Fieldpoint error messages.

Question

Hello,
We are using Fieldpoint with Lookout and are having problems with
occasional comms errors. We have setup a test system in our office and
failed the comms, which generates an alarm message. However we are now
having problems understanding precisely what part of the message is
telling us.
The test system's "description" section of the message reads; 'No
response within timeout period:01!K'
The customer's "description" section of the message reads; 'No response
within timeout period:05!G'
What does ":01!K" and ":05!G" mean as we haven't yet found this
documented anywhere.
Regards,
David Crofts.
Acquisition Systems Ltd.

Answer 1

David,
There are two separate parts of the message that you need to decode. The ":xy", where x and y are integers, tells you which module was addressed by the command that failed. In this case, the modules that are not responding are at address 1 and address 5. The "!K" and "!G" are the actual command that was sent to the module. These commands are documented in the FP-1000/1001 Programmers Reference Manual at: http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/321632c.pdf
In this case, I can tell that you have a Discrete module at address 1 and an Analog or Counter module at address 5. "!K" is Read Discrete with Status and "!G" is Read Analog with Status.
The no response within timeout period is most typically seen in the following cases:
1) The timeout period is too short for the baud r
ate (higher baud rates allow lower time-out periods).
2) There are intermittent communication failures. This can be due to loose cabling.
3) Failing serial port in either the computer or the FP-1000/1001
4) Power failure to the FP-1000/1001
5) Other cabling issues.
Regards,
Aaron