Now You Can Have Robust Data Logging for Free - Part 8

Now You Can Have Robust Data Logging for Free - Part 1
Now You Can Have Robust Data Logging for Free - Part 2
Now You Can Have Robust Data Logging for Free - Part 3
Now You Can Have Robust Data Logging for Free - Part 4
Now You Can Have Robust Data Logging for Free - Part 5
Now You Can Have Robust Data Logging for Free - Part 6
Now You Can Have Robust Data Logging for Free - Part 7
Now You Can Have Robust Data Logging for Free - Part 8

Computer Program Visual Basic (VB6) Continue

The display part of the program is done and we have reviewed the modbus TCP protocol. It is now time to start the VB6 code. Lets discuss how the logic will work.

1. User selects 'Start Logging'
2. The timer for interval between communications is stopped.
3. The IP address is used to open the winsock connection. If the connection is made then the background colour of the IP Address will turn green and we will continue to step 4. If the connection already exists then continue to step 4. If the connection cannot be made then the background colour is red, further execution is stopped. Program will continue at step 1.
4. The following sequence of commands are made: Determine what command to send.

• Read the Daily Production Log and Minute Log Pointers (MHR1 and MHR2 )
• If MHR2 (Minute Log Pointer ) > 670 then
• Request the Minute Log starting at MHR670 and keep incrementing by 10 until the last location is requested.
• Write the value of 670 into MHR2 (Reset the pointer)
• If MHR1 (Daily Production Log Pointer > 30 then
• Request the Daily Production Log starting at MHR30 and keep incrementing by 20 until the last location is requested.
• Write the value of 30 into MHR1 (Reset the pointer)
• Read the current Minute Log information starting at MHR660
• Read the current Daily Production Log information starting at MHR10

Once the command is sent a timer is set to determine if communications has been lost.

5. If the timer for communications is lost, goto step 3. Repeat the last command.

6. Turn off the timer to determine if communications has been lost. Read the information from the winsock tool. If the data needs to be stored, then update the database. Set the timer for interval between communications.

The above is the general program flow for the program.

Here are our variables:

Dim MbusQuery
Public MbusResponse As String
Dim MbusByteArray(255) As Byte
Public MbusStatus As Integer
Public ProductionPointer As Integer
Public MinutePointer As Integer      

Private Sub Command1_Click()
Timer1.Enabled = False ' Stop the interval between reads to the PLC

Timer1 is used to control the amount of time between intervals of communication to the PLC.

Dim StartTime
If Winsock1.State <> 7 Then
    If (Winsock1.State <> sckClosed) Then
        Winsock1.Close
    End If
    Winsock1.RemoteHost = Text1.Text ' Set IP Address
    Winsock1.Connect
    
    StartTime = Timer ' Use the timer to determine if a connection cannot be made
    
    Do While ((Timer < StartTime + 2) And (Winsock1.State <> 7))
        DoEvents
    Loop
    If (Winsock1.State = 7) Then
       Text1.BackColor = &HFF00& ' Change background colour to green
    Else
       Text1.BackColor = &HFF ' Change background colour to red
       Exit Sub
    End If
End If

Here is the code to control Winsock1. The IP address entered in Text1 is used to set the RemoteHost. We then check for the state of the Winsock1. The following are the different states that Winsock1 can be:

Constant	Value	Description
sckClosed	0	Default. Closed
sckOpen	1	Open
sckListening	2	Listening
sckConnectionPending	3	Connection pending
sckResolvingHost	4	Resolving host
sckHostResolved	5	Host resolved
sckConnecting	6	Connecting
sckConnected	7	Connected
sckClosing	8	Peer is closing the connection
sckError	9	Error

Here is the information that we will need to read and write to the MHR registers in the Do-More PLC.

' Read the information

'0000:    Transaction Identifier

'0000:    Protocol Identifier

'0006:    Message Length (6 bytes to follow)

'00:      The Unit Identifier  

'03:      The Function Code (read MHR Read Holding Registers)

'0000:    The Data Address of the first register

'0002:    The number of registers to write

' Write the information

'0000:    Transaction Identifier

'0000:    Protocol Identifier

'0009:    Message Length (6 bytes to follow)

'01:      The Unit Identifier  

'16:      The Function Code (read Analog Output Holding Registers)

'0000:    The Data Address of the first register

'0001:    The number of registers to write

'02:      The number of data bytes to follow

'0030     The number to put into the register

All of the information will be bytes of data. The maximum value in a byte is 256. If we need to send a value of 600 then the two bytes of data will be:
600/256 = 2.34
The most significant byte is 02
600 - (256*2) = 88
The least significant byte is 88
So the information that we need to send through Winsock1 would be Chr(2) and Chr(88) to represent the value of 600.

In part 9 we will continue with writing the VB6 program. We will start reading and writing the information to the PLC.
If you have any questions or need further information, please contact me.
Regards,
Garry