 2: Edit and save the block created in step 1 with symbol builder to be able to insert at-will.

Step 3: Edit the newly inserted 'copied' block from step 2 and type in a new beginning address in the Edit PLC Module dialog box.

Result: It does not work as it did in step 1.

Is this correct?

[Anonymous]

That is correct for 1 module but not the other. It changes the address like I want. Why the difference between the 2 modules.

Both cards were originally create using the PLC tool and then saved as a symbol.

I understand it will not change the I to an O.

I am looking for it to reset the "count" where the outputs start. I2.00, I2.01 etc then O2.00 O2.01 etc

The way the 1769-IF4XOF4 works it changes the 1st output address to be the same as the 1st input address.

This does not work the same on the 1769-IQ8OW6. This card will continue the address numbering from the last input address. This is shown in the attachment in the 1st post in this thread.

1 module changes the numbering of the addresses the other does not change.

Thanks

Dennis

[trabuck7]

I see now - sorry for any confusion. I am playing around with the two symbols you've provided and I do see one does what you want it to while the other doesn't. At the moment I can't tell why it works as intended for the first one. I did notice the description A line includes 'Change I/O Address' while the second symbol didn't, but that doesn't make any difference on my end. I will continue to work on this and see what I can come up with.

[Anonymous]

thanks

I should have explained it a little better in my 1st post.

I'm just at a loss as to why 1 works and the other doesn't.

Thanks for your help.

Dennis

[trabuck7 · Accepted solution]

I think I have figured it out... There is XDATA attached to the specific attributes which require a change. Each of the attributes that you want to change have the application VIA_WD_FMT assigned to it. The value of each attribute is "%%A+x" (x being a number). What this does is takes your input address, lets say we enter 1 in the dialog prompt, and adds whatever number the XDATA value has in it - in this case for the first Output, the program would take the dialog box value enter (1) and add 0 to it (%%A+0) and so on and so forth. In short, the attributes themselves on the surface isn't what you need to change - the "%%A+0" value you enter in the value box for the attribute properties has no effect on the numbering.

I have modified your 1762-IQ8OW6 symbol with the appropriate XDATA value in it to give the desired effect.  Let me know if it works for you.

[Anonymous]

thanks it does work!!!

Where is the xdata information held.

i have the %%a+0 attribute on both symbols.

What did you exactly edit and where did you edit it to get it work?

Thanks

Dennis

[trabuck7]

If you open up the modified file I posted, take a look at TAGA13. In your command bar, type in the command AEXDATA, press enter and click on that attribute. You will see that there are two items listed in the window that opens. 1 is VIA_WD_FMT with a value of %%A+0; 2 is VIA_WD_PLCADDR with a value of O:0/00. This second one I don't believe needs to be there, but I left it anyway. Now if you cancel out of that window, type the AEXDATA command again and click on TAGA14 you will see VIA_WD_FMT with a value of %%A+1. You can continue to do this until the last attribute and you get %%A+2, %%A+3 and so on...

Now let's say you want to add another pin. Create the new attribute, let's call it TAGA19. You would the type AEXDATA and click on that new attribute. That opens the same window but the only option you have is to add a new record. Click Add New. The name would be VIA_WD_FMT and the value would be %%A+6 (since the last pin is %%A+5).

You could even just copy and paste TAGA18 and rename it, but you would still need to change the Xdata value from %%A+5 to %%A+6, otherwise you would get the same value when you go to re-sequence the PLC block addresses.

Does that make sense?

[Anonymous]

Absolutely makes sense!!!

Thanks for your work on this