A built-in ControlLogix controller simulator for testing solutions that use the AB Rockwell ControlLogix Connector without a PLC.

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Overview

The ControlLogix Simulator is a built-in tool that behaves like a Rockwell ControlLogix controller on the network. It answers the EtherNet/IP and CIP requests of the AB Rockwell ControlLogix Connector, so a solution can read and write controller tags, show moving values and react to operator commands with no PLC connected. Typical uses are developing and testing displays, alarms and scripts, training, demonstrations, and verifying a migrated application before the real controller is available.

The tags the simulator serves come from a JSON configuration file. Each tag has a Logix name and data type, an optional value generator that keeps it moving, and optional rules that give buttons a visible effect, for example a Start command that sets a Running feedback tag.

From the connector's point of view the simulator is a controller at an IP address. No change to the channel, node or points is needed beyond pointing the node at the simulator.

Starting the Simulator

From the Designer

1. Go to Devices / Channels and select a channel whose protocol is ControlLogix.

2. Click Run ControlLogix Simulator. The button appears for ControlLogix channels, in the same place as Run Modbus Simulator for Modbus channels.

The simulator opens in a console window and starts with the tag list in Documents\FrameworX\ToolsSettings\ControlLogixSimulator.config.json. The first launch creates that file from the sample configuration installed with the product; edit it to serve your own tags, then restart the simulator.

Only one simulator is started from the Designer at a time. To simulate several controllers, run the executable directly as described below.

Connecting a Channel

Configure the channel and node as for a real controller:

• Channel: protocol ControlLogix. ProtocolOptions model Others or 1756-L8X, for example Others;3;0;0.

• Node: PrimaryStation 127.0.0.1;44818;0, that is, the address the simulator listens on, port 44818 and the slot from the configuration file.

• Points: the usual addresses, for example REAL:Tank1_Level:true, BOOL:Agitator_Running:true or, for a program-scope tag, BOOL:Program:MainProgram.Pump1_Start:true.

Command Line Parameters

The executable is installed in the product's Protocols folder:

ControlLogixSimulator.exe [--config <tags.json>] [--port 44818] [--bind 127.0.0.1] [--log <file>] [--verbose]

Example with two controllers:

ControlLogixSimulator.exe --config "C:\Sim\Line1.json" --bind 127.0.0.10 --log "C:\Sim\Line1.log"
ControlLogixSimulator.exe --config "C:\Sim\Line2.json" --bind 127.0.0.20 --log "C:\Sim\Line2.log"

Press Ctrl+C to stop the simulator. On exit it lists the tag names that clients requested but the configuration does not contain.

Configuration File

{
  "controller": { "name": "DemoLine", "slot": 0 },
  "tags": [
    { "name": "Tank1_Level", "type": "REAL", "initial": 50,
      "gen": { "kind": "sine", "min": 10, "max": 90, "periodSec": 60 } },
    { "name": "Agitator_Running", "type": "BOOL", "initial": 0,
      "gen": { "kind": "square", "periodSec": 20 } },
    { "name": "Product_Name", "type": "STRING", "initial": "Demo Product A", "gen": null },
    { "name": "Program:MainProgram.Pump1_Start",   "type": "BOOL", "initial": 0, "gen": null },
    { "name": "Program:MainProgram.Pump1_Running", "type": "BOOL", "initial": 0, "gen": null }
  ],
  "rules": [
    { "onWrite": "Program:MainProgram.Pump1_Start", "equals": 1,
      "set": [ { "tag": "Program:MainProgram.Pump1_Running", "value": 1 } ] }
  ]
}

Tags

• name: the Logix tag name, matched without regard to case. Program-scope tags use Program:<program>.<tag>. A structure member or array element can be given by its full path, for example Motor1.Speed or Temps[3].

• type: BOOL, SINT, INT, DINT, REAL or STRING (the standard 82-character Logix STRING).

• initial: start value.

• gen: optional value generator, updated every 250 ms.

When a client writes a tag that has a generator, the generator pauses for 30 seconds so the written value stays visible, then resumes.

Arrays

Elements of one array are configured as separate tags with the same base name, for example Temps[0] and Temps[2]. All elements of an array must have the same type. An element that is not listed, up to the highest listed index, reads as zero or an empty string. BOOL arrays are not supported; use individual BOOL tags.

Rules

A rule runs after a client writes the onWrite tag with a value equal to equals, and sets each listed tag to its value. Use rules to give momentary buttons a visible result, such as Start setting a Running feedback to 1 and Stop setting it to 0.

Unknown Tags

A tag that is not in the configuration file is answered as a real controller answers an unknown tag, so the point shows bad quality in the solution. The console window names each unknown tag once, and the log file records every request for it.

Limitations

• User-defined types (UDTs) are not simulated as structures; serve their members as individual tags with full paths, for example Motor1.Speed.

• BOOL arrays and string types other than the standard Logix STRING are not supported.

• For the Micro850 model, string tags are not supported; use the Others or 1756-L8X model with the simulator.

• Browsing the simulator's tags lists controller-scope tags with BOOL, SINT, INT, DINT, REAL and STRING types. Program-scope tags are read and written by address.

• Use the simulator for testing and demonstrations only. It is not a replacement for a controller and does not run any control logic beyond its generators and rules.

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