SCADAPack E-Series

I've been developing some remote field RTU software for the Schneider/Control Microsystems SCADAPack 334E. This is a nifty little device that let's you program in about 6 different styles using the IEC 61131-3 protocol in a software package called ISaGRAF. I've been sticking to function blocks because it's neat and new for me and easy on the eye. There's a USB host port on the front, so I thought it'd be easy to program the device to log data to a USB key on it, right? Especially considering there's an example on the internet for it.

Well, I was wrong.

I was trying to get this example to work on my SCADAPack: http://resourcecenter.controlmicrosystems.com/display/public/SoftwareTools/Data+Log+Using+FBD+Language. I originally built the code on ISaGRAF for E-Series 7.83 but every time I went to debug the Data Log Using FBD Language program it would upload the code to 100% and then I would get the following error messages:

Further digging showed me that the dlog and dlogcnfg weren’t installed at all in ISaGRAF. The function blocks were there in the code I downloaded, but they had no back end to them. They weren’t in the Library at all.

I then went to the DVD that came with USB licence key and installed the software on there. This one said “IEC61131-3 Programming language suite for SCADAPack controllers”. Previously I was using a downloaded ISaGRAF from their webpage because I started developing in demo mode. Opening the DLog project, the dlog and dlogcnfg function blocks were there. But then when I went to debug the program, there was no option for “Configurator” in the debug Communication port link parameters!

I had a bit of a head scratch, then tried importing the libraries from the DVD version of ISaGRAF to the downloaded E-series ISaGRAF. Using the “Libraries” program of the E-Series version, I restored from archive all of the dlog associated C function blocks from C:\ISAWIN\LIB\SOURCE\ (the DVD version’s location). Going back into the programs in the downloaded E-Series version, the dlog and dlogcnfg function blocks were there!

But I went to debug via the configurator, and I came across the same debugging errors:

Frustrated, I gave a quick Google which lead to this webpage: http://resourcecenter.controlmicrosystems.com/display/public/SoftwareTools/ISAGRAF+Function+block+not+implemented. I had a look at Error #66, which says:

A program is using a C function block, which is unknown in the target. Your workbench library may not correspond to your target version.

At this point, after hitting my head against the keyboard repeatedly, I decided to get a hold of tech support. Where I was able to find out:

The problem here, in a nutshell, is that the E-Series RTUs do not support the dlog functionality.

This functionality is native to the SCADAPack controllers, but the E-Series, which are born from entirely different firmware, do not have an implementation of dlog.

The E-Series controllers DO however have some data logging capabilities.

If you open the E-Series Configurator Reference Manual, take a look here: E-Series Technical Reference Manuals > SCADAPack E-Series Trend Sampler Technical Reference

Cool, well I can do logging, but it's not software controlled. It's on a timer as trend data. Not as flexible as I would have liked, and it does not save on the USB.

So I asked what I could do with the USB host port. And I was told

Unfortunately the USB Host port is not currently supported by the E-Series operating system.

It may be supported in the future, but I’m not sure when.

Excellent. Not in use at all. Despite being ranted and raved over in the documentation and advertising.

Apart from this though, the SCADAPacks are great little devices for field units!