# OPC to Emulate, still looking for answers **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Created:** [October 5, 2023, 4:36pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088 "2023-10-05T16:36:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jlandwerlen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@jlandwerlen](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/jlandwerlen)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 1:36pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/22 "2023-10-06T13:36:33Z")
The reason I would have Ignition and Emulate on two different networks was due to Rockwell software installs and licensing. I use a VM for Rockwell stuff and don't want Ignition on it. I don't want to install Emulate where Ignition is installed as it's a pain to move licenses around. ---
**Author:** ![Simen\_Minerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Simen\_Minerd](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Simen_Minerd)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 1:54pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/23 "2023-10-06T13:54:16Z")
Rockwell licensing are online, you can move the license to a different pc easily. For testing, you can run Ignition Free Trial, 2 hours max, you have to reset it. You can install Ignition Free Trial on any pc. ---
**Author:** ![Simen\_Minerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Simen\_Minerd](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Simen_Minerd)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 1:56pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/24 "2023-10-06T13:56:43Z")
Ignition partnered with multiple hardware companies. These PC has windows system preinstall ignition on it. You can activate Edge Panel license on these PCs. ---
**Author:** ![Simen\_Minerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Simen\_Minerd](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Simen_Minerd)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/25 "2023-10-06T13:58:02Z")
He is talking about use it for testing, talking to an AB Emulator. Ignition project can be loaded to any pc. ---
**Author:** ![Kevin.Herron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/kevin.herron/32/7259_2.png) [@Kevin.Herron](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Kevin.Herron)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/26 "2023-10-06T13:58:59Z")
@Simen_Minerd, your inability to imagine why anyone might do anything in a different way than exactly what you imagined must be a great handicap. ---
**Author:** ![Simen\_Minerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Simen\_Minerd](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Simen_Minerd)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 2:01pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/27 "2023-10-06T14:01:50Z")
Many companies have Ignition Servers. In many cases you have to develop Ignition project before you can access the server, or for installing the PLC. There is no enough on site time to develop ignition. Develop the Ignition project before installation is the only option. ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 2:07pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/28 "2023-10-06T14:07:45Z")
> [@Simen\_Minerd](#): > > Develop the Ignition project before installation is the only option. I do it before installation all the freaking time. I don't use Windows for gateways or designers, nor do I use Emulate. I use Studio 5000 on Windows. To prepare L5X files for my EtherNet/IP Host Device (in trial mode for dev), or to program my laboratory machines with client logic. Making OPC connections in development that have different OPC Item Path syntax from Ignition's driver (or my alternate driver) is utterly unacceptable, in my not-so-humble opinion. (I still have not been able to duplicate @jlandwerlen's feat with Emulate and Ignition's native driver.) ---
**Author:** ![Simen\_Minerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Simen\_Minerd](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Simen_Minerd)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 2:26pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/29 "2023-10-06T14:26:56Z")
You are lucky to have laboratory machines. If you have real hardware, there is no point of using emulator. I wish I can work in your lab. LOL. Emulator in my case, very helpful for testing PLC logics and Ignition Interface. ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 2:28pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/30 "2023-10-06T14:28:48Z")
> [@Simen\_Minerd](#): > > If you have real hardware I sometimes don't have **enough** hardware. /: ---
**Author:** ![michael.flagler](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/michael.flagler/32/26272_2.png) [@michael.flagler](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/michael.flagler)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 5:37pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/31 "2023-10-06T17:37:18Z")
While a lot of this thread is getting off-topic now, I see your issue. You're trying to use a device driver to connect to a PLC, and instead you should be trying to set up an OPC client to connect to the OPC server. (under OPC Client - OPC Connections). When you go to add a new OPC-UA connection, it will prompt you for the endpoint URL at which point you'll enter the endpoint URL (starting with opc.tcp) from FTLinx Gateway and make the security match what's in the server. That should get you going in the right direction. ---
**Author:** ![Simen\_Minerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Simen\_Minerd](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Simen_Minerd)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 5:57pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/32 "2023-10-06T17:57:17Z")
He wants to connect Ignition to AB Emulator as a device. Emulator on one computer, ignition on a different computer. AB has 2 Type of Emulators, one comes with Studio 5000, it only runs locally. The other one I forget the name, you can spit out data to other computers or vm, it operates like it is a real PLC. It cost extra to get it. ---
**Author:** ![michael.flagler](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/michael.flagler/32/26272_2.png) [@michael.flagler](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/michael.flagler)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 6:24pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/33 "2023-10-06T18:24:11Z")
I'm very familiar with both emulators and have used both (Logix Echo is the other). Studio 5000 Emulate has never supported direct connections unless you're using SoftLogix. The Flintium example posted where someone was supposedly able to get it to work I've tried and it doesn't work for me either. The only way I've seen to get it working would be to use the FTLinx Gateway because Rockwell by design doesn't allow direct access to the Emulator besides with their own software installed on the same machine. Logix Echo does allow direct connections and is definitely a better emulator, but it only works with newer firmware revisions and only the L8x series of processors at this time (unless something has changed recently). ---
**Author:** ![jlandwerlen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@jlandwerlen](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/jlandwerlen)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 6:26pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/34 "2023-10-06T18:26:40Z")
You can use a direct driver for Emulate. How does it work? No clue. But I have used it that way, the same way shown in the flintium write up. ---
**Author:** ![Simen\_Minerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Simen\_Minerd](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Simen_Minerd)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 6:38pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/35 "2023-10-06T18:38:44Z")
no no no! You misunderstood me. Every reply from "pturmel" teaches me new things. Having honest conversation with people like "pturmel" is so valuable and enjoyable. ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 8:00pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/36 "2023-10-06T20:00:42Z")
@jlandwerlen Trying again and failing. Q: Do you have both RSLinx Classic and FTLinx Enterprise installed? Or just one of them? If just one, which one? ---
**Author:** ![jlandwerlen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@jlandwerlen](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/jlandwerlen)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 8:11pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/37 "2023-10-06T20:11:18Z")
I have both. And, I don't remember doing anything extra during the install. ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/38 "2023-10-06T20:15:22Z")
Hmm. What's the highest version firmware you can use? Mine goes to v35. When I use my driver and no connection path, I get a legit connection to "RSLinx Server", vendor 77, device type 11, product code 1 But I can't access any other slots. {When configuring a processor in slot #2, I have "Use RSLinx Classic" checkbox above the "Periodic Save" checkbox, so your version is likely different from mine.} ---
**Author:** ![jlandwerlen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@jlandwerlen](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/jlandwerlen)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/39 "2023-10-06T20:20:12Z")
I'm not at my laptop and I haven't used Rockwell software in several months, but I think I had version 32 of Emulate installed. I used windows 10 in an VM. I know windows 7 won't work, perhaps other OSs are limited as well. ---
**Author:** ![dwoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@dwoo](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/dwoo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 12:44pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/40 "2023-10-09T12:44:09Z")
I use Emulate 5000 v34, Ignition 8.1.24, Studio v34, SQL Server Exp 2019 and FTLinxGW v6.2 (minimum) all on a VM running Windows 10. Works fine and setup is as [michael.flagler] explains it for using an OPC Client conenctions. Of course when moving to a production machine using a OPC UA connection the tags will need to be updated, easily done using an export and Notepad++. If installing Emualtor remotely, the FTLinxGW v6.2 (minimum) will need to be installed on the same remote PC as Emulator (and Rslinx Classic and FTLinx Ent). ---
**Author:** ![jlandwerlen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@jlandwerlen](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/jlandwerlen)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 3:37pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088/41 "2023-10-09T15:37:32Z")
I sent @pturmel a copy of my image. He's not able to connect, but I am. So it's very strange why some can connect and others can't. For me, I'm using a VM, set for Bridged and DHCP. VM was given IP of 10.0.0.50. This is the address I used for the Ignition connection. I run RSLinx as a service, so it's in the system tray. It looks like this: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/1/0/100b6c376fecaa0aad9718237e3a2fc0998649c8.png) Emulate looks like this (I'm using slot 0): ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/d/b/db4efb52f0855d744ab0c7834e4346b1458d265f.png) It connects for me: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/d/0/d0ab7e4e8ccb925ba1c254a28d2405984d58718f.png) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/5/7/5761ac3c4cf3467a02b458f176535f250115ac20.png) I'll keep this image running if anyone wants me to peek at specific settings. [Previous page](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088.md?page=1) [Next page](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/opc-to-emulate-still-looking-for-answers/80088.md?page=3)