How do you monitor the Date/Time

Archived Topics
1

I would like to monitor the date/time so on no change i can run script to shutdown rslinx to reboot my modem.

any ideas?

2

This date/time is coming from your PLC? I think the best way to do this is in FactorySQL.

My idea goes something like this: have a triggered group triggered on an action item that compares the PLCs date with the system clock, and see how far off they are. Trigger when they are more than a certain amount of time apart, and have another action item that runs your shutdown/reboot script (not sure exactly how this would work - might have to be a FactorySQL plugin).

Using a handshake bit back and forth might be easier than messing with the datetimes.

Does this sound like what you were after? Whats happening to RSLinx and your modem that is making this necessary?

3

I have a modem talking to another modem connected to a SLC 5/03
when the modem on the server side loses connection it does not auto redial untill i shut down rslinx(which is running as a service)

4

What is the model number of the modem? Did you ever reach Rockwell support on this? There should be a way to set up the local modem to disconnect when the remote modem losses connection. If that worked then RSLinx would probably automatically redial the connection on the next OPC request.

Forcing RSLinx to restart periodically should be a last resort option at best.

5

For what its worth, I think I heard that Kepware has good redial and dial control.

6

model # 5686
US Robotics Ext. 56k Fax modem

7

Ugh, a standard modem of a good brand. Do you have any other modems to test? That would be worth doing.

Reviews here indicated minor similar problems, but I couldn’t find anything conclusive.

You might also try updating the firmware. Be careful and have a backup plan if this is running something critical.

8

I probably wouldn’t compare the PLC and computer clocks. At some point the clocks will be off from one another and you would end up always running your shutdown script.

I would create a Heartbeat item that monitors the Second bit in the PLC, a Counter item, and an Alarm item. Set the Counter item to increment every second. Set the Heartbeat item to reset the Counter’s value every time the Heartbeat changes state. Set the Alarm item to trigger if the Counter’s value is greater than some number. Then have the Alarm item run a batch file which kills and restarts RSLinx.

9

Something tells me restarting linx isn’t the best way to get a modem to redial. Does linx not have any redial control? I know in kepware you just have an OPC address that you can toggle like any other to tell it to dial…