Configure Epic Serial Module GRV-CSERI-4

Joey1 · February 8, 2019, 2:19pm

Hi all. I’m trying to use the Modbus Integration library with an Epic controller and GRV-CSERI-4 serial module (in slot 0). I’m having trouble figuring out how to configure the module, specifically setting the baud rate. The device I’m communicating with uses RS485 at 57600 baud. I figure the comm handle is tcp (tcp:127.0.0.1:22500), as with other PAC serial modules and I can set the RS485 mode (4-wire) in groovManage but for the life of me I cannot find how to set the serial comm parameters. I thought I found it with PAC Manager but it won’t let me access the EPIC since it uses groovManage. Help please!

Thanks.

Beno · February 8, 2019, 2:53pm

Page 285 of the PAC Control Users guide has the answers you seek.
To save you the time, here is the bit you need.

Joey1 · February 11, 2019, 7:21pm

Thanks, that worked great! I think I just glazed over that section because I thought it was relevant only to onboard serial ports. I appreciate your help.

Chen · May 15, 2019, 11:00am

Hi, may I know is the “channel name” referring to the channel name below?

thanks
Chen

Beno · May 15, 2019, 1:13pm

The “channel name” is @weighing_balance_1

I would set it up like this…

    //Set up weighing balance 1 channel
nBaud1 = 9600;
sParity1 = "n";
nDataBits1 = 8;
nStopBit1 = 1;

//Convert the integers to strings
NumberToString(nBaud1, sBaud1);
NumberToString(nDataBits1, sDataBits1);
NumberToString(nStopBit1, sStopBit1);

//Combine all of the strings to create the communication handle value
sSerialPort2_0 = "@weighing_balance_1:baud="+sBaud1+",parity="+sParity1+",data="+sDataBits1+",stop="+sStopBit1;

//Set the comm handle value to the string we just created
SetCommunicationHandleValue(sSerialPort2_0, chSerialPort2_0);

Chen · May 16, 2019, 1:23am

Great example.

that’s mean I am required to create the channel name in groov manage before i start configure in PAC Control.

Beno · June 5, 2019, 9:28pm

No. You do not have to configure the point in groov Manage at all.
The PAC Control strategy is the correct place to configure the point since that is where you are going to be setting it up and communicating from.
Just set it up in the I/O strategy tree like any other I/O point.
Here is one example;
First add the module. Note that it must go somewhere in the first 4 slots.

Once you add the module, then you need to configure the points on the module.
Name them and select the correct type of serial connection.

Here I have made two points, one RS-232 and the other RS-485 2-wire

The last step is to then configure the communication handle.
Add the comm handle to the strategy tree and setup the baud, stop bits, parity etc.

Note how you can call the comm handle anything you like, but the initialization string must match the point name. (For initialization string help, see the PAC Control Users Guide under Serial Communications, it lists all the possible options there).

Once you down load the strategy you will see the point appear in groov Manage.

Chen · June 6, 2019, 12:56pm

Oh my, that’s an important information, thanks that you have pointed out on this.

I didn’t set up on the I/O tree due to the previous SNAP SCM does not require to configure on the I/O tree.

thanks

ktgaston · March 24, 2021, 5:37pm

Here’s another question about CSERI module –

In the SNAP-PAC-485-422 module, you could create a COM port on your computer to TCP/IP directly to that with the port number – that was SUPER handy. So you could use a Hyperterminal-type program to send characters to your RS485 device without writing code to do it for you, which comes in handy sometimes. Anyone know if there’s a way to do this with the CSERI? @Beno? I know you love to answer our questions like these!

Beno · March 24, 2021, 5:45pm

As we say in Australia… Yeah, Nah.

Yeah, I know you could do it with SNAP PAC, nah you cant do it on EPIC.

You might be able to do something via shell… Write some code (Python) to listen on a TCP port and move the data to the com port, but we don’t have a way to do it via say groov Manage.

ktgaston · March 24, 2021, 7:19pm

That’s disappointing. That was a useful hack. I know everyone thinks that Serial stuff is going away, but vendors keep selling me instruments that use it.

For example, we bought a reactor system that came with Exlar slide valves with linear actuators. They came with software you could hook up to a COM Port on your computer. We wired them through a SNAP-485-422 module and were able to communicate with them via our Opto chart AND their software (not at the same time) without changing the wiring. Handy!

Not sure if it would be possible to add this functionality to the CSERI – a port to get to the serial device. Python code for this is out of my league.

philip · March 24, 2021, 7:27pm

I’ve used this Node-RED flow on a RIO, should work on the EPIC as well:

[{"id":"62e86c82.3896a4","type":"tab","label":"TCP to Serial Relay","disabled":false,"info":""},{"id":"638c889b.8b41d8","type":"tcp in","z":"62e86c82.3896a4","name":"","server":"server","host":"","port":"10502","datamode":"stream","datatype":"buffer","newline":"","topic":"","base64":false,"x":220,"y":340,"wires":[["87ffa453.5c6718","d5f0510e.a7e408"]]},{"id":"87ffa453.5c6718","type":"debug","z":"62e86c82.3896a4","name":"","active":false,"console":"false","complete":"false","x":485,"y":318,"wires":[]},{"id":"d5f0510e.a7e408","type":"serial out","z":"62e86c82.3896a4","name":"","serial":"fc2a26f0.857cd","x":438,"y":395,"wires":[]},{"id":"b9f4569a.a30468","type":"serial in","z":"62e86c82.3896a4","name":"","serial":"fc2a26f0.857cd","x":228,"y":449,"wires":[["6e9401f2.763de","23785617.c0fb2a"]]},{"id":"6e9401f2.763de","type":"tcp out","z":"62e86c82.3896a4","host":"","port":"","beserver":"reply","base64":false,"end":false,"name":"","x":460,"y":455,"wires":[]},{"id":"23785617.c0fb2a","type":"debug","z":"62e86c82.3896a4","name":"","active":false,"console":"false","complete":"false","x":477,"y":526,"wires":[]},{"id":"bd54e191.0b47b","type":"comment","z":"62e86c82.3896a4","name":"IP Serial Relay","info":"","x":180,"y":220,"wires":[]},{"id":"fc2a26f0.857cd","type":"serial-port","z":"","serialport":"/dev/ttySer0","serialbaud":"19200","databits":"8","parity":"none","stopbits":"1","waitfor":"","dtr":"none","rts":"none","cts":"none","dsr":"none","newline":"3","bin":"bin","out":"time","addchar":"","responsetimeout":""}]

Beno · March 24, 2021, 7:30pm

Just don’t forget to open the firewall on what ever port you pick for your TCP port and you should be up and running just as the SNAP did in just a few minutes.