lookout 6.6 connection to AutomationDirect PLCs using Ethernet

[Rich87]

I am in the process of upgrading my  2 computers as
my old ones are dying so I
got windows 7
professional computers.
I have Direct
Logic PLCs using Ethernet for communications.
I may have Allen Bradley PLCs in the future which would also use
Ethernet.
 
We have upgraded to 6.6 on both computers and are trying to
compile the LKS
file which will not
compile because I was using the "DirectLogic" driver for
communications to the PLCs.
 
I was told that lookout
no longer supports Ethernet drivers to connect to
Direct logics so I have the following questions:

1. Do I need to use an OPC server to connect to my PLCS using Ethernet?   If so
which one and how many do I need?
 

 
2. If I do need an OPC
server how do I go about connecting that to lookout?
 

 
3.Is there an easy way
to connect my I/O tags that were formatted in the
"DirectLogic" format to the OPC client/ OPC Server
format without having to
rewrite all my
tags?

[Mike@Forshock]

If the AD PLCs use ECOM100 you can convert them to Modbus TCP quite easily.

Now, depending on your setup you may be able to rename aliases.

For example:

On the existing DirectNet driver if VBCD2500 is using alias "Level"

You could create a modbus object with BCD401345, alias "Level"

Use the data member import.export to setup the objects.

For OPC, Kepware would be my suggestion.  The NI OPC server is based on Kepware.  It supports most Koyo protocols. 

To integrate, you setup OPC server, devices and channels.  Then create OPC Client object in Lookout to connect.