Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley DriveLogix 5730, User Manual

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6-18 Communicating with Devices on an EtherNet/IP Link
Consuming a Tag
A consumed tag represents data that is produced (broadcast) by one
controller and received and stored by the consuming controller. To create a
consumed tag:
1. You must be programming offline.
2. In the controller organizer, double-click the Controller Tags folder and
then click the Edit Tags tab.
3. Select the tag that you want to consume, or enter a new tag, and display
the Tag Properties dialog box.
4. Specify:
All consumed tags are automatically controller-scope.
The produced tag in the originating DriveLogix5730 controller must have
the same data type as the consumed tag in the consuming controller. The
DriveLogix5730 controller performs type checking to make sure proper
data is being received.
Important: If a consumed-tag connection fails, none of the tags are
transferred from the producing controller to the consuming
controller.
Sending Messages
The DriveLogix5730 controller can send MSG instructions to other
controllers and devices over an EtherNet/IP link. Each MSG instruction
requires you to specify a target and an address within the target.
MSG instructions are unscheduled. The type of MSG determines whether or
not it requires a connection. If the MSG instruction requires a connection, it
opens the needed connection when it is executed. You can configure the
In this field: Type or select:
Tag Type Select Consumed.
Controller Select the name of the other controller. You must have already created the controller in the controller
organizer for the controller name to be available.
Remote Tag Name
Remote Instance Type a name for the tag in the other controller you want to consume.
Important: The name must match the name in the remote controller exactly, or the
connection faults.
RPI
(requested packet interval) Type the amount of time in msec between updates of the data from the remote controller. The local
controller will receive data at least this fast.
Virtual-backplane controllers, such as DriveLogix5730, CompactLogix and FlexLogix controllers,
only produce data at RPIs in powers of two milliseconds (such as 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, etc.), or when
triggered by an IOT instruction.
Display Style If you are creating a consumed tag that refers to a tag whose data type is BOOL, SINT, INT, DINT, or
REAL, you can select a display style. This display style defines how the tag value will be displayed in
the data monitor and ladder editor. The display style does not have to match the display style of the
tag in the remote controller.