Working with SoftLogix

SoftLogix controllers are capable of processing larger volumes of data at a higher speed than even the most powerful Logix controller as it utilizes the computing power of modern PCs.

In the following exercises, we will perform the following tasks:

• Configuring the SoftLogix 5800 chassis monitor
• Configuring the RSLinx virtual-backplane driver
• Creating a Logix Designer SoftLogix project
• Simulating values using the 1789-SIM module

In the next section, we will learn how to configure the SoftLogix 5800 chassis monitor application, which is a virtual, Windows-based controller rack.

Configuring the SoftLogix 5800 chassis monitor

In this exercise, we will configure a SoftLogix controller in the SoftLogix chassis monitor.

To configure a SoftLogix controller, perform the following steps:

1. Start the SoftLogix 5800 chassis monitor software.
2. Open the drop-down menu option by navigating to Slot | Create Module….
3. The Select Module dialog box appears and allows us to add the communication modules, the 1789-SIM I/O simulation modules, or the SoftLogix 5800 controller modules to the slot we specify.
4. Select 1789-L60 SoftLogix5860 Controller and 1 for the Slot number field using the numeric selector. Then, click on the OK button, as in the following screenshot:

1. The General dialog box appears. Next, we will configure the SoftLogix controller we added to slot 1 in our virtual chassis.

The General dialog box allows us to specify the following options:

• • Startup Mode: This option allows you to select the SoftLogix run mode state when the controller first starts up (equivalent to the key position on a physical controller). The options are Remote Program or Last Controller State.
  • Memory Size (KB): This option is the amount of memory (RAM) that the controller is allowed to use on the PC.
  • Periodic Save Interval: This option stores all the current tag values in the SoftLogix controller to the PC's hard disk drive. This value runs at a higher processor priority than other tasks on your PC and can impact the performance of other processes. Having a modern multi-core processor helps to reduce this risk.

1. We are going to keep the default options in the General dialog box, so click on the Next > button, as in the following screenshot:

1. Now, the NT System dialog box appears and provides us with the following options:
   • Continuous Task Dwell Time (ms): This option is the breathing room you offer the PC to handle other tasks running on the system. It is essential to provide the CPU with a slice of time to handle Windows-related system tasks; otherwise, you may find your CPU pegged at 100 percent utilization and your PC system unresponsive.
   • CPU Affinity: This option is the CPU core used for the SoftLogix controller.
   • Channel 0 Serial Port: This option is the COM port used for serial communication by the SoftLogix controller.
2. We are going to keep the default options, as in the General dialog box, so click on the Finish button, as in the following screenshot:

Adding a 1789-SIM I/O module will allow us to simulate input values and monitor output values. We can add the 1789-SIM module using the same process we used to add the SoftLogix controller module.

1. Open the drop-down menu option by navigating to Slot | Create Module….
2. In the Select Module dialog box, select 1789-SIM 32 Point Input/Output Simulator in the Module Type field, select 2 in the Slot field, set the Label option to Simulated Points, and click on the OK button.

1. Now that we have a 1789-SIM module added to our virtual backplane, we can toggle inputs and monitor the outputs. You can toggle the digital points by right-clicking on the 1789-SIM module and selecting Properti
2. You can toggle the digital input values by selecting the I/O Data tab and toggling the input boxes. You can also see the output values by clicking on the module on the virtual chassis to open the module door:

The following screenshot shows the SoftLogix chassis monitor that contains the SoftLogix CPU we have added:

Now, we have completed the configuration of our SoftLogix controller and the chassis monitor. We have also learned how to create and configure a virtual rack for our SoftLogix controllers and cards.

Next, we will set up our RSLinx driver to allow Logix Designer/RSLogix 5000 to communicate with the SoftLogix controller.

Configuring the RSLinx virtual-backplane driver

The RSLinx virtual-backplane driver is the communication gateway used by Logix Designer/RSLogix 5000 to program and monitor the SoftLogix controllers. To configure the RSLinx virtual-backplane driver, follow these steps:

1. Run RSLinx Classic and navigate to Communications | Configure Drivers.
2. In the Configure Drivers window, click on the Available Driver Types dropdown and select Virtual Backplane (SoftLogix58xx, USB).
3. Then, click on the Add New… button, as in the following screenshot:

1. A Windows dialog box will appear with an Add New RSLinx Driver title. Enter VirtualBP_1.
2. Next, the Configure VirtualBackplane dialog box will allow us to select the slot number where the RSLinx module will reside. By default, the module will be positioned in slot 0. Only in Logix Designer version 2.1 and higher can you select a slot position that isn't 0.
3. Our virtual backplane drive is now configured and running, and we can close the dialog box by clicking on the Close button:

Now that we have our virtual backplane configured, we can start to develop programs and download them to our SoftLogix controller.

In the following section, we will create a new Logix program where we will configure our SoftLogix controller as the primary controller for the project.

Creating a Logix Designer SoftLogix project

In order to download programs and run your SoftLogix controller, you will need to create and configure a new Logix project by performing the following steps:

1. First, open Logix Designer/RSLogix 5000 and create a new project by selecting New Project from the Studio 5000 splash screen in Studio 5000, or by opening the drop-down menu option after navigating to File | New… in RSLogix5000.
2. In Studio 5000 Logix Designer, there is another New Projectwizard step, but in RSLogix 5000, there is only a single dialog box for creating a new project.
3. In theNew Projectdialog box, navigate toSoftLogix™ 5800 Controller| 1789-L60 SoftLogix™ 5800 Controllerand set theNamefield toNewSoftLogixProject. Then, click on theNextbutton:

1. Set the Chassis field to 1789-A17 17-Slot SoftLogix Virtual Chassis and the Slot field to 1. Set the Security Authority field to No Protection:

1. Specify a useful project description and then click on the Finish button or, in RSLogix 5000, click on OK.

In later versions of Logix, you can specify a value in the Security Authority field, which must be present on a FactoryTalk Network directory in order to go online with a controller. Projects that are secured to a specific security authority cannot be recovered if that security authority is lost.

1. In the Control Organizer pane, we can see our SoftLogix controller listed:

1. Next, right-click on our newly added SoftLogix controller and select the Properties menu option:
2. The Controller Properties window allows us to configure the controller to suit the needs of our application.

Now that we have configured our SoftLogix controller, we can add modules and begin downloading programs to it.

In the next section, we will utilize our newly configured SIM module within a Logix program.

Configuring the 1789-SIM module in the Logix Designer project

To use our 1789-SIM module within our program, we will need to load and configure the module in our Logix Designer project:

1. Open Logix Designer/RSLogix 5000 and open the project we previously added our SoftLogix controller to.
2. In Logix, right-click on the I/O Configuration folder and select New Module:

1. The Select Module Type dialog box will appear. Use the dialog box to find the 1789-MODULE Generic 1789 Module module (under Other in Logix Designer), then click on the Create button:

1. The New Module dialog box will appear and allows us to configure the 1789-SIM module's general properties.
2. The Assembly Instance field values represent the configuration modes for the 1789-SIM module. The Status Input and Status Output values are disabled when the Comm Format field that does not support the status information is selected. I have only ever seen two different configuration modes here, which are detailed in the following table:

As you can see from the preceding table, the Assembly Instance values will always stay the same, except for the case of Listen Only mode, where the Output field value changes to 3.

The Size property for each Assembly Instance field value is used to specify the number of channels for Input, Output, Status Input, and Status Output. The Configuration field size is always 400, regardless of the value entered in the Size property.

1. Set the properties of the 1789-SIM module, as in the following screenshot:

The preceding configuration will create the following input, output, and configuration controller tags:

Had we selected the Comm Format field with Status, we would also have the Input Status and Output Status controller tags appear in the Controller Tag list.

1. Click on the OK button. The Module Properties window will appear and allows us to modify the module connection configuration.
2. Set the Requested Packet Interval (RPI) value for the 1789-SIM module to 50.0 ms and click on the OK button. Setting an RPI value to less than 50 ms can cause the 1789-SIM module to fail.

Now, we can connect and download our program to the SoftLogix controller, just like a regular physical controller:

1. Open Who Active by navigating to Communications | Who Active, and then navigate to our newly created SoftLogix controller and click on the Download button.
2. Finally, ensure that you are online with your SoftLogix controller so that, in the next exercise, we can start to simulate some values.

Now that we have added our SIM module to our Logix project, we will begin to simulate values in the exercise in the next section.

Simulating values using the 1789-SIM module

Now that we have configured our virtual chassis, RSLinx, our controller, and the 1789-SIM module, as well as downloaded our program, we can start to simulate input and monitor output values by performing these steps:

1. Open SoftLogix Chassis Monitor, right-click on the 1789-SIM module, and select Properties.
2. Click on the I/O Data tab under Module Properties.

1. The I/O Data tab allows us to toggle digital inputs by clicking on them and monitoring the digital outputs, as shown:

1. When you toggle a digital input and return to your online program in RSLogix/Logix Designer, you will see that the corresponding value has changed in the Controller Tags monitor.

In the previous exercise, we learned how to configure a SoftLogix controller, set it up in a Logix program, and simulate I/O data values.