CustomNodeInfo and adding AI

RapidCode API
1

Hello,
I have a customer who uses an EL3174. It is a 4 channel Analog Input card from Beckhoff. It has product code: 0xC663052.
In RapidSetup 10.4.2 this card shows up but without the 4 analog inputs. I suspect that this is because Beckhoff has an alternative naming of the PDO entries for the channels and values on this card compared to some other analog input cards I have seen. This of course makes it impossible for RMP to correctly identify the analog inputs.
The name seems to be in this form: “AI Standard Channel 2.Value”.

I have a CustomNodeInfo.xml to try to adjust for this, but I’m unsuccesful in getting the analog input values to show up in RapidSetup. Can you please point me to what I’m doing wrong.

missing-ai
missing-ai671×967 187 KB

CustomNodeInfo.xml:

<EtherCATNodeInfo>
  <Vendors>
    <Vendor Id="2">
      <VendorName>Beckhoff Automation GmbH</VendorName>
      <Product Code="0xC663052">
        <ProductName>EL3174 4Ch. Ana. Input 4-20mA Diff</ProductName>
        <ShortName>Beckhoff - AI4</ShortName>
        <ItemSubType>Term</ItemSubType>
        <IO>
          <AnalogInputItems>
            <AnalogInput Size="16">AI Standard Channel 1.Value</AnalogInput>
            <AnalogInput Size="16">AI Standard Channel 2.Value</AnalogInput>
            <AnalogInput Size="16">AI Standard Channel 3.Value</AnalogInput>
            <AnalogInput Size="16">AI Standard Channel 4.Value</AnalogInput>
          </AnalogInputItems>
        </IO>
      </Product>
    </Vendor>
  </Vendors>
</EtherCATNodeInfo>
2

Hi @Jesper

From your screenshot I can see that the NodeInfo entry isn’t being picked up. It isn’t identified as a Term and does not have the short name in it.

{blank} 4 ({blank}).AI Standard Channel 1.Value

Take a look at the CustomNodeInfo file name and location. Additionally I would copy the entire Beckhoff Vendor out of NodeInfo.xml into CustomNodeInfo.xml. We will use it as the source and I expect you to see the other non-EL3174 become unknown into you include them.

I don’t believe you will have to use the IO block either once it correctly shows the Beckhoff - AI4 name.

Please let me know if you can’t make progress on this. We can set up a remote session to work through it.

3

Problem solved. I had forgot the crucial step to regenerate a new ENI file.

4

Easy to miss. You don’t need to regenerate an ENI file for any work done with the IO block which was most of edits you made. You do need to for the initial NodeInfo entry that includes the ShortName and ItemSubType.