Opening a ladder logic project

RSLogix Emulate 5 accepts ladder logic files in the RSLogix 5 .RSP and PLC-5 A.I. Series .X5 formats. These files can be created with RSLogix 5 or PLC-5 A.I. Series software.

RSLogix Emulate 500 accepts ladder logic files in the RSLogix 500 .RSS and the PLC-500 A.I. Series .ACH formats. These files can be created with RSLogix 500 or PLC-500 A.I. Series software.

To open a ladder logic project in RSLogix Emulate:

1. Click File > Open. The software displays the Open dialog.
2. Highlight the file you want to open, and click OK.
3. The software displays a configuration dialog for the ladder logic file.

In this dialog, specify the following:

• File # indicates the ladder file from which scanning is started. During a program scan, the main file, any subroutines called by the main file, and any nested subroutine files are executed.
• Start Rung indicates the first rung in the main file to be scanned. A rung number of 0 starts the scan from the beginning.
• End Rung indicates the last rung to be scanned. The rung number for this field IS scanned. In order to scan one rung, make the start and end numbers identical. Setting the end rung to -1 scans to the end of the file.
• The defaults for these fields are main file 2, start rung 0, end rung -1. This causes file 2 to be scanned from beginning to end. Any subroutines called by file 2 and any nested subroutines are also scanned.
• Station # sets the Data Highway Plus or Data Highway 485 station number for the emulated processor.

Note If you want to emulate more than one project at the same time, make sure you set different node numbers for each project in the communications configuration. Otherwise, RSLogix will overwrite the project in RSLogix Emulate (each project you download will overwrite the same node number in RSLogix Emulate).

• Restore Mode on Start (if checked) means that the emulated program will retain whatever mode it had when the software is closed. When the software is reopened, the program will reopen in its last mode.

4. Click the OK button. The software reads the file into memory, and holds it there.

Note With this same dialog, you can specify debug file options. Debug files are not required for the software to function, but are used to simulate real I/O.

Note Once a file is opened in the software, that file remains in the file list. Whenever the software is opened, that file will also be taken into memory. Essentially this means two things:

• Once you have configured your emulation scenario, you can close the software, reopen it, and have the same files ready to go.
• It is important that you remove files from the list when you are no longer going to emulate them. This cuts down on the resources used by the software, particularly if the file is running.