PlcConsole

Registers

These screens cover the direct register workflows: reading values, writing values, issuing discrete controls and keeping a watchlist.

Manual Home

Register Workflows Register Tools Read Registers - Value Read Registers - Status Write Register - Discrete Write Register - Continuous Control Register Watchlist

Register Workflows

Register-driven pages share a common interaction model. The selected register family defines the valid address range and the step size, the text fields validate locally as you type and the command button stays disabled until the current values are acceptable.

The Register Specification section shows the selected family's width and valid address range. Use the numeric fields or the minus and plus buttons; the controls stop at the permitted range. The default family comes from Preferences, while each screen can keep an explicit local display-format choice for its results.

Use Read Registers for a one-time contiguous range. Use Write Register to assign a bit or numeric value. Use Control Register for a discrete action supported by the selected family. Use Watchlist when the same small set of registers must refresh repeatedly while the app is active.

Read mode: Read Registers can switch between value and status display when the selected family supports it, which matters for families that can report discrete state instead of raw numbers.

Write intent: Write Register uses a toggle for bit values and numeric input for wider values so the user does not need to infer the final bit state from a text field.

Control and watch: Control Register is reserved for discrete on/off style control actions and Watchlist refreshes the chosen registers repeatedly so a live value shift is obvious at a glance.

Every command screen disables its primary action until its register input is valid and no conflicting command is running. Failures appear as a popup and in Last Error. Successful write and control operations retain a Last Command summary, while reads display returned values in the result section.

Register Tools

Read Registers - Value

Read Registers screen showing values for a register range

Description

This screen reads a contiguous register range and renders the result using the selected display format. The family picker controls the allowed address range and the address step, so the input row is really a compact register specification rather than three unrelated fields.

Mode: The Mode picker only matters when the family supports status reads; otherwise value mode is forced.

Validation: The width and address-range summary explains why a range is valid or rejected, which is useful when the start address or count is not aligned.

Range limit: Number of Registers is limited by the selected family's maximum read count and by the remaining valid addresses from the chosen start address. Free also limits one read request to 4 registers, while Pro can read larger contiguous ranges.

History: The read operation writes history entries that preserve both the register range and the returned values.

Read Registers - Status

Read Registers screen showing status display for discrete registers

Description

Status mode is used when the selected family can report a meaningful on/off or enabled/disabled result instead of a raw numeric value. The screen swaps the result header and row wording so the user reads state, not just numbers, which matters when the register family is really exposing discrete hardware state.

Family support: Status mode is only available when the family supports it, which keeps the UI from implying unsupported hardware behavior.

Validation: The same address-range validation still applies, so the row count cannot extend past the valid family range.

Use case: The status rows are useful when the goal is to see state changes rather than raw register content.

Write Register - Discrete

Write Register screen in discrete toggle mode for a bit register

Description

Bit-family writes use a toggle because the editable value is fundamentally boolean. The toggle changes the value that will be written and the screen keeps that editable state separate from the last committed PLC value so the control does not get stuck after a successful write.

Normalization: The screen normalizes the written value to 0 or 1 after success and updates the local text state accordingly.

State separation: This avoids the common confusion where the last written PLC state would otherwise override the edit control.

Validation: The command button remains disabled until the family, address and discrete value are all valid.

Write Register - Continuous

Write Register screen for a continuous register with numeric value input

Description

Continuous families use a text field because the register can carry a wider numeric value and the user may want to enter it in decimal, hexadecimal or binary form. The screen reformats the value after a successful write so the local edit state and the confirmed PLC write stay in sync.

Validation: Validation happens before the write command is allowed to run, which keeps invalid numeric text from reaching the transport layer.

Input syntax: Enter decimal values such as 123, hexadecimal values prefixed with 0x such as 0x7B or binary values prefixed with 0b such as 0b1111011. Values beyond the selected bit, word or double-word capacity are rejected.

Display format: The selected display format is reused when the success summary is shown, so the user sees the value in the format they expect.

Confirmation: The last command section gives the register address and written value for quick confirmation. It confirms the write command outcome; PlcConsole does not perform an extra PLC readback automatically.

Control Register

Description

Control Register is the deliberate discrete-action screen. It uses a family picker limited to discrete families, an address field and an action picker so the user can choose the target and the meaning of the action before anything is sent.

Last command: The last-command section shows the register and the control action after a successful send.

Error path: The same failure popup and persistent last-error section are reused here, so a command failure remains visible after the popup is dismissed.

Intent: The screen is not for arbitrary values; it is for explicit set, enable or disable style commands.

Watchlist

Description

Watchlist is the repeatedly refreshed register board. It keeps a small set of chosen registers visible, stores the latest values and marks rows that changed since the last refresh so you can watch live behavior instead of manually polling one register at a time.

Cadence: The refresh interval comes from Preferences, so the cadence is consistent across launches.

Highlights: Changed rows are highlighted so you can spot movement quickly, including the long binary render used for wide values.

Watch state: Add one or more registers, then select Watch. Stop Watching, leaving the screen or sending the app to the background stops polling. While watching, add, remove and clear actions are disabled to keep the watched set stable.

Initial and duplicate entries: A newly added register shows Not read until Refresh or Watch obtains a value. PlcConsole prevents adding the same register family and address more than once.