I am using Ignition 8.1.1.
I had all the tags from one device stop updating. The data quality still showed it was good, even though it was not updating. The time stamp was 2 days old when it was brought to my attention. We also have an installation of Ignition 7.9.16 and it behaved the same.
I ran UAExpert on my PC and using VPN hardware was able to access the Beckhoff PLC the OPC server was running on. This used a separate Ethernet port. I was able to get a connection to the OPC server and I was able to get tags that were current. This shows me that something on the OPC server was alive and communicating.
How is the data quality determined? We had tags that had a timestamp that was 2 days old, but the quality still showed good. Understanding why the quality did not update might point us in a direction to resolve this.
Do you have logs you can upload? Is it still “stale” or did you reset the connection already?
The only circumstance in which Ignition will set the value or quality of an OPC tag by itself is when the connection is interrupted. Other than that it relies on the OPC UA subscription mechanism and only changes in value or quality are reported.
If an OPC tag has a value with good quality and a 2 day old timestamp then ostensibly the OPC UA server you are connected has not sent an update for 2 days.
edit: I should clarify, I mean the server has not reported a change in value or quality for 2 days. It is not expected to report changes in timestamp only.
One additional question about the quality, there has to be more to quality than just the OPC server sending data. If I loose the connection to the OPC server my quality changes. So, the server did not send an update when it was disconnected, yet the quality changed.
Could the OPC server and Ignition get out of sync? So it still thinks there is a connection which passes that part of the quality check but still off enough to not register the change in the tag.
Yes, this is the one circumstance I explained that Ignition will set the quality itself.
It seems they have somehow, but figuring out how or why may be difficult.
You should be able to get a log export from your Ignition gateway that may contain clues if we're lucky.
Again - is this out occurring right now or have you already corrected it? If it's occurring now we can try to view the server diagnostics using UaExpert, track down the Session entry from Ignition's client, see which subscriptions exist and which one has the monitored item you highlighted, then see if there is still traffic between Ignition and the server for those subscriptions.
edit: and FWIW, you are not looking at the same tag in UaExpert as you are in Ignition, at least in your screenshots.
I’ve seen issues like this with OPCDA servers. You can try to disable and then re-enable the opc service, or ‘restart’ the tag. Sometimes it needs a kick in the you know what. Not ideal. But, frozen tags, they can happen, and ignition doesn’t try and warn you about it! if its a critical tag its good to throw the timestamp up there and even an alarm on the time stamp
I've been testing Ignition with a Yaskawa OPC DA server and experience the same issue. Tags stop updating, quality remains good... only a few tags in the test. I was building a small demo to justify purchasing a license, but this is not helping the case!
I checked wrapper.log, but didn't see anything. I'm new to Ignition, I will try to follow up with some screen shots and logs.
Version: 8.1.31 (b2023081007)
Edit: Just updated to 8.1.33, we'll see if the issue goes away.
I was able to catch the error again. I don't see anything in the logs though. Also, the OPC Quick Client tree takes a very long time for the + branches to expand open... why?
I lined up the three windows and capture the following screen shot showing the discrepancy:
The CT100T1 HMI displays stale data as does Ignition Designer. The subscriptions in the Ignition gateway show the correct value (machine CT100T1 was running and green).
I cannot post myself more than three times without a response due the restriction in this forum. I'll put the update here.
I tried turning off deadband, I saw a mention of this in another post... no change. I still experience stale data. Initiating a tag [r] read from the OPC Quick Client updates the value. Subscribing [s] to the tag shows the actual current value live, but does not cause the value to update on HMIs that use the tag.
If anyone from Ignition is interested in seeing the problem, I may be able to accommodate that. @Kevin.Herron
You’re going to have to open a real support ticket for this. Troubleshooting OPC Classic/COM can get involved, possibly requiring installation of analyzer tools.
OPC servers are generally responsible for updating subscribed values, not OPC clients, so it’s mostly a matter of trying to prove the absence of a callback from that server…
I am experiencing a similar issue. All my tag data shows healthy yet two of my connected devices are not updating tags. Were you able to get your issue resolved? What was the result?
