Lookout Doesn't Update from RSLinx OPC Server

[Jacoba]

I have Lookout 5.1 with RsLinx 2.42 going to both 5 ControlLogix and 3 SLC500 PLCs over ethernet. I have packed individual bits into a word to minimize the transfer for data between RsLinx and Lookout 5.1 which reside on the same computer. Lookout doesn't seem to refresh the data sometime even when there is a change in the bit of a particular word. I would like Lookout to poll OPC server when a data changes and at a fixed rate (I think using PollDevice Member)? Is this possible. What is the cause of Lookout failing to update from OPC server?

Jacob

[Russell_G.]

Jacob

You can use the PollDevice datamember in combination with a timer object to poll the device at a specified rate, or use the "update rate" parameter of the OPCClient object.

As for Lookout failing to update from the OPC server, what could be happening is that the deadband for the OPCClient object in Lookout is set to a level that would fail to update on small changes in the value you are reading from the OPC Server. For example, if the deadband on your OPCClient object in Lookout is set at 2%, any change in value of less than 2% would not update. To check the deadband setting, right-click on your OPCClient object >> Properties. Here is a KnowledgeBase that has a little more information on deabands. Does the RSLinx OPC Server support deadbands?

[Jacoba]

There are no deadbands set. Lookout just doesn't update from the OPC server. THere are OPC topics on RSLinx that are pointed to PLC that have been disconnected. The final remaining PLC data is not updated in lookout!

[Jacoba]

It seems that when there are OPC topics in RSLinx that are not available anymore. Lookout doesn't update the ones that are available. When I deleted in RSLinx the OPC topics that were not available, Lookout started to work correctly. Any solutions to this?

[Russell_G.]

Jacob

Have you tried to connect to the RSLinx OPC server using Server Explorer? If you still cannot get the values to update in Server
Explorer, then the problem is most likely in how you are transferring data.

When you say you have packed invidual bits into words, I assume that you are getting ALL of the bits from the connected
PLC, is this correct?

If you do not do any bit packing, do you still see the same behavior?