Topic: PLC IOs on multiple pages

Hello.

Is it possible somehow to have connected elements on multiple pages?
For example I would love to have a PLC digital input card which has 4 inputs shown as a symbol on one page and then every digital input as a separate part shown on different pages. Then I would like to somehow connect the parts so that the connections and labels would match.
Something like what is shown in the attached picture.

Is it possible to somehow design parts in this way?

Thank you in advance for any feedback.

Br,

Greg

Post's attachments

qe_plc_io_example.gif, 14.19 kb, 995 x 547
qe_plc_io_example.gif 14.19 kb, 48 downloads since 2023-08-14 

Re: PLC IOs on multiple pages

Hello

I created signal input and output elements as well as digital input and output.

follow some examples.

Post's attachments

Attachment icon EXEMPLO.qet 214.09 kb, 115 downloads since 2023-08-15 

Re: PLC IOs on multiple pages

Thank you jhonathan for the reply. Your example is very useful.

I am wondering if we can go a step further and have some connections between the PLC and the digital input so that the labels can be automatically updated.
Is there a way to have some variable that can be used for the label of the PLC that can be also used for the digital input so that both labels can be updated automatically?
Are there any global "variables" that can be used in the label formula that can be used on multiple pages?

Also I am wondering if there is another way to connect the PLC to the digital input / output, because I would like to use a text formula for the wires - concretely I would like to have a page number in the name of the wire for example %id.01. In this way when you try to check something you can quickly find the wire. Unfortunately if the wire go through multiple pages then this is not possible, so this is why I was wondering if there is another way to connect a digital input / output to a "master" PLC.

4 (edited by LievenC 2023-08-17 08:35:32)

Re: PLC IOs on multiple pages

here is an idea of what might be possible
other bright lights can help to improve

Post's attachments

Attachment icon ES-SAMPLE-IO-LINK.qet 194.04 kb, 107 downloads since 2023-08-17 

Always using the latest development version

Re: PLC IOs on multiple pages

Greg wrote:

Is there a way to have some variable that can be used for the label of the PLC that can be also used for the digital input so that both labels can be updated automatically?

I've been using the "Function" field of the wire to store what the channel is assigned to.  It works quite well together with folio references, which you can define and style yourself.  A folio reference can include a dynamic text element for its "Function" attribute, which automatically displays the Function of the connected wire (on both ends when linked together).

Attached sample project shows a little of this in action:

1. A physical view of each PLC component. This is declared as a "master" element type so that others can be linked to it. The linking results in a nice table of references where this component is referenced.

2. A logical view of each connector of the PLC components. These are declared as "slave" element type and get linked to the physical view. That automatically makes the master's properties available for text display, such as the module type and of course its ID (with a back-reference to the folio with the physical view).

3. A generic "signal description" element declared as type "previous_report".  It has a single pin that gets connected to the logical PLC connector element.  This connection (wire) then gets assigned a Function attribute naming what the channel is used for.  It automatically displays the Function and has a spare text field by default that is used to record the logical input / output number as a reference for the software developer.  These pages give you a nice overview of what channels are assigned and for what they are used.

4. The opposite "next_report" element type is drawn as a "channel header". It gets inserted wherever in the schematic the channel is needed (though limited to one place per channel).  It again has a dynamic text field displaying the Function attribute value.  Link this element to the previous one, which is rather easy to do because the possible link targets table shows the Function value, so you just need to pick the semantic name you've given the channel's signal.  Note that this "header" element could be used stand-alone, connecting its pin to the sensor directly.  But that doesn't work for the case of analog differential or RTD inputs, where several pins are required for the channel.  Thus there's a standardized "channel body" element as well, see below.

5. The "channel body" element exists in different variants, for example 1 to 4 used pins.  It is declared as element type "slave" again, to be linked to the physical module representation.  That makes it clear where the signals are connected to, and pulls in the referenced module type attribute again, so you easily see that it's an analog input for example.  It has an almost unnoticeable pin on the top-left corner which is designed to automatically connect to the "channel header" element, to make sure there's a connection and the Function attribute is actually displayed.  For the individual pins, there are separate text fields to describe exactly on which terminal of the module the channel resides.  This is unfortunately still a manual process, you need to jump back to the linked "signal description" (just double-click the folio link), remember which terminal(s) the signal is connected to, jump back (another double-click) and adjust the texts.  Doing it manually has the advantage that you can pick the order for multi-terminal channels, such as 4-wire RTD inputs, to untangle your connections.

It's a bit of work to get the PLC-specific parts set up first (because the existing library symbols have no master-slave relations there), but I think it's worth the effort.  Remapping a channel is done with a few clicks and some manual text updates.  Note that if you really need the same channel referenced in more than one place in your schematic, you could still place more "signal description" elements connected to the same PLC terminal.  I've done that for Modbus channels for example, where it nicely summarizes references to all Modbus-connected sensors.

Overall I guess I'm a programmer, used to stuff being generated for me based on a single declaration, and error-checked by the compiler.  QET is more of a "smart pencil" so I wanted to make as much as possible automated and linked together to avoid mistakes and mismatching references.  More features in this direction, allowing to link stuff together on a semantic level, would of course be great.

Post's attachments

Attachment icon SAMPLE-PLC channels linked.zip 962.23 kb, 109 downloads since 2023-08-18 

Re: PLC IOs on multiple pages

Thank you LievenC and Acolomb for the replies and great examples.

Your examples are great and are teaching me a lot about the possibilities of QElectroTech.

Thank you Acolomb for the thorough explanation. You gave me a great example of what is currently possible and for sure I will try to use your insides in my future project.

7 (edited by welaras232 2023-08-28 13:06:00)

Re: PLC IOs on multiple pages

Hello Greg,

It sounds like you're looking to create a schematic or diagram that spans multiple pages, where components are interconnected across those pages. This is a common requirement in technical documentation and design software. The ability to create interconnected elements across different pages helps to maintain clarity and organization in complex designs.

Whether you can achieve this depends on the software you're using to design these diagrams. Many professional diagramming and design software tools offer features to create multi-page diagrams and keep elements interconnected. Here's how you might approach this:

1. **Choose the Right Software:** Use a software tool that supports multi-page diagrams and the ability to link elements across pages. Some popular options include AutoCAD, Visio, Altium Designer, and various circuit design software.

2. **Create Components:** Design your individual components, like the PLC digital input card and its inputs, as separate symbols or objects. Make sure these components are easily reusable.

3. **Organize Pages:** Create separate pages for different sections of your diagram. For example, you might have a "Main Page" showing the overview of the PLC digital input card and its inputs, and then separate pages for each individual input.

4. **Interconnect Components:** On each page, add the necessary components and interconnections. For the main page, you would show the overview of the PLC card and label the inputs. On the individual input pages, you would show the specific input and its connections.

5. **Cross-Page Links:** To maintain consistency and connectivity, use cross-page linking features provided by the software. These features allow you to create references or links between components on different pages, ensuring that changes made on one page are reflected on other pages.

6. **Labeling and Annotations:** Utilize labels, annotations, and callout features to make sure that connections and labels match across pages.

7. **Testing and Review:** Once you've created the diagram, make sure to thoroughly test and review it. Check that all the connections are accurately represented and that labels match up as intended.

Remember that the exact steps and features will depend on the software you're using. Consult the documentation or help resources for your chosen software to learn how to implement multi-page diagrams and interconnections.

If you provide more details about the specific software you're using or planning to use, I might be able to provide more tailored guidance.
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