How to use Softnet-S7 with InTouch via ethernet

Hi!

Can someone explain how to fetch data from my S7 PLC via Ethernet.

I have previously/now working with Profibus connection and DDE server to collect/write data with my HMI – InTouch. In InTouch I have configured AccesName with – ‘NodeName’, ‘ApplicationName’, ‘TopicName’ and many items for each tag.

Now I’d like to try communication by usig industrial Ethernet with InTouch and Softnet-S7 I/O server. I have all installed, I ran NCM S7 diagnostics and I could see my PLC running and status OK.

But how do I address data from PC to PLC ? PLC has just OB1 and some special OB’s loaded also DB1 for some data test.

Do I need some more code or PC should be able to fetch data from PLC?

I have set up an S7 connection in the PLC by using Net Pro, and it should be OK too.

Haw can I make data reading / writing between PLC and InTouch

I hope some one can help me.

Thank you!

Hristo Trendafilov

Hi!

Can someone explain how to fetch data from my S7 PLC via Ethernet.

I have previously/now working with Profibus connection and DDE server to collect/write data with my HMI – InTouch. In InTouch I have configured AccesName with – ‘NodeName’, ‘ApplicationName’, ‘TopicName’ and many items for each tag.

Now I’d like to try communication by usig industrial Ethernet with InTouch and Softnet-S7 I/O server. I have all installed, I ran NCM S7 diagnostics and I could see my PLC running and status OK.

But how do I address data from PC to PLC ? PLC has just OB1 and some special OB’s loaded also DB1 for some data test.

Do I need some more code or PC should be able to fetch data from PLC?

I have set up an S7 connection in the PLC by using Net Pro, and it should be OK too.

Haw can I make data reading / writing between PLC and InTouch

I hope some one can help me.

Thank you!

it's better to use DASSIDIRECT Server. It's easier to make connection with Intouch. And you don't need SimaticNet.
DASSIDIRECT Server for communication between Intouch and CP. and your steps to make configuration is:

1. put in hardware configuration IP address in CP.
2. in PC network card put onother IP address, but the same type like PLC -CP.
3. make one data block in Simatic manager, which will be your communication block.
4. make configuration of the DASSIDIRECT Server. You can use this link:
http://61.37.246.137/TECH/html/t001161.htm

P.S. if you need or want to use S7 I/O Server I'll try to prepare a manual.

regards

Hi !

Thank you for the answers.

I saw very good links to manuals from Siemens from the ‘Wizard’ and will try some in the following days. I have some questions to you:

1. Is there described how to address tag from InTouch to PLC data ?

2. Is there a problem that my PC is doing all the work, Step7 programming, Simatic

NET and InTouch PC.

3. Do I need to write some Send/Read code in the CPU to make the connection?

Thank you Mr. Umencho!

Yes I tried DASDIRECT for some days, but no good results.

Hmmmm now I see, this manual is quite old, do I need to run Wonderware Client ? as described there?

I think may be I had some misunderstanding with TSAP numbers because the generated from Step7- NetPro numbers wasn’t the same as the PLC rack 0 and slot 9 as in reality.

But if Wderware client is a key application may be that’s my fail?

I see also there in the manual is some unknown for me type IOT – connection, now it is just Suitelink and DDE should this work?

I can try once more with DASDIRECT this week, and may be take some screen shots to attach to this forum - if it doesn’t work again.

The case was that InTouch detected DASDIRECT connection, I ran a script function ………( can not find the function now, the test PC it in the office ) ……….. and it returned 1 = connection OK. I saw my tags in the DASDIRECT - Diagnostics fields, but they were in red, it seemed that DASDIRECT couldn’t fetch the data from PLC (I tried with DB1,DW2 and MB100 topics). At the same time I could see that some data is running between the PC and PLC because the byte counter for send and received on the PC network connections were running slowly but running.

Please tell me do I need to write a PLC code to send/receive a data block to have the communication running. Can InTouch pool data from PLC without any additional code in the PLC.

Thank you !!!

Hristo Trendafilov

Hi !

Thank you for the answers.

I saw very good links to manuals from Siemens from the ‘Wizard’ and will try some in the following days. I have some questions to you:

1. Is there described how to address tag from InTouch to PLC data ?

2. Is there a problem that my PC is doing all the work, Step7 programming, Simatic

NET and InTouch PC.

3. Do I need to write some Send/Read code in the CPU to make the connection?

Thank you Mr. Umencho!

Yes I tried DASDIRECT for some days, but no good results.

Hmmmm now I see, this manual is quite old, do I need to run Wonderware Client ? as described there?

I think may be I had some misunderstanding with TSAP numbers because the generated from Step7- NetPro numbers wasn’t the same as the PLC rack 0 and slot 9 as in reality.

But if Wderware client is a key application may be that’s my fail?

I see also there in the manual is some unknown for me type IOT – connection, now it is just Suitelink and DDE should this work?

I can try once more with DASDIRECT this week, and may be take some screen shots to attach to this forum - if it doesn’t work again.

The case was that InTouch detected DASDIRECT connection, I ran a script function ………( can not find the function now, the test PC it in the office ) ……….. and it returned 1 = connection OK. I saw my tags in the DASDIRECT - Diagnostics fields, but they were in red, it seemed that DASDIRECT couldn’t fetch the data from PLC (I tried with DB1,DW2 and MB100 topics). At the same time I could see that some data is running between the PC and PLC because the byte counter for send and received on the PC network connections were running slowly but running.

Please tell me do I need to write a PLC code to send/receive a data block to have the communication running. Can InTouch pool data from PLC without any additional code in the PLC.

Thank you !!!

Hi

No problem that PC is doing all the work, Step7 programming, SimaticNET and InTouch PC.You can add WinCC if you want. If you have inough memory and monney....

You can address you tag in Intouch how you want. Important there is address. It's better to use one data block in created in PLC, for example DBa.DBXo - command start motor, and this correspond to CMD_START_M1 (tagname in Intouch). In PLC program after that you can organized how to use this command.

About Wonderware client is only to check the connection. You can see the connection in Diagnostics in DASSIDIRECT server.

In DASSIDIRECT Diagnostic Field In diagnostics , i don't remember exactly where, but you must see all the topics, and after select someone you must see for example db(?).dbx or db(?).dbd? - with red or green square before name, and see column with status (read/write).

About TSAP

• Local TSAP: Specifies the local station's transport service access point. The first digit specifies the device, and the second digit should be zero (0). Recommended setting is 01.00.
• Remote TSAP: Specifies the PLC's transport service access point.
• Remote Rack No: Enter the decimal number for the Rack.
• Remote Slot No: Enter the decimal number for the Slot of the CPU.

or Local TSAP is 01.00

Remote TSAP is Rack Nr.=0 + Slot of CPU in the rack = 3 or 4 (CPUS7-400) or 2 (CPUS7-300). Not always. For established connection is important to fill exactly Remote TSAP. (take from hardware configuration in Step 7.

regards

Hi!

I decided first to work STEP by STEP as described in this manual issued by Siemens http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/view/en/17532609

Which seems quite easy. The problem is when I come to page 18 and try using the System Configurator - what I got is not quite the same as in the manual, I’m not receiving status OK of the connection, instead I have a big red FAIL mark – see the attached picture. Does some one know what is wrong?

I tried pre-installing Simatic NET but it didn’t help,

I’m also running SimaticNET V6.2 CD 11/2003 + SP1 could this be the problem?

Thank you!

Hallo again!

I need to renew this subject, now I’m one step further, at least I think so J

I didn’t go for DASDIRECT but followed this instruction from Siemens

to configure Simatic NET and Softnet-S7 (I’m not quite sure what is Softnet-S7 and if it’s running, but I receive an license alarm at least which makes me think it is active)

Any way, now it seems that everything is running well on my Ethernet (on each side of the cable) , when I open NetPro and RUN status on both sides of Ethernet (PLC and PC) it is showing that the devices are running and S7 communication is correct configured. So long so good.

But how I connect InTouch with the PLC, I couldn’t find description of that, as you know InTouch needs defined AccessName with it’s NodeName, ApplicationName and TopicName. But how do I do that ??? And I don’t find any description of the definition of the ItemNames for the tags in InTouch.

Can some one give me some ideas, advices, written documents for that?

Thank you!

I read the manual again and a question comes …………. Can I make a communication with a standard Ethernet card on my PC (what I’m trying ) ??? do I actually need a CP card from Siemens to do all this stuff ?

I tried to configure DASSIDirect once again but I failed again L it seems I have no connection between PC and PLC – can it bee the lack of special CP card the reason ? I worked as described from Wonderware TechNote 355 but translated for S400 PLC J

Tell me do I need CP card for my PC or standard Ethernet card is enough ??? may be the worls is not so simple as I thought J

Thank you!

Аs I tried to explain, I’m not working now with the Wonderware DASSIdirect, but hoping to manage the job with Softnet.

I think that the both sides (PLC-S7 communication and PCstation) are correct set up, I have at least no errors when I open both stations in NetPro and RUN test.

That’s why I think I’m missing the ‘connection point’ between InTouch and PLC-> softnet.

I couldn’t find any documentation how to address data in the PLC by using InTouch via Softnet.

I don’t know how WinCC works, but in InTouch one has to define an Access name and it should have defined – Application name (normally the I/O server software program) , Topicname (the configured connection to the PLC in the I/O server program), and at last each tag has it’s Item which is the concrete address in the PLC for example DB1DBW10, but depends on the I/O server.

Can some one help me with this matter, I have come so long that I have defined an Access point “my_acc_p” in the simatic net - Configuration Console, but how can I come any further, to take some data from the PLC.

As I already said I have done everything in this manual and all seems OK, but how to continue to connect InTouch with the PLC ?