Need help with getting EZTouch Junior on Direct Logic ethernet network

[StoneMan]

I have a DL-06 with an ecom and a DL-250-1 with an ecom100, I have both of them on the network and can program, watch status etc... under both TCP/IP and IPX. I am trying to put an EZTouch Jr. on the same network and cannot see it with Netedit. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance for the help. For the PLC type I had to choose the DirectLogic Ecom(JR) -Rev c, I tried the DirectLogic Ethernet - Rev E and when I load to the panel the panel locks up. I'm not sure what the difference is between the two protocols. Any help is appreciated.

[MikeS]

i've not worked with an eztouch jr., but i can tell you that's it's not a host eng. product, so netedit is not the right configuration tool. netedit is only used to locate and configure host engineering ethernet products.

[StoneMan]

They are using NetEdit Version 2.2 in their EZSeries Touch Panel Editor 5.2. We did get the panel on the network using DirectLogic Ecom(JR) as the protocol, they couldn't tell me what the difference is between the 2 versions. I just need to get the DL06 to read and write to the panel now.

[b_carlton]

The DL06 doesn't rea/write TO the HMI. The HMI does all the reading and writing. Your questions are best addresses to the folks at EZAutomation.

[BobO]

I don't know how much AutomationDirect publicly details about the state of the relationship between them and EZ Automation, but I'll tell you it isn't positive. Although the relationship is somewhat moot, given that AD probably doesn't have the answers you need.

As for us here at Host, we'd be more than happy to help you...`cept we don't have the answers either. And as it turns out, we haven't dealt directly with EZ Auto for quite some time.

If you need some help specific to our products, please let us know.

[MikeS]

Stoneman, my bad, you were saying EZ-Touch and I was thinking C-More. NetEdit is the setup tool for the EZ-Ethernet adapters ... and I guess they carried that on for the Jr..

[BobO]

Which begs the question...what Ethernet adapter they are using? Are they emulating the EZ Ethernet and continuing to use NetEdit to configure it? We're not still selling adapters to them, are we? I'm not planning to bust their chops, but I'm not sure about how I feel about that if it is true, especially given the grief they have caused AD...

[Controls Guy]

Grief "they've caused AD"?  I was sort of under the impression it was the other way round.

[BobO]

I don't know what EZ's take on things is, having never asked for 'their side' of the story. I do know what they have done and continue to do to AD, however, and from what I can see there is a fundamental lack of integrity at EZ. AD has their flaws and has been a little rough on suppliers at times...I have the scars to prove it...but lack of integrity is not among them.

[Controls Guy]

Interesting, and good to know.

[b_carlton]

Some lovely reading:

http://cases.justia.com/us-court-of-appeals/F3/471/745/512715/

[BobO]

I had seen most of that. Not sure who Justia is, but that seems to be told from EZ's point of view, which I guess makes sense since they brought the suit. What isn't obvious from that document is how silly the case was, how silly the testimony was, and how silly the expert was. In the initial ruling the judge listened to about half of the testimony and basically asked AD if they wanted a summary judgment...translated...'This is so dumb I'd like to toss it out now. Please don't ask me to listen to any more of this'.

I'm not completely sure that I know what the issues were initially (although I have an idea), but there was bad blood brewing long before AD started developing C-more. More to the point, they only started developing C-more when it became apparent that there were far deeper issues with the partnership with EZ, and they were going to need a replacement.

Of course from a legal standpoint everything you need to know is summed up in this line: "ADC planned to introduce the new product after the contract expired in January 2005. In June 2004, ADC gave timely notice of nonrenewal to Autotech."

It's been a real pain for AD, and I'm not sure that it is over yet. EZ keeps appealing to higher courts and dragging it out, and each court sees the silliness and finds on behalf of AD. Of course the silliness doesn't stop it from costing big $$ to defend, hence my original reference to the grief that EZ has caused.

[StoneMan]

Everything is working now. Trial and error got me the correct PLC driver (DirectLogic Ecom(JR) -Rev c) and messing with the send/receive packets, this isn't the correct terminology but I am on my Linux machine now and can't look it up. The DirectLogic Ecom(JR) does not use the NetEdit program, you just go into the View/Edit PLC Com Setup and add your PLC IP and Id number.  I should be installing the controls this weekend and can update about how well it works after. Thanks for the help, didn't mean to bring up all the bad history...

[BobO]

We're just sorry that we weren't really able to help. Glad to hear that you got it working, and glad to hear that the new EZ doesn't use NetEdit after all.

Oh, memory lane isn't so bad. I just hate that the whole conflict exists and won't seem to go away. If you have seen my tag line, you know I mean it when I say folks just need to get over it and move on. Host had a period of struggles with AutomationDirect, and while it hurt (we go a long way back), I refused to be offended and spiteful. OK actually, I fought against being offended (but failed at times) but I really did refuse to be spiteful and never let it affect our interaction. Because nothing got destroyed along the way, we were eventually able to put it back together, and the relationship is better now than ever.

EZ has persisted in trying to harm AD, and won't seem to let it go. It damages everybody, themselves included.