Modbus Tester Help

Last updated: February 6, 2013

Welcome to Omni FlowComputers, Inc, Modbus Tester
How To ...
Operate the Modbus Tester
Make a Connection
Configure a Location
Configure Communications Parameters
Configure ModemSettings
Menus
Setup menu
Online menu
View menu
Help menu
Trouble Shooting
Ethernet Communications
Serial Communications
ModemConnections
Exception Codes
Contact Us
How To Configure a Location
Fromthe Setup menu, select Location.
The Setup Locations Screen is displayed. For more information see the help for the Setup Locations Screen.
To enter a new location:
Press Add
or click your right mouse button and select Add fromthe short cut menu.
The Setup Communications Screen is displayed. For more information see the help for the Setup Communications Screen.
How To Configure Communications Parameters
Fromthe Setup menu, select Location.
The Setup Locations Screen is displayed. For more information see the help for the Setup Locations Screen.
To edit an existing location,
double click on a location in the list
or click once on a location in the list and press Edit
or click the right mouse button on a location in the list and select Edit fromthe shortcut menu.
press Add
or click the right mouse button and select Add fromthe short cut menu.
The Setup Communications Screen is displayed. For more information see the help for the Setup Communications Screen.
How To Configure Modem Settings
Fromthe Setup menu, select Location.
The Setup Locations Screen is displayed. For more information see the help for the Setup Locations Screen.
To edit an existing location,
double click on a location in the list
or click once on a location in the list and press Edit
or click the right mouse button on a location in the list and select Edit fromthe shortcut menu.
press Add
or click the right mouse button and select Add fromthe short cut menu.
The Setup Communications Screen is displayed. For more information see the help for the Setup Communications Screen.
If you are adding a location, select a media type of Modemor Satellite.
Press Modem Settings.
Follow the instructions for the Setup ModemScreen.
Note: If you do not see the ModemSettings button, be sure you have selected a media type of Modem or Satellite.
How To Make a Connection
Fromthe Online menu, select Connect.
The Connection Screen is displayed.
To connect:
double click on a location in the list
or select a location and press Connect.
For more information, see the help for the Connect Screen.
Connect Screen (Online menu)
Establish communications with a unit. This screen is only enabled in the OFFLINE mode.
The screen displays a list of the available connection locations.
To Connect with the unit at that location:
Double click on a location in the list
or click once on a location and press Connect.
When a connection is made successfully, the Test Comms Screen appears. The Online menu changes fromConnect to Dis-
connect.
For Modem and Satellite connections:
The modem connection progress is shown
the responses from the modem are also shown
an Abort button appears when dialing has commenced. The user may abort the dialing process by pressing this button.
Press Cancel to exit without connecting.
Test Communications Screen (Online menu)
Modbus Tester Screen. This screen is only enabled in the ONLINE mode.
Note that for Modicon Compatible units, the test programautomatically subtracts one fromthe register number and formats the pro-
tocol to conformto 16-bit integers. If float data types are used, the float bytes are swapped fromaa bb cc dd to cc dd aa bb.
Modbus Type
The protocol format. The choices are:
RTU
ASCII
Modbus/TCP.
The default is set to what was setup for the location.
Modbus Addressing
Logical, Register, and Modicon Compatible. The default is Logical.
For example, floats using Logical Addressing, 1 register is 4 bytes of data. Floats using Register Addressing combine 2
consecutive registers to make the float. The programautomatically doubles the number of registers entered and does the byte
combination to make the float.
Note that for Modicon Compatible units, the test programautomatically subtracts one fromthe register number and formats
the protocol to conformto 16-bit integers. If float data types are used, the float bytes are swapped fromaa bb cc dd to cc dd
aa bb.
Modbus ID
The units Modbus ID or address. Click on the up arrow to increase the number and the down arrow to decrease the number.
You may also just enter in a number directly.
The ID can range from0-255. The default is set to what was setup for the location.
Function Code
Select fromthe drop list the Function Code of the test message.
Note that there is a User Defined function code for any non-standard functions. If the user selects User Defined, a box
appears to enter the function code. The range for the user defined function code is 1 to 127 (because of the exception response
of 0x80 plus function code). The default value is 255 to remind the user to enter a code.
Data Type
Select the Data Type fromthe drop list. This is how you would like the data to appear in the Data Values box it does not
affect how the data is transmitted. Only data types appropriate to the function code selected are listed. For more information,
see help on Data Types.
Register Number or Diagnostics Code
Most function types require a Register Number:
If you are using RTU, ASCII, or Modbus/TCP protocol and have not selected "Modicon Compatible", enter the exact tar-
get read or write Modbus Address in the range of 1 to 65535 of the remote device.
If you are using RTU or Modbus/TCP protocol and have selected "Modicon Compatible", Modbus Tester automatically
subtracts one fromthe register address before it is sent. (Enter registers in the range of 1 to 65535.)
If you are using ASCII protocol and have selected "Modicon Compatible", Modbus Tester does not automatically sub-
tract one fromthe register address before it is sent so you should specify one address less than the target read or write
Modbus address. (Enter registers in the range of 0 to 65534.)
For the Diagnostic function (08), it becomes the Diagnostics Code. Enter a value between 0 and 65535. Note: when con-
nected to an Omni Flow Computer with firmware version 27.75.06 and higher, the diagnostic code 02 will return zeros and will
indicate a 'Fail'.
Number of Points/Values or Data Value
Coil type function codes ask for the Number of Points.
Register type function codes request the Number of Values.
The Diagnostic function requests the Data Value to be sent.
String Size
The ASCII String data type also requests the String Size. For example if you had three 8-character ASCII strings to read, you
would enter a "3" for the Number of Values field and an "8" for the String Size field.
Data Values
The Data Values box is used to enter/display the values transmitted/received fromthe unit in the format previously selected in
the data type field.
Separate multiple data values using the symbol displayed in the label (it is the list separator configured for your system- in
most cases it is a comma).
Repeat Delay
If an itemis going to be transmitted repeatedly, this would be the approximate amount of time after the response has been
received that the systemwill wait before repeating the transmission.
It can also be used in conjunction with the Register List. This is the approximate amount of time that the systemwill wait
before transmitting the next itemin the list. If it is the last itemin the list and list repeat is enabled, it is the amount of time the
systemwaits before re-transmitting the first itemin the list.
CRC/LRC
The user may select how the CRC/LRC is calculated.
Automatic means the systemcalculates it automatically and appends it to the transmit message.
If the user selects User Defined, a box appears for the user to enter the CRC/LRC in two hex bytes (with no space in
between). For example if you wanted to send a CRC of E2 9D, enter it as E29D.
No CRC/LRC is sent if a setting of Not Used is selected.
The Modbus type, Modicon Compatibility, and Modbus ID can be configured permanently in the Setup Screen. For more infor-
mation on configuring those items, please see the help for the Setup Communications Screen.
Transmit
Press Transmit to send the test message to the unit.
The actual message sent is shown in the Transmit Message box.
The response message is displayed in the Receive Message box.
If the Modbus type is ASCII, for convenience the actual ASCII character is also shown on a separate line.
Repeat/Stop
Press Repeat to send the test message continuously. Press the Stop button to terminate the send.
Register List/Add to List/Apply Edit
The Register List allows you to set up a list of registers for transmission. See the help for Register List for more information.
If the Register List dialog is already open, set up a register itemin the Test Communications Screen and press Add to List to
add a new register to the list.
If the Register List dialog is already open and an itemon the Register List dialog is selected for editing, make any changes in
the Test Communications Screen and press Apply Edit to amend the list item.
Convertor
A handy number convertor is available by pressing Convertor. Note this screen can be moved around and remain up while
more testing is done.
For more information, see the help for Convertor.
Comms Log
You can view the Communications Log by pressing Comms Log. Note this screen can be moved around and remain up while
more testing is done. For more information, see the help for Communications Log.
Comms Stats
You can view the Communications Statistics by pressing Comms Stats. Note this screen can be moved around and remain up
while more testing is done. For more information, see the help for Communications Statistics.
Settings
If you would like to modify some of the temporary communications parameters, press Settings. For more information, see the
help for Temporarily Change Comms Settings.
Register List
The Register List screen allows you to set up a list of items to be transmitted in succession to the connected unit. The list can be
repeatedly sent based on a number of times or a date/time range. The register list can be saved to a file on disk.
The Register List screen can only be enabled by pressing the Register List button in the Test Communications screen. Set up a reg-
ister transmission in the Test Communications screen and then add the register to the register list by pressing the Add to List button
in the Test Communications screen.
To edit an item, double click on the itemin the register list - or - select the itemor items and press the Edit button. The first selected
item's information is displayed in the Test Communications screen. Make any changes to the itemin the Test Communications
screen and then press the Apply Edits button in the Test Communications screen. The information changed is updated in the register
list for all the selected items.
You may drag and drop items in the register list to change the list order.
The following is description of the fields on the screen:
Register List
The register list shows a summary of a transmission itemin the list that was set up in the Test Communications screen:
Modbus ID
Function Code
Register
Register Count
Data Type
- if the function code is "User Defined" the data type is "User Def".
- if the data type is a string, the data type is "ASCII-x" where 'x' is the string size.
Delay - the repeat delay selected for that entry
Protocol - the protocol is a combination of the Modbus Type and the first character of the Addressing Mode.
Error % - an error percentage is provided for each itemin the list. The error count is incremented for every com-
munications or data processing error encountered during the transmission. A transmission count for each itemis also
stored. The error percentage is the number of errors divided by the number of transmissions times 100%.
Data Values - either the values received if the function is a read-type function or the data sent if the function is a write-
type function. If the function code is "User Defined" the data values are always the data sent.
The information saved fromthe Test Communications screen but not shown in the register list includes:
CRC Type
User Defined CRC
Repeat Duration
The user may select one of two methods to indicate when the repeat process should stop:
Number of Times - enter the number of times you would like the list to be transmitted. If a zero is entered, the list will
be transmitted indefinitely.
Date/Time Range - enter a start date and time and a stop date and time. The dates and times are based on your PC"s
date and time.
Use the drop down on the date fields to see a calendar. Click on "Today" at the bottomof the calendar to select the cur-
rent date or click on the date you wish to use.
Use the up and down arrows on the time fields to set the hour and minute based on a 24 hour clock where 00:00 is mid-
night. You may also enter a number in each of the fields.
Ignore Errors
If the box is not checked and there are any errors in the transmission of an itemin the register list, the message is displayed and
all transmissions are stopped.
If the box is checked and there are errors in the transmission of an itemin the register list, no messages are displayed and trans-
missions continue as normal.
An error count is provided in the register list and is updated as errors occur.
The following is a description of the buttons on the screen:
Open File
Pressing the Open File button brings up the standard Open File dialog. You may open an existing Register List file (default
extension ".orl") for editing. The contents of the file are displayed in the register list and the file name is displayed in the
screen's title.
Save File
You may save the contents of the register list by pressing the Save File button. This brings up the standard File Save dialog.
(The default file extension is ".orl".) The file name is displayed in the screen's title.
Edit
To edit an item, double click on the itemin the register list - or - select the itemor items and press the Edit button or select Edit
fromthe right-click menu. The first selected item's information is displayed in the Test Communications screen.
Make any changes to the itemin the Test Communications screen and then press the Apply Edits button in the Test Com-
munications screen. The information changed is updated in the register list for all the selected items.
Copy
To copy register list entries, click or select the items in the register list. Press the Copy button or select Copy fromthe right-
click menu.
If there are more than one register list entries, you will be asked if you want to append the copied items to the end of the list. If
you select Yes, all the selected items are copied and placed at the end of the list. If you select No, each copy is placed directly
after the selected itemin the list. If you select Cancel, no action is taken.
Delete
To delete items, click on the itemor items in the list and press the Delete button.
You will be asked to confirmeach itemto be deleted.
Transmit
Pressing the Transmit button, transmits the items in the list in order one time.
Note: It is probably a good idea to transmit the list one time to test if all items in the list are valid before using the Repeat button.
Repeat
Pressing the Repeat Button transmits the list continuously in sequence until the number of times is reached (if non-zero), the
stop date and time is reached or the Stop Button is pressed.
Note: the Repeat button becomes the Stop button when active.
Clear Errors
The user may select items and click on Clear Errors to reset the error count to zero for all the selected items. If no items are
selected when Clear Errors is pressed, all the error counts are reset to zero.
Note: There is a right-click menu that provides an alternative to using the buttons.
Data Types (Test Comms Screen)
In the Test Comms Screen, the data types represents the format of the data when it is entered for a write or how it is displayed for
reads. The following is a description of each type:
Boolean
Enter Booleans as 1s and 0s. For example if you wanted to Force One Coil and set the value to be on, then enter the data
value as a 1. For the Force Multiple Coils, enter the values beginning with the first point. For example register 1001 we would
like to set 1001, 1004, and 1005. In the Data Values, enter 1,0,0,1,1. If you were to read those coils back using a Read Coil
Status function, the data would be received back as a 0x19 but is displayed as 1, 0, 0, 1, 1 showing coils 1001, 1004, and 1005
are set.
Integers
Integers can be signed or unsigned based on what has been selected. Enter the number as an integer.
Floats
Floats are entered as numbers with up to 7 significant digits.
Floats can also be displayed in exponential notiation.
Note that for Modicon Compatible units, the test programautomatically subtracts one fromthe register number and formats
the protocol to conformwith 16-bit integers. Float bytes are swapped fromaa bb cc dd to cc dd aa bb.
For example: The float number 300.0 is converted to:
RTU (to/fromOmni) 43 96 00 00
Modicon (to/fromOmni) 00 00 43 96
Doubles
Doubles can have 15-17 significant digits selectable by the user.
Doubles can also be displayed in exponential notiation.
ASCII Strings
For strings you need to enter the length of one string. For example if you had three 8-character ASCII strings to read, you would
enter a "3" for the "Number of Values" field and an "8" for the "String Size" field.
IP Address (IPv4)
The IP Address is entered/displayed in IPv4 dotted decimal notation. The value read/written to the associated register is a four
byte unsigned integer in Motorola (Big-Endian) format.
For Example: IPv4 in dotted decimal = 216.136.87.229
unsigned integer in Motorola hex = D8 88 57 E5
Change Comms Setup Screen (Online menu)
There are times that you may want to temporarily modify the timing or retry count without making those changes permanent. These
changes will stay in effect until you disconnect. This screen is only enabled in the ONLINE mode.
Direct, Modemand Satellite
Initial Character delay the amount of time in milliseconds the PC waits for a response fromthe unit. Defaults are auto-
matically set based on media type and for Direct connections baud rate is also a factor.
Character Delay the amount of time in milliseconds allowed between characters in a response fromthe unit. Defaults are
automatically set based on media type and for Direct connections baud rate is also a factor
Retries - The number of times a message is re-sent if no response or an invalid response is received by the unit. The default is
2.
Log Communications - check the box if you would like the Modbus communications logged. It is the same as checking Log
Communications under the Setup menu.
TCP/IP
Connection Timeout the amount of time in milliseconds to wait before a connection attempt is aborted. The default is
5000ms.
Message Timeout after a connection is established, the amount of time in milliseconds to wait for a response fromthe unit.
The default is 2000ms.
Retries - The number of times a message is re-sent if no response or an invalid response is received by the unit. The default is
2.
Log Communications - check the box if you would like the Modbus communications logged. It is the same as checking Log
Communications under the Setup menu.
Convertor
Number Convertor to convert numeric data types to Hexadecimal format and back. Note this screen can be moved around and remain
up while more testing is done.
Select the data type you would like convert to or from.
Select the hexadecimal format you would like to convert to or from. Note: Modicon format is only available for floats and doubles.
Motorola (Big Endian)
Intel (Little Endian)
Modicon
Enter the data you would like converted. Clear any fields you would like to see the conversion for.
Press [Convert] and the converted number is displayed.
For example: The float number 300.0 is converted to:
Motorola 43 96 00 00
Intel 00 00 96 43
Modicon 00 00 43 96
For example: The IP Address 216.136.87.229 is converted to:
Motorola D8 88 57 E5
Intel E5 57 88 D8
Online Disconnect
Disconnect communications fromthe unit.
You may use this when you want to go to another unit at a different location or to re-establish communications because port settings
may have changed at the location you were connected to .
Setup menu commands
The Setup menu offers the following commands:
Log Communications
Preferences
Locations
Online menu commands
The Online menu offers the following commands:
Connect
Disconnect
Temporarily Change Comms Setup
Test Comms
View menu commands
The View menu offers the following commands:
Comms Log
Comms Statistics
Toolbar
Status Bar
Help menu commands
The Help menu offers the following commands, which provide you assistance with this application:
Help Topics
Release Notes
Check For Updates
Convertor
About
Setup Locations (Setup menu)
Configure the locations of the units. This screen is only enabled in the OFFLINE mode.
Add a Location
Press Add or click your right mouse button and select Add fromthe short cut menu.
Edit a Location
double click on a location in the list
or click once on a location in the list and press Edit
or click the right mouse button on a location in the list and select Edit fromthe shortcut menu.
Delete a Location
click once on a location in the list and press Delete
or click the right mouse button on a location in the list and select Delete fromthe shortcut menu.
Re-order Locations
Click on a location in the list and while holding down the left mouse button, drag the itemwhere you would like and release the
left mouse button.
The Setup Communications Screen is displayed if the user is adding or editing a location.
Follow the instructions for the Setup Communications Screen.
Setup Communications (Setup Locations Screen)
Configure communications parameters.
Media Type
The connection media. The four choices are Direct, Modem, Satellite, and TCP/IP. The default is Direct.
Modbus ID
The units Modbus ID or address. Click on the up arrow to increase the number and the down arrow to decrease the number.
You may also just enter in a number directly. The ID can range from1-255. The default value is 1.
Modbus Type
The protocol format. The choices are RTU or ASCII and Modbus/TCP for media type TCP/IP. The default is RTU for all media
types except Satellite which is ASCII.
Modicon Compatible
The default is not compatible.
Location Name
Enter a description of the location.
Retries
The number of times a message is re-sent if no response or an invalid response is received by the unit. The default is 2.
Direct, Modemand Satellite
Phone Number or Satellite Number (Only shown for Modemand Satellite) - the number to dial for the connection. You may
enter dashes between the numbers.
Comm Port the serial port on the PC to be used for the connection. The programautomatically lists the available ports on
your PC. The default is the first port on the list.
Baud Rate communications speed in bits per second. The values range from300 to 38400. The default is 9600.
Initial Character delay the amount of time in milliseconds the PC waits for a response fromthe unit. Defaults are auto-
matically set based on media type and for Direct connections baud rate is also a factor.
Character Delay the amount of time in milliseconds allowed between characters in a response fromthe unit. Defaults are
automatically set based on media type and for Direct connections baud rate is also a factor
Data Bits a group of bits used to represent a single character of data for transmission. The choices are 7 or 8. The default is 8
for all media types except Satellite which is 7.
Stop Bits a bit that signals the end of a character. The choices are 1 or 2. The default is 1 for all media types except Satellite
which is 2.
Parity method of error checking the transmission. The choices are Even, Odd, and None. The default is None for all media
types except Satellite which is Even.
Modem Settings (only shown for Modemand Satellite) press this button to go to the Setup ModemScreen.
485 2-Wire (only shown for Direct) check this box if you have a 485 2-Wire cable connection.
TCP/IP
IP Address enter each of the four 3-digit numbers that make up the address. The default is all zeros.
TCP Port the port number. The default is 6000. For Modbus/TCP protocol, the port number is 502.
Connection Timeout the amount of time in milliseconds to wait before a connection attempt is aborted. The default is
5000ms.
Message Timeout after a connection is established, the amount of time in milliseconds to wait for a response fromthe unit.
The default is 2000ms.
Setup Modem (Setup Communications Screen)
Use this menu to configure the modems.
Settings
Initialization String
The string sent to the modemto ready the modemfor communications. The default string is: AT &F E0 M1
AT attention (if you omit this command, it is inserted for you automatically)
&F restore factory defaults
E0 echo off (helps to speed communications)
M1 speaker volume is on until a connection is made
Cancel the call if not connected within XX seconds
The default is 60 seconds. After a call has been dialed, the programaborts the call process if a connection was not established
before the connection timeout.
Wait before redialing XX seconds
The default is 10 seconds. A call has been made but a connection was not established before the connect timeout. The pro-
gramwaits these number of seconds before redialing the number.
Disconnect the modemafter XX minutes
The default is 15 minutes. If a connection is established via modem, the programautomatically disconnects after this period of
inactivity.
Defaults
Restore the default values.
Log Communications (Setup menu)
To enable this function, click on the Setup menu and the select Log Communications.
When the function is enabled, there is a check mark next to the itemon the menu.
To view the log, click on the View menu and select Comms Log. For more information, please see the help for the Communications
Log.
Preferences (Setup Menu)
The user may set up their folder preferences for files such as communications settings and log files.
Settings
Communications
The Settings File holds all of the communication Locations configuration. If the user changes the folder for the Settings file,
OMBTSettings.dat, the user has the option of saving their current settings to the new folder or using the settings fromthe new
folder. The default folder is the folder where Modbus Tester is installed.
The Communications Log folder is used to store communications logs that are periodically saved when Log Communications is
enabled. The default folder is the "CommsLogs" folder under the folder where Modbus Tester is installed.
The logs can be viewed fromthe Comms Log entry in the View menu. The default View Comms Log folder is the "CommsLogs"
folder under the folder where Modbus Tester is installed.
Communications Statistics can be viewed fromthe Comms Statistics entry in the View menu. The user has the option to clear
the comms statistics whenever a connection is made. When the box is checked, the statistics are cleared on connect. The
default is checked or cleared on connection.
Register List
The Register List folders are the preferences for importing and exporting the register list files used in Modbus Tester. The
default is the "RegList" folder under the folder where Modbus Tester is installed.
Comms Log (View menu)
Modbus communications are continuously recorded when the Log Communications setting is enabled fromthe Setup menu (see Log
Communications.) Use the this Comms Log screen to view the logs.
The current log in progress is displayed when the user first enters the screen. After approximately 20,000 logs (about 15 minutes worth
of normal communications), the log is saved to file. The files are stored in a "Comms Log" folder found under the install folder. The file
name is "CL_YYMMDD_HHMMSS.olg" where YYMMDD is the year, month, and day and HHMMSS is the hours, minutes, and sec-
onds of the first log in the group. Historical Log files can be viewed in this screen.
The logs are sorted by index number and by date and time. Click on a column heading to sort the log for a different item.
To see the time difference in milliseconds between two entries, select two log entries. Click on a log to select the first one. To select
the second log, press and hold Ctrl on the PC keyboard and click on a log. (If more than two logs are selected, it uses the first two
selected logs to compute the time difference.)
Click on an entry below to see a description of the button.
Refresh
Displays the current log in progress and retrieves any entries that have occurred since the last display. If the display was show-
ing a historical log, the display is replaced with the current log in progress.
Save To File
Saves the current log in progress to a file. Normally, the logs are saved to file when there are approximately 20,000 logs. The
Save to File button provides a means to save the current log in progress to file at any time.
Save As Text
The current log in progress or a historical log can be saved to a pre-formatted text file by pressing Save as Text. After it is
saved, it is automatically opened in a text editor for convenience.
The user may specify a save file name for the text file. The default folder is the "Comms Log" folder under the install folder. The
default file name for the current log in progress is "OmniMBTLog.txt" and the default file name for a historical log is the historical
log's name with the ".txt" extension.
View Historical
Use this button to view historical logs that were saved to disk. The sorting and time difference features are still available when
viewing historical logs.
Clear Log
The clear log function deletes all entries in the current log in progress. It does not delete any entries for the historical logs.
Cancel
Press Cancel to exit the Comms Log view screen.
Note: The current log in progress is stored in memory. When a user exits the Modbus Tester program, the current log in progress is no
longer available. If you would like to save the log up to that point before exiting, go into this screen and press the Save To File button.
Communications Statistics (View menu)
Statistics that are accumulated during Modbus communications as well as response percents are presented in this screen.
Statistics
Transmissions Sent
The total number of transmissions (including broadcasts where Modbus ID = 0).
If the count exceeds the size of a 32-bit unsigned integer, the rollover value is incremented. Note: The percentage calculations
will no longer be valid when a rollover occurs.
Responses Received
The total responses received (including invalid responses).
If the count exceeds the size of a 32-bit unsigned integer, the rollover value is incremented. Note: The percentage calculations
will no longer be valid when a rollover occurs.
Broadcast Transmissions
The number of broadcast (Modbus ID = 0) transmissions sent.
Invalid Responses
The number of invalid responses received not including time outs (no response).
No Responses
The number of no responses when a response was expected (i.e. not a broadcast transmission).
Flushes
Typically, before transmitting a new message the buffer is checked for any data remaining in the receive buffer. If there is data,
the buffer is flushed.
Percents
Response Success
This is the percent of success of responses to messages sent calculated as:
((Responses Received - Invalid Responses) / (Transmissions Sent - Broadcast Transmissions) ) * 100.
Note: The percentage calculations will no longer be valid when a rollover occurs.
Response Error Percent
This is the error percent of responses to messages sent calculated as:
((Invalid Responses + No Responses) / (Transmissions Sent - Broadcast Transmissions) ) * 100.
Note: The percentage calculations will no longer be valid when a rollover occurs.
Status Bar command (View menu)
Use this command to display and hide the Status Bar, which describes the action to be executed by the selected menu itemor
depressed toolbar button, and keyboard latch state. A check mark appears next to the menu itemwhen the Status Bar is displayed.
See Status Bar for help on using the status bar.
Toolbar command (View menu)
Use this command to display and hide the Toolbar, which includes buttons for some of the most common commands in the program,
such as File Open. A check mark appears next to the menu itemwhen the Toolbar is displayed.
See Toolbar for help on using the toolbar.
Trouble Shooting Contact Us
You may contact us via the web at www.omniflow.com.
E-mail us at: [email protected]
Omni Flow Computers, Inc.
12620 West Airport Blvd.
Suite 100
Sugar Land, TX 77478
281-240-6161 - telephone
281-240-6162 - fax
Trouble Shooting Ethernet Communications
If you are trying to communicate to an Omni product, use Omni's Network Utility to see if the Omni is displayed in the list. Other-
wise, use Telnet or Ping to see if there is a response. If there is a response, the connection is OK. If not then go to Board
Checks.
Use this Modbus Tester and try to communicate. If you are able to communicate but the response is not correct, verify the com-
munications setup matches the unit i.e Modicon compatibility and protocol. If you are not able to communicate, check the Modbus ID
set up in the unit on the Ethernet port is the same as the Modbus ID set up in the Ethernet card.
Board checks if Omni 3000/6000:
If the firmware is older than 74.10, the SE card is going to be shown as an S card. Check the baud rate set up in the Omni for
the Ethernet port is the same as the baud rate set up in the Ethernet card (defaults to 38400). Note: for 12 mHz CPU boards,
the maximumbaud rate is 19200. Configure the SE Module for 19200 baud.
If the firmware is v74.10 and up, make sure the SE Firmware >2.0 is set to N (unchecked). (The network printing version of
the firmware does not have this display.)
Check if the repeater lights are blinking - that indicates the message is for another Modbus ID and is being passed on.
Look at the TX and RX lights on the Ethernet board for activity.
Check the interrupt level on the board matches your board configuration. (Interrupt Level on S & SE Modules must be on IRQ2.
If an SV Module is also installed in the system, all S & SE Modules must have their IRQset to 3 and the SV IRQmust be set to
2).
The number of bytes returned from the unit is not correct:
The Data Type does not match the data returning fromthe unit i.e reading a 32-bit integer register but it is set up for 16-bit
integers.
The configuration may not match the protocol of the OmniComsite. For example: the OMNI port is not Modicon Compatible but
the OmniComsite is configured for Modicon Compatible.
May be caused by too short a Message Time Out. Go to Setup Sites. Edit the unit and increase the "Message Timeout" setting.
For more information see the help for TCP/IP Connections in Setup Unit.
If it is an Omni product, run the Ethernet card in Debug Mode using Omni's Network Utility or Telnet:
Press 9 to enter debug mode. (If you do not see a 9 on your menu, then press SHIFT Z.) If you pressed 9 then press A
for Debug All.
The times on the left hand side are relative timings. (For example if the time on the first line is 1 and the time on the next line is 3
then there were 2ms between the lines.)
Messages fromthe Ethernet card are preceded by an E.
Messages fromthe Host are preceded by an H.
Messages fromthe Repeater are preceded by an "R".
Press any key or "SHIFT Z" to exit debug mode.
Communications
One of the best methods to aid in trouble shooting is to check the 'Log Communications' entry on the Setup menu. You may
also check the box using the Settings button on the Modbus Tester screen if you are already connected. You may view the com-
munications log by selecting 'Comms Log' fromthe View menu. The log may give you some hints as to what is happening and
where it occurs.
Trouble Shooting Serial Communications
No Connection or Timed Out:
Check the physical cable connections.
Is the correct COM port configured for the site? See the Setup Communications Screen.
Modbus ID, Protocol, or Baud Rate of the unit's port does not match the Modbus Tester setup. See the Setup Com-
munications Screen.
Increase the initial delay in Setup Communications.
Increase the retry count in Setup Communications.
Invalid CRC errors:
Baud Rate of the unit's port does not match the PC port. See the Setup Communications Screen.
May be caused by too short an inter-character delay. Go to Setup Locations, edit the location, and increase the "Character
Delay" timing. For more information see the Setup Communications Screen.
The number of bytes returned from the unit is not correct errors:
The Data Type does not match the data returning fromthe unit i.e reading a 32-bit integer register but it is set up for 16-bit
integers.
Modicon compatibility mismatch between the Modbus Tester setup and the port on the unit.
Protocol mismatch between the Modbus Tester setup and the port on the unit (i.e RS-485 2-wire with echo vs 4-wire).
May be caused by too short an inter-character delay. Go to Setup Locations, edit the location, and increase the "Character
Delay" timing. For more information see the Setup Communications Screen.
Communications
One of the best methods to aid in trouble shooting is to check the 'Log Communications' entry on the Setup menu. You may
also check the box using the Settings button on the Modbus Tester screen if you are already connected. You may view the com-
munications log by selecting 'Comms Log' fromthe View menu. The log may give you some hints as to what is happening and
where it occurs.
Trouble Shooting Modem Connections
Starts to initialize but quits before dialing:
Check the physical cable connections.
Was a Modem or Satellite location selected to connect to?
Is the correct COM port configured for the location? See the Setup Communications Screen.
Check the Modem Initialization String has commands that are valid for your modem. See the Setup ModemScreen.
Some modems require the baud rate of the COMport matches the modems baud rate. See theSetup Communications
Screen.
Dials the number but does not connect:
Is the Connect Wait Time set for long enough to allow the modems to connect? See the Setup ModemScreen.
Has the modem at the unit been properly configured and connected?
If the above does describe the problem, please check the Trouble Shooting Serial Connections.
Exception Codes
The high bit of the function code in the return message is set to differentiate a normal response froman exception response.
Exception Code 01
Exception Code 01 - an illegal function code was sent to unit.
For an OMNI 3000/6000, you may get this exception if too many data points are requested.
For example, the following function codes are supported by the OMNI 3000/6000 flow computer:
01 - Read Coil Status
02 - Read Input Status
03 - Read Holding Registers
04 - Read Input Registers
05 - Force Single Coil
06 - Preset Single Register
07 - Read Exception Status
08 - Diagnostics
15 - Force Multiple Coils
16 - Preset Multiple Registers
65 - OMNI Specific Read
66 - OMNI Specific Write
Example of illegal function code 20:
TX: 01 14 00 01 80 1C
RX: 01 94 01 8F 00
Example of too many data points - read 300 16-bit integers:
TX: 01 03 0D AD 01 2C D6 CA
RX: 01 83 01 80 F0
Exception Code 02
Exception Code 02 - an illegal data address was sent to the unit
For an OMNI 3000/6000, there are several reasons you might see this exception code:
an illegal data address was sent to unit
the number of registers does not agree with data type
if the message occurs during connection to an Omni 3000/6000, a possible cause is that the connection port at the
OMNI is set for Modicon compatible but the location is not set up for Modicon protocol.
a connection is attempted to something other than an OMNI 3000/6000.
the physical connections between the PC and the OMNI may be incorrect or faulty.
Example of an illegal address
- Use function code 01- read coil status with 16-bit integer address 3501:
TX: 01 01 0D AD 00 01 6E 87
RX: 01 81 02 C1 91
Example of the number of registers not agree with data type - Modicon compatible protocol reading float register 7501 how-
ever only asking for one register:
TX: 01 03 1D 4C 00 01 43 B1
RX: 01 83 02 C0 F1
Exception Code 03
Exception Code 03 - an illegal data value was sent to the unit.
Example: Force one coil (register 1501) using a data value of 01 00 (data value should be FF 00 or 00 00):
TX: 01 05 05 DD 01 00 5C AC
RX: 01 85 03 02 91
Exception Code 04
Exception Code 04 - failure in associated device.
The data sent to the unit was not written. There may be several causes:
a write attempt is made to a read only register
the lockout switch on the OMNI is set in the locked position and the lockout flag is set for the communications port
Example of data not written: Attempt a write to register 5144 which is a read only register:
TX: 01 06 14 18 00 00 04 24 C6 0A
RX: 01 86 04 43 A3
Exception Code 05
Exception Code 05 - acknowledge
For an OMNI 3000/6000 flow computer, a password entry is required for this function. Here are some possible reasons for this
exception code:
a serial password is set in the OMNI's Password menu for the port and a valid password has not been sent to the
OMNI yet
a TCP password is set in the SE Module's Ethernet configuration and a valid password has not been sent yet
a Level B user is attempting a configuration register read or write
a Level C user is attempting a register write
Example: Level C user writes to register 3501
TX: 01 06 0D AD 00 01 DB 47
RX: 01 86 05 82 63
Exception Code 06
Exception Code 06 - busy, rejected message
For an OMNI 3000/6000, downloads are disabled for this unit. This exception occurs when the "Disable Download" field is set
in the Password menu on the OMNI and a read of a register is performed.
Example:
TX: 01 03 33 12 00 01 2B 4B
RX: 01 83 06 C1 32
Exception Code 07
Exception Code 07 - negative acknowledgement
The OMNI 3000/6000 does not support this exception code.
Exception Code 08
Exception Code 08 - memory parity error
The OMNI 3000/6000 does not support this exception code.
Exception Code 0A
Exception Code 0A - gateway path unavailable
The OMNI 3000/6000 does not support this exception code.
Exception Code 0B
Exception Code 0B - gateway target device failed to respond.
The OMNI 3000/6000 does not support this exception code.
If you are getting an exception code and would like to see the specific message causing the problem:
Click on the Log Communications entry on the Edit menu.
Run OmniComagain to re-create the error.
Go to the View menu and click on Comms Log.
Sort the messages by type by clicking on the "Type" column header.
Find the Exception Code error message and select it by clicking anywhere on the line.
Sort the messages again by index number by clicking on the "Index" column header.
Scroll down until you find the highlighted line.
Look at the transmit/receive message occurring just before the logged error message.
About command (Help menu)
Use this command to display the copyright notice and version number of your copy of the program.
Check For Updates (Help menu)
Compares the current running version of Modbus Tester to the latest version released on the Omni web site. A message is displayed
to tell the user whether or not an update is available.
Click on the following link to download updates:
http://www.omniflow.com
Release Notes (Help menu)
Use this command to display the readme.txt file in Notepad. The file contains the updates and release notes for the program.
Toolbar
The toolbar is displayed across the top of the application window, below the menu bar. The toolbar provides quick mouse access to
many tools used in the program.
To hide or display the Toolbar, choose Toolbar fromthe View menu (ALT, V, T).
ClickTo
Monitor - to Setup Locations
World - to Connect
Disconnected Circuit - to go Offline
Clock - to change temporary communications settings
Omni Ball - for the Modbus Tester
Log - to View the Communications Log
10/A - for the Number Convertor
Question mark - to see the About Screen
Arrow + Question mark - Context sensitive help. Click on this and then an itemyou would like help on.
Title Bar
OmniMBT - Modbus Tester
The title bar is located along the top of a window. It contains the name of the application.
To move the window, drag the title bar. Note: You can also move dialog boxes by dragging their title bars.
A title bar may contain the following elements:
Application Control-menu button
Maximize button
Minimize button
Name of the application
Close button
Status Bar
The status bar is displayed at the bottomof the programwindow. To display or hide the status bar, use the Status Bar command in the
View menu.
The left area of the status bar describes actions of menu items as you use the arrow keys to navigate through menus. This area sim-
ilarly shows messages that describe the actions of toolbar buttons as you depress them, before releasing them. If after viewing the
description of the toolbar button command you wish not to execute the command, then release the mouse button while the pointer is
off the toolbar button.
The middle area shows the communications LEDs reflecting the communications activity. The left Red LED indicates transmission
while the right Green LED indicates reception.
The right area of the status bar provides connection information:
Direct
Location Name
Modbus ID
Protocol
Modicon Compatible (Y/N)
COMPort
Baud Rate
Number of Data Bits
Number of Stop Bits
Parity
Initial Character Delay
Character Delay
Retries
Modemand Satellite
Location Name
Location Number
Modbus ID
Protocol
Modicon Compatible (Y/N)
COMPort
Baud Rate
Number of Data Bits
Number of Stop Bits
Parity
Initial Character Delay
Character Delay
Retries
TCP/IP
Location Name
IP Address
TCP Port
Modbus ID
Protocol
Modicon Compatible (Y/N)
Connection Timeout
Message Timeout
Retries
Close command (Control menus)
Use this command to close the active window or dialog box.
Double-clicking a Control-menu box is the same as choosing the Close command.
Note: If you have multiple windows open for a single document, the Close command on the document Control menu closes only one
window at a time. You can close all windows at once with the Close command on the File menu.
Shortcuts
Keys: CTRL+F4 exits the screen.
ALT+F4 closes the dialog box.
Exit command
Use the Close command on the application Control menu to end your programsession.
Shortcuts
Mouse:Double-click the application's Control menu button.
Keys:ALT+F4
Index command (Help menu)
Use this command to display the opening screen of Help. Fromthe opening screen, you can jump to step-by-step instructions for
using the programand various types of reference information.
Once you open Help, you can click the Contents button whenever you want to return to the opening screen.
Maximize command (System menu)
Use this command to enlarge the active window to fill the available space.
Shortcut
Mouse:Click the maximize icon on the title bar; or double-click the title bar.
Keys:CTRL+F10 enlarges a document window.
Minimize command (application Control menu)
Use this command to reduce the programwindow to an icon.
Shortcut
Mouse:Click the minimize icon on the title bar.
Keys:ALT+F9
Move command (Control menu)
Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can move the active window or dialog box with the arrow keys.
Note: This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.
Shortcut
Keys:CTRL+F7
No Help Available
No help is available for this area of the window.
Restore command (Control menu)
Use this command to return the active window to its size and position before you chose the Maximize or Minimize command.
Size command (System menu)
Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can size the active window with the arrow keys.
After the pointer changes to the four-headed arrow:
1.Press one of the DIRECTION keys (left, right, up, or down arrow key) to move the pointer to the border you want to move.
2.Press a DIRECTION key to move the border.
3.Press ENTER when the window is the size you want.
Note: This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.
Shortcut
Mouse:Drag the size bars at the corners or edges of the window.
Using Help command (Help menu)
Use this command for instructions about using Help.
No Help Available
No help is available for this message box.
Communication LEDs
The RED LED indicates data transmission fromthe Modbus Tester PC programto the unit (sending to unit).
The GREEN LED indicates data reception fromthe unit to the Modbus Tester PC (receiving fromunit).