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PLC Trend Tool

Real-Time Tag Trending for Allen-Bradley PLCs

A portable Windows desktop application for trending PLC tag data in real time. Connects to ControlLogix, CompactLogix, Micro800, SLC 500, MicroLogix, and PLC-5 controllers via Ethernet/IP and charts live values with full data export capability.

  • ControlLogix / CompactLogix / Micro800 — automatic tag discovery via pylogix
  • SLC 500 / MicroLogix / PLC-5 — automatic data file scanning via pycomm3

Built by Southern Automation Solutions — Valdosta, GA

Python Platform License

Quick Start (End User)

  1. Copy PLC_Trend_Tool.exe to any Windows 10/11 PC
  2. Double-click to run — no installation required
  3. Enter the controller IP address and click Connect
  4. Verify the connection details on the PLC Connection page
  5. Navigate to the Trend view using the sidebar
  6. Select tags from the built-in tag browser panel
  7. Click ▶ Start Trend to begin collecting data

No Python, no drivers, no admin rights required. Single .exe, fully portable.

Supported Controllers

Controller Family Models Tag Discovery Library
ControlLogix 1756-L6x, L7x, L8x (5x80) ✅ Full tag list + UDTs/AOIs pylogix
CompactLogix 1769-L1x, L2x, L3x, 5370, 5380 ✅ Full tag list + UDTs/AOIs pylogix
Micro800 Micro820, Micro850 ✅ Tag list pylogix
SLC 500 5/03, 5/04, 5/05 (Ethernet) ✅ Auto data file scan pycomm3
MicroLogix 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500 ✅ Auto data file scan pycomm3
PLC-5 PLC-5/E series (Ethernet) ✅ Auto data file scan pycomm3

SLC 500, MicroLogix, and PLC-5 require an Ethernet port on the controller. Serial-only models are not supported.

Features

PLC Connection

  • Supports Allen-Bradley ControlLogix, CompactLogix, Micro800, SLC 500, MicroLogix, and PLC-5 controllers
  • Configurable processor slot for multi-slot ControlLogix chassis
  • Validates connection with device identity query (Logix) or test read (SLC)
  • Displays device name, firmware revision, and connection details
  • Stays on the connection page after connecting so you can verify status before navigating

Live Tag Browser

  • Logix controllers: Retrieves full controller and program-scoped tag lists with data types, including UDT and AOI expansion
  • SLC 500 / MicroLogix / PLC-5: Automatically scans all 256 data files to discover what exists — no manual address entry needed
    • Probes default files (0–8) and user-created files (9–255) using typed probes (N, F, B, T, C, R, ST, A, L) to accurately detect only files that exist in the program
    • Integer words (N, O, I, S files) are expandable — trend the whole word as a decimal value or expand to select individual bits (/0 through /15)
    • Binary words (B files) expand to individual bits (B3:0/0 through B3:0/15)
    • Timer, Counter, and Control elements expand to show sub-elements (.ACC, .PRE, .DN, etc.)
    • Float (F) and Long Integer (L) files display directly as trendable values
    • Scan results cached per session — reconnecting to the same PLC is instant
  • Search and filter tags by name or data type
  • Checkbox selection with Select All / Clear controls
  • Tags panel is embedded in the trend view — select tags and watch the chart update in real time, before or during a trend
  • Collapsible tag panel with resizable splitter to maximize chart area
  • Tags can be added or removed mid-trend without stopping data collection

Real-Time Trending

  • Background polling thread at configurable sample rates (100 ms to 60 sec)
  • Matplotlib chart with auto-scaling, zoom, and horizontal pan
  • Live data table showing current value, min, max, and status per tag
  • Pause/resume display updates while data continues collecting in the background
  • Rolling time window with horizontal scrollbar for history navigation
  • Snap-to-live button to jump back to the latest data
  • Unlimited data points by default — optional cap configurable in Settings to limit memory usage
  • Charts automatically scale to fill available space at any window size

Session Management

  • ↻ New button on the toolbar resets the entire session — clears all trend data, selected tags, chart state, and tag scales as if the app was closed and reopened
  • If still connected to a PLC, the tag browser reloads automatically after reset
  • Disconnecting from a PLC also performs a full session reset — no stale data carries over when connecting to a different controller
  • Import/export preserves session data for offline review

Chart Modes

  • Overlay mode — all tags plotted on a shared axis
  • Isolated mode — each tag gets its own subplot with synchronized pan/zoom across all subplots
  • Drag-reorder — Ctrl+drag subplots to rearrange chart order in isolated mode
  • Tag colors stay locked to each tag regardless of reorder position

Chart Customization

  • Trend Properties dialog with tabs for X-Axis, Y-Axis, and Display settings
  • Per-tag Y-axis scaling (auto or manual min/max)
  • Configurable time span (30 sec to 1 hour)
  • Line Properties — right-click any trace to change color, line width, and line style (solid, dashed, dotted, dash-dot)
  • In isolated mode, right-click a specific subplot to edit that single tag's line properties
  • Smart cursor — crosshair with snap-to-nearest-point and value readout tooltip
  • Pan is locked to horizontal only — no accidental vertical scrolling; zoom still allows full region selection

Click-to-Inspect (Stopped / Historical)

  • When the trend is stopped or viewing an imported file, left-click anywhere on the chart to inspect data at that point in time
  • The data table updates to show each tag's value at the clicked timestamp
  • The "Current" column header changes to display the inspected time (e.g., @ 13:58:22.450)
  • Works with both stopped live data and imported .pytrend files
  • Table automatically returns to live values when a new trend is started

Data Export & Import

  • .pytrend — JSON format with full metadata (PLC IP, controller type, tags, timestamps, sample rate)
  • .csv — standard CSV with timestamp column and one column per tag
  • Import .pytrend files for offline analysis with full chart interactivity
  • View mode badge shows LIVE, PAUSED, STOPPED, or HISTORICAL

Theme Support

  • Dark and Light modes with SAS brand identity
  • Theme toggle in Settings
  • Logo automatically swaps between dark/light variants
  • All settings persist between sessions

Installation (Development)

Prerequisites

  • Python 3.10 or newer — Download Python
    • Check the "Add Python to PATH" checkbox during installation
  • pip (included with Python)
  • Windows 10 or 11 (required for CustomTkinter and pylogix networking)

Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/your-org/plc-trend-tool.git
cd plc-trend-tool

Install Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

This installs:

Package Version Purpose
customtkinter ≥ 5.2.0 Modern themed UI framework
pylogix ≥ 0.8.0 ControlLogix / CompactLogix / Micro800 communication
pycomm3 ≥ 1.2.0 SLC 500 / MicroLogix / PLC-5 communication
matplotlib ≥ 3.7.0 Chart rendering and interactive plotting
Pillow ≥ 9.0.0 Image handling for logos and icons
pyinstaller ≥ 6.0.0 Builds standalone Windows executable

Note: pycomm3 is optional for running from source — the app works without it but SLC/MicroLogix/PLC-5 support will be unavailable. However, it must be installed before building the .exe if you want SLC support included in the compiled application. PyInstaller bundles whatever is installed at build time.

Run from Source

python plc_trend_tool.py

Building the Executable

The included build script handles PyInstaller configuration, asset bundling, and CustomTkinter packaging automatically.

Build Steps

pip install -r requirements.txt
pip install pycomm3    # Required for SLC 500/MicroLogix/PLC-5 support in the .exe
python build.py

Important: If pycomm3 is not installed when you build, the .exe will still work for ControlLogix/CompactLogix/Micro800 — but SLC 500, MicroLogix, and PLC-5 connections will show an error. Install it before building to include full controller support.

The executable is created at:

dist\PLC_Trend_Tool.exe

Copy the .exe to a USB drive — it runs standalone on any Windows 10/11 machine with no installation.

What the Build Script Does

  1. Verifies all dependencies are installed
  2. Extracts assets from the embedded assets_data.py if the assets/ folder is incomplete
  3. Generates icon.ico from icon.png if needed
  4. Locates the CustomTkinter package directory for bundling
  5. Runs PyInstaller in --onefile --windowed mode with all required hidden imports and data files
  6. Reports the output path and file size

Build Notes

  • The resulting .exe is typically 25–35 MB (CustomTkinter + matplotlib + pycomm3)
  • No external files or DLLs are needed — everything is bundled
  • Assets are embedded in assets_data.py as base64, so the app is fully self-contained even without the assets/ folder
  • pycomm3 is automatically detected and bundled by PyInstaller if installed — no extra configuration needed

Project Structure

plc-trend-tool/
├── plc_trend_tool.py      # Main application (single-file)
├── assets_data.py         # Embedded assets (base64-encoded logos, icons)
├── build.py               # PyInstaller build script
├── requirements.txt       # Python dependencies
├── LICENSE                # MIT License
├── README.md              # This file
├── .gitignore
└── assets/
    ├── logo.png           # SAS logo — white text (dark mode)
    ├── logo_light.png     # SAS logo — blue text (light mode)
    ├── icon.png           # App icon source (PNG)
    └── icon.ico           # App icon (Windows ICO)

Usage Guide

Connecting to a PLC

  1. Open the app — it starts on the PLC Connection view
  2. Select the controller type from the dropdown:
    • ControlLogix — for any ControlLogix chassis (set the processor slot)
    • CompactLogix — slot is usually 0
    • Micro800 — Micro820/850 with Ethernet
    • SLC 500 / MicroLogix — SLC 500, MicroLogix 1100/1200/1400/1500 (slot is not used)
    • PLC-5 — PLC-5 E-series with Ethernet (slot is not used)
  3. Enter the PLC's IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.10)
  4. Set the processor slot if applicable
  5. Click Connect
  6. For Logix controllers, the tag list loads automatically. For SLC/MicroLogix/PLC-5, a data file scan runs automatically (typically 3–10 seconds) to discover all available data files
  7. Navigate to the Trend view from the sidebar when ready

Selecting Tags and Trending

  1. Browse or search for tags in the left panel
  2. Click tags to select them — the chart updates immediately with empty axes as a preview
  3. Adjust the sample rate from the toolbar dropdown
  4. Click ▶ Start Trend to begin data collection
  5. Tags can be added or removed while the trend is running — new tags start collecting on the next poll cycle (historical data won't exist for newly added tags)

SLC / MicroLogix Tag Browser

The tag browser for SLC-type controllers organizes data by file type and number. Each data file appears as an expandable node showing its type and size.

Integer words (N, O, I, S files) are expandable with two levels of access:

  • Click the expand arrow (▶) to see the word-level checkbox and individual bit checkboxes
  • The first entry (marked "word") trends the whole integer as a decimal number
  • Entries /0 through /15 trend individual bits as BOOL values
  • You can trend both the whole word and individual bits simultaneously

Binary words (B files) expand to show 16 individual bit checkboxes (/0 through /15).

Timers, Counters, and Controls expand to show their sub-elements (.ACC, .PRE, .DN, .EN, etc.) with trendable numeric values and status bits.

Float (F) and Long Integer (L) files show directly as trendable values without expansion.

Starting a New Session

Click the ↻ New button on the toolbar to completely reset the application state. This clears all trend data, selected tags, chart lines, and custom settings (scales, colors, line styles). If you're still connected to a PLC, the tag browser reloads fresh. Use this when switching between PLCs or starting a clean trend without leftover data from a previous session.

Chart Interaction

  • Pan — click the pan tool in the chart toolbar, then click-drag horizontally (vertical panning is disabled)
  • Zoom — click the zoom tool then drag a rectangle to zoom into a region
  • Home — click the home button to reset the view
  • Right-click — access line properties and chart options from the context menu
  • Ctrl+Drag (isolated mode) — reorder subplots by dragging them up or down
  • Left-click (when stopped) — inspect data at the clicked time; values appear in the table below

Reviewing Data

After stopping a trend or importing a .pytrend file:

  • Use the scrollbar or pan tool to navigate through the data
  • Hover over the chart to see the smart cursor readout
  • Click on any point to pin its values in the data table
  • The table's "Current" header updates to show the exact timestamp you clicked
  • Start a new trend to return the table to live values

Exporting Data

  • Click .pytrend to save a JSON file with full metadata for later import
  • Click CSV to save a standard CSV file compatible with Excel or other tools
  • Click Import to load a previously saved .pytrend file for offline analysis

Troubleshooting

Can't connect to PLC

  • Verify the IP address is correct and the PLC is powered on
  • Ensure your PC is on the same subnet (e.g., PLC: 192.168.1.10, PC: 192.168.1.x)
  • Check that the PLC's Ethernet module is configured and has a valid IP
  • Try pinging the PLC from a command prompt: ping 192.168.1.10
  • Make sure the PLC is not faulted — a faulted controller may connect but fail to return tags

SLC 500 / MicroLogix / PLC-5 won't connect

  • Make sure pycomm3 was installed before the .exe was built (see Build Steps above)
  • The controller must have an Ethernet port — serial-only models (e.g., MicroLogix 1000) are not supported
  • Check that no other application (RSLinx, FactoryTalk) has an exclusive connection to the controller
  • The data file scan probes N7:0 to verify the connection — if the default Integer file was removed from the program, the scan may fail on initial test but will still discover other files

Data file scan shows fewer files than expected (SLC/MicroLogix)

  • Only files that actually exist in the PLC program are shown — the scanner uses typed probes (N, F, B, T, C, R, ST, A, L) to verify each file, so empty or non-existent files are excluded
  • The scanner does not probe Output (O) or Input (I) types for user files 9–255, as the SLC output/input image table allows reads against non-existent file numbers, which would produce false positives
  • Files above #255 are not scanned (SLC limit)

Tags show "Path segment error"

  • Verify the processor slot number — usually 0 for CompactLogix, check the physical chassis slot for ControlLogix

Tag browser shows no tags after connecting

  • Check that the PLC is not faulted or in a firmware update state
  • Try disconnecting and reconnecting
  • Verify you can browse tags in RSLogix/Studio 5000

Old tags still showing on chart after switching PLCs

  • Click the ↻ New button on the toolbar to fully reset the session before connecting to a different controller
  • Alternatively, disconnect first — disconnecting now performs a full session reset automatically

"ModuleNotFoundError" when running from source

  • Run pip install -r requirements.txt to install all dependencies
  • Verify Python is version 3.10 or newer: python --version

Executable won't start or crashes immediately

  • Run from a command prompt to see error output: PLC_Trend_Tool.exe
  • Ensure you're on Windows 10 or 11
  • Try rebuilding with python build.py

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License — see the LICENSE file for details.

Dependencies & Acknowledgments

  • pylogix — ControlLogix / CompactLogix / Micro800 communication
  • pycomm3 — SLC 500 / MicroLogix / PLC-5 communication
  • CustomTkinter — Modern tkinter UI framework
  • matplotlib — Scientific plotting library
  • Pillow — Python Imaging Library
  • PyInstaller — Executable packaging

Southern Automation Solutions — 111 Hemlock St. Ste A, Valdosta, GA 31601

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