PLC data base
Yes, the 1766 Micrologix 1400 series is included (see attached screen capture), if you chose to install AB as a manufacturer when you installed AutoCAD Electrical. If you didn't check AB (Allen-Bradley) as one of your manufacturers of choice when you installed AutoCAD Electrical, you can go back via Windows Control Panel and add AB (Allen-Bradley). The video at the link below shows the steps to add or remove specific manufacturer content. This change adds/removes catalog database part number entries as well as relevant footprint block files.
https://www.screencast.com/t/pO5xOOzl
Doug McAlexander
Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor
Specializing in AutoCAD Electrical Implementation Support
Phone: (770) 841-8009
www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.
Hello Vernon, were you able to install the Allen-Bradley PLC library? If not, what version of AutoCAD Electrical do you have an what version of Windows are you running it on?
Bryce Thelin
AutoCAD Product Support
I did choose AB when I installed AutoCad Electrical and
I do not see the 1766 series. I only have one in the series because I created with the PLC database file editor tool.
I guess I have it in 2017 because of an earlier release and I always migrate my PLC database. I will try to upload it.
Doug McAlexander
Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor
Specializing in AutoCAD Electrical Implementation Support
Phone: (770) 841-8009
www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.
Uploading the entire database is probably not an option here. The file is too large, plus I have added other devices to mine, such as PILZ, Beckoff, etc., making it a bit larger I will attach a split version of my database that contains only the two tables needed for the AB 1766 MicroLogix 1400 series. There are 4 modules included. Hopefully you have Microsoft Office Pro installed, so you have MS Access available. Make a backup of your existing ACE_PLC.MDB file, located at the following path, unless you moved it to your network:
C:\Users\Your User Name\Documents\Acade 2017\AeData\en-US\Plc
Rename the file I have attached from ACE_PLC_be.ZIP to ACE_PLC_be.MDB. (I had to change the extension to .ZIP in order to upload to this forum. It isn't actually ZIP file.)
Open your existing ACE_PLC.MDB file with MS Access.
In another session of MS Access, open the ACE_PLC_be.MDB file I have attached.
Copy both tables that you see in my file and paste them into the table list of your existing ACE_PLC.MDB file.
Note: You should have no problem pasting these tables into either a 2015, 2016, or 2017 database. Be sure to use the Migration Utility to merge your existing ACE_PLC.MDB file with the new one you will receive with release 2018. I have been migrating since 1997 so my databases include every additional brand and type that I have added over the years. I might have added MicroLogix, I don't remember. I do recall adding the first group of ControlLogix modules, back in the late 1990s.
If I can get permission from Autodesk to upload to their server, I will upload an entire PLC database. However, copying the tables the way I described above will only add data to your existing PLC database, instead of replacing your entire database, so if you have added any modules yourself, or modified any existing modules, your changes will not be affected.
Doug McAlexander
Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor
Specializing in AutoCAD Electrical Implementation Support
Phone: (770) 841-8009
www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.
There are two tables that must be added to the PLC database for a new PLC series. One serves as an Index, and provides the basic info you see in the tree when selecting a module. The other table includes the details relating to each I/O point, power connection, etc.. You will not even get to this information if the first table is not installed. I noticed that the zip file attached to my previous post will no longer open so I have attached a new zip file of the PLC.mdb file to this post with nothing in it but the two tables you need for MicroLogix. Be sure to follow the instructions in my previous post or you might accidentally replace your real ACE_PLC.mdb file. All you are going to do is open both your existing ACE_PLC.mdb and this one with two sessions of MS Access and copy/paste the two tables from my database to yours.
I remember where I got these. I added them myself in the late 90s, but then I switched exclusively to ControlLogix.. Every time I have migrated my databases these MicroLogix modules have transferred over, as they should. I have made numerous tweaks to my PLC database since the 90s and they are all still there. I've corrected typos and set redundant power terminals to not appear when I choose to not show unused terminals. Yes, they are real terminals, but they are internally connected so I don't need to take up so much space on my drawing showing redundant connections for 3L+, M-, and PE, such as with the Modicon 170ADM35010. So rest assured that as you tweak the module definitions to suit your needs, your preferences will carry forward with each new release, as long as you properly use the Migration Utility.
Let me say a word of caution about migrating data, since I have had to help numerous customers with this over the years. It is best to keep at least one PC set up with a local install of the AeData folder, menus, report format files, libraries, etc., which you "toggle" back and forth to. Read my instructions for sharing data over a network to understand what I mean by that statement.
So, after you upgrade to a new release, activate the local path to AeData again (that will make sense to you if you read the instructions on my web site). Copy the most current databases, menus, reports, etc. that you might be currently sharing over your network to their appropriate local paths. Those of you who have taken my admin class will remember the shortcuts we make in class that help you navigate to the most often accessed folders quickly. So after you have the latest version of these files copied from your shared network locations, start the new release of AutoCAD Electrical and go to the Migration Utility in the Project tab. The utility will find the previous release and offer to merge/overwrite as a default action. That is fine. Select any and all content that you wish to merge into the new databases, menus, symbol folders, etc. and let the migration begin. After the migration is completed, replace the same files that you copied earlier to your local drive back to their appropriate network paths. I advise making a backup of everything you copied earlier and keeping a log of every file you copied. The migration operation is straight-forward if you are operating completely as a stand-alone without network sharing, but with network sharing you have to use a different workflow. Those of you who have attended my training know by now that I am all about workflow.
Doug McAlexander
Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor
Specializing in AutoCAD Electrical Implementation Support
Phone: (770) 841-8009
www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.
I just downloaded the zip file myself. I unzipped it and both the Index table and the data table are there. Each will need to be pasted into your ace_plc.mdb file. You must have both tables in the PLC database or you will not be able to insert the 1766 modules.
Doug McAlexander
Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor
Specializing in AutoCAD Electrical Implementation Support
Phone: (770) 841-8009
www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.
Attached is a PLC database with all of the Allen-Bradley PLC modules from Release 2021. You will need to unzip the file. We are not allowed to upload a .MDB file. Open the file with MS Access and copy whichever tables you need for the PLC you wish t add. There are two tables per PLC type. Once table is for the list of PLC modules and the other is for the details, data, that defines each module.
Doug McAlexander
Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor
Specializing in AutoCAD Electrical Implementation Support
Phone: (770) 841-8009
www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.
Okay, I figured this out. It was a long time ago when I added the 1766 modules to the database. I did so via the PLC database file editor. But I forgot to include the PLC_Manufacturer table in the zip file I posted. This table serves as a type of index. You could edit it and manually add the 1766 but that's too much hacking in my opinion. Follow the directions below to do this safely and easily.
I have attached a new zip file that contains three tables. The best way to handle this is to use the Migration Utility. Don't open your database with MS Access. I don't want you to go to the trouble of copy, paste, edit, etc. Here are the steps for migrating the content of the attached database into yours:
1. Unzip the attached file to your desktop.
2. Start AutoCAD Electrical
3. Click on the Project tab of the menu ribbon
4. Click on the Migration Utility
5. Uncheck all boxes (click Do not change etc., when you see the popup after unchecking Environment File)
6. Go back and check Content, expand it and check PLC Database, as shown below (Do not check Footprint Lookup)
7. Click the category PLC Database, so the fields on the right populate (must place mouse over PLC Database text and left-click)
8. Click in the Source field and you should see three dots appear at the right of the field
9. Click the three dots and navigate to the ace_plc.mdb file on your desktop
10. Verify that the destination file is the actual database you want to write to (in case you have other versions of AcadE installed)
11. Click OK
12. At the next popup, click OK again
13. The Migration Utility will run and when it is complete you will see the 1766 PLC modules
Doug McAlexander
Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor
Specializing in AutoCAD Electrical Implementation Support
Phone: (770) 841-8009
www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.
I’m so glad it worked out for you. Thanks for the confirmation!
Doug McAlexander
Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor
Specializing in AutoCAD Electrical Implementation Support
Phone: (770) 841-8009
www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.