C-more Micro HMI Reading Screen Number from AutomationDirect

The PLC doesn’t actually read the screen number from the C-More Micro … Instead, since the C-More Micro is the master, it writes the screen number to a location down on the PLC. The PLC can then use that for whatever it wants. We just need to tell the C-More Micro where on the PLC to send that information. You can reach that from the Navigation windows function tab under this PLC to Panel Dialog, OR under the setup menu, PLC to Panel. On this Panel To PLC tab all we have to do is supply a TAG where the C-More Micro should write the screen number. In this case this TAG is located at address DS100 on a Click PLC. If we enable that feature by clicking on this check box, then whenever there is a screen change the C-More Micro will write that to this TAG on the PLC. Let’s take a look. We’ll simulate that, save the project, and up pops our simulator. So, whenever a screen change is made – that can be done a number of different ways, there’s several videos on how to do screen changes, see those if that is what you are interested in. Right now we are just going to force it by going to our control window over here. So if something forces the C-More Micro to go to, let’s say - screen 3, then the C-More Micro will write a 3 at this TAG down on the PLC. The PLC will see that and then do something with it. Again, if something forces the C-More Micro to screen 2, it puts a 2 here. So this is simply the C-More Micro informing the PLC of what screen is currently pulled up. One side note: If we go back and look at that dialog.. in addition to writing the screen number at this address, if we enable it, the C-More Micro will also write the current key status to that same TAG plus 1 and plus 2. So the current screen will go at DS100, and the current key status will go at DS100 plus 1 and 100 plus 2. There’s a whole video showing you how to read key presses from a PLC – so checkout hat video for more information on that topic. That’s all there is to reading the screen number – be sure to check out the other videos in this series. And as always, please send us any topics you would like to see covered – or - any other comments for that matter – we appreciate the feedback!