manual.txt

To use this program, you must have either a modbus (RTU or TCP) connection or the plot files.
------
How to use?
#1 Recording.
Preparing: go to settings.json file which is placed in the current directory and change the PLC_reading_address dictionary which contains input registers that will be read. You can load your own settings file with File -> Load settings.

Registers' formats:
■ register_address (int) -> for simple int numbers stored in registers
■ [address, count] -> for floats stored in 2 or 4 registers
■ [address, evaluate_string] -> for converting int into float (sometimes float is stored in 1 register as int and the value needs to be divided by 1000), for example you can type "/1000" to divide by 1000
■ [address, bit, value_if_0, value_if_1] -> for boolean values stored as one bit of a register value; bits are enumerated from 0 right-to-left; use value_if_0 and value_if_1 to separate the graphs (example: if DI00 is on (0, 1) on Y axis, then DI01  should be on (1, 2) or something like that so they don't cover each other while having the same value)

Step 1. Set up a connection with Modbus -> Connect to
Step 2. Check if the status bar in the bottom of the window is green and click on Modbus -> Start reading.
Name the inputs before step 3 to show what each of them is related to (use the empty fields in the left sidebar). Those names will be saved with the logs.
Step 3. After recording everything you need, click on File -> Save logs and plots (.csv or .xlsx). The logs will save too.

#2 Reading the records
To read the records, use the File -> Open from file. After that the current connection will be terminated for file reading.
------
Menu file:
load settings: load a json file with connection settings, path to the file is defined by the user.
save logs and plots:
■ csv: creates files that store the plot and the logs, path to the files is defined by the user.
■ xlsx: creates files that store the plot and the logs, path to the files is defined by the user.
Note that *.xlsx files always load much longer so they aren't importable
------
Menu modbus:
■ connect to: creates a connection
■ disconnect: stops current connection
■ start/stop: similar to play/pause, these options can't be used when there's no connection and don't affect it
-----
Inputs:
■ auto scroll: only used when recording; automatically moves the plot along the x axis and sets the view range depending on value of "time range"
■ view range: sets the view range of the plot (hours : minutes : seconds)
■ delay:sets the delay between requests
■ time (from): is only available in file reading mode, it's used to make navigation easier in couple with view range field
-----
Current values tab shows the latest values of each graph but it also can get them for any X if the file reading mode is on.