Hey everyone, I need help converting a String tag with a HEX value such as "A1C8" into a DINT value like "41416". I've attempted using the STOD instruction, but it only works with numerical values in string format and requires the string to be in decimal. Is there another method or instruction that can accomplish this conversion? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, AJ.
To convert a hex string to an integer, you will need to process it character by character. You can search for solutions by looking up "hex string" and "int" on various forums. It is possible that someone has already created a tool or shared code to simplify this process. Essentially, you will need to take the 8-bit integer value in string.DATA[index], subtract 48 (ASCII code for '0'), convert the value to uppercase by clearing bit 5, and if the value is greater than 9, subtract 7 before adding it to a running total. Each calculation should be multiplied by 16 before moving on to the next character. Keep in mind that '@' (code 64) is right before 'A' (code 65) in the ASCII sequence.
In order to convert a hex string into an integer value, you will need to process it character by character. You can refer to discussions on this forum by searching for "hex string" and "int" to find helpful solutions or code snippets. Essentially, the process involves taking the 8-bit integer value in string.DATA[index], subtracting 48 (the ASCII code for '0'), converting the value to uppercase, subtracting 7 if the value is greater than 9, and adding it to a running total. The running total should then be multiplied by 16 before moving to the next character. It is also important to handle cases where the hex string has 8 characters with the first character being '8' or greater, as this may result in a negative DINT value.
To efficiently convert a HEX string character by character, start by converting the string to uppercase using the "UPPER" instruction. Then, analyze the length of the string by checking the .LEN member of the tag. This will guide you to the least significant character of the HEX string at HexTag.DATA[LEN-1]. The DATA member of the STRING tag comprises a SINT array with the ASCII values of each character stored accordingly. By changing the Style of the tag to Decimal in the tag database, you can view the integer values associated with each character. Additionally, refer to an ASCII table for a comprehensive list of ASCII codes, characters, symbols, and signs. It is crucial to ensure that each character falls within the valid ASCII ranges. Numeric digits 0-9 correspond to ASCII 48-57, while A-F corresponds to ASCII 65-70. Any values outside these ranges post-conversion to uppercase are considered invalid. To streamline this process and handle errors effectively, consider encapsulating it within an AOI that can provide an error code for further troubleshooting (0 indicating success, while other numbers signify specific issues encountered).
A big thank you to @drbitboy and @joseph_e2 for providing such detailed explanations! Thanks to them, I was able to successfully solve the problem in my very first ladder program. - AJ
Hey AJ, you can try using the STRTOHEX function first to convert your hex string to a standard string, and then you can use the STOD instruction to convert that string to a DINT. That should work seamlessly. However, if you're working with a PLC platform, keep in mind it might be more efficient to handle this conversion with RSLogix using the 'ATOI' and 'ITOA' commands. Happy coding!
Hi AJ, if you're working with hex values, a potential method might be using CPT instructions combined with an unmask operation. First, you'd unmask your hex string into the corresponding ASCIIs, then you will convert them using CPT instruction. The ASCII will just change the context and doesn't require actual conversion. Remember, in ASCII, 'A' is '41,' hence 'A1' would equally be '4131', that sort of thing. Let me know if this helps or if you need further clarification.
Hey AJ, you might want to try using a combination of string manipulation functions to convert the HEX string to an integer. Begin by using the 'STRING_TO_HEX' function, if your programming environment allows it, to convert the HEX string to its numeric value. Then, you can cast that result to a DINT. If that's not available, consider manually parsing the HEX string and calculating its decimal equivalent using bit shifts. Just remember that each character in HEX represents a value from 0 to 15, so you'll have to take that into account as you build the number. Hope this helps!
Hey AJ! It sounds like you’re on the right track with the conversion, but since STOD only deals with decimals, you might want to try using a combination of string manipulation and numeric conversion. One approach is to first convert the HEX string to a number using a function that can interpret HEX values, and then convert that to a DINT. If your platform supports it, functions like `HexToDInt()` or similar might be available. If not, you could manually parse the string and compute the DINT value by multiplying each digit's decimal equivalent by the appropriate power of 16. Hope that helps!
Hey AJ, to convert a HEX string like "A1C8" into a DINT value in a PLC program, you can use the `H_TO_DINT` instruction if it's available in your programming environment. This function is specifically designed for converting hexadecimal strings directly to DINT. If your system doesn't have it, you could split the HEX string into individual characters, convert those to their corresponding decimal values, and then assemble the DINT from there. Just make sure to handle the base conversion correctly! I hope that helps!
Hey AJ! Instead of using STOD, you might want to consider using a combination of STOD and some string manipulation to first convert the HEX string into a decimal value. You can break down the hex string into its individual components, convert each part to decimal using a custom function, and then combine them. Alternatively, check if your PLC supports built-in functions for hex conversion or look for a library that might offer this feature. Good luck!
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Answer: Answer: Studio 5000 doesn't have a direct instruction to convert a HEX String to an Integer. One way to achieve this is by converting the HEX String to a decimal value first and then converting it to an Integer.
Answer: Answer: The STOD instruction in Studio 5000 is designed to work with numerical values in string format and requires the string to be in decimal. It may not directly convert a HEX String to an Integer.
Answer: Answer: One alternative method is to write custom logic using bit manipulation instructions or conversion algorithms to convert a HEX String to an Integer in Studio 5000.
Answer: Answer: Studio 5000 may not have a built-in function block specifically for converting HEX values to integers. Custom logic implementation may be required for this conversion task.
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