SoMachine Software

Modbus TCP DTM Add-On

Release Notes
.

Software Version:

4.1

Development Stage: Final

This document contains important information

about the SoMachine software. Please read the complete
document before you run the product.

This documentation is not intended as a substitute for and is not to be used for determining suitability or reliability of these products for
specific user applications. It is the duty of any such user or integrator to perform the appropriate and complete risk analysis, evaluation and
testing of the products with respect to the relevant specific application or use thereof. Neither Schneider Electric nor any of its affiliates or
subsidiaries shall be responsible or liable for misuse of the information contained herein. All pertinent state, regional, and local safety
regulations must be observed when installing and using this product. When devices are used for applications with technical safety
requirements, the relevant instructions must be followed. Failure to use Schneider Electric software or approved software with our hardware
products may result in injury, harm, or improper operating results. Failure to observe this information can result in injury or equipment
damage. If you have any suggestions for improvements or amendments or have found errors in this publication, please notify us. No part of
this document may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without express written
permission of Schneider Electric.
2014 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved.

Table of contents
1.
1.1.
1.2.
1.3.
2.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................................. 1

Supported Operating Systems ....................................................................................................... 1
PC Hardware Requirement .............................................................................................................. 1
Restrictions on 32 Bit systems ....................................................................................................... 1

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 4
2.1. Modbus TCP DTM Connectivity ...................................................................................................... 4
2.1.1. How to connect ................................................................................................................................ 4
2.1.2. Manual IP Address Setting .............................................................................................................. 4
2.1.3. Automatic IP Address Setting by DHCP ........................................................................................ 4
2.1.4. Routing and IP Forwarding ............................................................................................................. 5
2.1.5. Modbus TCP to Modbus SL Gateway and Unit ID ........................................................................ 5
2.1.6. Modbus TCP Device and Unit ID .................................................................................................... 5
2.1.7. Modbus TCP Slave Configuration Tab ........................................................................................... 5
2.1.8. Configuration of the Device Tab ..................................................................................................... 6
2.1.9. Common.ModbusIOScannerDTM I/O Mapping Tab ...................................................................... 6
2.1.10.
Status Tab ................................................................................................................................... 6
2.1.11.
Information Tab .......................................................................................................................... 6
2.1.12.
Activate new IO Scanner in old projects ................................................................................. 6

3.
3.1.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION .............................................................................................................. 8

Known issues ................................................................................................................................... 8

1. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
1.1. Supported Operating Systems
This software can be installed on the following operating systems:

Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Edition 32 Bit / 64 Bit

Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional Edition 32 Bit / 64 Bit

Use 64 Bit Operating systems whenever possible. (see 1.3. for details on 32 Bit systems)

1.2. PC Hardware Requirement

EQUIPMENT

MINIMUM LEVEL

PERFORMANCE LEVEL

Processor

Intel Core 2 Duo*

or equivalent

Intel Core I7
or equivalent

RAM

3 GB

8 GB

Free Hard Disk

Space

8 GB including the memory space for

the typical software installation,
temporary space for execution and
space for saving applications

15 GB for the full software

installation, temporary space for
execution and space for saving
applications

Drive

DVD reader

Display

Resolution: 1280 x 1024 pixel

Peripherals

A mouse or compatible pointing device

Peripherals

USB interface

Web Access

Web registration requires internet access system

Resolution: 1680 x 1050 pixel

*Might run with less performance CPUs, but with restrictions.

For restrictions on usage of VM please check the Limitations and Restrictions chapter.

1.3. Restrictions on 32 Bit systems

When using SoMachine with large projects you might encounter high memory consumption. This
can be best verified by using the Windows Task Manager.
Remark: categorizing a project as large is difficult. It might help having a look to the total count of
"objects" (like devices, POUs and Actions, DUTs, GVLs, Visualizations) as seen in the 'Statistics'
tab of the 'Project Information' dialog. However, it can also be the case that if one or several of
these objects are themselves large.
Note that 32 bit operating systems like Windows XP or Windows 7 have by default a maximum
memory limit of 2GB assigned to user processes like SoMachine.
You might consider increasing this limit to 3GB by using the so called /3GB boot option.
Before making this modification, be aware this modification may not be compatible with your
hardware or with other software installed on your system. It will probably not work with Video cards
sharing memory with your computer, for example, with an Intel HD Graphic Card.
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If you experience any unexpected or abnormal behavior with the 3GB switch enabled, disable it and
move to a 64 bit application.

Other hints for reducing SoMachine's memory consumption:

In case your large project contains independent parts (like independent root devices) that you might
consider splitting it into several smaller projects.
Please note also that by keeping several editors open, this will increase the SoMachine memory
consumption. Consider closing unneeded editors for reducing the memory consumption.

Windows Vista or Windows 7:

How to enable the 3GB switch
1.
2.
3.
4.

Start Menu -> All Programs -> Accessories

Right-click Command Prompt and Click Run as Administrator.
Enter "bcdedit /set IncreaseUserVa 3072"
Restart the computer.

How To disable the 3GB switch

1.
2.
3.
4.

Start Menu -> All Programs -> Accessories

Right-click Command Prompt and Click Run as Administrator.
Enter "bcdedit /deletevalue IncreaseUserVa"
Restart the computer.

Windows XP:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Right-click My Computer. Click Properties.

In the System Properties dialog box, go to the Advanced tab.
Under Startup and Recovery, click Settings.
Check the box Time to display list of operating systems
Click on the Edit button under System startup. The Windows boot.ini file will be opened in
Notepad.
6. Create a backup copy of your boot.ini file and save it on a removable storage.
7. Select the following line in the boot.ini file:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
8. Copy the line and then paste it immediately below the original line.
Note: The line in your boot.ini file may be different from the one in this solution. Be sure to copy
line from your boot.ini file, and not the one included here.
9. Modify the pasted line to include /3GB /Userva=2900, as shown in the following example:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional 3GB" /3GB
/Userva=2900 /fastdetect

10.
11.
12.
13.

Note: Be careful not to overwrite any existing lines.

Save and close the boot.ini file.
Click OK to close each dialog box.
Restart your computer.
During startup, select the 3GB option. If you do not select anything, your system will start with
the 2GB default memory setting.

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Note: If problems occur during startup, it may be possible to solve the issue by updating some of
your drivers.
14. If after using this modification for some time your computer is still working as usual, you can set
the /3GB switch as your default starting mode. For this, redo steps 1 to 5, change the order of
the 2 lines to have the /3GB line in first position then follow steps 10 and 11.

More information on the 3GB switch is available in the following Microsoft

MSDN article: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff556232.aspx

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2. INTRODUCTION
2.1. Modbus TCP DTM Connectivity
2.1.1.

How to connect

DTM on Modbus TCP is only reachable via Ethernet directly.

A transparent USB to Ethernet connection via the controller to the device is not supported:

2.1.2.
-

Manual IP Address Setting

The IP address in the DTM configuration must match the actual IP address of the device. Check the
IP address of the device itself (display or similar).
Check that the IP address is not been occupied by another device in the network (check by ping and
or network documentation).
Check that the IP address of the Ethernet 2 port of the controller is set as gateway address in the
device.
Check that your device is in the same subnet as defined by the IP address settings of the Ethernet
2 port of the M251 controller.

2.1.3.

Automatic IP Address Setting by DHCP

If the IP address was set automatically by the DHCP server of the M251 controller, check the DHCP table of
the M251 controller (DHCP Server Configuration Table Example (see Modicon M251 Logic Controller,
Programming Guide)).
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2.1.4.
-

Routing and IP Forwarding

Regard your M251 controller as a gateway or router between your PC (Ethernet 1 port) and the
device (Ethernet 2 port).
Check that the IP forwarding service is enabled (check box Enable IP forwarding, refer to Security
Parameters (see Modicon M251 Logic Controller, Programming Guide)).
Check that the IP address of the Ethernet 2 port of the controller is set as gateway address in the
device.
Check that your device is in the same subnet as defined by the IP address settings of the Ethernet
2 port of the M251 controller.

2.1.5.

Modbus TCP to Modbus SL Gateway and Unit ID

If a device is connected via Modbus SL behind a Modbus TCP/Modbus SL gateway, the Unit ID must match
the Modbus SL address of the device.

2.1.6.

Modbus TCP Device and Unit ID

The DTM Unit ID must be set to 248.

2.1.7.

Modbus TCP Slave Configuration Tab

This figure illustrates the Modbus TCP slave configuration tab:

Section

Modbus-TCP

Description

Slave IP Address: Configure the IP address of the drive.

Health Timeout (ms): Configure the IO scanner timeout in ms (default 1000 ms). It
represents the maximal time between a request of the Modbus IO scanner and a response
of the slave.

DTM Unit Id

Unit-ID [1...255]: If a gateway from Modbus TCP to Modbus SL is used, configure the
address of the drive on the Modbus SL fieldbus, otherwise the DTM Unit Id must be set to
248.

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2.1.8.

Configuration of the Device Tab

The DTM is opened in this tab.

For more information on the DTM, click the Help button within the Configuration tab or consult the
documentation for the particular DTM.

2.1.9.

Common.ModbusIOScannerDTM I/O Mapping Tab

This tab is the standard device editor dialog for the configuration of the I/O-mapping of a device that is for
assigning IEC variables to input and output channels of the hardware.

2.1.10.

Status Tab

This tab provides status information (for example "Running", "Stopped") and device-specific diagnostic
messages.

2.1.11.

Information Tab

This tab displays general information about the device (name, description, provider, version, image).

2.1.12.

Activate new IO Scanner in old projects

1. To activate the DTMs in an old project please Update the "IO Scanner" node of your project
2. Right-click on IO Scanner and update the device as it is shown here (versions >= 1.0.6.15
support DTMs):

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3. IMPORTANT INFORMATION
3.1. Known issues
-

The connection through VPN does not work.

There might be possible issues with Altivar DTMs when these DTMs are previously installed using
the "Custom Installation" and then later on installed as a Full package or a different "Custom
Installation". If Altivar DTMs are installed previously on the PC as standalone installation make sure
to remove them correctly before proceeding with this Add-On.

List of integrated components

Component

Version

IOScanner.devdesc.xml

1.0.11.15

ModbusTCPIOscannerDTMSlaveZBRN.devdesc.xml

1.0.0.8

ATV71_PLCopen Advanced.devdesc.xml

4.4.3.0

ATV32_PLCopen Advanced.devdesc.xml

4.4.3.0

LXM32M_PLCopen Advanced.devdesc.xml

3.5.3.0

SchneiderElectric.Programming.ModbusTCPIOScanner.plugin.dll

1.52.25.0

SchneiderElectric.Programming.FdtOemCustomization.plugin.dll

1.52.25.0

Harmony DTM Library

1.0.23.0

Lexium DTM Library

1.11.0.1

Altivar DTM Library

10.0.3.0

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SoMachine Software V4.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric