DSC runtime engine problems

[Sabin]

Hi, 

I recently started a project which involves DSC runtime engine. This being my first contact with runtime engines, i obviously ran into some problems. Hope someone can shed some light. Here goes: I developed a project on my work laptop on which I have LV / DSC 8.6 installed. The project is then built into an EXE application and then run on a desktop computer with DSC runtime engine.The desktop computer receives data from a PLC through an OPC server (which is not NI OPC server). At first, I imported a csv file containing the list of variables in my project with the correct path of the OPC server from the desktop. When I ran the EXE application on the desktop, I got an error (PSP Led was red) saying that the variables could not be read / written. This was because the variables were not declared in the Distributed System Manager. And so my first question is this: is there a way to import my list of variables from a csv file or something similar, and if so, how can i achieve this? Because so far, all I was able to do was to manually enter only one variable at a time in the Distributed System Manager, and after about 50 of them I decided I would really hate to enter almost 800... 

 My next question regards the Citadel Database. As I told you before, I entered a few variables in the system manager and played with them for a brief amount of time. I set them T / F, I got the correct readings from OPC server, my PLC leds light up, the works. Now I wanted to see my actions in the Citadel DB, but when i ran MAX, there was no Citadel DB, only Default DB, and I could not find any of those variables which I entered and chaged states. Is there a problem with the Citadel DB not showing up? Am I not declaring correctly the variables in the System Manager? (i followed the help directions to the letter). Anyone has an idea as to why I cannot see the varaibles in my DB?

And now for a final problem.. 🙂 In the LV front panel, i have some boolean buttons which are set to switch when pressed Mechanical Action. When I have the PLC connected sometimes when I press a button, it remains stuck on the TRUE state, thus screwing up my logic scheme (e.g. for a feed mill conveyor motor I have two buttons - start, stop. If i sometimes press the start button and it gets stuck, i can no longer SHUT DOWN that conveyor, which is really a big problem. I found a so-called 'fix' - right click on the stuck button and select Reinitialize to default value, but I was looking for an answer to understand this problem, not a silly little fix).

Hope I have been clear enough and you have not got tired of reading so much,

Cheers,

Sabin

[Sabin]

Sorry for the mistake, a small edit: the Mechanical Action of the buttons is SWITCH UNTIL RELEASED.

[Andrew_E]

Hi Sabin,

Thanks for using the forums to ask you quesiton. To get started, were you able to succesfully deploy your shared variables from your .lvlib?  Once your variables are deployed they should show up in the distributed system manager. This is explained in the following document on Deploying a DSC Module Application. Finally, is your button that is "Switch until released" controlling an event structure? If it is, it will not switch back until the event is finished. For your Citadel Database not showing up, could you provide a screenshot of your historical database in Max? Also did you enable enhanced DSC Run-Time support by going to the Advanced page of the Application properties dialog box? 

Message Edited by Andrew_E on 04-01-2009 11:34 AM

[Sabin]

 Hi Andrew and thanks for the reply!

 I don't think I deployed the library file, because I didn't know exactly how to do it. In the Source Files Property Page on Build Specifications I only selected VIs. I never selected lvlib files, so this may be the case. On the Source File Settings I saw that .lvlib files had the property Include if referenced and I thought that was the property which deployed the library. I will change the build specifications at once and keep you updated, but it could take 1 or 2 more days, because the computer with DSC runtime is in another city, and I have to get there first maybe tomorrow.

 I have several buttons set on Mechanical Action Switch Until Released. They are all Shared Variables which are connected through OPC server to memory locations in the PLC CPU. In my LV Block Diagram, they are NOT connected to anything. They are just located in a While Loop, to get their state. The preffered action is that when I press a button on my Front Panel, I get to change a memory location in my PLC and then something happens in Ladder Logic. So, the boolean values are just there, in my Block Diagram, alone and not connected to anything. Do you have an idea as to why I get that kind of behaviour (I mean the buttons get stuck on True state)?

 And finally, someone told me that the Citadel 5 might be missing because of incorrect option checking at install. However, I remeber that on the desktop, I installed the DSC runtime engine FULL INSTALL, I mean I checked each and every tick box, everything, examples and the like. One thing I was told was to insert the install CD once again and perform a re-install. I will of course try this, but let's not consider this for a second. Do you have another idea as to why the Citadel DB wouldn't show up?

 And no, in the EXE Build Specifications, I did not check the option Enable Enhanced DSC Run-Time support. What does it do? Could you please elaborate?

 Looking forward to your answer,

Sabin

[Andrew_E]

Hi Sabin,

Its my understanding that the Run-Time System is not properly installed or (possibly licensed) on the target machine. You may want to go ahead and re-install the Run-Time System and relicense it.  The reason I say this is because I tried to replicate your error with a dsc application and put it on a machine without dsc and got the same error. I even saw that the shared variables that were not being logged to deployed succesfully. I think that once we have the DSC Run-Time System real installed it will take care of the citadel problem and the shared variable issue.

The Button Action is mysterious. Could you submit either a screenshot or the vi that its in so we can see how you are using it? It may help me write a simple vi so that I can see if I can replicate it. Also what version of LV are you using?

The enable enhanced DSC Run-Time support just lets the exe work wth the dsc module. Its described further in this kb.

Message Edited by Andrew_E on 04-01-2009 02:14 PM

[Sabin]

Hi Andrew, 

 First of all, the DSC runtime engine is properly and FULLY installed on the desktop, with each and every option at install checked. The runtime is also licensed with online activation. Now, I don't know what error you got when you tried to replicate this, but my EXE application RAN on the desktop (if the DSC runtime hadn't been correctly installed then I wouldn't have been able to see the Front Panel of my application). The error that I got refered to the deployment of the library. As I told you in a previous post, I am unable to test the things you recommended, as I cannot reach the desktop for another day or so. As soon as I have acces to it and try something, I'll post the results.

 As for the buttons, I have attached a VI from my project. Each one of those green or red buttons CAN and sometimes DOES get stuck on True State and messes up my program. 

 And finally, like I said in my first post, I am using LV / DSC version 8.6.

 Cheers, 

Sabin

[Andrew_E]

Hi Sabin,

There was one possible Corrective Action Request that I saw that may  help with what you are seeing with the boolean action of your controls. It involves "Switch Until Released" when the left click button and the scroll button are pressed at the same time, the button changes its run-time defualt value to false. This may not be your exact issue as this is kind of hard to do besides on accident, but it is reproducable with 8.6 and 8.6.1. The work around suggestions is to use "latch when released" which this behavior does not occur with, but it also has some of the same properties that "Swtch Until Released" has.

For your DSC Run-Time Support, I will wait for your testing on the Desktop pc. I will also try to get a screenshot of the error on my unconfigured machine without the Run-Time Support Installed so that we can compare the two error messages. On the machine without the DSC Run-Time Engine installed, the DSC Application will run and the shared variables without logging will deploy, but when the application gets to the shared variables with logging or alarming enabled it throws an error.  On this particuar machine, its because there is no DSC Run-Time until one is physically installed from a DSC Module Run-Time System Cd and then licensed. However, it apears that this has already been done on your desktop so it appears this is probably not the issue.

Sorry for the earlier confusion and hopefully we can get you up and running soon.

[Sabin]

Hi Andrew, 

First of all sorry for the late reply. 

It was only yesterday that I got a chance to test things on the Desktop. Without further ado, I must say that everything is working pretty well. After reading several support articles connected to the link you provided in one of your posts, I was able to import my list of variables in the Distributed System Manager, by running a VI in which I used the "Deploy Libraries" subVI. I was also able to create a DB in MAX, and using the Database options of the libraries in my project, I specified which DB to be used for logging variables / alarms. The thing which confused me was that I was under the impression that the DSC runtime installs a DB in which to store data, and not having seen one in MAX, I thought that it did not install any DB. As a sidenote, I installed the DSC runtime on three different computers (two XP and one Vista) and on neither of them did it install even a Default_Database. So I think this is maybe its normal behaviour? 🙂

By the way, the Switch Until Released buttons behave the same, any further thoughts on that? 

Thank you again for your assistance and patience, 

Regards, 

Sabin 

[Andrew_E]

Hi Sabin,

Were you able to try the latch when released in place of the switch until released mechanical action?

For the DSC Run-time engine, you are seeing normal behaviour.