If you have DirectSOFT5 Release v5.0, v5.1 or v5.2, here's the latest service pack.

You do not need to re-enter your product key during the installation of the service pack.

DirectSOFT v5.3 Service Pack   ( ~25Mb )               View  the Release 5 Revision history.

If you have DirectSOFT32 Release 4.0, here's the latest service pack.

The installation product key is : DSP-SERVICE-PACK

DirectSOFT32 v4.0 (Build 25) Service Pack   ( ~11.5Mb )                View the Release 4 Revision History.

If you have DirectSOFT32 Release 3.0, here's the latest service pack

The product key is : DSP-SERVICE-PACK

DirectSOFT32 v3.0c (Build 80) Service Pack               View the Release 3 Revision History

DirectSOFT v2.4a Maintenance Release Jan '1999  (~3 Mb)

• This will upgrade any DirectSOFT Programming Release 2.x to Release 2.4a. This maintenance release will NOT work for DirectSOFT Release 1.x. This is NOT a complete installation. You must have a previous 2.x release of our DirectSOFT Programming installed to use this maintenance release.
  
• DirectSOFT v2.4a DL350 Bit Override Jan '1999 (58 kb ) This download will allow for proper operation of the new Bit Override feature in a Koyo DL350 CPU. It consists of one file: ProtoKSQ.Dll, which simply replaces the one currently in your '\Dirctsft\Bin' directory. This download is only applicable to DirectSOFT v2.4a.

If you have DSData Release Release 4.0, here's the latest service pack.

The installation product key is : DSDATA-SERVICE-PACK

DSData Server v4.0 (Build 25) Service Pack   ( ~4Mb )                View the Release 4.0 Revision history.

If you have DSData Release Release 3.0, here's the latest service pack

The product key is : DSDATA-SERVICE-PACK

DSData Server v3.0c (Build 80) Service Pack              View  the Release 3.0 Revision history.

We are no longer actively developing this product. It is still available for customers needing to upgrade.

If you have DDE Server Release 1.0, here's the latest service pack:

DDE Server 1.7a Service Pack Jan '1999 (~1.4mb )

Since LookoutDirect uses the same communication server and element server as our DirectSOFT PLC Programming software package, we have two different service packs that you can download. The one you choose depends on whether you intend to use it on a PC which also has DirectSOFT installed.

These downloads do not provide a true upgrade, they are full installation packages, so you will need to use the same product key that you used during your initial installation of LookoutDirect.

If your PC has DirectSOFT32 installed, you need this version:

LookoutDirect v4.51.19 with v4.0 Comm Server - Build 25 ( 27 Mb )

View the LookoutDirect Revision History

After installing this service pack, your copy of LookoutDirect will still appear as Build 4.15.19 (look in Help-> About). Use the Version utility in DSLaunch to verify that the "DirectSOFT32 - Communications Server" components have been updated to 4.0.025.

If your PC has DirectSOFT5 installed, you need this version:

LookoutDirect v4.51.19 with v5.3 Comm Server - Build 105 ( 26 Mb )

View the LookoutDirect Revision History

After installing this service pack, your copy of LookoutDirect will still appear as Build 4.15.19 (look in Help-> About). Use the Version utility in DSLaunch to verify that the "DirectSOFT5 - Communications Server" components have been updated to 5.2.10.

If you have National Instrument's Lookout Release 4.x, here's the latest version of our DirectLOGIC Plus Driver for use with Lookout.

Since the DirectLOGIC Plus package uses the same communication server and element server as our DirectSOFT PLC Programming software package, we have two different service packs that you can download. The one you choose depends on whether you intend to use it on a PC which also has DirectSOFT installed.

These downloads do not provide a true upgrade, they are full installation packages, so you will need to use the same product key that you used during your initial installation of the DirectLOGIC Plus software.

If your PC has DirectSOFT32 installed, you need this version:

DirectLOGIC Plus for Lookout v4.51.19 with v4 Comm Server ( ~3Mb)

View the DirectLOGIC Plus Revision History

If your PC has DirectSOFT5 installed, you need this version:

DirectLOGIC Plus for Lookout v4.51.19 with v5.3 Comm Server ( ~7Mb)

View the DirectLOGIC Plus Revision History

There is no "real" demo for DirectSOFT5, instead we now have DirectSOFT100 which gives you the same features as the full version of DirectSOFT5 but allows only 100 Words of ladder code to be downloaded to the PLC. DirectSOFT100 can program all of the  DL05/06/105/205/305/405 systems. A keycode is not required to install DirectSOFT100.

DirectSOFT100 can be downloaded for free at www.Automationdirect.com

Take a test drive of the DirectSOFT32 (v4.x) Programming for Windows! This is a limited use version. Refer to the restrictions below:

• Can Save Online / Monitor Status on a 10 Ladder-word program (maximum) in the PLC.
• Can Monitor Status on a maximum of 4 items in Data View.
• Can have a maximum of 4 Data Views.
• Can have only 1 Communication Link active at a time.
• Can have only 1 Ladder (Stage, Mnemonic, XRef/Usage) View open at a time.
• Cannot Save to Disk.
• Displays a 'Nag Dialog' encouraging Customers to purchase the Full Version of DirectSOFT-Programming!

The installation Product Key is: DSP-DEMO

DirectSOFT32 v4.0 (Build 25) Demo   ( ~11.5 Mb )

You can only have one installation of the DSData Server on a PC. If you install this DEMO on a PC that already has a version of DSData installed, that existing version will be uninstalled - probably not what you want to have happen!

The installation product key is : DSDATA-DEMO

DSData Server v4.0 (Build 25) Demo   ( ~4Mb )

Since LookoutDirect uses the same communication server and element server as our DirectSOFT PLC Programming software package, we have two different versions of the demo that you can download. The one you choose depends on whether you intend to use it on a PC which also has DirectSOFT installed.

If your PC has DirectSOFT32 installed, you need this version:

LookoutDirect v4.51.19 Demo with v4 Comm Server ( ~22Mb )

The installation Product Key for the demo is: LKD-DEMO

If your PC has DirectSOFT5 installed, you need this version:

LookoutDirect v4.51.19 Demo with v5.3 Comm Server ( ~25Mb )

The installation Product Key for the demo is: LKD-DEMO

CTRIO Workbench v2.1.11
Last Update   : 4 June 2008
File Size         : 2.12Mb
view the CTRIO Revision History

NOTES:

• If you are using the CTRIO modules with AutomationDirect PLCs, you must have DirectSOFT32 installed.

• If you're using DirectSOFT32 V3.0, you also to be running Build 71 or later, use this link to get the latest Service Pack.

• If you are using the CTRIO modules with either the T1K-MODBUS or T1K-DEVNETS interface modules, you too will need to have DirectSOFT32 installed. This is because the configuration ports on these interface modules use the KSequence protocol. The CTRIO Workbench uses the DirectSOFT32 communications server as it's KSequence driver. If you don't have DirectSOFT32 installed on the PC, you can use download and install DirectSOFT100 (the free version of DirectSOFT)

• New H2-CTRIOs are preloaded with firmware version 2.0.1 (or later). This firmware version requires CTRIO Workbench version 2 for proper configuration. 
  
  Because of the addition of customer requested features, this new firmware has an expanded I/O map. There are an additional 32 Input bits and 32 Output bits (4 V memory words total). If you are using a DL240, DL250 or DL260 CPU, you may need to adjust V memory assignments in your PLC programming because of the additional usage by the version 2 firmware. For H2-PBC, an updated .GSD file is required. This file is available from the above website. For other DL205 controllers (WinPLC or EBC), your programming is not impacted by these new firmware features.
  
  For example, if your previous CTRIO I/O map used V2000->V2023 for Inputs from CTRIO to PLC and V2024->V2053 for Outputs, you’ll need to adjust the Output V memory start address by 32 bits to make room for the additional Inputs. The version 2 CTRIO in this case maps V2000->V2025 for Inputs and V2026->V2057 for Outputs.

We'll continue to make Version 1.1-Beta of CTRIO Workbench and the H2-CTRIO Version 1.1 User Manual for those who want to continue using Version 1.0.1 firmware for the H2-CTRIO.

If you prefer to continue using v1.0.1 firmware and its associated CTRIO Workbench v1.1, then you will need to use the CTRIO Workbench “Update Firmware” function to load the previous version 1.0.1 firmware to the CTRIO before attempting to configure the module.

CTRIO Workbench Version 1.1 Beta
Last Update    : March 2002
File Size          : 1.01Mb
Version           : v1.1

H2-CTRIO Version 1.1 User Manual

ERM Workbench.Zip
Last Update    : 17 July 2007
File Size         : 4.3Mb
Version           : v1.2.2
view the ERM  Revision History

DNLoader is a free utility that allows you to upload and download PLC programs without the use of DirectSOFT.

Use DNLoader to read the ladder program and (optionally) the retentive V-memory register values from a DirectLOGIC PLC and save this data in a file. You can then use DNLoader to write the contents of this file to another DirectLOGIC PLC of the same type.

DNLoader can use either a serial connection or an Ethernet connection (via an ECOM) to communicate with the source and destination PLCs.

This link is to a flowchart that describes how DNLoader operates.

DNLoader.Zip
Last Update    : 14 December 2005
File Size         : 740Kb
Version           : v1.3
view the DNLoader Revision History

FAQ0001 (see also DirectSOFT FAQ0127)
09-Jan-2004
Q: Is there a software utility that can be used to upload/download programs without using DirectSOFT?
A:  Yes. Host Engineering has created a free program called DNLoader that does just that. You would use it to read the program and (optionally) the retentive V-memory from a DL PLC and save this data in a file. This file cannot be read by DirectSOFT. You can then use DNLoader to write the contents of this file to another DL PLC of the same type. It supports serial or Ethernet connections and also supports PLC Passwords. It is the ideal tool for an OEM or System Integrator. You can download your copy from our website under the Support --> Utilities section.

FAQ0002
30-Jun-2004
Q: During upload getting, "Error reading data from PLC."
A:  This is like any other DirectSOFT communication error. See DirectSOFT FAQ0013 for suggestions. You can even download the Demo version of DirectSOFT and attempt a link using that software to get more details in the error. If you can connect using DirectSOFT (with DirectNET protocol set in the link), you should be able to connect using DNLoader.

FAQ0003
20-May-2005
Q: What DL PLCs are supported by DNLoader?
A:  DNLoader uses mainly the DirectNET protocol; so any DL PLC comm port that does not support this protocol (or cannot use an ECOM) cannot be used with DNLoader. Based on that "rule" the following chart shows which DL PLCs can be used with DNLoader and which ones cannot:

*NOTE - With the 250, DNLoader currently gives "Error! Error reading V memory!" if attempting to read the program via serial ports. (See DNLoader FAQ0008).
**NOTE - With the 450, DNLoader only works with the first 7680 words. If you have a memory cartridge giving you more memory than this, DNLoader will not work with anything over the 7680.

FAQ0004
12-Jul-2005
Q: How do passwords for both the .DAT file and the PLC work in DNLoader?
A:  The easiest thing is to view the .PDF file that comes with DNLoader when you install it. Or you can download it independently here:  DNLoader Flow Chart.PDF

FAQ0005
26-Jul-2005
Q: When downloading file to a DL240 over Port2 using <Write PLC> button, get "Error writing image to PLC!".
A:  This is caused by the DL240 not allowing writes to his retentive V-memory. To circumvent this error, you will have to have a .DAT file for your DL240 that does not have V-memory stored in it. This means that whoever created the .DAT file, will have to create one with V-memory deselected for the <Write File>. In order to create that type of .DAT file you must first have DNLoader v1.2a or later.

When you are going to create a .DAT file after you read the PLC using <Read PLC> button, then you press the <Write File> button. This gives you the following dialog (Write File Options). Deselect the "V" option as shown:

After naming your file and giving it a password (if desired), then pres the <OK> button. This will create a .DAT file without V-memory. Now, writing this file to a DL240 will work and not give the error because V-memory is not being written.

This, however, creates a potential application problem. Since V-memory is not going to be written using DNLoader, then if you want to initialize values in V-memory for your application, you will have to either do that manually after downloading the program, or program some rungs in the ladders that initialize the V-memory on the first PLC scan (e.g. SP0).

FAQ0006 (similar to DirectSOFT FAQ0191)
04-Feb-2005
Q: DNLoader doesn't appear to store the Watchdog timer settings in the .DAT file, or write it back to the PLC.
A:  This is true. It is also true for DirectSOFT. Using DirectSOFT the value can be stored and written manually, but it is not stored in project file.

FAQ0007
10-Apr-2007
Q: What Windows operating systems does DNLoader work with?
A:  See the following chart:

NOTES:
(1) - Have not tested officially but probably will work.
(2) - On some PCs serial communication seems to be inconsistent (i.e. it works most of the time, but will sometimes fail). In case of failure, restart DNLoader, and try again.

FAQ0008
28-Mar-2006
Q: When trying to read a program from a DL250, get "Error! Error reading V memory!"
A:  This is a bug when operating DNLoader with a DL250 and using one of the serial ports (Port1 or Port2). But if an H2-ECOM / H2-ECOM100 is used in the DL250, the error does not occur. Also all other DL205 CPUs work fine (e.g. DL240, 250-1, 260, etc.). Also, all other DL05/06 and DL405 CPUs work fine as shown in DNLoader FAQ0003 above.

FAQ0009
06-Jun-2007
Q: Can DNLoader be executed automatically instead of with the manual GUI interface?
A:  As of version v1.3 you can run DNLoader from a command prompt with switched options. This allows it to be used without user interfacing and no GUI. To see the switch options use the /? switch. The following window will display with the /? option.

FAQ0010 (see also ECOM FAQ0042; DirectSOFT FAQ0048; DL Plus FAQ0009; DSData FAQ0005; EZ Ethernet FAQ0008; HA-TADP FAQ0002; Lookout Direct FAQ0014; NetEdit FAQ0005; SDK FAQ0020)
31-Jan-2008
Q: Why doesn't the ECOM use subnet mask or gateway address like the ECOM100?
A: Since the ECOM doesn't do "master"-type communications, it doesn't use the subnet mask or gateway address. Whatever talks to the ECOM will be using IPX or UDP/IP, and the ECOM simply swaps the destination and source addresses in the telegram and responds in this way, not "caring" about the subnet or gateway. However, the ECOM100 acts more like a conventional TCP/IP device. The ECOM100 has the capability to be a master and has a full-blown TCP stack inside. Thus, if it is to transmit to an IP address not on its subnet, it will, of course, transmit to its configured gateway address instead.

NetEdit v3 is the new and improved version of NetEdit, the utility that's used to configure most of our Ethernet devices.

• Completely redesigned user interface.
• The list of devices can be sorted by any column.
• Integrated firmware update facility for all EBCs, EBC100s, ECOMs, ECOM100s, EDRVs & ERMs.
• Integrated 'Live Update' facility to retrieve the latest firmware from the Host Engineering web site.
• Indicators that show which devices have out of date firmware, out of date boot loaders and/or configuration conflicts.
• ECOMs and ECOM100s can be configured to use point-to-point IP connections (instead of broadcasts) for RX/WX Instructions.
• ECOM100s can be configured as a Modbus TCP/IP master (utilizing the PLC's RX/WX Instructions).
• Export feature that will save the current device list information to a CSV file.
• 'Restore Factory Settings' function to reset Name, Module ID, IP Address and Description to default values.
• 'Test CPU Access' function for ECOMs and ECOM100s to verify the backplane communication to the PLC's CPU.
• 'Test Email' function allows you to test the Email configuration parameters you've specified in the ECOM100.
• 'Show Base Contents' function to show you which I/O modules are in the base with the EBC and, if applicable, their Modbus TCP/IP addresses.

NetEdit3.Zip
Last Update    : 12 May 2008
File Size         : 2.4Mb
Version           : v3.7b
view the NetEdit v3 Revision History

FAQ0001
03-Jun-2002
Q: Can I use NetEdit to do firmware updates?
A: Older versions of NetEdit would not allow this, but with NetEdit3 this is possible!

FAQ0002
03-Jun-2002
Q: Can TCP/IP protocol be used to upgrade firmware as well as IPX?
A: With NetEdit3 it is possible to upgrade firmware using IPX or TCP/IP protocols.

FAQ0003 (see also ERM FAQ0003, EBC FAQ0006, EDRIVE FAQ0004)
01-Nov-2002
Q: NetEdit sees ERM, EBC and EDRV, but ERM Workbench gets error "ERM not found" when trying to write the configuration to the ERM.
A: Downloading the latest version of ERM Workbench may remedy this problem; especially if you are using the ERM Workbench Wizard. You should download at least ERM Workbench v1.1 Build 26. Otherwise here are some things to try:

• Make sure NWLink IPX protocol is loaded for your PC's NIC (see NetEdit FAQ0017 for installing protocols).
• Make sure your PC's NIC is not "Bridged" but only "Enabled." (My Network Places --> Properties).
• Make sure you have no other "Bridged" connections "Enabled" in your list of LAN Connections. (My Network Places --> Properties).
• Make sure you only have a single LAN Connection and not multiple connections. (My Network Places --> Properties).
• Make sure your Internal Network Number is set to "00000000." (My Network Places --> Properties --> LAN Connection --> Properties --> General tab --> NWLink IPX protocol --> Propterties button).
• Make sure you have "QoS packet tagging" disabled. (My Computer --> Properties --> Hardware tab --> Device Manager button --> Network adapters --> (your NIC's name) --> Properties --> Advanced tab --> 802.1p QOS).

FAQ0004 (see also EBC FAQ0078; ECOM FAQ0025; EDRV FAQ0011; ERM FAQ0052; EZ Ethernet FAQ0007)
08-Nov-2007
Q: Can retries and timeout values for NetEdit be adjusted to allow it to find Host Ethernet devices on much slower networks?
A: No, but we will probably include this ability in future releases of NetEdit (greater than v3.7).

FAQ0005 (see also ECOM FAQ0042; DirectSOFT FAQ0048; DL Plus FAQ0009; DNLoader FAQ0010; DSData FAQ0005; EZ Ethernet FAQ0008; HA-TADP FAQ0002; Lookout Direct FAQ0014; SDK FAQ0020)
31-Jan-2008
Q: Why doesn't the ECOM use subnet mask or gateway address like the ECOM100?
A: Since the ECOM doesn't do "master"-type communications, it doesn't use the subnet mask or gateway address. Whatever talks to the ECOM will be using IPX or UDP/IP, and the ECOM simply swaps the destination and source addresses in the telegram and responds in this way, not "caring" about the subnet or gateway. However, the ECOM100 acts more like a conventional TCP/IP device. The ECOM100 has the capability to be a master and has a full-blown TCP stack inside. Thus, if it is to transmit to an IP address not on its subnet, it will, of course, transmit to its configured gateway address instead.

FAQ0006
11-Sep-2002
Q: Does NetEdit come with the CD in the H2-ECOM-START kit?
A: Actually NetEdit used to come on a disk that was inserted into the manual that came with the H2-ECOM-START kit. It was not on the CD. Now, however, NetEdit3 (our latest) is installed with DirectSOFT. And, of course, you can always download NetEdit3 from our website.

FAQ0007
26-Sep-2003
Q: Why would NetEdit list the same module twice?
A: We have found two reasons for this:

1. You have two NICs (Network Interface Cards) on your PC. Disabling one;  or loading one with IPX and the other with TCP/IP protocols should clear this up (see NetEdit FAQ0017 for installing protocols).
2. You have a network bridge configured on your PC. Disabling the network bridge and unbridging the NIC should take care of this one.

FAQ0008 (see also EBC FAQ0036)
26-Sep-2002
Q: Using NetEdit to configure an H4-EBC, but the F4-16DA-2 is not listed as an option to put in the slots.
A: You can choose one of two things:

1. Download a later version of NetEdit from our website.
2. Configure it using the F4-16DA-1 instead. It has the same "signature" as the F4-16DA-2 and it will work just fine.

FAQ0009 (see also DirectSOFT FAQ129; DS Data FAQ0070; ECOM FAQ0030)
03-Oct-2002
Q: Does the ECOM work with DHCP? Or does the PC's NIC have to have a static IP address in order to communicate with an ECOM?
A: The ECOM does not support DHCP addressing, (ECOM100s support DHCP). The ECOM must have a static IP address. However, the PC that is talking to the ECOM does not have to have a static IP address. Things to consider:

• If the NIC's IP address is not static, it may change to a different IP address without warning (e.g. reboot of the PC or when the IP address expires).
• A change of the NIC's IP address may have no effect at all (e.g. if you are only using the NIC for a simple link for DirectSOFT programming).
• A change of the NIC's IP address may result in a timeout or retry of some transaction with the ECOM (e.g. if the ECOM is doing RX/WX operations back to the PC).

FAQ0010 (see also ECOM FAQ0031)
01-Jul-2002
Q: Trying to use PLC-to-PLC communications between ECOMs but we see broadcasts across the network; and our router won't pass the broadcast.
A: When the PLC performs an RX or WX instruction through an ECOM, the ECOM uses a broadcast packet to locate the slave ECOM with the DirectNET Node Number specified and perform the read or write transaction. These broadcast packets will increase network usage, and broadcast packets are normally filtered out by routers, bridges, etc. To work around these issues, NetEdit3 provides a way to configure the ECOM to use a point-to-point UDP/IP packet to perform the transaction.

Here is how it works: the RX and WX instructions in the PLC only allow you to specify a DirectNET Node Number as the slave identifier. This node number will be in the range of 1-90. In the ECOM there is a "Node Number - to - IP Address" mapping table. To get to it press the <RX/WX Node Map> button on the "ECOM Settings" tab.

 For each slave ECOM you want to communicate with, find its DirectNET node number in the table and enter the needed network information. Once this information is in the table, any RX or WX instruction the ECOM processes for that slave will use the information in the table instead of a broadcast packet.

You can enter the addressing information manually, but, you'll find it much easier to use the <Find> button in the Add dialog to add slaves to the table. "Find" will scan the local network and locate all of the ECOMs. You then simply pick the slave ECOM from the list and click <OK>; the required information for the table entry will be automatically generated.

FAQ0011 (see also EBC FAQ0004; ECOM FAQ0034; EDRV FAQ0008; ERM FAQ0024)
04-Jan-2008
Q: Getting various errors when attempting to update the booter/firmware for my EBCs, ECOMs, EDRVs and ERMs.
A: First make sure you isolate the device from all other tasks (i.e. put the PLC in the STOP mode; stop HMI; isolate from busy network traffic). Secondly, make sure you are using the latest version of NetEdit3 which can be downloaded for free here: http://www.hosteng.com/SW-Products/NetEdit3.zip

Here are some common problems experienced:

• (1) After Rescanning, the booter/firmware version doesn't change - NetEdit is probably getting an error that is not getting reported. Upgrade to the latest NetEdit (i.e. >v3.4). If this doesn't work then report the error to us and we can send you ETHER32.EXE which should do it.
   
• (2) "Error booting to booter" - You are probably using the old ETHER32.EXE utility. It is much easier to utilize the latest NetEdit3 to accomplish updates. It has a fully integrated firmware/booter update facility as well as "live update" feature to retrieve the latest firmware/booter files from our website.
   
• (3) "Error! Error 32774 from DownloadBinFile!" - This error 32774 is sometimes indicated as "Error 0x8006" and simply is a general timeout message. This simply means that NetEdit3 cannot talk to the device in a consistent manner (i.e. uninterrupted). Some things that can cause this:
  
  -  The network could be too busy, therefore isolate this device and try again.
  -  The WinXP firewall could be turned on. If so you must do one of the following:
       (1) Turn the firewall off, or
       (2) Create an exception for NetEdit3.EXE application, or
       (3) Create an exception for port #0x7070 (28784) for both TCP and UDP protocols. which is the port number that all of our Ethernet devices use for communication.
   
• (4) "Error 216" - This error means there were severe problems with either writing the firmware to the device, or verifying what was written. Usually if you get this error, it leaves the device in the booter state (i.e. the red ERR light is flashing). In most cases all that is needed is to make sure you isolate the device from all other tasks (as mentioned above), and try the update again.

FAQ0012 (see also DS Data FAQ0087; DirectSOFT FAQ0180; EBC FAQ0052; ECOM FAQ0040; EDRV FAQ0010; ERM FAQ0034; EZ Ethernet FAQ0026)
27-Apr-2004
Q: Getting various errors when attempting to use NetEdit to see or establish a link to a Host Ethernet device.
A: Here are know errors and their suggested solutions:

CAUTION: You may want to consult your Network Administrator before doing any of the solutions below! He/she may not want you to change your PC's setup at all!

• (1) "Error 10047" - This is an error from Microsoft Winsock. Formally it is known as "WSAEAFNOSUPPORT" and is described as, "Address family not supported by protocol family. An address incompatible with the requested protocol was used. All sockets are created with an associated address family (that is, AF_INET for Internet Protocols) and a generic protocol type (that is, SOCK_STREAM). This error is returned if an incorrect protocol is explicitly requested in the socket call, or if an address of the wrong family is used for a socket, for example, in sendto."
  
  Possible causes:
  (1)  IPX protocol is not installed for your NIC.
  (2)  TCP/IP protocol not installed for your NIC.
         (see NetEdit FAQ0017 for installing protocols)
   
• (2) "Error 10051" - This is an error from Microsoft Winsock. Formally it is known as "WSAENETUNREACH" and is described as, "Network is unreachable. A socket operation was attempted to an unreachable network. This usually means the local software knows no route to reach the remote host. Very similar to Error 10065 WSAEHOSTUNREACH only this is usually related to IPX protocol."
  
  Possible causes:
  (1)  NIC is disabled.
  (2)  IPX protocol is not installed for your NIC (see NetEdit FAQ0017 for installing protocols).
   
• (3) "Error 10061" - This is an error from Microsoft Winsock. Formally it is known as "WSAECONNREFUSED" and is described as, "Connection refused. No connection could be made because the target computer actively refused it. This usually results from trying to connect to a service that is inactive on the foreign host---that is, one with no server application running."
  
  Possible causes:
  (1) You have a firewall software installed and enabled (e.g. ZoneAlarm).
       (a)  Uninstall it, or...
       (b)  Disable it, or...
       (c)  Poke a hole in it by making exceptions for the NetEdit3.EXE application or for TCP Port # 0x7070 (28784 decimal).
   
• (4) "Error 10065" - This is an error from Microsft Winsock. Formally it is known as "WSAEHOSTUNREACH" and is described as, "No route to host. A socket operation was attempted to an unreachable host. Very similar to Error 10051 WSAENETUNREACH only this is usually related to TCP/IP protocol."
  
  Possible causes:
  (1)  NIC is disabled.
  (2)  TCP/IP protocol is not installed for your NIC.
  (3)  Your NIC and the Host Ethernet device are on different subnets:
       (a)  Change your NIC's TCP/IP address to put it on the same subnet as the Host Ethernet device, or...
       (b)  Change your Host Ethernet device's TCP/IP address to put it on the same subnet as the NIC, or...
       (c)  Change the subnet mask in your network configuration settings.
   

• (5) "Error reading configuration values from device."
  First of all, there was a bug in versions of NetEdit previous to v3.1, that when you pressed the Query Network button this error could pop up. If this is the case then you just need to download a later copy (at least v3.1) of NetEdit from our website. If this is not the case then notoriously, this error is caused by one of the following:

  1. Is the EBC/ECOM/EDRV/ERM/EZ Ethernet  powered up properly? If not, make sure it is.
  2. Is the LINK GD (link good) light on? This indicates that the cabling is good.
  3. While using NetEdit, does the ACTIVE light blink when changing protocols from IPX to UDP/IP? This indicates that the EBC/ECOM/EDRV/ERM/EZ Ethernet  is seeing Ethernet packets.
  4. Is the IPX protocol loaded for the NIC you are using and enabled? (see NetEdit FAQ0017 for installing protocols). There are fewer things to mess up with IPX, so it is the better protocol to use when trying to diagnose the problem.
  5. Is there just one NIC in the PC? If not, then it is possible that the packets are going out one or both NICs but being received by the “wrong” NIC as seen from NetEdit.
  6. Is there just one LAN connection loaded for the NIC? Multiple LAN connections (e.g. WAN network driver) can cause similar problems as with two NICs.
  7. Is the Network Number for the IPX protocol set to 00000000? If not, it must be, or it will not talk.
  8. Is the NIC running at 10Mpbs? (disconnect NIC cable; reboot PC; reconnect NIC cable). If it is trying to run at 100Mbps, it will not talk.
  9. Do you have "802.1p QoS packet tagging" enabled? If so, disable it (Device Manager, Network Adapter, Properties, Advanced). This adds information to the IPX and TCP/IP packets that is not understood by NetEdit.
  10. Is there firewall software loaded (e.g. ZoneAlarm)? This can interfere with the IPX and the TCP/IP protocol packets. We have to disable this software to get ours to talk properly.
  11. Is the network hardware verified? (cabling / hub / EBC/ECOM/EDRV/ERM/EZ Ethernet / NIC)?

  If none of these things fix the problem, then it is possible that the EBC/ECOM/EDRV/ERM/EZ Ethernet device is defective and you may need to send it in for repair.
   

• (6) Nothing shows up in the list, or not all devices show up in the list, or list shows incomplete data.
  NetEdit sends out a broadcast and waits 600 ms for devices to respond. If the devices take longer than this to respond they will be missing from the list. After the responses are gathered, NetEdit makes a list and then polls each device in the list to get detailed data, but waits only 250ms for response from each device. If the device takes longer than this to respond some of its data may be missing. This is not a problem on a normal wired network, but can be a problem on a wireless network where responses can inadvertently be long and inconsistent. Also, since a broadcast is used if the devices are on the other side of a LAN or WAN, these network devices by default will usually block broadcast packets. However, this does not necessarily mean that you cannot ping the devices (TCP/IP protocol) and/or use DirectSOFT to link to them (e.g. by manually entering the IP address). In general, however, problems like this can also be caused by the things listed in bullet (5) above.

FAQ0013 (see also ECOM 0028; EBC FAQ0033, ERM FAQ0020, EDRV FAQ0007, EZ Ethernet FAQ0017; DirectSOFT FAQ0181; DS Data FAQ0088; SDK FAQ0012)
20-Nov-2003
Q: What Ethernet protocols are used by your products?
A: Refer to chart below:

(1)  Not an industry standard. However, protocol is available for 3rd-party development upon request.
(2)  Not really a distinct protocol. This setting is used to intelligently pick K-sequence or DirectNet as needed by the hardware/software.
(3)  Used when doing ECOM-to-ECOM via RX/WX instructions with RX/WX Node Map configured in sending ECOM.
(4)  Used when doing ECOM-to-PC (Report-by-Exception) via RX/WX instructions (Address 90 only) with ECOM's dipswitch 7 set ON.
(5)  Used when doing ECOM-to-ECOM via RX/WX instructions without RX/WX Node Map configured in sending ECOM.
(6)  RX/WX Node Map must be configured in ECOM.
(7)  ERM can talk to one slave with UDP/IP and another with IPX simultaneously.
(8)  Planned for Dec2004-Feb2005.
(9)  Requires K-sequence protocol spec (request from Automation Direct)
(10)  Uses K-sequence to perform "Test CPU Access!" function.
(11)  Uses this protocol to perform "Show Base Contents..." function.
(12)  The older HA-EDRV2 cannot talk Modbus TCP.

FAQ0014 (see also ECOM FAQ0036; CTRIO FAQ0046; EBC FAQ0047; EDRV FAQ0009; ERM FAQ0030; EZ Ethernet FAQ0018; PBC FAQ0009; PSCM FAQ0001; WinPLC FAQ0018)
07-Nov-2002
Q: What software tool do I use to upgrade/downgrade my Host Engineering hardware?
A: Refer to the following:

NOTE: All the firmware for the above products can be downloaded using NetEdit3's File --> Live Update... The firmware files are stored in c:\HAPTools\Images folder.

FAQ0015 (see also EBC FAQ0054; CTRIO FAQ0062)
02-Feb-2005
Q: Using an EBC100 and Modbus TCP protocol, how can I figure out where the CTRIO parameters are mapped into the Modbus addresses?
A: The easiest way to do this is to use NetEdit3 and CTRIO Workbench in combination. Follow these steps:

1. Using NetEdit3 (at least v3.4) to view the network that the EBC100 is connected to.
2. Right-click on the EBC100 and pick "Show Base Contents..."
3. Scroll down until you see your CTRIO I/O listed. It will look something like this:
   
   Base 0 : Slot 8 - Module Type 38 - T1H-CTRIO
                  96 - Bit inputs                     (Modbus 584/984 - Inputs 10025-10120)
                  96 - Bit outputs                   (Modbus 584/984 - Coils 25-120)
                  12 - Word outputs              (Modbus 584/984 - Holding registers 40017-40028)
                   8 - Double word inputs       (Modbus 584/984 - Input registers 30049-30064)
                   4 - Double word outputs     (Modbus 584/984 - Holding registers 40029-40036)

Here you can see that NetEdit3 has provided the Modbus addressing for you. Next you need only to see how these work in the CTRIO.

1. Using CTRIO Workbench (at least v2.1.9) connect to your CTRIO via the EBC100.
2. Press the <I/O Map...> button. (This is assuming that you have already configured your CTRIO the way you want).
3. Select "EBC - Mapped to MODBUS/TCP."
4. For "Starting input reg for word inputs:" enter the "Input register" number that you saw in NetEdit3 (e.g. 30049 in above example).
5. For "Starting input for bit inputs:" enter the "Inputs" number that you saw in NetEdit3 (e.g. 10025 in above example).
6. For "Starting holding reg for word outputs:" enter the smallest "Holding registers" address that you saw in NetEdit3 (e.g. 40017; not 40029 in above example).
7. For "Starting coil for bit outputs:" enter the "Coils" number that you saw in NetEdit3 (e.g. 25 in above example).

After manually entering these numbers from NetEdit3 into CTRIO Workbench's I/O mapping screen you can now see all the parameters and their appropriate Modbus TCP addressing.

FAQ0016 (deleted)

FAQ0017 (see also DirectSOFT FAQ0183; DS Data FAQ0093; EBC FAQ0057; ECOM FAQ0043; EDRIVE FAQ0012; ERM FAQ0037; EZ Ethernet FAQ0027)
29-Apr-2005
Q: How can I install IPX protocol for my NIC?
A:  You can find instructions on how to do this for your particular operating system by going to Start --> Help & Support and searching for "Install NWLink." Below are the instructions from Microsoft for doing this on a WinXP PC. The instructions are similar for other operating systems (e.g. WinNT, Win98, WinME, Win2K).

To install NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Compatible Transport Protocol
(1)  Open Network Connections:
       (a)  Click Start --> Settings --> Control Panel.
       (b)  Double-click Network Connections.
     NOTE:  You must be a member of the Administrators group to install protocols. Also, when IPX is installed it is installed for all your connections. If you don't want it installed for a certain connection, then right-click that connection, click Properties and, on either the General or Networking tab, clear the NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Compatible Transport Protocol check box.
(2)  Right-click a local area connection, then click Properties.
(3)  On the General tab, click Install.
(4)  In the Select Network Component Type dialog box, click Protocol, and then click Add.
(5)  In the Select Network Protocol dialog box, click NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Compatible Transport Protocol, and then click OK.

IMPORTANT: The IPX/SPX protocol is not available on Windows XP 64-Bit Edition. 

FAQ0018
19-Jan-2004
Q: How can I make a copy of the NetEdit display for my records?
A:  If you have at least NetEdit v3.2, you can use the File --> Export feature which will export the display list to a .CSV file which can then be easily imported to Microsoft Excel.

FAQ0019 (see also ERM FAQ0038)
19-Jan-2004
Q: If my PLC containing an ERM is in the RUN mode, and I change the parameters of the ERM using NetEdit, they appear to change, but they are not actually getting written to the ERM.
A:  This is a bug in NetEdit v3.2 or earlier. To fix, use at least NetEdit v3.2a or later.

FAQ0020
05-Jun-2005
Q: Can NetEdit be run on my PC as a stand-alone application without having to install DirectSOFT?
A:  Yes.

FAQ0021
26-Jul-2005
Q: Having various problems installing NetEdit3.
A: Primary things to check before consulting the errors listed below:

1. If you have to log on to your PC (i.e. WinNT, Win2K, WinXP), make sure you are logged in with Administrator privileges.
2. A wide variety of problems can be solved on Win95, Win98 and WinME PCs by installing NetEdit in Safe Mode.

Below are various installation errors that have been encountered and their solutions.

• (1) "16-bit MS-DOS SubSystem error" or "c:\windows\system32\autoexec.NT - The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows Applications."
  This is a bug is most of the time caused by one of the five things listed below. CAUTION: You may want to get your in-house System Administrator to do this for you! If one of these five things do not fix the problem, then please refer to Microsoft Knowledge Base Articles #324767, 314452, 305521 & 314106 for further ideas.
  
  - Your PC has a virus.
      a) Do a thorough virus scan of your PC.
  
  - Autoexec.NT file needed.
       a) Copy the AUTOEXEC.NT file from the c:\Windows\Repair folder (or Windows installation CD) into the folder listed in the error message itself (e.g. c:\Windows\System32).
  
  - Config.NT file needed:
       a) Copy the CONFIG.NT file from the c:\Windows\Repair folder (or Windows installation CD)  into the folder listed in the error message itself (e.g. c:\Windows\System32).
  
  - Corrupted registry entry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD.
       a) Find the above using Regedit.
       b) On Edit menu, click Delete.
       c) On Edit menu, point to New, and then click Multistring Value.
       d) Type VDD in the Value Name box, then press <ENTER>.
       e) Exit Regedit.
  
  - Command.COM file is damaged or wrong version.
       a) Verify that the proper version of Command.COM file is installed in the Systemroot\System32 folder. Should have:
            Size: 50620
            Date: 08-23-2001
            Time: 4:00 A.M.

FAQ0022 (see also EBC FAQ0059; ECOM FAQ0051; EDRIVE FAQ0013; ERM FAQ0040; EZ Ethernet FAQ0028)
22-Sep-2005
Q: I inadvertently changed the IP address of my Host Engineering Ethernet device and now NetEdit cannot find it, nor can I ping it. How can I get it "back?"
A:  It can be changed using IPX protocol:

1. If IPX protocol is not installed for your PC's NIC, then install it (see NetEdit FAQ0017 above).
2. Select IPX protocol in NetEdit3 and edit the IP address.

FAQ0023
03-Oct-2005
Q: In the General Help window there are strange characters ("garbage" text).
A:  This is a bug in some earlier versions of NetEdit3. Upgrading to the latest version will take care of this.

FAQ0024 (see also ECOM FAQ0060)
14-Dec-2004
Q: Using NetEdit with ECOM/ECOM100; in the Advanced Settings, what is the difference between "RX/WX Settings - Retries" and "KSequence Settings - Retries"?
A: "RX/WX Settings - Retries" is the number of times the ECOM/ECOM100 will attempt a comm over the network for an ECOM-to-ECOM (Peer-to-Peer) communication.

"KSequence Settings - Retries" is the number of times the ECOM/ECOM100 will attempt a comm over the backplane to the DL-PLC.

FAQ0025 (see also ECOM FAQ0062)
15-Mar-2005
Q: When using the ECOM100 as a Modbus TCP Client (Master) with the RX/WX instructions reading/writing to a Modbus TCP Server (Slave; e.g. ProSoft Technology module for Allen-Bradley PLC), keep getting timeout errors.
A: This could be caused by one or both of the following issues:

•  The ECOM100 firmware has a bug that causes it to terminate the Modbus TCP connection after 250ms. Suggested solutions to this one:
  
  o - Improve the speed of the Modbus TCP Server (Slave).
  
  o - Increase the "Modbus Settings - Timeout" value under the ECOM Advanced Settings in NetEdit. (right-click on your ECOM100 in NetEdit and select Advanced...). If the Modbus settings are not available in NetEdit then you need to upgrade NetEdit (see below).
  
  o - Upgrade the ECOM100 firmware to:
        - H0-ECOM100 v4.0.52 (or later)
        - H2-ECOM100 v4.0.914 (or later)
   
• You need to increase the "Modbus Settings - Timeout" value under the ECOM Advanced Settings in NetEdit, but this option is not available. If that is the case you need to:
  
  o - Upgrade NetEdit to at least v3.6

FAQ0026 (see also DirectSOFT FAQ0197; ECOM FAQ0082)
29-Aug-2006
Q: When using NetEdit v3.6b (or earlier), the ECOM/ECOM100 won't pass the CPU Test, but I can still make and use a link from DirectSOFT.
A: This was caused by NetEdit v3.6b (and earlier) using a slightly different method to test for CPU than DirectSOFT. This was fixed in:

NetEdit 3.6c (and later)

FAQ0027 (see also ECOM FAQ0083)
20-Dec-2006
Q: If my Modbus TCP client (i.e. master) does not talk to the ECOM100 faster than 5 seconds, the ECOM100 closes the TCP connection and I have to open up another one.
A: This is a problem with the firmware in the ECOM100. In earlier versions of the firmware the ECOM100 had a Modbus TCP server (i.e. slave) timeout value fixed at 5 seconds. This, however, was changed with:

H0-ECOM100 v4.0.154 (or later)
H2-ECOM100 v4.0.1185 (or later)
H4-ECOM100 v4.0.1185 (or later)

With these later versions the default Modbus TCP Slave Timeout value is 20 seconds. But also, NetEdit was changed to allow this timeout to be adjusted to whatever you want. This feature was added to:

NetEdit 3.6d

FAQ0028 (see also ECOM FAQ0085)
06-Feb-2007
Q: My ECOM100 disappears from NetEdit using TCP/IP protocol if I accidentally give it a bogus IP address, or gateway address, or subnet mask.
A: This has not been a serious problem until the advent of WinVista. The reason being that you normally could switch to IPX in NetEdit and find the ECOM100 and then fix the mistake. However, with the advent of WinVista, IPX is no longer available. Thus, the following changes were made to both the ECOM100 firmware and NetEdit to alleviate this issue:

• If the ECOM100 is configured to "Obtain an IP address automatically" (i.e. use DHCP server), and no DHCP server is available to provide the ECOM100 with an IP address, NetEdit would not be able to see it. We fixed this by causing the ECOM100 to temporarily set his IP address to 0.0.0.0 while looking for a DHCP server.
   
• The following IP addresses were disallowed in NetEdit:
  x.x.x.255
  127.0.0.0
  127.0.0.1
  224.x.x.x - 255.x.x.x (Multi-cast range)
   
• Added a Recovery Option:  If the ECOM100 is powered up with dipswitch 6 ON, then the TCP/IP addressing information (IP Address, Subnet Mask, Gateway Address) are all reset to 0.0.0.0. To indicate this special Recovery Mode the ECOM100's Status and Error lights blink. After powering up in this mode, you will be able to see the ECOM100 with NetEdit and correct the IP information. While in this mode, however, the ECOM100 will not talk across the PLC backplane.
   

These fixes are in:

H0-ECOM100 v4.0.167 (or later)
H2-ECOM100 v4.0.1237 (or later)
H4-ECOM100 v4.0.1237 (or later)
NetEdit v3.7

FAQ0029 (see also ECOM FAQ0086)
09-Mar-2006
Q: Is it possible to test the e-mail function and configuration of the ECOM100 using NetEdit?
A: Yes, this feature is available with:

H0-ECOM100 v4.0.167 (or later)
H2-ECOM100 v4.0.1237 (or later)
H4-ECOM100 v4.0.1237 (or later)
NetEdit v3.7

It is on the right-click menu in NetEdit (or on the ECOM Settings tab under Utils along with the Test CPU Access).

FAQ0030 (see also EBC FAQ0075)
28-Feb-2007
Q: What are the meanings of the Port Mode settings for the EBC/EBC100 that are seen in Serial Port Settings of NetEdit?
A:  The functionality and description of these modes are not documented anywhere simply because there are no products that fully utilize them. Basically the EBC has 2 Port Modes (Master/Proxy; K-Seq Slave) and the EBC100 has an extra 3rd one (Modbus Slave). These modes are briefly described here:

• Master/Proxy:  Entivity (Think&Do), Kepware and our Ethernet SDK actually can utilize this one. In this mode the serial port is a proxy device. The port is read from and written to via an Ethernet SDK function (e.g. HEIWriteComm, HEIReadComm). In fact, when Entivity (Think&Do) and Kepware utilize this functionality, they used our Ethernet SDK to write their code. They use this functionality to allow their users to connect an HMI device. In this manner the serial port can be remotely controlled via a PC over Ethernet.
   
• Modbus Slave:  No product currently utilizes this functionality. This function is only available for the EBC100 because the EBC does not support Modbus at all. In this mode the serial port acts like a serial Modbus slave with the Modbus address being the Module ID of the EBC100. In this mode the EBC100's I/O is mapped for Modbus addressing. To see where the I/O resides you use NetEdit, and right-click on the EBC100 and choose Show Base Contents.
   
• K-Seq Slave:  No product currently utilizes this functionality. In this mode the serial port emulates the memory of a DL260. In fact, you can actually make a serial link to it using DirectSOFT! In this emulation mode, you can read/write to emulated V-memory and C-bit memory, and also read/write to the I/O of the EBC/EBC100. The memory map is as follows:
  
  V0-V7777 - Emulated V-memory (4K words)
  V10000-V17777 - EBC/EBC100 Analog Inputs: 512 words = 16 slots x 16 AI x 4 bytes (2 words) each
  V20000-V27777 - EBC/EBC100 Analog Outputs: 512 words = 16 slots x 16 AO x 4 bytes (2 words) each
  V30000-V37777 - EBC/EBC100 device info
  V40400-V40477 - EBC/EBC100 Discrete output memory
  V40500-V40577 - EBC/EBC100 Discrete input memory
  V40600-V60677 - Emulated C-bit memory
  V41200-V41237 - Emulated SP-bit memory
  
  V160000-V163777 - EBC/EBC100 Discrete output memory
  V164000-V167777 - EBC/EBC100 Discrete input memory
  V170000-V171777 - Emulated C-bit memory (1024 bits)
  V177000-V177617 - Emulated SP-bit memory (512 bits)

NOTE: If you have questions regarding the Modbus Slave and K-Seq Slave modes, please do not ask Automation Direct (because they will be unfamiliar with them) but ask us (Host Engineering, Inc.).

FAQ0031 (see also PSCM FAQ0002)
10-Apr-2007
Q: How do I update the firmware or booter for my H0-PSCM module?
A: On the top of the H0-PSCM module there is an RS232C RJ12 serial port connector. It can be accessed by opening the little door for that slot in the DL05 or DL06. The port is identical to an RJ12 serial port on the DL PLCs. To perform the update:

1. Connect your PC's COM port to the RJ12 of the H0-PSCM using the standard DL PLC serial cable.
2. Start NetEdit.
3. In NetEdit select, Network --> Protocol --> Serial --> (your PC's COM port). NetEdit will then display the H0-PSCM.
4. Right-click on the H0-PSCM and select Update Firmware (or Update Booter).
5. Choose the firmware or booter file from HAPTools\Images\H0-PSCM folder.

FAQ0032  (see also EBC FAQ0076; ECOM FAQ0092; EDRV FAQ0023; ERM FAQ0050; )
23-May-2007
Q: Can firmware upgrades be performed over a remote network (e.g. over the Internet)?
A: Not normally, no. The reason is because NetEdit must be able to see the Host Ethernet device in his list. The list is compiled by NetEdit sending out a broadcast and having all the Host Ethernet devices respond. Since the Internet will block all broadcasting, then the list will always be blank. However, it is possible to configure a VPN (Virtual Private Network) between the locations and configure the VPN in such a way as to allow broadcasting.

FAQ0033
15-Aug-2007
Q: What Windows operating systems does NetEdit work with?
A:  See the following chart: