For this C-more panel and SLC 5/05, FTP gets the existing log off the panel; it does not make the log a shared, analysis-ready Excel table. Keep the current log as a temporary data source, then correct the event trigger and record layout so each downtime event has a consistent reason and usable timestamps.
Stop relying on quick fixes that do not structure the data
Copying a log file solves transport, not the one-line import or misaligned date/time problem. Transposing a single line in Excel also does not repair inconsistent record boundaries: it can put values in columns without preserving which timestamp belongs to which reason.
| Quick fix | Why it fails | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Enable FTP and open the file in Excel | FTP transfers the panel’s file; it does not change the log format or guarantee that Excel parses fields and timestamps correctly. | Retrieving files for a controlled import. |
| Transpose the imported line | Transposing changes row/column orientation, not missing delimiters, inconsistent timestamps, or event meaning. | A one-time layout adjustment after confirming the data is already structured. |
| Set alarm minimum and maximum equal to a fault code | The described Alarm Action Tag Event activates when the tag is outside the configured range, not when it equals a constant. With Min = 0 and Max = 0, values -1 or 1 are outside; 0 is not. | Only when the alarm condition is intentionally based on crossing outside a range. |
| Assign adjacent ranges to adjacent fault codes | A value inside the range does not trigger an outside-range event. Changing the code values around ranges does not turn the alarm into an equality comparison. | Do not use this as an equality-trigger workaround. |
Separate the machine state from the downtime event
The PLC integer N7:9 represents a state or selected code in the described logic: examples include system ready, running, inverter fault, and table empty. That value alone does not necessarily say when a downtime incident began, when it ended, or whether another condition is preventing restart. A duration calculation needs event boundaries, not just a current-state snapshot.
The existing C-more multistate text indicator uses its log message function and writes a date-named text file to compact flash. The reported file opens in Excel, but its data arrives on one line and date/time fields do not consistently line up. First inspect the actual file as text. Identify the record separator, field delimiter, timestamp representation, and whether each message contains one complete event. The discussion refers to CSV log files generally, but the installation produced a TXT file; use the actual panel output rather than assuming the extension determines the format.
Separate two questions in the PLC/HMI design: what condition stopped the machine, and what condition currently prevents restart. Preserve the applicable reason code or message for each transition. A fault list that changes as interlocks clear can otherwise lose the original stop cause before someone reviews the log.
Choose a log retrieval path that fits the shift
For immediate retrieval, use one of the three described paths. Check the installed panel configuration and project before changing network settings or removing media.
- FTP: Enable the panel’s FTP service in its network settings, connect with an FTP client to the panel IP address, and copy the log file from compact flash. Confirm the file opens as text before importing it. FTP exposes a service on the control network; restrict access to the required network and disable it when the transfer method no longer needs it.
- Compact flash: Remove the card and read it on a PC card reader. Use this when the panel is not reachable over the network or when a controlled offline copy is preferable. Do not remove media while the panel is writing to it.
-
USB copy: If the project and panel support the described system tags, add a deliberate operator action using
SYS Copy LogToUSB. Before removing the drive, useSYS USB Ejectand monitorSYS USB WriteStatusuntil writing has stopped. Confirm these tag names and behavior in the documentation for the installed C-more software/panel revision before using them.
A copied file is not automatically a multi-user network report. Move the file to an approved shared network location after the copy completes. For live or routine shift reporting, define who retrieves the file, how it is named, and how the team avoids overwriting a prior shift’s data.
Replace equality alarms with a trigger the HMI can detect
In the described Alarm Action Tag Event, the alarm fires when the monitored value falls below the minimum or rises above the maximum. It does not fire merely because a value equals a constant. Therefore, configuring Min = 1 and Max = 1 will not log the transition to code 1 under that stated outside-range behavior.
The straightforward workaround offered for this system is a PLC bit that turns on for the event and triggers the HMI event from that bit. Although one bit per fault consumes more PLC tags, it makes each event condition explicit and avoids trying to make a range alarm perform an equality test. For more than 30 fault reasons, document the mapping between each event bit/message and its reason so maintenance staff can identify the logged condition.
If retaining one integer is a firm requirement, stop before assigning codes to artificial numeric gaps. Confirm the installed HMI’s available event conditions and how it detects tag changes in its current manual/software revision. Choose a supported equality or value-change trigger if available, or have the PLC generate a dedicated event trigger while retaining the integer as the reason code. Do not deploy the range workaround unless a bench test proves the desired code transitions actually trigger and log the correct message.
Make each downtime record importable and calculable
Configure the event message so a record consistently identifies the reason and the relevant event time. At minimum, the data model must distinguish the reason code/text from the timestamp and must provide a start and end time—or another unambiguous pair of event transitions—for duration calculations. The existing log may need separate records for stop and return-to-running events; verify the panel’s actual message behavior rather than assuming it creates paired records automatically.
Import the file into Excel as delimited text rather than transposing it blindly. In the import preview, confirm that each event is a separate row and that timestamp, reason code, and message land in the intended columns. Choose the delimiter that is actually present in the file, then confirm Excel interpreted date/time values as dates and times rather than plain text. A date such as the installation’s filename example 061106.txt is ambiguous without a known date convention; do not infer its century or month/day order from the filename alone.
Once start and end timestamps are in valid Excel date/time cells, calculate incident duration by subtracting the start timestamp from the end timestamp. Group or sum those durations by the reason field and shift period. Validate a few incidents manually against the source log before publishing totals; incorrect field alignment or a timestamp imported as text can produce plausible-looking but wrong results.
Verify the log from PLC transition through shared report
- With the machine in a safe test condition, cause or simulate one known reason transition and confirm the PLC value/bit changes as designed.
- Confirm the HMI creates one correctly labeled record for the intended event. Test both the event start and the condition clearing or machine restart if both boundaries are required for duration.
- Retrieve the file through the chosen FTP, card-reader, or USB path. Compare the copied file to the panel’s source file and verify that the final write has completed before removing media.
- Import a small test file into Excel. Check row boundaries, delimiters, reason labels, date interpretation, and duration arithmetic against manually checked timestamps.
- Place the validated report in the shared network folder and have a second authorized user open it. Verify that the agreed naming and shift aggregation do not overwrite or combine unrelated files.
Do not treat a successfully copied file as proof that the event history is complete. If the log misses transitions, repeats messages, or cannot distinguish stop from restart, correct the trigger/message design before using its totals for downtime reporting.
FAQ
How do I get C-more log files into Excel?
Retrieve the panel log through enabled FTP, compact-flash card reader, or the configured USB-copy function. Import the actual TXT/CSV content as delimited text and verify that each event and timestamp lands in its own field.
How do I make a C-more alarm trigger when an integer equals a fault code?
The described Alarm Action Tag Event triggers outside its minimum/maximum range, not at equality. Use a PLC event bit as the trigger, or verify that the installed C-more revision supports a suitable equality or value-change event condition.
How do I calculate downtime per fault in Excel?
Log a reason and valid start and end timestamps for each incident, import them as separate fields, then subtract start from end and group or sum durations by reason and shift. Check sample calculations against the source log before sharing totals.
Stop and escalate to AutomationDirect’s official support channel or the machine’s controls integrator if the installed panel revision does not match the documented FTP/USB behavior, if removing media risks interrupting a write, or if the HMI cannot produce reliable event boundaries. Provide the panel model, software revision, a sample log file with sensitive data removed, and the tested PLC/HMI trigger behavior.