jjones2 (Customer) asked a question.

March 6, 2024 at 12:55 AM
C-More EA9 Duplicate Screens, But Change PLC Device Only

I have 2 PLCs and 2 HMIs on 2 different (but same) machines.

 

I need to be able to operate both machines, from each HMI. (mainly in case of failure of an HMI).

 

The screens and PLC programs are a 1:1 match.

 

I just finished building the 1st HMI. 22 screens in total. I do not want to have to copy 22 screens, just to change all the different objects to a tag with a new device. (I think i worded that right?). Basically i will be duplicating all the tags, and importing them as "DEV002" instead of "DEV001". All PLC addresses are the exact same. What's the best way to go about this? I'd say theres roughly 300 objects that i would have to go through and change to the new tag name. Is there a faster way?

  • 13 answers
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  • LRJ (Customer)

    There is something you could do. Less than ideal, but it beats retagging 300+ objects.

     

    Step 1: Save your original project

     

    Step 2: Immediately save your project as a different name.

     

    Step 3: Using the new project name, go to Setup> Panel Manager and change the name of the PLC device (ex. DEV001, change to DEV002). Also change the IP address to that of the new PLC (assuming your using Ethernet). Click OK to save your changes and close Panel Manager.

     

    Step 4: Go to Tool> Screen Library

     

    Step 5: In the Screen Library window, save each of your screens to the library by dragging them to the bottom right panel of the Screen Library window. Each time a screen is dragged to the save panel, a window opens where you can rename the screen and option to save tags. You will want to save tags. After adding all your screen to the library, close the window and save the project.

     

    Step 6: Open the original project and go back to Tool> Screen Library.

     

    Step 7: All of your saved screens should appear in the library (lower right panel), where you dragged them earlier. Drag them back over into the project area. After dragging the screens into your project, you should notice that all the objects on the new screens have the same tagnames but with an appended (1). As example, original tagname "LowLevel1" will be named "LowLevel1(1)" on the new screen. Each of the new tags will reference the same PLC address as the original but for a different PLC (DEV002).

     

    Something Im unsure of is what would happen if any of your original tagnames were already at max characters. Hopefully, that isn't the case.

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  • Durallymax (Customer)

    Welcome to the joys of C-More, lots of clicking. I don't believe what you are asking is possible (two identical programs in identical PLCs but as separate devices). The namespace inside C-More only allows a single instance of each tag. If you try to import a duplicate under the new device it will throw an error or overwrite(if selected).

     

    The only way to accomplish this is different PLC programs with a prefix or suffix for tags and then endless clicking to edit the existing screens to match each PLC. Alternatively, a different HMI environment that supports multiple devices with non-unique variable names.

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  • jjones2 (Customer)

    That’s what I was afraid of :/. I’m new to PLCs and HMIs so still trying to learn this stuff.

     

    thanks!

  • Todd Dice (Customer)

    Will you have a pointer address where your inputs are directed to the proper machine? If so, assign your HMI input tags to the same C-bits (Do-more, Click) or boolean (Productivity) and the pointer be the traffic cop to which machine accepts the inputs.

  • OkiePC (Customer)

    I don't work with the C-More much but I have done exactly this with a Red Lion HMI simply by editing the IP address of the device with a Crimson program so that the operator can go to a config screen and pick which machine he wants to control. Is there a way to edit the DEV001 IP address at runtime with C-More programming?

  • LRJ (Customer)

    There is something you could do. Less than ideal, but it beats retagging 300+ objects.

     

    Step 1: Save your original project

     

    Step 2: Immediately save your project as a different name.

     

    Step 3: Using the new project name, go to Setup> Panel Manager and change the name of the PLC device (ex. DEV001, change to DEV002). Also change the IP address to that of the new PLC (assuming your using Ethernet). Click OK to save your changes and close Panel Manager.

     

    Step 4: Go to Tool> Screen Library

     

    Step 5: In the Screen Library window, save each of your screens to the library by dragging them to the bottom right panel of the Screen Library window. Each time a screen is dragged to the save panel, a window opens where you can rename the screen and option to save tags. You will want to save tags. After adding all your screen to the library, close the window and save the project.

     

    Step 6: Open the original project and go back to Tool> Screen Library.

     

    Step 7: All of your saved screens should appear in the library (lower right panel), where you dragged them earlier. Drag them back over into the project area. After dragging the screens into your project, you should notice that all the objects on the new screens have the same tagnames but with an appended (1). As example, original tagname "LowLevel1" will be named "LowLevel1(1)" on the new screen. Each of the new tags will reference the same PLC address as the original but for a different PLC (DEV002).

     

    Something Im unsure of is what would happen if any of your original tagnames were already at max characters. Hopefully, that isn't the case.

    Expand Post
    Selected as Best
10 of 13

 

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