Compatible Devices
- G3, Data Station Plus, Modular Controller
- CompactLogix and ControlLogix PLCs (Ethernet only) [tnoi39 | Word]
Overview
- Uses L5K file import to access PLC tags by name
- Works with:
- CompactLogix CPUs
- ControlLogix CPUs or Ethernet cards
- Driver automatically detects:
- Data types (Timers, Counters, Reals, etc.)
- UDTs
- Aliases [tnoi39 | Word]
Limitations
- Only Controller Tags supported
- Program tags not accessible
-
Direct I/O not supported
- Work around using PLC aliases
- Unresolved aliases default to double word [tnoi39 | Word]
Generating L5K File
In RSLogix 5000:
- Open project
- File → Save As
- Select file type: L5K
- Save file [tnoi39 | Word]
Driver Selection (Crimson)
- Port: Ethernet
- Mode: Manual Configuration
- Set G3 IP address
Driver: Allen Bradley → Native Tags via L5K [tnoi39 | Word]
Device Setup
Configure:
- PLC IP address (example: 192.168.1.20)
- Slot number (example: 0) [tnoi39 | Word]
Import PLC Tags
- Click View Tag Names
- Click Import
- Select L5K file
Notes:
- Imports all controller tags
- No Crimson tags are auto-created
- Errors show line number if import fails
- Use Validate All Tags to verify mappings after re-import [tnoi39 | Word]
Mapping Tags
Basic Mapping
- Create tag in Crimson
- Select PLC device (PLC1)
- Choose PLC tag
Example: Var1 → PLC tag Var1 [tnoi39 | Word]
Array Mapping — Single Element
Example: Array_DInt[4] → single Crimson tag [tnoi39 | Word]
Array Mapping — Full/Partial Transfer
- Map PLC array to Crimson array
- Set starting index
Behavior:
- Start index = first PLC element → Crimson index 0
- Size must stay within PLC array bounds [tnoi39 | Word]
Array Examples
- PLCArray[10], start 0 → transfer 10 elements
- PLCArray[10], start 6 → transfer last 4 elements [tnoi39 | Word]
Special Tag Handling
-
String tags
- Appear as arrays
- Can map directly to string tags
-
UDT tags
- Expanded in tag view
- Hidden helper tags may appear (ignore) [tnoi39 | Word]
Gateway / Protocol Conversion
Named-data driver limitation:
- Cannot directly use single tags for gateway blocks
Solutions
- Create gateway block under target device
→ Drag/drop PLC tag names - Use array tag in PLC → Map gateway block to array
→ Use block size = array size [tnoi39 | Word]
Summary
- L5K driver enables tag-name access
- Requires L5K export from PLC
- Supports UDTs and arrays
- Uses Ethernet only
- Gateway blocks must use:
- arrays or
- target-device-side mapping [tnoi39 | Word]
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