1804

[stericert]

I am setting up a cFP-1804 with cFP-TC-120 to talk to an Allen Bradley PLC module via serial. MAX shows that device to be present, but when I try to ping it using Hyperterminal at the settings I intend to use, no response from the cFP-1804. Help!

[Kevin_F]

Hey stericert,

I wanted to get a little more information about your application to understand why it is necessary to communicate between the cFP-1804 and the Allen Bradley PLC directly.  Is there a reason you can't use your computer to connect to the 1804 over TCP/IP and the PLC via serial?  Since the 1804 does not run embedded LabVIEW code it will not be possible to write code on your PC that can use the serial port on the 1804 to communicate directly with the Allen Bradley PLC. 

[stericert]

Kevin,

This worked quite well with the old FP-1000/FP-TB3/FP-120. And I DID write the code to talk from the Allen Bradley Basic module to the FP system. And didn't use LabVIEW. Just a simple series of configs to the FP and queries. The instructions used are at the bottom of this. The reason that I need the AB Basic module to communicate with the cFP is because I need to integrate data into the process record in real time with no question about the data being manipulated, since this is a medical application and subject to 21 CFR 11.

I seem to be getting the runaround here. I have asked about this a number of times. Finally, I was told that the extended Optomux codes would do what I needed. It has not. I was first told that there were no changes from the old FP's that I have been using successfully for about 10 years. Nothing works. Are you guys hiding something??

Here are the instructions I used for the FP (FP-1000 plus FP-TC120), followed by the new instructions:

Old:

120 PRINT #">01!f000F000110221000110221000110221000110221??"

config first four channels

...

150 PRINT #">01!f00F0000110221000110221000110221000110221??"

config second four channels

...

330 PRINT #">01!f0100000110024??"
set to internal cold junction

...

760 PRINT #">01!F00FF??"

query all channel status

New code, including required checksums:

120 PRINT #">01!f000F0001102210001102210001102210001102218."

150 PRINT #">01!f00F00001102210001102210001102210001102218."

330 PRINT #">01!f01000001100243."

760 PRINT #">01!F00FF1."

[Kevin_F]

Hey Stericert,

With my initial response I did not understand how you were using the Serial Port.  The method you described should work for using the Allen Bradley Module to write serial commands to the cFP.  I set up a similar system here using a cFP 1804 connected to my PC communicating with it using LabVIEW Serial Commands.  I was able to use the commands you specified to get valid responses from the cFP.  The VI I used is attached - it is just a simple serial write and read.  Please post back if you have any questions with this.