ChronScribe™ Setup and Initialization
- Mark Miller
Revisions
Revision | Date | Description | Author |
|---|---|---|---|
0.01 |
| Initial Release from original Power Point Slides | |
| 0.02 | Adds RSLinx Ordering information | Mark Miller | |
| 0.03 | Adds more details about RSLinx ordering. Adds more feature setup details | Mark Miller | |
| 0.04 | Add sections for OPC Groups, Data Log Files, and Excel File Items types and features setup | Mark Miller | |
| 0.05 | Adds details about installing version 06.01.01 and above. Adds information about setting up new user levels and passwords. | Mark Miller | |
| 0.06 | Adds details about setup of user passwords during install, user roles, privileges, and limitations. | Mark Miller | |
| 0.07 | Corrects information about Access levels based on version 06.01.05 updates. | Mark Miller |
Table of Contents
ChronScribe™
Hardware Prerequisites
- Windows 7 or 10 Pro PC
- 4G RAM minimum, 8G or more RAM recommended.
- 500G Hard Drive minimum.
- Controller Network interface.
- Provides hardware interface communication to controllers (i.e. Ethernet IP, Profibus).
- Some Controller Network drivers may require using Windows 7 32 bit only.
- Printer, if desired.
RSLInx Classic OPC Server
As of 07-07-2016, it has been verified that the current version of the RSLinx Classic OEM or Gateway Version works with ChronScribe™ under Windows 10 Pro.
However, only the x86 release of ChronScribe™ is compatible at this time.
Software Prerequisites
Windows 7 Pro or 10 Pro.
Separate install utilities are available for Windows 32 bit and 64 bit versions.
.NET Framework 4.7 minimum.
This can be downloaded from Microsoft link below.
A separate installed OPC Server for control devices.
Provides the ability to create and attach to OPC tags within control devices.
For Allen-Bradley Processor PLC processor family support, RSLinx Classic OEM or Gateway may be used.
Some OPC Servers may require using Windows 7 32 bit only.
RSLInx Classic OPC Server
As of 07-07-2016, it has been verified that the current version of the RSLinx Classic OEM or Gateway Version works with ChronScribe™ under Windows 10 Pro.
However, only the x86 release of ChronScribe™ is compatible at this time. See RSLinx Ordering Info for more information.
Installing ChronScribe™ Software
- Verify that the target PC meets all hardware and software requirements.
- Retrieve Setup.exe, Setup.msi, and Readme.txt files from distribution media or website.
- Copy install files to a local directory on the target PC.
- Run the setup.exe or *.MSI from the target PC local hard drive to install the HMI application.
- Typically, use the default install settings.
- Install any necessary OPC Servers such as RSLinx Classic OEM or Gateway.
Introduction
The first dialog after running the installation setup.exe or *.msi file is an introduction to ChronScribe™ and its applicable copyright notice information.
Setup Admin and Developer Passwords
This dialog allows the installer to provide unique passwords for the "Administrator" and "Developer" user access levels.
See Access Levels for more details.
Setup Engineer and Maintenance Passwords
This dialog allows the installer to provide unique passwords for the "Engineer" and "Maintenance" user roles.
See Access Levels for more details.
Selecting an Installation Folder
Confirming the Installation
Completing the Installation
RSLinx Classic
For further information see the following link for Rockwell documentation of RSLinx:
Ordering Information
RSLinx Ordering Info
The OEM version highlighted above may be ordered but the ChronScribe™ Application has also been verified on the Gateway version above.
Setting up RSLinx Classic, Part 1
Setting up RSLinx Classic, Part 2
Setting up RSLinx Classic, Part 3
Setting up RSLinx Classic, Part 4
Setting up RSLinx Classic, Part 5
Setting up RSLinx Classic, Part 6
Setting up RSLinx Classic, Part 7
Access Levels
With the correct password, users can change their access level for an optional time limit or for the remainder of the time ChronScribe™ is running.
Remember the passwords AND protect the installation media. If the passwords are forgotten, ChronScribe™ may be re-installed to reset the passwords.
If unchanged during the installation, the default passwords are:
| Level | Default Password |
|---|---|
| Admin | admin |
| Developer | develop |
| Engineer | engineer |
| Maintenance | maint |
The table below describes the supported user roles and the enforced limitations, if any, when using ChronScribe™.
| Access Level | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Admin | The Admin level is provided for those responsible for installation, administrating and assigning of passwords, and will have access to all levels and features. |
|
| Developer | The Developer level is provided for those responsible for setting up a new Control System or updating an existing Control System. | The Developer can:
The Developer limitations are as follows:
|
| Engineer | The Engineer level is provided for those responsible for supporting an existing Control System. | The Engineer can:
The Engineer limitations are as follows:
|
| Maintenance | The Maintenance level is provided for those responsible for daily support and preventive maintenance and repair of an existing Control System. | The Maintenance role can:
The Maintenance limitations are as follows:
|
| User | A User is the default active level each time ChronScribe™ is started. | A User has NO reserved privileges and a password is NOT required or available for this default access level. The User limitations are as follows:
|
OPC Settings
Introduction
OPC Settings for the ChronScribe™ Application may be configured using Excel but once imported into the app, the settings are converted and exported in XML Text file for saving and version control.
OPC Servers
OPC Topics
OPC Groups
OPC Groups provide a means to organize OPC Items.
OPC Groups will be used by ChronScribe™ to:
- Create a display treeview of an OPC Groups when:
- The OPC Server, OPC Topic , and OPC Group are Enabled.
- The OPC Group's "Create Node" property is set to TRUE.
- Display status and write capability for the OPC Group's enabled OPC Items
OPC Group Display
OPC Group Excel Worksheet
OPC Group Properties
| Property | Type | Excel Column | Description | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | String | A (1) | A Unique name for the OPC Group | This OPC Group name helps organize OPC Items. If period ('.') characters are placed in the name and the "Create Node" property is TRUE, the user interface will create a tree view node (or branch) for each period in the name of the group. This helps visually distinguish OPC Groups. |
| Topic Name | String | B (2) | Must be the name from the list of available topics in the OPC Topics. This name associates the OPC group with this topic. | |
| Enabled | Bool | C (3) | The Enabled setting may be TRUE or FALSE. If TRUE, the group will be enabled for communication at run time. If FALSE, the group will not be able to communicate. | Set this property to FALSE to keep the definition setting but not allow the group to be used at run time. |
| Display Name | String | D (4) | The text of the name shown on the user interface and may be set at the user's discretion. | Typically, this name is set to the same name as the Name setting. |
| Display Description | String | E (5) | The text of the name shown on the user interface and may be set at the user's discretion. | |
| Scan Time | Integer | F (6) | The Scan Time property specifies the time in milliseconds that the application will use to check for changes for items in this group. The minimum setting is 100 milliseconds. | The minimum time value should be used sparingly on systems with a large number of items (over 1000) since communication performance may suffer when many items are being checked too often. In general, the Scan Time may be set to one second (1000 milliseconds). |
| Read Only | Bool | G (7) | The Read only property may be TRUE or FALSE. If TRUE, all items in the group will be read only and may not be set from the user interface at run time (even if the OPC Item in the OPC Group is read/write). | If FALSE, the group will be read/write and its items may be set from the user interface at run time if the OPC Item is also set to read/write. |
| Create Node | Bool | H (8) | The Create Node property may be set to TRUE or FALSE. | If TRUE, the user interface will show a tree view node (or branch) for the group. If FALSE, no node will be shown. |
| Warn Shared Items | Bool | I (9) | This property may be True or False. If true, upon initialization, each OPC Group will be checked to verify if OPC Items exist in multiple OPC Groups. | An OPC Item Name property must be globally unique. However, it can be that an OPC Item's 'Tag Name' property may be shared by multiple OPC Items. This makes it possible for an OPC tag name to be referenced in multiple OPC Groups. This check can be used to warn about this condition. |
OPC Items
OPC Items define the OPC tag, value type, source type, value range, etc of the data connection typically to a value in a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC).
OPC Items Excel Worksheet
OPC Item Properties
| Property | Type | Format | Excel Column | Description | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | String | A (1) | The name must be a unique string value used to identify the OPC Item. | ||
| Group Name | String | B (2) | The Group Name must be an string value from the list of available groups in the OPC Groups. This Group Name associates the OPC Item with its OPC Group. | ||
| Topic Name | String | C (3) | |||
| Enabled | Bool | D (4) | The Enabled setting may be TRUE or FALSE. If TRUE, the item will be enabled for communication at run time. If FALSE, the item will not be able to communicate. | Set this to FALSE to keep the definition in EXCEL but not allow the item to be used at run time. | |
| Read Only | Bool | E (5) | The Read only setting may be TRUE or FALSE. | If TRUE, the item will be read only and may not be set from the user interface at run time. If FALSE, the item will be read/write and may be set from the user interface at run time. | |
| Address | String | F (6) | The Address setting must be a PLC symbol name exposed to OPC from the OPC Server. | On legacy AB PLCs, the this setting is the PLC address and the 'Tag Name' setting is the symbol name (if any) of the PLC address. This OPC Tag name is OPC Server and Topic dependent. For example, on AB PLC5/SLC, PLC addresses should be used here. On AB Control Logix processors the PLC symbol names must be used here. | |
| Tag Name | String | G (7) | The Tag Name setting is the text of the symbol or tag name to associate with the 'Address' setting. | This may be set according to the user's discretion but typically this setting is given the symbol name (if any) of the 'Address' setting. This setting will help identify OPC Items to the operator when messages are logged. | |
| Item Type | String | H (8) | The Item Type setting must be the text of specific types supported by ChronScribe™. | In addition, this type must be reflected by the actual item within the PLC or there will be configuration errors. For a list of available types and their meanings, see the OPC Item Types | |
| Source Type | String | I (9) | The Source Type setting must be the text of specific types supported by ChronScribe™. | For a list of available types and their meanings, see OPC Source Types. | |
| Custom Type Name | String | This setting is reserved for future use and is currently unused. | Reserved. | ||
| Array Size | Integer | The Array Size setting should be left blank if the OPC Item is NOT an array. If the item is an array, this setting should be set to the size of the array. | For example:
| ||
| Array Designation | String | arrayName[] | The Array Designation setting should be left blank if the OPC Item is NOT an array. If the item is an array, this setting should be the text of the PLC address or tag name of the root of the array. | For example:
| |
| Display Name | String | ||||
| Display Description | String | ||||
| Data Log | Bool | ||||
| Mask Value | Integer | ||||
| Min Value | Item Type Dependent | ||||
| Max Value | Item Type Dependent | ||||
| Safe Value | Item Type Dependent |
OPC Item Types
OPC Source Types
Excel File Items
Excel File Items Excel Worksheet
| Property | Type | Format | Values | Excel Column | Description | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group Name | String | A (1) | When not blank or empty, the Group Name is the name of the OPC Group of OPC Items in the PLC that will be copied to/from Excel. | |||
| Item Name | String | B (2) | When not blank or empty, the Item Name is the name of the OPC Item in the PLC that will be copied to/from Excel. | |||
| Enabled | Bool | TRUE or FALSE | C (3) | If TRUE, the Excel File Item will be enabled for use at run time. If FALSE, the Excel File Item will not be used. | ||
| Excel File Name | String | D (4) | The text of the name shown on the user interface and may be set at the user's discretion. | |||
| Worksheet Name | String | E (5) | The worksheet name in the Excel File used to get the values for setting OPC items. | |||
| Start Row | Integer | n >= 1 | F (6) | |||
| Value Column | Integer | n >= 1 | G (7) | |||
| Name Column | Integer | n >= 1 | H (8) | |||
| Total Values | Integer | n >= 0 | I (9) | If n = zero (0), then all OPC Group items will be copied | ||
| Value Multiplier | Decimal | n > 0.0 | J (10) | |||
| To PLC | Bool | TRUE or FALSE | K (11) | |||
| To Excel | Bool | TRUE or FALSE | L (12) | |||
Data Log Files
Data Log Files allow ChronScribe to log OPC Groups of OPC Items into comma separated text files for recording and analysis.
Data Log File Excel Worksheet
Data Log File Properties
| Property | Type | Format | Values | Excel Column | Description | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group Name | String | A (1) | ||||
| Enabled | Bool | TRUE or FALSE | B (2) | The Enabled setting may be TRUE or FALSE. | ||
| By Item Name | String | C (3) | ||||
| Log When | Bool | TRUE or FALSE | D (4) | |||
| Delay | String | hh:mm:ss.000 | E (5) | |||
| Time of Day | String | hh:mm:ss AM/PM | F (6) | |||
| Is Columnated | Bool | TRUE or FALSE | G (7) | This is set to true to place all data for the opc group in column form. | ||
| Columns Per Row | Integer | n >= 0 | H (8) | set to 0, meaning all items will be in columns on the same row. Set this to non-zero to put column data in more than one row. Currently it takes three columns per OPC Item to record data (“Date”, “Time”, “ Value”). The “time” recorded is the last change time of the item. This means that when triggered or logged it may not be a different time. The time will not change until a new value is received from the PLC. This way each recorded value will correspond to the time when the value changed. | ||
| Is File Per Column Row | Bool | TRUE or FALSE | I (9) | this is set to false for now but if set to true, will place column data in separate files. Each row created by “ColumnsPerRow” property will be placed in a separate file | ||
| Directory | String | J (10) | ||||
| Prefix | String | prefixName | K (11) | |||
| Extension | String | .extension | L (12) | |||
| Days Per File | Integer | n > 0 | M (13) | |||
| Days To Keep | Integer | n > 0 | N (14) | |||
Initialization
Importing Excel Settings
Importing XML Settings
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