Excel Spreadsheet as OPC Server

AMarks95

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Jul 2018
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South Dakota
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Hello all,

I'm using Ignition as the HMI for a project. I do not have physical access to a PLC to download our project on to for development purposes. So, currently, as I'm developing I use all memory tags and then switch all tags to OPC once I'm on-site and ready to test. This is not ideal, as it does take some time to switch all the tags from OPC to memory and then back to OPC.

I'm thinking that there has to be a way to set up an Excel sheet to work as an "OPC Server" of sorts so that I can export all my tags, change the values in the sheet, and Ignition can pull them all in from there.

How do you all handle development of HMI while you don't have physical access to the tags?
 
Use python, Pylogix is the way to go. Dustin (Dmroeder) is the one here.

I also think that OPCExpert from opcti.com can help you, you can use it for two hour for free.
 
Check into the programmable device simulator in Ignition 8.x

I have used it with SLC, Micrologix, and Modbus devices to allow me to build out the graphics and simulate values at the development stage. I have not used it with Logix5k controllers and I am not sure if that can be done, but I would expect that you could massage a Logix 5k tag export csv file with real tag names into the format used by the device simulator and get useful results.
 
I've used Python to write programs to read Logix 5k tags and populate all tags data to csv file.
Python is great, I made the python program in to exe for windows, then scheduled it to run. It also creates new csv file base on time. Made the csv file hidden then use other batch program to robocopy it to a R/W folder for user to use.
It works great. If you try to write it in excel using VB, it is extremely slow. Python can run in the background, normal users don't even see it running.
You should also scheduled some task to check to make sure it is running in the background.
 
Just DO NOT use MS excel to write this kind of program, MS excel can cause your computer to crash easily. MS Excel is inefficient.
 
What is the PLC, I didn't see that you mentioned it. For CLX or CpLX I use emulate or the logix parser that Travis made. Simulation tags would be my last choice.
 
OkiePC said:
Check into the programmable device simulator in Ignition 8.x

I have used it with SLC, Micrologix, and Modbus devices to allow me to build out the graphics and simulate values at the development stage. I have not used it with Logix5k controllers and I am not sure if that can be done, but I would expect that you could massage a Logix 5k tag export csv file with real tag names into the format used by the device simulator and get useful results.
Click to expand...

I think this is the way to go. Now I just need to find a way to export all tags from a project into a CSV with each UDT/AOI instance expanded.
 
AMarks95 said:
I think this is the way to go. Now I just need to find a way to export all tags from a project into a CSV with each UDT/AOI instance expanded.
Click to expand...

You mention UDT/AOI, so I assume Logix of some sort. The way to go is use the L5K parser, https://inductiveautomation.com/exchange/2114/overview

If you have emulate, that is the best route.

Edit, technically, the parser will generate simulation tags for you, let it do the work for you. Also, I recommend hopping on the Ignition forum, you will get much better help there IMO for all things Ignition, https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/
 
Last edited:
Jlandwerlen said:
You mention UDT/AOI, so I assume Logix of some sort. The way to go is use the L5K parser, https://inductiveautomation.com/exchange/2114/overview

If you have emulate, that is the best route.

Edit, technically, the parser will generate simulation tags for you, let it do the work for you. Also, I recommend hopping on the Ignition forum, you will get much better help there IMO for all things Ignition, https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/
Click to expand...

I am pretty active on the forum already, I just figured this wasn't exclusively Ignition and someone may have already found a solution. While this solution is nice, I would rather have a script of some sort that just extracts all the tags into a CSV for me, rather than do everything for me. I already have the simulation device created, I just need the CSV.
 

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