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Adding AutomationDirect and GE / Emerson PLCs
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AutomationDirect (Click, DirectLogic)
The AutomationDirect card is the Modbus TCP driver with a preset register list. Everything in Modbus TCP applies: port 502, Unit ID 1 by default, no browsing of the PLC, and the Register map under Driver Settings.
DirectLogic addresses as tag paths. Type a DirectLogic address with Add Tag and the driver maps it to Modbus for you. DirectLogic numbers are octal: V2000 is followed by V2001 … V2007, V2010, and there is no V8 or V9.
| Tag path | Modbus object | Zero-based address | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Vn | holding register | n converted from octal | V2000 → 1024 (Modicon 41025) |
Xn | discrete input | 2048 + n (octal) | X0 → 2048 |
SPn | discrete input | 3072 + n | SP1 → 3073 |
Yn | coil | 2048 + n | Y10 → 2056 |
Cn | coil | 3072 + n | C0 → 3072 |
Sn | coil (stage bit) | 5120 + n | |
Tn, CTn | coil (timer / counter status bit) | 6144 + n, 6400 + n |
A timer's current value is V-memory: T0's is V0, CT0's is V1000. Values are 16-bit binary; a BCD value reads as its binary number.
Preset tags (listed by Browse Tags when you haven't set your own registers): V2000–V2003, V0, V1000, Y0, Y1, X0, X1.
A name in your own registers list wins over the built-in mapping. You can also subscribe HoldingRegister/<n> with a zero-based address.
Click PLCs use a different, decimal Modbus map, so DirectLogic names don't apply: subscribe HoldingRegister/<n> (DS1 = 400001 → HoldingRegister/0) or set a registers list — see Modbus.
On a Click PLC, enable Modbus TCP server on the Ethernet port in the Click programming software. On DirectLogic, use an H0-ECOM100 or built-in port with Modbus TCP enabled.
GE / Emerson SRTP
Reads Series 90-30, 90-70, VersaMax, Rx3i and PACSystems controllers over SRTP on TCP 18245, with a built-in implementation.
Connection fields: IP Address of the CPU or Ethernet module; Port 18245. No other settings. The controller's Ethernet interface must allow SRTP (it does by default).
Address syntax (1-based, as in Proficy/PAC Machine Edition):
| Example | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|
%R1 | register | int (unsigned 16-bit) |
%AI1, %AQ1 | analog input / output word | int |
%I1, %Q1 | discrete input / output bit | bool |
%M1 | internal coil | bool |
%T1 | temporary word | int |
Address Ranges (Settings tab, GE SRTP only) decide what Browse Tags lists; SRTP can't ask the controller. Leave empty to use the defaults — R1–512, AI1–64, AQ1–32, I/Q/M 1–128 = 964 tags. Click Add Range, pick a type, enter start and end, Save Changes. Reset to defaults clears your ranges. Ranges only affect browsing; you can always add any address with Add Tag.
Reads send one request per tag, each with a 5-second timeout. 100 tags at a 1000 ms polling rate is fine; don't subscribe hundreds of tags on one device.
Writes: words take 0–65535; bits are read-modify-write of the byte that holds them.
Worked example: a Rx3i stores good parts in %R200 and a running flag in %M17. Add a GE / Emerson SRTP device at 10.1.5.20, then Add Tag %R200 (int) and %M17 (bool).
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| AutomationDirect tag reads Bad | Not a DirectLogic address (V8 and V9 aren't octal), or a Click address typed DirectLogic-style. | Use octal numbers; on a Click, use HoldingRegister/<n> or configure registers. |
| GE Error at connect; log INIT rejected by PLC | The controller refused the SRTP session. | Check the Ethernet module's SRTP settings and the number of allowed connections. |
| GE tag reads Bad; log PLC error reading %R… | Address beyond the configured memory size. | Check the reference table sizes in the controller. |
| GE device drops after a read timeout | The driver marks the link dead after one unanswered request; it reconnects on the next retry. | Check network quality; reduce tag count. |