Electrical Design Software | Elecdes Design Suite by Scada Systems Ltd

How to Generate a PLC Index

Fundamentals

The Ebase PLC Index report function extracts information from the PLC blocks from the schematic drawings in the current project and generates a list of the PLC I/O channels with their addresses, descriptions, terminals etc.

The PLC Index

The report file, <ProjectName>PLCIndex.dbf, is a sorted list of the PLC I/O channels in the current project. It contains one record for each PLC I/O channel.

The columns of each record contain the data from the attributes of the PLC I/O channel blocks - any device block with a value in the PLC_ADDR attribute. From the default blocks this will include the name, address, rack, slot, descriptions, catalog reference, terminals and a drawing reference.

Reports from multiple projects can reside in the same directory, as each report is uniquely linked to its project number by the first part of the filename. Elecdes does not use these reports after they are generated. You may alter the files to suit your own purposes without affecting the operation of Elecdes.

Procedure

  1. Save the current drawing, if it is currently open in a CAD session. This ensures that the PLC Index report function is not working with an old drawing file while the drawing session has new data.

  2. Run EBASE.

  3. Ensure your current EBASE project contains the drawing files relevant to a PLC Index.

  4. Check the box for "Material Reports".

    The PLC Index is generated with the materials reports.

  5. Press "Compile Reports".

  6. As each drawing file in the project is processed a message will appear showing the drawing name and the size of the drawing file. Ebase caches unmodified drawings for speed. If drawings do not appear to be scanned on successive report generations, it is because they are cached.

    During cache scans there is a possibility that the database engine will be busy. You will be displayed a message indicating this and given options to wait or cancel.


The database format report, <ProjectName>PLCIndex.dbf, will be available in the current directory.

Select Database Editor to view database reports.