For several years I have struggled with Ignition OPC connections to Rockwell Emulate. After several posts to this forum, I do not see any step-by-step method to make this work. I want to know the sure method from start to finish, beginning with the OPC Connection to the Device Connection. If it exists, I haven't found it. My current application is local in a Win10 machine, but it would be nice to know steps for a remote (gateway and Emulate on different machines) as well.
Any help?
This one works for me:
Keep in mind that Logix Emulate (all versions) does not listen for EtherNet/IP connections. You must make an OPC connection, not a native driver connection.
Rockwell's new Logix Echo emulator does listen for EtherNet/IP connections and can be reached with Ignition's native driver. (And my new one, fwiw.)
If you need to emulate older firmware, and are trying to truly replicate what will happen with the native driver in the future real application, you probably want to use SoftLogix, not Emulate.
Thank you, I will try it, but I am on Ignition 8.1 so the security issues you mentioned are probably going to bite me, and may be the problem I am having.
I forgot about that comment about it not working for version 8 in that guide. It works in 8.1 for me no problem
Why do you want it to be remote gateway, why can you build Ignition on the same PC, others can connect to the ignition on your PC.
So I was able to get Emulate to work with native drivers. I didn't think it would work until the Flintium folks mentioned it. I was skeptical, but it worked for me. Not sure why it does for some and not others. But, to the OPs topic, I would love to know the reasons myself.
Interesting. I'll have to take another stab at it.
I followed all the steps, but in OPC Quick Client and Designer tag browser it does not find any tags
It looks like your shortcut isn't showing up. I think under the FactoryTalkLinxGateway you should see a folder named EmulateSlot8, so I would check configs everywhere on the FactoryTalk side. Are certificates accepted everywhere? Have you tried using a tool like Matrikon's OPC-UA Explorer to see if you can connect to it with it? If it also has a problem, then the issue is with FTLinx Gateway. Check the diagnostic logs of it and see if it hints at any issues.
I remember something about the naming being finnicky. Make the names match everywhere, your application & server name in FT Administration Console, PLC name, server name (FT Gateway Configuration). I don't exactly remember which names needed to match but I remember having a similar issue.
Also, did you do the certificate management portion of the guide?
jlandwerlen, I see a different dialog for the OPC device config. Ignition 8.1 shows a whole bunch of configuration items, including port. When I do this, I get a perpetual ReconnectWait:
The Flintium instructions do not have many of these items. Therefore, I not sure what I need to fill in for the dialog in 8.1:
Did you change the names in FactoryTalk Administration Console? I'm almost positive this is your issue
All I ever had to do was enter the slot number and enter the IP address (which is the host for Emulate).
Run RSLinx as server it works better.
I just use OPC topic, at ignition configuration just type in the same OPC topic.
This is Ignition install on the same PC where Emulator is installed.
You can access ignition from any pc that is on the same network.
I do not understand why he wants to install ignition on different pc.
The reason why using Emulator is desirable is because you don't have to change anything for the opc paths. It's great for testing.
You can definitely use a topic, but you'll have to edit all tag paths.
I am using Emulator for Ignition for every project, I always ask somebody else to test my work.
The thing I do not understand is why he want to install Ignition on a different PC then access a remote Emulator. He can simply install Ignition and Emulator on the same pc, and remote access Ignition on this PLC, just point Ignition Designer to this remote PC.
Ignition is often not installed on Windows desktop, or not installed on Windows at all. Performing any Ignition development with the Ignition gateway running directly on the desktop PC is something I simply won't do. It doesn't have the flexibility needed to handle many different Ignition versions and configurations for the multiple clients I serve.
