Topic: DMD0255

System Information

The System Information utility provides tabbed views of the runtime status of the Do-more controller, messages generated by the controller, and system events that are logged by the controller. The System Information utility is invoked by selecting the PLC-> System Information menu selection, or clicking the Info button on the Online toolbar.

 

 

General Information

Type - displays the type of controller hardware and identification
 

PLC Type - displays the type of controller hardware

 

  • H2-DM1 - DL205 series Do-more controller

  • H2-DM1E - DL205 series Do-more controller with onboard Ethernet
     

  • DM-SIM - Do-more Simulator

 

Serial Number - the 12 digit serial number of the controller
 

  • Do-more controllers without onboard Ethernet - this is a serialized number
     

  • Do-more controllers with onboard Ethernet - this is the MAC address of the Ethernet port
     

  • DM-SIM - this is the MAC address of the Ethernet adapter in the PC running the Do-more Simulator

 

Mode - displays the current PLC mode information

 

Keyswitch - the current position of the front panel keyswitch
 

  • RUN - the keyswitch is in the RUN position
     

  • TERM - the keyswitch is in the TERM position
     

  • STOP - the keyswitch is in the STOP position
     

PLC Mode - displays the current PLC mode
 

  •  Run  - the controller is running the project
     

  • Program - the controller is not running the project

 

Scan Times - displays the controller's current scan time information
 

  • Min - the shortest scan time since the last PGM-to-RUN mode change
     

  • Avg - the average of all the scan times since the last PGM-to-RUN mode change
     

  • Min - the longest scan time since the last PGM-to-RUN mode change

 

Note: click the Reset buttons to clear the Min and/or Max scan time

 

Memory Usage - displays how much of the controller's program storage is being utilized
 

  • Max Program - the maximum amount of storage in the controller for ladder logic
     

  • Program Used - the amount of program storage utilized by the currently loaded project
     

  • Max Documentation - the maximum amount of storage in the controller for rung comments and element documentation
     

  • Documentation Used - the amount of documentation storage utilized by the currently loaded project

 

Node and IP Configuration - displays the current Node configuration and the setup of the onboard Ethernet port (on models that have them). These values are initially configured by the NetEdit utility.

 

The values of the fields are also stored in variable memory in the controller as follows: $IPAddress (DST18), $NetMask (DST19), $Gateway (DST20).

 

Click the Set Node and IP Configuration button to open a dialog that will allow the programmer to change these entries.

 

Note: this is a convenient way to change the TCP/IP configuration of a controller through the USB or Serial port. This allows the programmer access to the TCP/IP configuration of a controller that is not configured to be part of the local network.

 

  • Module ID - set the ID to any positive constant number
     

  • Name - set the name to any 255 character combination of alphanumeric and punctuation characters.
     

  • Description - set the description to any 255 character combination of alphanumeric and punctuation characters.
     

  • IP Address - set the TCP/IP address of the onboard Ethernet port
     

  • Subnet Mask - set the Subnet mask for the TCP/IP address of the onboard Ethernet port
     

  • Gateway - set the TCP/IP address of the Network Gateway

 

Note: For controller models that do not have an onboard Ethernet port theses fields are not used for configuration purposes. But, the data in these fields can still be accessed as variables in status memory- $IPAddress (DST18), $NetMask (DST19), $Gateway (DST20) - and used for identification.

 

Setting the Date, Time, and Time zone

System Clock - displays the current date, time, and time zone in the controller.

 

Do-more controllers store the date and time internally in UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), and adjusts for the local time by applying a time zone adjustment specified in minutes.

 

The Time Zone can be adjusted at runtime by changing the system variable $TimeZone (DST384). Be aware that the time zone is specified in minutes relative to UTC. For example, US Eastern Time is UTC -300 minutes, so $TimeZone (DST384) would contain the value of -300.

 

Do-more controllers can further adjust for Daylight Savings Time, but this adjustment is done manually to avoid conflict with widely varying local laws.

 

Daylight Savings Time can be adjusted at runtime through the system variable $SummerTime (ST768). Setting $SummerTime (ST768) to 'true' automatically adds one hour to the local time.

 

A full discussion of how the Date and Time are handled can be found in the help topic Managing Time in a Do-more controller.

 

 

Click the Set button to invoke the Set PLC Clock dialog with the following options:

 

Clock Settings - change the System Clock
 

Set to PC's current time settings ... - displays the current date, time, and time zone settings from the PC running the Do-more Designer programming software.
 

Set to manual settings ... - manually enter the date, time and time zone settings
 

  • Date - clicking the down arrow will display a calendar from which you can select the date
     

  • Time - clicking the up and down arrows will change the time
     

  • Time zone - enter the number of minutes relative to UTC
     

  • Daylight Savings Time - click the checkbox to automatically add one hour to the local time

 

Read PLC Settings - click this button to read the current date, time, and time zone settings from the controller.

 

Click the Set PLC Clock and Exit button to update the date, time, and time zone settings, then close the dialog

 

Click the Cancel button to close the dialog and leave the date, time, and time zone settings intact.

 

Updating the Controller Firmware

Version - displays the current version of the firmware in the Do-more controller, and provides a facility to download the latest firmware and update the controller.
 

  • Do-more - the current version of the instruction set in the controller

  • OS - the current version of the operation system in the controller
     

  • Booter - the current version of boot loader in the controller

  • FPGA - the current version of the Gate Array code in the controller
     

  • Hardware - the current revision of the controller hardware

 

 

Note: LiveUpdate requires a functional Internet connection to work, make sure the Internet connection is active before running LiveUpdate.

 

Click the Use LiveUpdate to get Firmware button to open the Live Update dialog. Live Update will utilize the internet connection to check for new firmware files for the controller, then download it to the Images folder.

 

Click the Go! button to check for updated firmware files.

 

Click the OK button to close the LiveUpdate dialog.

 

 

Note: updating the controller's operating system will clear all of the controller memory - including the ladder programs and memory contents. If you need to save your project and memory contents first, click the Cancel button and do that work before continuing the update process.

 

Note: DIP switch #3 is used to Enable/Disable the ability to update the firmware in the controller. This DIP switch must be OFF to allow Do-more Designer to update the operating system or the gate array. Follow this link for more information on the controller's DIP switches.

 

Click the Update button for the Do-more / OS to invoke the Update Operating System dialog.

 

Select... - invokes a File Open dialog to select the operating system file to update the controller. Operating System files generally have the following form: "DM-<major>_<minor>_<build>.os" Browse to the file folder that contains the new firmware file and select the firmware file to use.

 

Click the Update! button to begin the update progress.

 

Click the Cancel button to exit without updating the operating system.

 

 

Note: There is no fail-safe for the Gate Array and Loader update, which means, if the update process begins and then fails , ** DO NOT TURN OFF THE POWER**, keep trying the update process until it is successful. If you turn off the power without a successful update the controller must be sent back to the factory for repair.

 

Click the Update button for the Booter / FPGA to invoke the Update Gate Array and Loader dialog.

 

Select... - opens a browser to select the Gate Array and Loader file to update the controller. Gate Array and Loader files generally have the following form: "DM-<major>_<minor>_<build>.ga"

 

Click the Update! button to begin the update progress.

 

Click the Cancel button to exit without updating the Gate Array and Loader.

 

See Also:

 

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