Helpful information is what HMI life's blog is all about. Here is a website link that has a smattering of FAQ's about the 8000 Series HMI's. They are grouped in to 3 categories: Hardware Related, Project Upload/Download Related and Software Related.
A partial list of topics:
Touchscreen Calibration Instructions
Setting Portrait Display mode
How to install USB driver for downloading
USB SD CF download procedure
How to make EB8000 work under Vista
How to translate MT500 project to MT8000
How to Setup the Printer
How to Capture the Simulation Screen Display
Feel free to browse around.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
On the Agenda
Well, it was a snowy week in NJ, but things just keep on happening.
This week, the MMI6056 and MMI6070H were finally released. (Refer to my 22JAN10 post)
I just got a new EB8000 software update V3.40. I need to review it to make sure everything is cool update the help file and it should be good to go. This will take a few weeks. It is on the agenda.
I revised a Timer Object demo project. I hope it has a clearer explanation about how this object functions. It is posted on my website. I really need to make more demo projects. This is also on the agenda.
Some people are wondering how to calibrate the touchscreen on the MMI8150X, 8121X,8104XH series units.
* You need a USB mouse connected to the unit.
* Click in the lower right corner to bring up the system bar.
* The calibration is triggered by clicking on the last icon (just to the right of the orange wrench).
* Follow the on screen instructions.
Yes, a revised X Series installation manual is on the Agenda.
This week, the MMI6056 and MMI6070H were finally released. (Refer to my 22JAN10 post)
I just got a new EB8000 software update V3.40. I need to review it to make sure everything is cool update the help file and it should be good to go. This will take a few weeks. It is on the agenda.
I revised a Timer Object demo project. I hope it has a clearer explanation about how this object functions. It is posted on my website. I really need to make more demo projects. This is also on the agenda.
Some people are wondering how to calibrate the touchscreen on the MMI8150X, 8121X,8104XH series units.
* You need a USB mouse connected to the unit.
* Click in the lower right corner to bring up the system bar.
* The calibration is triggered by clicking on the last icon (just to the right of the orange wrench).
* Follow the on screen instructions.
Yes, a revised X Series installation manual is on the Agenda.
Friday, February 5, 2010
When did that happen?
I had an interesting call from a customer this week.
He was trying to use a Data Sample object to monitor a switch changing state. He needed to log when the switch changed state.
The switch was triggering a B3 bit in an Allen Bradley PLC . In the Data Sample object he could use the bit to trigger the Data Sample but had no Word to put in the Read address that showed the B3 bit's state. Eventually he made a rung of logic that put the bit state in an N word in the PLC and then logged the word.
I have recommended adding bit logging capability to the software developers as an improvement for the next version EB8000.
Still, some might ask "What if I can't change the logic in the PLC?"
Here is a quick work around using a Macro.
1. Create a Macro called BitLog that uses the following code:
macro_command main()
bool bBit //bit for general use
GetDataEx(bBit, "Allen-Bradley DH485", B3, [B3 address], 1) //get the bit state
SetData(bBit, "Local HMI", LW, 7000, 1) //save the bit state to an internal word
SetData(bBit, "Local HMI", LB, 7000, 1) //save the bit state to an internal bit
end macro_command
2. Create a PLC Control object that triggers the Macro with the B3 [B3 address], (OFF<->ON)
3. Create a Data Sampling object triggered by LB7000 (OFF<->ON) that uses a Read Address of LW7000.
When the B3 bit changes state, the Macro is triggered. That, in turn, triggers the Data Sample object. The only draw back is that the time could be off by 1 to 5 seconds. This is slightly longer than using the logic change mentioned at the beginning of this post.
Macro's are a handy tool for making HMI interfaces do much more than expected. You might want to explore the Macro help and try out some Macro coding. It is not as scary as some people make it out to be.
He was trying to use a Data Sample object to monitor a switch changing state. He needed to log when the switch changed state.
The switch was triggering a B3 bit in an Allen Bradley PLC . In the Data Sample object he could use the bit to trigger the Data Sample but had no Word to put in the Read address that showed the B3 bit's state. Eventually he made a rung of logic that put the bit state in an N word in the PLC and then logged the word.
I have recommended adding bit logging capability to the software developers as an improvement for the next version EB8000.
Still, some might ask "What if I can't change the logic in the PLC?"
Here is a quick work around using a Macro.
1. Create a Macro called BitLog that uses the following code:
macro_command main()
bool bBit //bit for general use
GetDataEx(bBit, "Allen-Bradley DH485", B3, [B3 address], 1) //get the bit state
SetData(bBit, "Local HMI", LW, 7000, 1) //save the bit state to an internal word
SetData(bBit, "Local HMI", LB, 7000, 1) //save the bit state to an internal bit
end macro_command
2. Create a PLC Control object that triggers the Macro with the B3 [B3 address], (OFF<->ON)
3. Create a Data Sampling object triggered by LB7000 (OFF<->ON) that uses a Read Address of LW7000.
When the B3 bit changes state, the Macro is triggered. That, in turn, triggers the Data Sample object. The only draw back is that the time could be off by 1 to 5 seconds. This is slightly longer than using the logic change mentioned at the beginning of this post.
Macro's are a handy tool for making HMI interfaces do much more than expected. You might want to explore the Macro help and try out some Macro coding. It is not as scary as some people make it out to be.
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