Dialling through lookout

[khalidfaridi]

Hello, I am able to dial through lookout via internal modem but the external doesn't respond at all. Tried NullModem cabling, cross, straight and what not, nothing is working. The modem used is Mitsubishi A2s/A1s and Desk-Modem-2.

While I am successful through internal modem, when I use a Mitsubishi CLM driver to poll the Ans Series PLC, I get an "unexpected format length" error...

The Lookout help says I should establish commn with CLM from PLC software. I did that and it works. Infact, I am able to read data in Lookout too. But via Modem it does not work. Pls advise....

Besides, what more need I do to communicate with external modem...

SOS

Khalid Faridi
Scada Engineer,
Cellmec,
Bahrain

[Khalid]

If it works with the Internal modem, it very much seems to be an issue with the configuration of the External modem. I am guessing you have verified the general working of the External modem by dialling out using, say, the HyperTerminal. I would just read the settings from the Internal modem and try to clone them as closely as possible on the External one.

The other thing you can do is use a Serial port sniffer, like PortMon from Sysinternals E.g., and compare the bytes going out in each case. Agreed, this is pretty low level, but modems are notoriously difficult to work with..

Good luck!

(the other) Khalid 🙂

[khalidfaridi]

Well, Khalid, much water has flown under the bridge since this. I tried all that you have mentioned but result is same. I am in touch with NI r&d guys, support engineers and anyone that matters!!

I am forced to use internal modem. And am using an ASCII object as dialler (poor guy doesn't work with all the modems) and Mitsubishi object is configured for Hardware in the Ports. This part of mission is successful. But with an internal modem.

If I try to use Mitsubishi object directly to dial out, the I can't hangUP!!! R&D has made these many changes for me but same result. Can't hangUP.

As far as dialling IN is concerned, I beat lookout by using Hyper Term to pickup the call on ring and launched lookout after the connection. Lo! I got the data, but how to hangUP. And this method is not acceptable.

I am working pretty hard on it with NI team. Once through, I will write a detail report whcih if NI permite can be publicised!!

Nice to know you, where do you work. I am an indian, Aligarh, now in bahrain as SCADA engineer.

salam

[Khalid]

Do you have the OffHook datamember for this Mitsubishi Object? This should let you hang up after each poll. Not all the driver objects in Lookout have these; NI should be able to add it for you pretty easily.. depending on how well you know your Sales folks 🙂

I too am originally from India. Used to work with Lookout (among other things) at NI before moving to Canada. I have always liked Lookout.. have had lots of fun with it. Sorry to see you're having quite some issues with it.

Khalid