Host Engineering Forum
General Category => DirectSOFT => Topic started by: JJohnson on March 26, 2012, 06:48:43 AM
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I have been using DierectSOFT 5 for 3 years with no issues - i recently upgraded all software to latest revs and now when i try to edit a program while it is running i get a warning
"This PLC/Protocol/Mode does not support RUN mode program updates!
Is it ok to switch to program mode to save?"
Is there a setting that i have to adjust or am i missing something. I have tried this on 2 seperate computers that were working fine before the upgrade.
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The DL PLCs support two "native" protocols, DirectNET and K-Sequence. Run-mode edits are supported by the K-Sequence protocol, not by DirectNET.
K-Sequence is the "preferred" programming protocol (i.e. for use by DirectSOFT and the handheld programmer, and whose specification is proprietary).
DirectSOFT CAN use DirectNET, which is a more generic data read/write protocol (and whose specification is public). I'm guessing you configured your communication links to use DirectNET instead of K-Sequence. However, you must also make sure that the port you are using is configured for K-Sequence. DirectNET is meant for interfacing with simplier devices.
The "programming" serial port on all DL PLCs talk K-sequence, some speak DirectNET. The "secondary" comm ports can be configured as Masters or Slaves. If they are configured as a Slave, then they can also be configured for K-Sequence and/or DirectNET. Note, however, that you must configure it (not sure what the default is out of the box). ECOM modules support DirectNET and/or K-Sequence over UDP. You can choose one over the other, or choose ECOM protocol, which just uses the "best of both", i.e. if a command is ONLY supported in K-sequence, then it will use that (e.g. run mode edit), and if a command is supported in BOTH, it will use the "fastest"/"best" one (e.g. for data read/write this would be DirectNET).
When using DirectSOFT, it's always best to utilize K-Sequence for serial links and ECOM protocol on Ethernet.