Rockwell Learning Stuff

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Thread Starter

Curt Wuollet

Hi All

I seem to recall someone mentioning a deal on a micrologix and the rslogix to program it with. I can't find it in the archives. Also a hopefully free documentation CD for rslogix. This is out of my pocket and I haven't got a customer, so if I'm gonna learn the stuff, I need the least cost route.

Regards

cww
 
See Rockwell Software for a download
for RSLogix500 (10pt version).
Also download RSLinx Lite.

The Micrologix 1000 (10pt version)
part number is 1761-L10BXB for
about $85US. You need a special
cable part number 1761-CBL-PM02
for about $50. I've seen pinout
drawings but not sure if 9pin mini-DIN
is proprietory.

I was doing data communication and didnt want
to waste time with a hacked cable.
If you have a new laptop with USB
only get the Belkin part F5103U(?)
interface cable.

Register at ab.com to get at the
download area.

I'll watch this thread for any other questions
and get back to you.

Mike.
 
S

ScienceOfficer

Mike and Curt---

The pinout for the 1761-CBL-PM02 is shown, among other places, in Rockwell Knowledgebase Document G19095, which should be at:

http://domino.automation.rockwell.c...FC505C604E68154085256AFB006AC7C7?OpenDocument

The only situation in which the DIN connector is unique is in the MicroLogix1200 line, where the access port is recessed very deeply and many DIN connector kits are simply too big to fit. Note that the processors provide a 24VDC power supply across pins 1 and 8 to power accessories; you want those pins unconnected when talking to a personal computer.

Hope this helps!

Larry Lawver
Rexel / Central Florida
 
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Curt Wuollet

Thanks Mike

But I thought someone suggested a way considerably cheaper than that. Perhaps I imagined it? If so, so be it, but I can't drop $1000.00 after months of unemployment. Guess I'll just have to muddle my way through on a few minutes of company time a day. I hate being incompetant for that length of time, but that seems like that's the way it's done.

Regards

cww
 
C

Curt Wuollet

Thanks Larry

That got me to where I needed to be. Forgive me Mike, if you were talking about the same thing. Everything I found without the secret was big bucks. The direct link helps since their site is strangely broken for non-MS browsers and makes navigation interesting to say the least. Certain screens are about 3X normal width, which sounds like the stuff MS was doing to break Opera. Once you know that, you can limp around. Anyway, I'm a registered user on the site and can get a 10 point version of RSLogix to learn with and I'm scrounging around for $100.00 for a Micrologix1k. Now I need a junk PC with Windows on it. The cable sounds a bit spendy, but I have a soldering iron. I may mention to my employer that if it saves a few minutes of downtime it would be worth it to provide something like this for the uninitiated. It could save years of learning by fixing problems on the fly. Of course, I better hold off until I see it run.

Regards

cww
 
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Rocco F. Dominick

Hi Curt,

The following information may be of assistance:

Programming Controllers Using the Allen-Bradley SLC-500 Family by David A. Geller - ISBN:0130962082

Programmable Controllers Using Allen-Bradley SLC500 anc ControlLogix by Robert Filer and George Leinonen - ISBN:013025603X

Micro Mentor - Understanding aned Applying Micro Programmable Controllers by Allen-Bradley
1761-MMB - September 1995 - about $25.00 USD

When I go home tonight, I will search my CD directory and see what else I can find.

Hope this helps and good luck to you.

Regards,
Rocky
 
Curt, Curt, Curt!

Don't panic over money. Look at all the
help you got on this thread. Larry
from Rexel (A-B/Rockwell distributor?)
and ron. And, Me! I did all this ML1000/10
stuff with NEW equipment and some download time.
$85 and $50 and I needed a 24v adapter ($10).
And using the schematic you can solder up your
cable (save $40). Then go to Cimquest/In-Gear/
Kepware and download trial data comm software.
Even OPC drivers (servers and clients).

Of course you are on your own with learning
ladder logic. And for that go to the
learningpit.com, control.com, ab.com.

Go nuts and buy Jeff Weigants book and you can
get Microsoft VB6 code and all the trial
software you need. ISBN 0-9663120-2-3.
amazon.com and FREE shipping over $30 (?).

The world is your oyster, dude!

Mike.
 
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Steve Myres, PE

On March 6, 2003, Curt Wuollet wrote:
>Now I need a junk PC with Windows on it.

Doesn't the mere fact of having an MS-OS on a box qualify it as a "junk PC"??

Seriously, if you get a chance, drop me an email at the following address. I have a few questions about the current status of Linux in automation.

Steve Myres, PE
[email protected]
 
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Curt Wuollet

Hi Mike

You're right of course, it's a distorted value system I've acquired from being able to design, code, and build a working PLC for less than it costs to acquire basic knowledge about the tools for this one. Must be some sort of culture shock. I've always hated to be dependent on things I can't thoroughly examine and verify. Still, I'm trying very hard to do the mainstream thing with limited resources. I'd much rather simply rewrite the logic in C, but that isn't an option at present. It's going to cost me a couple hundred more, at least, to get a machine powerful enough to run Windows. My main Linux box won't even boot recent Windows and I really need to keep it intact. And then, I may actually have to buy Windows, or pay a couple hundred more in tax for a machine preloaded with the stuff. That's getting pretty spendy after my long vacation. I can see why folks don't do much of this at home. Of course, when I'm done, the machine ought to really scream running Linux, so it's not a total write-off.

Regards

cww
 
C

Curt Wuollet

Now, Steve, I wasn't gonna go there. :^)
I was thinking more that I can save buying a license if I get a cast-off with Windows already on it. I suppose that would upset the BSA. I'll drop you a line after Sunday, when I'll have time to think.

Regards

cww
 
A

Alex Pavloff

Quick idea Curt:

If you really want to look at the current state of Windows, try to get yourself a PC with Windows XP or 2000 on it. If you get an old PC with
Windows 95 or 98 on it, yes, it will be junk and crash a lot. If you get Windows NT it will be hard to use and have crummy driver support.

Alex Pavloff - [email protected]
Eason Technology -- www.eason.com
 
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Bob Peterson

I was amazed at how much better W2k was over W98 when I installed it on my laptop.. Of course a lot of stuff that worked on W98 no longer is supported under W2k, but I kept the old HDD with W98, and when i need it I run it.

Never could get WinNT to work reliably on it for even a few hours. What a mess that was. And the dual boot thingy was even worse.
 
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Curt Wuollet

Hi Alex

I'm not much interested in Windows of any flavor because there's so little you can do with it without vast expenditure. I will concede that the W2K at work throws quite a few errors but doesn't crash with quite the regularity of other versions. But an OS without compilers or anything really, out of the box, doesn't do anything for me except as a vehicle to run the tools I'm compelled to use. It's extremely frustrating to have so little of the power and richness of my Linux environment at home. I do a lot of stuff manually that I would normally write a filter or script for. And no sort or pipelines or redirection or grep, it's like an embedded system, you can run stuff there's an icon for and that's about it. I've been tempted to bring my laptop in so I can accomplish something. It's so dumbed down, it's nasty to _work_ with. So, I guess I've experienced it already. I think I'd need a lobotomy to actually like it. But, I need to use it for RSLogix. If that's all I did, I suppose I could live with it. The rest of their tools still run on DOS. It's a relief to sit down here at a comfortable console when I get home. But, I gotta get some rack.

Regards

cww
 
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Blunier, Mark

> I'm not much interested in Windows of any flavor because there's
> so little you can do with it without vast expenditure.

Install the cygwin tools.

Mark Blunier
Any opinions expressed in this message are not necessarily those of the company.
 
C
Thanks Mark,

But I (for once) don't control the machines at work. This is not all bad, as I'd much rather be a MS user than a MS admin. And at home and _my_ customers, I have excellent resources and I'm root. I think I'll simply use a dedicated box as a RSLogix trainer and sell the Micrologix and install Linux when I'm done. I don't see a religious conversion in my future, I just need to be as competent as the next Windows/RSLogix user. All I'm buying is a few hours of unstructured time to speed up the learning process. Except for the Windows license, which is a total loss, I should get most of my investment back. It wouldn't hurt to have a faster machine than my main K6-2 400 around, and if I wait till I need it for Linux, I'll be a couple more hardware generations behind. I'm still quite happy with my Super Socket 7 AT MB with ISA slots and serial ports. It's a shame I can't get anything nearly as useful now for commodity prices.

Regards

cww
 
Does anyone know if the downloadable software for the 10 point will work with any other Micrologix 1000 for instance the 1761-L16BWB or the 1761-L32BWA?

Mike
 
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