ABB SattLine OPC

[zkn]

Hi

I have tried to communicate with the ABB SattLine OPC server (ADS.OPC.2 in figure 1).

I can read connect and read/write tags with the Matrikon OPC explorer,

but have problems with labview.

I can see and browse the server however I do receive a message which

says "the server is connected and can be browsed but it will not be possible

to retreive extended item information"...

I can see the tags but when I select the proper tag Labview just shuts down (figure2)

I have no problem can communicate with the same code with MATLAB OPC server

with MAtrikon opc server and the Labview OPC servers (simulators) no problem

at all, just in the case of the Sattline I have thi behavior.

Any comment would be highly appreaciated.

Cheers

Zoltan

[K_Bull]

Hi Zoltan,
If you open up the "Server Explorer" from start menu >> National Instruments, do you see the ABB SattLine OPC server (ADS.OPC.2)? If you do see this, can you connect to it?

EDIT : Could you also let us know what version of LabVIEW you are using?
Regards,

Message Edited by Kabul on 09-10-2007 02:29 PM

[zkn]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I cannot find the the server explorer... Did I miss something

when installed Labview?

This is what is available in my Start-->National Instruments --> etc  (Figure below)

On the other hand I can read/write data from Labview to other Servers (Labview, Matrikon)

so it appears the OPC works with my LAbview installation.

In Labview if I use the examples from opc.llb, e.g. browse to OPC Item.vi

I can see the ADS.OPC.2 server as it shows in the figures in my first email. I can even browse

and find the variables I would like to read, but when I select it then labview shuts down.

I use Labview 8.0

Many thanks

Zoltan

[F._Schubert]

Try to use other clients, there are a lot in the web for free. Maybe something on the Server side isn't correctly implemented (I know that there are some Registry-entries, that are checked by some clients, most don't, but they are included in ´the OPC 2.0 specs; but that was only finding the OPC_server, not your problems).

Felix

[zkn]

Hi,

The OPC communication part is just a "small" part of my larger labview code

that i want to use to monitor and control the system, so i need to use labview opc client.

For better understanding of my problem: I can see, read/write values to the desired tags from the ABB server

if I use the free matrikon OPC explorer.

Also with the Labview OPC client I can communicate with other OPC severs on the same computer as the ABB server.

So either side seems OK just when I want to communicate between Labview and the ABB server the problems appear

in the last step. Even in this case I can seen the ABB server, I can bowse and find the tags, just when I click on the

tag the whole labview crashes. Still having the same problem as yet....

regards

Zoltan

[K_Bull]

Hey Zoltan,

The reason you cannot see the server explorer is because you do not have the DSC module.

Is your server a SCADA server? The reason I ask you this is because this was a known issue with LabVIEW 8 (here) and was fixed in later versions. What I would urge you to do is download LabVIEW 8.5 evaluation copy and see if the same problem persists.

Also, LabVIEW 8.0 can not connect to the OPC server when there is another OPC client connected to the same server. Again, this has been fixed with later versions.

I hope this will solve the problem.

Best Wishes,

[zkn]

Thanks Kabul,

I installed Labview 8.5 and do some test now. Do I need the DSC module for this?
It does not appear to me.


With the original version I did have the DSC module installed. I DSC ver 8.0
in the previous case (with Labview 8.0), however it did give an installation error which
said that it cannot install NI_MSDE, I tried since then several times but still the same. I am  not
sure whether this has an influence. When I start Labview 8.0 the DSC icon on the start window
appears and I also have the DSC Module item in the Tools menu in the VIs. So I assume
it is installed.

Also when I connect the Matrikon OPC server, even if I connect to the same Matrikon server  with the
Matriko OPC explorer, I can connect with my labview vi too, both in 8.0 (previos) and now in 8.5 version (without DSC).
I am yet to see on the real ABB system how the new version is different. Is there en evaluation
kit for DSC 8.5 as well?

Thanks
Zoltan

[K_Bull]

Hey Zoltan,
You should not need DSC module with 8.5 as that particular example uses data socket.
Regarding the error you got while installing 8.0, click here. There is a resolution for that problem. The server explorer should have installed with the DSC module. Hope you get it resolved.
I am afraid there is no evaluation copy for DSC on LabVIEW 8.5.
Do post your results after trying it out on 8.5 as well!!!
Best Regards,

[zkn]

Hi,

I still have problem to get arround this thing....No rpogress at all.. but here it is what I did:

1. I found the server explorer on the NI site and installed. I can read/write the data

ABB server (ADS.OPC.2) beutifully, see ( the figure attached).

2. In LAbview 8.0 with DSC 8.0 I tried two things:

2.a -  the same as before. If I try to use any of the OPC examples from the opc.dll

e.g. "Browse to OPC item.vi" I can open the browser, I can see the OPC server

I can even see the group and the tags, but when I click on any of the tags again

Labview crashes with the error message (see the figure). This is the same original problem...

2.b - Now still in Labview 8.0 where I have DSC 8.0 installed I added to a new project

New --> I/O server --> OPC --> and add the ADS.OPC.2 from the list of registered OPC servers and add

as a linrary to the project ( this is fine so far)

But when I right click on the newly added OPC1 and check the View I/O items I cannot see any tags.

(when I dod the same procedure with any other OPC server, e.g. MAtrikon no problem).

The same if I still go ahead an to add new variable I cannot see the tags from the server. Only

the NI OPC CLient Status group appears (which does not belong the the ADS.OPC.2).

3. Finally, I downloaded Labview 8.5. I do not have DSC 8.5 so I only tried method 2.a. That is the simplest

example from the opc.dll crahes Labview.

During all this time I have no problem to communicate in Labview with other simulated opc sertvers,

and at the same time I have no problem reading/writing data to the real ADS.OPC.2 using other

the Matrikon or the NI server Explorer...

I am running out of ideas ...:-(((

Thanks

Zoltan

http://www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/~cgzkn/ABC/errora1.jpg

[K_Bull]

Hey Zoltan,
Would it be possible for you to attach the error message page to your reply? I could not get access to that picture.
Cheers,