Rockware corp Rockbox sps-100 Installation guide

ROCKWARECORP

IndustrialBarCodeLabelPrintingSystem

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SerialPrintServer

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TECHNICALTRAININGGUIDE

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Overview .............................................................................................................................. 2

A)Configuration ...................................................................................................................3

B)Installation ....................................................................................................................... 6

C)MissionControl................................................................................................................ 7

D)Studio............................................................................................................................... 9

E)PrintOnDemand............................................................................................................ 12

F)ViewandConfigurefromaRemoteComputer.............................................................. 13

G)SystemBackupandRestoration .................................................................................... 14

H)SystemTroubleshooting ................................................................................................ 15

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ROCKBOX™

TechnicalTrainingGuide

Overview

TheSPS‐100SerialPrintServerisacombinationofindustrialhardwareandsoftwaretoprovidedynamic

barcodelabelprintingthatcanbetriggeredbyanin‐processPLC(ProgrammableLogicController).This

guideisintendedtoaidinconfiguration,installation,labeldesign,andtroubleshootingoftheRockbox.

TheSPS‐100ispoweredby110VACandisequippedtohandleupto4independentindustrialprinters

viaRS‐232Serialinterface.Thisguideisintendedtoaidintheconfiguration,installation,labeldesign,

andtroubleshootingoftheRockbox.Belowliststerminologyanddefinitionsusedthroughoutthisguide.

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TermDefinition

RockboxReferstotheSPS‐100hardwareandoverallsystem.

PLCReferstothePLCprovidingtheprinttriggerbitandlabelnumberregister.

NetworkReferstothecommonEthernetnetworkthePLCandtheRockboxareconnected

to.

StudioReferstotheapplicationintendedforlabelandtemplatecreationand

modification.TheexecutablefileforthisapplicationisSPS100_Studioandisstored

intheC:\RockwaredirectoryoftheRockbox.

MissionControlReferstotheapplicationintendedforreadingvaluesfromPLCandforprinting

labelsautomaticallyandmanually.Theexecutablefileforthisapplicationis

SerialPrint.exeandisstoredintheC:\RockwaredirectoryoftheRockbox.

RemoteComputerReferstoadesktoporlaptopcomputerthatispermanentlyortemporarily

connectedtotheNetworkandconnectstoRockboxviaRemoteDesktopandthe

Studioapplication.

Magic.StickUSBFlashDriveusedforsystemfilebackup

DatabaseMSSQLServerExpressdatabaseusedforstoringconfigurationsettingandlabel

formatting.Back‐upFiles(.bak)areusedtobackupandrestoredata.

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SeeNetworkdiagrambelowforgeneralsystemlayout.

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Revision1.0‐2of15

RemoteCom

uter

USBtoRS232Converter(OnePerChannel)

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PLC

Network

Rockbox

IndustrialPrinter

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TechnicalTrainingGuide

A)Configuration

RockboxSPS‐100scanbeorderedcompletelypreconfigured.Belowareinstructionsformanually

configuring.

1. ConnectkeyboardandmousetoavailabletwoavailableUSBportsandconnectamonitortothe

VGAportonbackontheRockbox.

2. PressPowerButtononfrontoftheRockbox.

ure 1

3. SetIPAddressandsubnetmasktoauniqueaddresscompatiblewiththe

triggeringPLC.

oDoubleclickNetworkConnectionsshortcutonthedesktop.(SeeFigure1)

oRightclickonLocalAreaConnectionandleftclickProperties.(SeeFigure2)

oLeftclickonInternetProtocol(TCP/IP)andleftclickProperties.(SeeFigure3)

oManuallysetIPAddressandSubnetMasktoallowEthernetcommunicationtoPLCand

computersonthelocalnetwork.(SeeFigure4)

Fi

ure2

Revision1.0‐3of15

ure4Fi

ure3



ure5

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4. ConfigureOPCServersoftwareKepserverExtoallowreadingofprinttriggerbitand

labelnumberregisterfromPLC.

oDoubleclickKepserverExshortcutondesktop.(SeeFigure5)

oApreconfiguredKepserverChannelandDeviceshouldbepresent.The

Channel’snameisSPS100andtheDevice’snameisSPS1.TheSPS‐100system

requirestheChannelandDevicenametobeSPS100andSPS1respectivelyorOPC

communicationwillnotworkproperly.(SeeFigure6)

oTheKepserverChannelpropertiescanbeaccessedbyrightclickingtheChannel(SPS100)and

leftclickingProperties.ThedevicedriverneedstobecorrectforthemakeandmodelofPLC.

IfthissettingisnotcorrectdeleteChannelandcreateanewChannelnamedSPS100along

withanewDevicenamedSPS1.SelectthecorrectDeviceDriver.Usedefaultvaluesforall

othersettings.(SeeFigure7)

oTheKepserverDevicepropertiescanbeaccessedbyrightclickingtheDevice(SPS1)andleft

clickingProperties.ChangetheIPAddressoftheDevicetotheaddressofthePLC.(See

Figure8)

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TechnicalTrainingGuide

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ure6Figure7Figure8

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Channel

Device

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5. ConfigureSPS‐100ComportChannelsandMaintenanceFunctions.

oLeftClickonMissionControltabintaskbar(SeeFigure9).ClickonSettingsButtonin

MissionControl(SeeFigure10).

Figure10

Figure9

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oEnterPassword(spsisdefault)(SeeFigure11).Makemodificationswhereneeded.Click

SAVEDATAwhenfinishedwithmodifications(SeeFigure12).

Figure11

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Revision1.0‐4of15

TechnicalTrainingGuide

Figure12SaveModifications

ClicktomodifyPLC

AddressesforTriggerand

LabelNumber



FrequencyofAuto

Backups

BackupFileLocation

and Name

NumberofDaystoStore

Error Log Messages

ComportNumber.IfChannelnot

used enter N/A

PasswordusedSystem

Wide.Defaultissps.

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ComportSetting.Makesure

PrinterdipswitchesmatchSPS‐100

settingsforeachChannel.



ChannelIDthatcanbeused toidentifywhat

Channelwasusedtoprinteachspecificlabel

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NormallyCOM8

NormallyCOM7

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6. ClickPLCAddressestoconfigurePrintTriggerandLabelNumberAddresses(SeeFigure13).

Figure13

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LabelNumberfor

Each Channel



PrintTriggerfor

Each Channel



EnterPLC

Addresses

ClicktoMake

Activeor

Inactive

ClicktoSave

Modifications

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Revision1.0‐5of15

TechnicalTrainingGuide

B)Installation

TheRockboxcanbeinstalledinsideawellventilatedelectricalcabinetormountedexternally(See

Figure14c).A110VACpowersourceisrequired.Cleanpowerandsurgeprotectionis

recommendedtopreventdevicefailuresduetoinconsistentpowerquality.TherearefourUSBto

RS‐232SerialconvertersthatarepluggedintothebackoftheRockbox.PredefinedUSBportshave

correspondingCOMnumberlabelstoidentifywhichComporteachUSBportconnectsto(SeeFigure

14a).ConnectserialcablesfromcorrespondingprinterstoapplicableUSBtoRS‐232Serial

converters(SeeFigure14b).Keyboard,mouse,andmonitorareoptionalanddonotneedtobe

connectedfortheRockboxtobeoperational.RemoteDesktopcanbesetuponanothercomputer

connectedtothenetworktoallowmonitoringandtroubleshootingofthesystem.SeeSectionF)

ViewandConfigurefromaRemoteComputerformoredetailonusingRemoteDesktop

Revision1.0‐6of15

Figure14a

Figure14b



Com

ortLabels



Figure14c

TechnicalTrainingGuide

C)MissionControl

Figure15

MissionControlistheapplicationthatmonitorschangesinprinttriggerandlabelnumbersfromthe

PLCandsendsapplicablelabelstringstoeachprinterwhentriggered.Thisapplicationmustbe

runningatalltimes.AnytimeaconfigurationorPLCAddresschangeismade,MissionControlwill

needtoberestarted.IfMissionControlisinadvertentlyorpurposelyshutdownitcanberestarted

bydoubleclickingthedesktopiconshowninFigure15.



Figure16







StartandStopOPC

Readingand

Writing

NumberofTimes

RanandSuccessful

Executions

Enable/Disable

WindowsTask

Manager

ClicktoView

PLCValues

TotalHourly

OPCReads

OPCErrorLastValue

Read

OPCReads

PerSecond

Status

Errorduring

Execution

Lastattempted

TimeStamp

FunctionButtons

LastPrintedLabel

Status

TheStatustextboxdisplayswhetherMissionControlisrunningornot.Green“Running”text

displayswhenPLCscanningisoccurringandred“Stopped”textdisplayswhenPLCscanningisnot

occurring.LeftclicktheStopButtontostopPLCscanningandleftclicktheStart‐ReloadButtonto

startorrestartPLCscanning.LeftclicktheShutdownButtontoshutdownMissionControl.Labels

willnotautomaticallyprintunlessMissionControlisstartedandPLCScanningis“Running”.Shutting

downMissionControland/orstoppingPLCscanningrequiresthesystempasswordtobeentered.

(SeeFigure16)



PLCTagValues

PLCtagvaluescanbemonitoredandviewedfortroubleshootingpurposes.Anychangesinvaluesof

theprintTriggerorLabelNumbervalueisrecordedintheR/W(Read/Write)andtheR/WperS

(Read/WriteperSecond)textboxes.TheactualvaluerecordedisshownintheValuestextboxand

anyPLCaddressingerrorswillbedisplayedbyred“Error”textintheErrortextbox.Usethesevalues

forquicktroubleshooting.Ifallvaluesarezero,novaluesaredisplayedorthereisred“Error”textin

Revision1.0‐7of15

TechnicalTrainingGuide

theErrortextboxtheremaybeaconfigurationissuethatwillpreventautomaticprinting.(See

Figure16)



ToviewActualPLCvaluesforeachChannel,leftclicktheViewButton.Ifthereisanetworkrelated

error,aKepserverconfigurationerror,oraPLCAddresserror,theQualityofthespecificvaluewill

display“BAD”.IfthevalueisbeingreadproperlythentheQualitywilldisplay“GOOD”.Ifdisplayed

valuesmatchactualvaluesinthePLC,thenallnetworkingandOPCconfigurationhasbeen

completedsuccessfully.(SeeFigure17)



Figure17



Maintenance–DatabaseBackupandDeletionofErrorLog

Maintenancefunctionsincludedatabasebackupanddeletionoferrorlog.ThenumberofScans

(plannedexecutions),thenumberofExecutions(successfulexecutions),andtheTimeStampofthe

lastMaintenanceeventoccurrenceisdisplayedintheMaintenancetextboxes.Ifthereisanerror

therewillbeared“Error”messageintheErrortextbox.Errorsusuallyarearesultofdatabase

backuplocationsbeingsettodirectoriesthatdon’texist.TheBack‐upFileLocationcanbechanged

inSettingsalongwiththefrequencyofBack‐upexecutionandthelengthoftimetosaveErrorLog

Messages.(SeeFigure16andFigure12)



LastPrintedLabel

TheLastPrintedLabelforeachChannelisdisplayedatthebottomoftheMissionControlPage.This

canbeusedasatroubleshootingtooltoviewexactlywhatgetssenttotheprinterincludingTime

Stampsanddynamictextthatmaychangefromonelabeltothenext.(SeeFigure16)



TaskManagerEnable/Disable

TheWindowsTaskManagerisdisabledonstartuptopreventMissionControlfrombeingshutdown

withoutknowledgeofthepasswordthroughWindows.TheWindowsTaskManagercanbeenabled

byclickingtheTaskManagerButtonandenteringthecorrectsystempassword.TheWindowsTask

Managercanbedisabledagainbydoingthesame.(SeeFigure16)

Revision1.0‐8of15

TechnicalTrainingGuide

D)Studio

TheRockwareSPS‐100X4Studioisastandaloneapplicationtoprovideaninterfaceforcreatinglabels

andlabeltemplates.LeftclicktheStudioButton(SeeFigure16)toopenordoubleclickonthedesktop

iconshowninFigure18.Thesystempasswordisrequiredtoopenthisapplication.SPS100_Studio.exe

istheexecutablefilefortheStudioapplicationfoundintheC:\RockwaredirectoryontheRockbox.This

filecanrunonanycomputerconnectedtothesamenetworkwithawindowsoperatingsystemand.NET

Framework3.5orhigher.SeeSectionF)ViewandConfigurefromaRemoteComputerformoredetail.

Figure18



Revision1.0‐9of15

SelectTemplate

to use for label.

Clicktostart

abel

ClicktoSAVEDATAafter

creatinganewlabelor

modifyinganexisting

label

View,Delete

ErrorLog

Exportall

labelformats

toatextfile

DeleteLabel

View,Add,

Modify,

Delete

Templates



Figure19



SelectLabeltomodify,

delete, o

rview

PLCLabel

value

LabelNamefor

Identification

LabelPreviewusing

Templateand

DynamicTextvalues

ChoosewhethertoprintAdd‐Hocor

Templateversionoflabelwhen

triggeredtoprint.

Ad‐Hocraw

formattingandtext.



Dynamic

Text 1

‐



LabelFormatting

LabelformattingcanbeperformedusingeitherTemplateorAd‐Hocformattingmethodsforeach

individuallabel.Templatescanbeusedtoutilizethesameformattingcodetoproducethesamelabel

formultipleproducts.TheTemplatemethodutilizesDynamicTexttochangeonlyapplicable

informationfromoneproducttoanother.Templatesprovidealesstimeconsumingmethodformaking

modificationssincechangesonlyhavetobemadetoonetemplateinsteadofmultiplelabels.Ad‐Hoc

allowsforunlimitedcustomizationforeachlabel;however,iflabelsusesimilarformatting,modifications

willrequirechangestoeachindividuallabel.Theformattingcodesyntaxwilldependonwhattypeof

IndustrialPrinterisbeingused(I.E.Intermec’sIPL®,Zebra’sZPL®).



TechnicalTrainingGuide

Revision1.0‐10of15

Thereare12reservedbracketedwordsthatcanbeusedtocreatedynamiclabels.Thefollowing10

DynamicTextreservedwordsarelabelspecificandcanonlybeusedwithTemplatelabels.



[TEXT1]

[TEXT2]

[TEXT3]

[TEXT4]

[TEXT5]

[TEXT6]

[TEXT7]

[TEXT8]

[TEXT9]

[TEXT10]



Placinganyofthesereservedwordsinalabeltemplatewillreplace“[TEXT#]”withthetextstoredfor

eachDynamicTextfieldforeachlabelintothetemplatewheneachlabelisprinted.



ThefollowingtworeservedbracketedwordscanbeusedforTemplateorAd‐Hoclabels.



[ID]

[TIMESTAMP]



Placing[ID]intoaTemplateorAd‐Hoclabelreplaces“[ID]”withtheChannelIDthatisenteredin

SettingsforeachChannelwhenthelabelisprinted.ThiswordisintendedtoidentifywhichChannel

printedeachspecificlabelinmulti‐channelsystems.Placing[TIMESTAMP]replaces[TIMESTAMP]with

thecurrentTimeStampoftheRockboxwheneachlabelisprinted.TheRockboxTimecanbemodified

bydoubleclickingthetimedisplayedinthebottomrighthandcornerofthetaskbarandmakingthe

requiredadjustments.TheTimeStampisprintedonthelabeland/orbarcodeinthefollowingformat:



ddmmyyhhnnss



d=day

m=month

y=year

h=hour

n=minutes

s=seconds



Labelsandtemplatescanbeaddedorchangedanytimeandchangeswillimmediatelytakeplacethe

nexttimeaprinttriggereventoccurs.



ThePLC#fieldisthelinkbetweenthePLCandtheSPS‐100database.ThevalueoftheassignedPLC

LabelNumberregisterforeachchannelwilldeterminewhichlabelwillautomaticallybeprintedwhen

printingistriggered.ItisimperativethatthenumbersenteredinthisfieldmatchthePLCforeachlabel.

(SeeFigure19)

TechnicalTrainingGuide

TemplateCreationandModification

Toadd,modify,ordeletetemplates,leftclicktheTemplatesButton(SeeFigure19).SeeFigure20for

detailonTemplateDesignPage.



Revision1.0‐11of15

ClicktoSAVEDATAafter

creatinganewtemplate

ormodifyinganexisting

template

Exportall

template

formatstoa

textfile



Clicktostart

New Template

Figure20



Figure21



LabelNamefor

Identification

SelectTemplateto

modify,delete,or

view

Delete

Template

DynamicText

insertion



Template

formatting

including

DynamicText,

TimeStamp,

andIDinsertion

TimeStamp

insertion

Printerspecific

formatting

instructions



ErrorLog

Toviewallrecordedsystemerrorsview,leftclicktheErrorLogButton(SeeFigure19).Somecommon

errorsthatwillgetrecordedinthislogincludeComportconnectionissuesandlabelstriggeredwitha

PLC#thatisinvalidordoesnotmatchanylabelslistedintheSPS‐100database.Errorswillperiodically

bedeletedduringMaintenanceevents.SeeSectionC)MissionControl‐Maintenance–Database

BackupandDeletionofErrorLogformoredetail.Thenumberofdayseacherrormessagewillbestored

canbemodifiedbychangingtheErrorLogStoragenumberofdaysinSettings(SeeFigure12).The

defaultis7days.TheErrorLoglayoutisshowninFigure21.

Exportall

errorstoa

textfile



Deleteall

errors

TechnicalTrainingGuide

E)PrintOnDemand

Tomanuallyprintlabelstotestcomportcommunications,totestalabelformat,ortobatchprint,left

clickthePrintOnDemandButton(SeeFigure16).AnylabelformatloadedintotheSPS‐100database

canberetrievedfromPLCID#‐LabelNamepull‐downs.Textcanbetypedorcopyandpastedintothe

whiteLabelEditorandcanbeprintedonanyofthefouravailablechannelsthatareconnectedtoa

printer.Thisisagoodwaytotestlabelformattingpriortorunninglive.Italsoisagoodwaytoensure

Channel/COMconfigurationiscorrect.BatchprintingcanbeperformedbyspecifyingtheQuantityof

LabelsandspecifyingtheTime(Seconds)BetweenLabelspriortoleftclickingPrint.(SeeFigure22)



Revision1.0‐12of15

ClicktosendLabel

EditorStringto

Printer

Clickto

ullinLabel

Figure22

SelectLabel

UsedforBatchPrintin

LabelEditor

cantype

copyorpaste

insideeditor

TechnicalTrainingGuide

F)ViewandConfigurefromaRemoteComputerF)ViewandConfigurefromaRemoteComputer

Onceconfiguredandconnectedtothenetwork,WindowsRemoteDesktopcanbeusedonastationary

ormobilecomputerconnectedtothenetworktologontotheRockboxfortroubleshootingor

configurationchanges.EntertheIPAddressassignedtotheRockboxintotheComputerTextBoxand

leftclickConnect(SeeFigure23).EntertrtguestasUserNameandleavethePasswordblank.When

finishedworkingonRockbox,DONOTLogOfforShutdowntheRockbox.LeftclickStartandleftclick

Disconnect(SeeFigure24).LoggingofforshuttingdownRockboxwillpreventSPS‐100fromfunctioning.

Onceconfiguredandconnectedtothenetwork,WindowsRemoteDesktopcanbeusedonastationary

ormobilecomputerconnectedtothenetworktologontotheRockboxfortroubleshootingor

configurationchanges.EntertheIPAddressassignedtotheRockboxintotheComputerTextBoxand

leftclickConnect(SeeFigure23).EntertrtguestasUserNameandleavethePasswordblank.When

finishedworkingonRockbox,DONOTLogOfforShutdowntheRockbox.LeftclickStartandleftclick

Disconnect(SeeFigure24).LoggingofforshuttingdownRockboxwillpreventSPS‐100fromfunctioning.

 Figure23



UserName:trtguestUserName:trtguest

Password:[blank]Password:[blank]



 Figure24



OnceaRockboxisinitiallyconfiguredandupandrunningitisusuallyunnecessarytoremoteintothe

Rockboxdesktop.Configurationchangeswillmostlikelyberelatedtoaddition,modification,and

deletionoflabeltemplatesandlabels.Studioisastand‐aloneapplicationthatwasintendedtorunon

notonlytheRockboxbutonanycomputerconnectedtothenetwork.TheSPS100_Studio.exeislocated

intheC:\Rockwaredirectory.ItcanbecopiedandpastedontoothercomputerstoallowStudiotobe

accessedwithouthavingtoremoteintotheRockbox.Thecomputermustbeconnectedtothesame

networkastheRockbox.ThefirsttimeStudioopensinanewlocationtheuserwillbeaskedtosetthe

IPAddressinaRedBoxlabeledServerIPAddress(SeeFigure25).EntertheIPAddressoftheRockbox

andleftclicktheSAVEbutton.Thisonlyneedstobedoneonetime.SeeSectionD)Studio