Client Support Area
The easiest way to determine if the client application
is talking with KEPServerEX is to check the connection status
bar. The connection status bar is located at the lower right
edge of the KEPServeEX window.
The status bar must display at least one Active Client and one of one Active tags
or the KEPServerEX communication driver in use will not poll the PLC or device to
request data. If the Connection Status Bar is blank, then no client application
is connected to the server and no data is being requested. This tells you that
the problem lies between the OPC client application and KEPServerEX. Listed below
are some of the more common client/server connection problems:
1. The client application is not in Run mode. All users should be aware
that KEPServerEX will not attempt to talk to their target device or show any
active tags until they run their OPC client application.
2. The configuration of the KEPServerEX program ID in the OPC client is
incorrect. Check the OPC setup in the OPC client you are using. The example
below shows a screen shot of the connection properties window of our free OPC
Quick Client:
As shown the proper "Prog ID" for KEPServerEX is Kepware.KEPServerEX.V4". Case
is not important so don't worry if the user enters it as all lower case. HMI client
products may also refer to the Prog ID as the "OPC Server Name", "Server Name", "Server
Address", or "OPC Server".
3. Another possible issue can also be incorrect tag item names. If you enter bad tag
items you may see KEPServerEX report that it has a client connection but Zero of Zero
tags will be active. Check the KEPServerEX Event window for error messages.
4. Another possible issue could be DCOM configuration. Under most circumstances
KEPServerEX will install itself and properly configure its own DCOM settings to work
properly with OPC client applications. DCOM issues form the body of our complete DCOM
configuration document. See DCOM issues Before editing DCOM perform the alternate
test in step 5 below.
5. Another way to test the DCOM settings is to use the OPC Quick Client provided
with KEPServerEX. Invoke the Quick Client using the tool bar icon on KEPServerEX
as shown here by the arrow:
Once you click on the Quick Client button the Quick Client will be launched.
The Quick Client will then automatically browse KEPServerEX for any available tags.
If this works correctly then you know the DCOM settings are OK and the problem may
be in the OPC client application.
6. The final step is to make sure that you are familiar with the OPC connectivity
guide provided with the KEPServerEX package. This guide gives
step-by-step instructions for getting OPC data into a wide
variety of client products.
Technical Support Form
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