Melsec Medoc Plus Ladder Editor

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Thread Starter

Allan Nichols

Melsec Medoc+ is a really good programming package for Mitsubishi PLC's. It's function block programming is excellent, but the ladder editor is freeform, making it of more use to CAD designers that software engineers. I think it increases development time.

My question is Does anybody like the freeform ladder editor? If so why do you like it? Anybody else got any good or bad comments about MM+.

I am conducting this "poll" in the hope I can convince Mitsubishi to change it. More like the RS Logix drag and drop system.
 
I do NOT like the Medoc Software, however it is easy to use, just time consuming and it you cannot download programs, or program modifications to some of their "for use in Japan only" PLC's. This may be different now, but whatever version I was using at my old company would not allow this, however I could upload the program to my PC to view the logic. Sort of a strange phenomenon really.

Anyhow, I support changing the software. I actually kind of like PLC Direct's software almost equally as much as RS Logix and Omron's CX Programmer.
 
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List Manager

I don't do much ladder programming but I also prefers non-free form editors for this kind of editing.

I think the main focus is to think about the logic, not where to put the contacts, that is something the program could figure out by itself.


/Johan Bengtsson

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Patrick Beckett

On the whole I like Medoc Plus and look forward to the new version GX Developer.

But in answer to your question I have the following thoughts.

Item 1. I like the presentation of the ladder editor but I find it very tricky to use on site with a laptop with no mouse. A laptop's 'nipple'
pointer is just not right for adding or modifying the code. Sometimes when I am on site I do not have a luxury of a table, mouse, large high resolution monitor, all have is my laptop and progamming lead and I wish the designers of software take into account the fact that the real user environment is a dusty, greasy, badly lit, noisy factory. The ability to add structured
ladder quickly from the keyboard with hotkeys would be greatly appreciated.

Item 2. I turn off the Automatic connect feature straight away, as I find this can create hugely complicated and winding connections when 3 lines
could work just as well. It looks okay until I move a contact, when the lines go crazy.

Item 3. The code compiler which converts the free form ladder into instruction list could be optimised. The code it creates is not as efficent
as it could be. Most of the time it does a decent job, but by using 'system bits' to store the logical value at the branching point, and then loading this value again when needed. Some of the time this is not required.

I do find the software fairly easy and quite powerful to use and it has got better since version 2.3.

Training some site technicians and even other software engineers in its use has been hampered by Medoc's willingness to ignore the common windows interface most computer users are familiar with.

I have one other point I would like to see improved, and this is the confusing way Medoc Plus allows access to nearly identical or identical functions from different menus. i.e. Project communication settings for one
and the Device Debug / Entry Data Monitor.

I have not seen GX Developer yet so I cannot comment on whether this new version has addressed any of these issues.

Patrick Beckett
Merlin Systems Limited, UK

This is my own personal opinion, and not that of my company.
 
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