Select File > Open and open the RSLogix project you created earlier (I named mine TEST.RSS).Â In the dialog box that pops up put the Station # as 1 and click Ok.īelieve it or not but the emulator is now ready.Â Leave it running and go back to your project in RSLogix Micro. The emulator lets us test our work by running a virtual PLC.Â Weâ€™ll be able to download our program to it and run it in a very similar fashion to a real PLC.Â Start the emulator with the START > All Programs > Rockwell Software > RSLogix Emulate 500 > RSLogix Emulate 500 shortcut.Â Â The emulator is pictured below.Â I know.Â It doesnâ€™t look like much but it gets the job done. Save the project as something like Test.RSS in an easy place to find like My Documents. The next very important step is to verify the project with the Edit > Verify Project menu item.Â This will compile the project and get it ready for the emulator. You should now have something like below. Â Just leave the description pop up box empty by clicking OK. Next, click on the Output Energize Â instruction to add it to the right side of the rung.Â Double click on the question mark above it and enter O:0/0 as its output address. Now click on the â€œExamine if Closedâ€ Â instruction to add it to the rung.Â Double click on the question mark above it and enter I:0/0 as its input address.Â Just leave the description pop up box empty by clicking OK. Letâ€™s make a simple rung to test in our emulator.Â Make sure the cursor is on the rung with the END on it and then click the New Rung icon in the instruction toolbar. In my case Iâ€™ve chosen the simplest MicroLogix 1000 and then clicked the OK button.Â FYI, if you ever work with the purchased version of RSLogix 500 then there will be a lot more items in this hardware list.Â A blank project now opens up. Now for the moment weâ€™ve all been waiting for- creating some ladder logic.Â Open the RSLogix Micro software with the START > All Programs > Rockwell Software > RSLogix Micro English > RSLogix Micro English shortcut.Â Create a brand new project by pulling down the File menu and selecting New.Â Every project must start with a designated processor.Â Ok, thatâ€™s ready to go.Â Close the Configure Drivers dialog box and close RSLinx.Â Actually RSLinx is now running in the background and youâ€™ll probably see its little icon in the system tray. Your driver should now be running and look like the picture below. Leave the configuration options as Station Number 00 and click OK.You can give the driver a name but I just leave it at the default of EMU500-1.Â.Under the Available Drivers Types select the â€œSLC 500 (DH485) Emulator driverâ€ and click the Add Newâ€¦ button.Â.Under the Communications menu select Configure Drivers.Letâ€™s start by running the RSLinx software under the START > All Programs > Rockwell Software > RSLinx > RSLinx Classic shortcut.Â Follow these steps to set it up: RSLinx is the software RSLogix will use to communicate with your PLC or in our case to the emulator. Once youâ€™ve downloaded the software and extracted it then install RSLogix Micro followed by the RSLinx Classic Lite software.Â Next, install the RSLogix Emulate 500 software.

Note for Windows XP users:Â The bundled version of RSLinx only installs on Windows Pro and is not supported on Windows XP Home versions.Â To get around this I downloaded an older version of RSLinx Lite 2.50 from the Allen Bradley software update page

If you do not have a MicroLogix 1000 or 1100 to play with then download the RSLogix Emulate 500 software.Â Youâ€™ll be able to use this to simulate a real PLC. The RSLogix Micro Starter Lite software is only available as a download at If you are starting from scratch and do not have the RSLinx software then download the kit bundled with RSLinx Classic Lite.Â FYI, I find it a bit confusing but they also sell software called RSLogix Micro Starter which supports the full MicroLogix range. One of my most common questions is, â€œWhere can I get a free download of RSLogix 500?â€Â For any serious development with SLC500 or MicroLogix there is no free option but there is a nice free option if you only want to learn and/or program a MicroLogix 1000 or 1100.Â Programming a MicroLogix is very very similar to programming a SLC500 or in that case a PLC5 too.ÂĪllen Bradley offers as a free download a software package called RSLogix Micro Starter Lite which is essentially the same programming environment as RSLogix 500.Â On top of that, they also offer RSLogix Emulate for free so that you donâ€™t even need a PLC to run and test your ladder logic.Â Keep reading and Iâ€™ll show you how to get the software and set it up.

How to activate rslogix 500