Setting Multiple Controllers on an HMI
Some applications may require multiple protocols to be setup on one HMI. This is possible as long as there are available ports. This is explained in further detail below.
The same port cannot be used for multiple controllers/protocols.
XP Builder projects require at least one controller be setup. This is typically done when the program is created but can also be changed and set at at point in the "Project Properties". In the below example, controller 0 is utilizing COM2 as a Modbus RTU Master over RS232.
A second controller can be added by clicking the "Add Controller" button. Going through the settings for this new controller, it is important to ensure a different port is selected. For this specific HMI, you can see we change the protocol to RS485, then COM3 is selected.
If a communication port is selected twice, the software will pop up with an error like below. Correct the error by reassigning the duplicated port.
Once the above settings have been properly setup, there will then be a dropdown available for mapping new object to the HMI program. The drop down will consist of both independent controllers which were setup.