Integrate tags from TwinCAT

This task describes how to add a TwinCAT PLC as a tag integration source in your project. You can use either online or offline tag retrieval to get the tags from the target PLC. This feature supports all versions of TwinCAT up to version 3.1.

Before you begin this task, you should do the following:

• Use the TwinCAT project development software to note the AMS Net ID and runtime port number of the target PLC.

• Install and configure the TwinCAT ADS software on the computer or device that will host your AVEVA Edge project.

• Make sure the target PLC is actually running and available on your network before you try to communicate with it.

If you plan to use online tag retrieval — that is, if you want to get live tags while the target PLC is running — you must also install and configure the TwinCAT ADS software on the same computer that you are using to develop your project. The software makes the computer a node on the TwinCAT AMS network, so that it can communicate with other nodes including the target PLC. For more information, see Install and configure the TwinCAT ADS software.

If you plan to use offline tag retrieval — that is, if you want to browse the tags while the target PLC is not running — use the TwinCAT project development software to export a symbol file from the TwinCAT project and then copy that file to your project folder. The file provides essential information about the TwinCAT project database. AVEVA Edge can open TwinCAT Project Symbol files (.tpy), TwinCAT Module Class files (.tmc), and TwinCAT Module Instance files (.tmi), but .tpy files are preferred because they include nested structures. For more information about symbol files, see the TwinCAT project development software documentation.

You can set up both online and offline tag retrieval for the same tag integration source. They should not conflict with each other. For a large TwinCAT project, however, it is faster to use offline tag retrieval.

To configure TwinCAT tag integration:

1. On the Project tab of the ribbon, in the Settings group, click Communication.

   The Project Settings dialog box is displayed, with the Communication tab selected.

2. In the Tag Integration area, click Add.

   The Tag Integration Source dialog box is displayed.

3. In the Type list, select Integrated if it is not already selected.

4. In the Provider list, select TwinCAT.

5. In the Name box, type a name for the source.

   This name will be added as a prefix to the names of the integrated tags. For more information, see How integrated tags may be renamed in your project.

6. Click Add.

   The TwinCAT Interface Configuration dialog box is displayed.

   

7. In the AMS Net ID box, type the AMS Net ID of the target PLC.

   For example: 5.0.112.206.1.1

8. Select the port on which the PLC runtime has been configured to run.

   For TwinCAT 2.x, you should select one of the standard ports: 801, 811, 821, 831.

   For TwinCAT 3.x, select Custom Port and then type the port number. The default for new TwinCAT 3.x projects is port 851.

9. If you plan to use online tag retrieval, select Online PLC.

   The TwinCAT system service must be installed and running on the same computer. If it is not, an alert will be displayed and you will not be able to finish configuring the tag integration.

10. If you plan to use offline tag retrieval, do the following:

    1. To the right of the Symbol File box, click Browse.

       A standard Open dialog box is displayed.

    2. Use the Open dialog box to locate and select the symbol file that you previously exported from the TwinCAT project.

       If the file does not appear to be available, make sure the correct file type (.tpy, .tmc, .tmi) is selected.

    3. Click Open.

    The location of the selected file is displayed in the Symbol File box.

11. Click OK to finish the configuration.

If the configuration is successful, the target PLC's tags will be immediately available in the Object Finder.