TcEventLogger and IO

The TwinCAT 3 EventLogger provides an interface for the exchange of messages between TwinCAT components and non-TwinCAT components.

Refer to the explanations in the TwinCAT EventLogger documentation, e.g. in the Beckhoff InfoSys https://infosys.beckhoff.com/ → TwinCAT 3 → TE1000 XAE → Technologies → EventLogger.

The EventLogger saves to a local database under ..\TwinCAT\3.1\Boot\LoggedEvents.db and, unlike the VisualStudio Error Window, is designed for continuous recording.

IO devices can also be a source of messages. If so-called DiagMessages are generated in the IO device, they can be collected by TwinCAT over EtherCAT and displayed in the TcEventLogger with the appropriate device setting. This facilitates the central management of events that hinder operation, as a textual diagnosis no longer needs to be programmed out in the application for each individual IO device. The messages/events can be displayed directly in the TwinCAT HMI, for example, and thus facilitate the diagnosis.

Notes:

• This feature is supported from TwinCAT 3.1 build 4022.16.
• TwinCAT may be in the RUN or CONFIG mode
• On the manufacturer side, the IO device regarded must (1) generate local DiagMessages and (2) be fundamentally capable of transmitting them as events over EtherCAT. This is not the case with all EtherCAT IO devices/terminals/box modules from Beckhoff.

The messages managed by the EventLogger can be output in or read from

• the HMI → EventGrid
• C#
• the PLC
• TwinCAT Engineering → Logged Events

The use of the EventLogger with EtherCAT IO with TwinCAT 3.1 build 4022.22 during commissioning is explained below.

• The EventLogger window may need to be displayed in the TwinCAT Engineering



• Some DiagMessages and the resulting Logged Events are shown below, taking an ELM3602-0002 as an example



• Filtering by entries and language is possible in the Logger window.
  German: 1031
  English: 1033



• If an EtherCAT slave is enabled by default to transmit DiagMessages as events over EtherCAT, this can be activated/deactivated for each individual slave in the CoE 0x10F3:05. TRUE means that the slave provides events for collection via EtherCAT, while FALSE deactivates the function.



• In the respective EtherCAT slave, various "causes" can lead to it transmitting DiagMessages or events. If only some of these are to be generated, you can read in the device documentation whether and how individual causes can be deactivated, e.g. through CoE settings.
• Settings for the TwinCAT EventLogger can be found under Tools/Options