adccommunitymod (AutomationDirect) asked a question.
Created Date: January 28,2013
Created By: brent14
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I have a Click C0-02DR-D recieving 0-5v analog data from a flow controller, and simply I would like to graph the flow over time. From what I can tell the Click programming software will not support this, and I have been looking into some freeware to collect it. The next problem is that the cable will only communicate with 1 program at a time, so in order to change my setpoints I would have to stop logging the data. Would using the second comm port allow for both programs to opperate? Also, is there any data logging software suggestions? Thanks! Brent
Created Date: January 28,2013
Created by: scott.lawrence
by chance, is the click connected to a C-More or other type of HMI? Most of these have built-in data collection & trending. Saving the trend & emailing or FTP across a network isn't too difficult to implement...
Created Date: January 28,2013
Created by: brent14
The COMM connection is linked to my laptop with a usb adapter, there is no HMI currently.
Created Date: January 28,2013
Created by: Tinker
Would using the second comm port allow for both programs to opperate? Also, is there any data logging software suggestions?
To first question, yes, both ports can operate at the same time (or all three if you have one of the CLICKs with RS485) I have had a dataview in the programing software conected to port one, port 2 sending ASCII data to a PC and port 3 getting data from a SOLO controler all at (virtualy) the same time.
As for software I don't know of any free ones off hand. Do you need realtime graphs or can you batch process? for the latter I'd use Hyperterminal on a Win XP machine to capture comma delimited data, then chart it in EXCEL(R) or, if I had a working "DOS " machine handy I'd do it all in QBASIC.
I belive it is possible (but perhaps not easy) to read from a serial port with VBA in EXCEL on a modern machine, though I haven't done it myself.
There are both serial libraries and charting libraies for Python (an probably a lot of other scripting languages) but again, I haven't succesfully used them my self. Some of the graphics libraries have a lot of dependancies I haven't got figured out, and serial libraries can be picky about hardware. With "free " you sometimes get what you paid for.
Created Date: January 29,2013
Created by: kewakl
The Click memory map has DS and DD data that can be used to store your samples until you are ready to *download* them from the Click.
Look here for a proof of concept program for using some of that memory map for storing and retrieving your samples.
If you are familiar with for loops and pointers , maybe this could be of some use.
Something thing to consider is frequency of samples -vs- how long you need to sample as you might run out of DS/DD memory.
@Tinker, yes, the specified model has the 485 port.
Created Date: January 29,2013
Created by: AlbertL
If you need to access the data remotely, you might consider AD's MB-GATEWAY ( http://www.automationdirect.com/adc/Shopping/Catalog/Communications/Ethernet/Ethernet_Converters_-a-_Gateways/MB-GATEWAY ), which would let you access the Click's memory over an IP network via Modbus TCP.
Created Date: February 01,2013
Created by: brent14
Thanks for all the suggestions guys,
I don't need real time graphing as all of my components have displays on them, So I should be able to get the data into excel, Assuming my beginner brain can figure it out!
Created Date: February 12,2013
Created by: Dean
A handy little program I have used in the past for serial data collection is Termite.
http://www.compuphase.com/software_termite.htm
It will write everything to a log text file if you want, but I usually just copy and paste the raw data into Excel directly from the Termite window. Depending on the raw data formatting, a little massaging is usually required to get everything lined up for working with in Excel.
Created Date: February 12,2013
Created by: ljbeng
You could also use the DF3USB logger from www.ljbeng.com
It is ready to log data from a Click PLC to a USB thumb drive.
Created Date: January 28,2013
Created by: brent14
I have a Click C0-02DR-D recieving 0-5v analog data from a flow controller, and simply I would like to graph the flow over time.
From what I can tell the Click programming software will not support this, and I have been looking into some freeware to collect it.
The next problem is that the cable will only communicate with 1 program at a time, so in order to change my setpoints I would have to stop logging the data.
Would using the second comm port allow for both programs to opperate? Also, is there any data logging software suggestions?
Thanks!
Brent