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Logix5000 Application Note Extracting ASCII String Data from Logix Controllers using RSLinx

Creation Date: 8/13/01

Because of the variety of uses for this information, the user of and those responsible for applying this information must satisfy themselves as to the acceptability of each application and use of the program. In no event will AllenBradley Company be responsible or liable for indirect or consequential damages resulting from the use or application of this information. The illustrations, charts and e amples shown in this application note are intended solely to illustrate the principles of programmable controllers and some of the methods used to apply them. !articularly because of the many variables and requirements associated with any particular installation, Allen-Bradley Company cannot assume responsibility or liability for actual use based upon the illustrated used and applications. "o patent liability is assumed by Allen-Bradley Company with respect to use of information, circuits, equipment, or software described in this te t. #eproduction of the contents of the application note, in whole or in part, without the e press written consent of the Allen-Bradley Company is prohibited.

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PURPOSE The purpose of this application note is to demonstrate how to create a $$% or &!C topic in #'(in to e tract A'CII 'tring data from a (ogi -based controller, to a )icrosoft % cel spreadsheet. SCOPE This application note assumes the user is already familiar with Allen-Bradley programmable controllers, particularly the Control(ogi ***+ or **** controller. SOFTWARE and FIRMWARE REVISIONS for this Example #'(ogi *+++ version ,.+ #'(in version -..+ /Build .01 ***+ firmware revision ,.23 )icrosoft % cel -+++ version *.+ -20* 'ervice !ac4 2 Build -20* PROCE!URE 1. &pen #'(in and select Communications RSWho from the tool bar. -. $rill down through the tree path and highlight the ***+ processor that holds the string data to be accessed. .. #ight clic4 on the highlighted processor and select Configure New DDE/OPC Topic from menu. 5. A window will open with Topic information on the left side and three tabs, !ata So"r#e$ !ata Colle#tion and Ad%an#ed Comm"ni#ations. A new topic will be created using the name of the ***+ processor as the default Topic. 6or this e ample I renamed the topic Strin&'Ex#el.

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*. The !ata So"r#e tab should have the ***+ processor highlighted, SerialPortTest( is the name of the ***+ processor in this e ample. 7. 'et the !ata Colle#tion tab li4e the following diagram

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3. 'et the Ad%an#ed Comm"ni#ations tab li4e the following diagram.

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The Station )de#imal* is the 'lot "umber that your Control(ogi ***+ processor is located. The ***+ for this e ample is located in 'lot 3. ,. Clic4 +Appl,- and +!one- to save the new topic parameters. 9. 'elect Edit Copy DDE/OPC Lin from the #'(in toolbar. 2+. A window li4e the following will appear8

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22. Clic4 on the plus sign to the left of RSLin! OPC Ser"er #Node$ %Loca&'( 2-. The display will e pand to show the String)E!ce& topic that was created. Clic4 the plus sign to the left of String)E!ce&, then clic4 the plus sign to the left of On&ine. The tree will e pand to show all tags that were created in this pro9ect. 6or this e ample, string data from Dest*+ will be used to pull string data from. Dest*+ were previously created as a 'T#I": type using #'(ogi *+++.

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2.. By e panding the plus sign to the left of !est.(, $ATA will appear underneath. ;ighlight the Dest*+,D-T- in the left window pane. All available Dest*+,D-T- words, <+= through <,2=, should appear in the right window pane as indicated below8

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25. ;ighlight Dest*+,D-T-./0 in the right window pane. "otice the information that has appeared in the !ata Ta/le Address field below the window panes. 2*. Cursor to the right-end of the information in the !ata Ta/le Address field and bac4space until 0($C( are removed. 27. %nter the following, SC'1 /or 'C/2-5,51. The 'C stands for 'T#I": type and the number represents how many characters to import. In this e ample, -+ characters will be inserted into )' % cel.

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23. Clic4 +O22,. &pen )' % cel. 'elect the cell that you want to contain the string information. 19. 'elect Edit Paste Specia& from the % cel toolbar. -+. The following window will appear. Clic4 on the Paste &in $ radio button, then clic4 +O2-3

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-2. The string information from Dest*+,D-T- in the ***+ processor will now appear in the % cel cell selected, as indicated below8

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