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Connection Parameters Needed for HMI/cMT Products to Communicate with an Allen-Bradley CompactLogix Free Tag Names using EBPro (EasyBuilder Pro)

Introduction

All Maple Systems HMIs programmed with EBPro (EasyBuilder Pro), including every cMT X Series and cMT Series model, are compatible with a Rockwell/Allen-Bradley CompactLogix Free Tag Names Controller. Configure your Controller and HMI/cMT with the following parameters to establish reliable communication.

Website: rockwellautomation.com

HMI Settings

ParametersRecommendedOptionsNotes
PLC typeRockwell CompactLogix – Free Tag Names
PLC I/FRS232
Baud rate192009600, 19200, 38400
Data bits88
ParityNoneEven, Odd, None
Stop bits11
Turn around delay1010 ~ 100*Note
HMI sta. no.0
PLC sta. no.11-31

NOTE: When communication is not stable, please adjust [Turn around delay].

PLC Settings

Communication modeValue
DF1 Point to Point ProtocolError Check: BCC, Station Address: 1
Controller Properties dialog on the System Protocol tab, showing Protocol set to DF1 Point to Point, Station Address 1, and Error Detection set to BCC.

Working with Tags

Create new tags (Controller Tags and Program Tags supported).

Studio 5000 Controller Organizer showing Controller Tags and Parameters and Local Tags panels with sample tag names, data types, and descriptions.

There are two ways to get tags: import .L5X or .CSV files (click Import Tags…), or connect to the PLC (click Get Tag Info…). After creating a project by one of these methods, use the same method in future for maintenance to prevent compilation failure.

  • Recommended for PLC Offline: Import .L5X
  • Recommended for PLC Online: Get Tag Info

Comparison

L5XCSV
Can Description be Imported?YesYes
Need Adding Data Type?NoYes

NOTE: Description is only supported for atomic tags. Not supported for structure or array.

Import Tag (L5X)

  1. Export L5X from RSLogix 5000

    In RSLogix 5000, go to File u0026gt; Save as u0026gt; *Logix Designer XML File (.L5X)** to export the .L5X file.

  2. Import Tags in EBPro (EasyBuilder Pro)

    Add the driver in EBPro (EasyBuilder Pro), click [Import Tags], select *Import Files (.L5X), and then click [OK]**.
    EasyBuilder Pro Import Tags dialog with Import Files (*.L5X) — Hierarchical type selected and OK button visible.

  3. Review Imported Tag Information

    View the imported tag information in Tag Manager and click the close icon [X] to leave.
    EasyBuilder Pro Tag Manager showing Device Tags and Program:MainProgram hierarchy with tag names, data types, and array dimensions.

  4. Confirm Successful Import

    Click [OK] after tag information is imported successfully.
    EasyBuilder Pro confirmation dialog displaying the message: Imported tag information successfully.

Import Tag (CSV)

  1. Export Tag Data to CSV

    In RSLogix5000, go to [Tools] u0026gt; [Export] u0026gt; [Tags and Logic Comments] to export the tag data to a .CSV file.
    The separator character in the CSV file must be a comma ,; otherwise the file is invalid. To change this: [Control Panel] u0026gt; [Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options] u0026gt; [Change the format of numbers, dates, and times] u0026gt; [Customize] u0026gt; [List separator]. Select , and then export the CSV file.
    RSLogix 5000 Tools menu open with Export submenu showing Tags and Logic Comments option highlighted.

  2. Import CSV in EBPro (EasyBuilder Pro)

    In [System Parameters], click [Import Tags], select *Import Files (.CSV), and then click [OK]**.
    EasyBuilder Pro Import Tags dialog with Import Files (*.CSV) — Linear type selected and OK button visible.

  3. Choose Data Type Handling

    Decide whether to keep the current data type (User-Defined, Strings, Predefined, Module-Defined) or replace it with the default data type.
    EasyBuilder Pro prompt asking: Keep the current data type (User-Defined, Strings, Predefined, Module-Defined)? with Yes and No buttons.

  4. Review Unsupported Tag Warnings

    A Warning window appears when unsupported tags are used. Check whether these tags use data types and add the necessary ones. The ‘Imported tag information successful’ message appears when tags are successfully imported.
    EasyBuilder Pro Warning dialog listing tags with unknown data types and instructions to define structures or data types using Data Type.

Device Address

PLC Data TypeBit/WordEasyBuilder Data FormatMemo
BOOLBooleanBit object
BitArray
SINT-128 ~ 127
INTInteger16-bit signed, ASCII-32768 ~ 32767
DINTDouble Integer32-bit signed-231 ~ (231-1)
REALSingle Precision Float32-bit floatIEEE 754
LINTLong Integer64-bit signed*Note1
ULINTLong Integer64-bit unsigned*Note1
LREALDouble Precision Float64-bit double*Note1
STRING*Note4
  • Note 1: EBPro V6.03.02 or later supports 64-bit data types (cMT Series only), but note that the address limit range is 48 bits maximum.
  • Note 2: Avoid using . in the tag name, as this may influence macro execution.
  • Note 3: Shorter tag names are recommended for enhancing communication efficiency.
  • Note 4: When importing, there are two modes — one char per word or two char per word. When importing one char per word, choose Unicode data format for ASCII objects; choose UTF-8 (Default) data format for two char per word.
  • Note 5: Data format supported for Binary Access: INT, DINT, and SINT.
EBPro (EasyBuilder Pro) IEC-61131 STRING type select dialog showing one char per word and two char per word options with byte and word index examples.

Wiring Diagram

NOTE: The serial port pin assignments may vary between HMI models.

RS-232

HMIDirectionPLC
Pin assignmentsAB CPU CH0
RS232
9P D-Sub
Female
Rx↔ (bidirectional)3 TD
Tx↔ (bidirectional)2 RD
GND↔ (bidirectional)5 GND