How do I configure IA OPC on remote PC?

[Oley Mich]

Okay...

I've got the communication working.

How can I test my Server?

[NoahR]

The best way to check the server might be to look through the help like we talked about before and go to the section entitled "Diagnosing Serial Port Problems."  In this section you are walked through setting up the diagnostic file settings.  Here you can see if you are getting communication with your server.  I would also suggest playing around with the server and really getting familiar with it because it is probably the best way to learn how to use it effectively.  I hope this helps!

[Oley Mich]

I think I'm well on my way!  Thanks again!

You wouldn't happen to know how to gain access to an expansion/special function block through the IA OPC server would you?

Also, using Server Explorer I'm able to test and see my boolean data.  However, it is being reported as -1 for on and 0 for off.

When I try to invert the data, it comes out 0 for on and -1 for off.

I can probably deal with that, but it seems quite strange to me.

-Mark

[NoahR]

Hi Mark,

I'm not real sure what you are referring to when you say an expansion/special function block, but the IA OPC server is only designed to observe tags that correspond to certain addresses with the PLC that you are using.  You may want to look at the documentation for the PLC or expansion block to see what it says about that.  With respect to the -1 and 0 readings for the boolean, you might want to look at the documentation again to see if those are the readings you are supposed to get from the PLC.  The server is only used to help read values from the variables, not change them or anything like that.  That behavior is a little strange and I'm not real sure why you would see that when looking at your question from the OPC server perspective.  I hope some of this helps and you are able to find some of the information in the documentation for the PLC.  Please let me know if you are not sure.  Thanks!

[Oley Mich]

The special function blocks are expansion units.  This setup is using a FX-32MR (controller) connected to an FX-4AD-TC (thermocouple readings).  Some other units to expand to FX-4AD (analog input), FX-2DA (analog output), and various others.

I specifically need to read the thermocouples and in the very near future, voltage input.

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As for the negative numbers, I can write a "1" to an output I have defined using the server explorer.  But the software reports "-1".   Seems very strange to me.

Thanks!

-Mark

[NoahR]

Hi Mark,

Seeing as that the expansion units are not NI products and the PLC is actually ot NI either, the best method of looking into reading those values would be to see how exactly their values correspond to specific addresses on the PLC that the IA OPC server can read.  This is the main idea behind the server.  Once you determine how their values are mapped, then you should be able to read them correctly.  I'm glad that you said you can work around the -1 value that you are receiving.  I agree in that it seems strange, but kind of along the same issue, the IA OPC server will only read values that correspond to certain addresses that you specify, so you may want to make sure that they are in the address spaces correctly.  I hope this information helps you out.  Thanks!

[Oley Mich]

I'm back!

I have programmed the FX modules so that data read by the expansion modules is moved to the main module every 1 second.  Done this for the TC and when we get the AI, I will do the same.

I have then programmed the IA OPC interface to read/write appropriately.

I have also set up Shared Variables with the DSC software.

I'm able to run my program from within the LabVIEW environment just fine.

Problem starts when I try to deploy to the target machine (actual machine communicating to the Mitsubishi PLC).

Is there a proper procedure to deploy the Shared Variables so I can pull them (from Network instead of Project) into my design?

I get Error 1 otherwise and no data.

Thanks!

[NoahR]

Hi Mark,

That's great, I'm glad that you are getting a lot of that running.  When you are trying to deploy your application to another machine and are receiving that error, it looks like you are getting it because of the additional files that need to be included.  Please take a look at the attached link and try the options out because I believe they will help you.  Thanks!

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/89C4AECCCCCE1E8F862572A5005A2340?OpenDocument