Controller Properties dialog box - Date/Time tab

Use the
Date/Time
 tab to view and configure Time attributes and to enable time synchronization on the controller.
The ability to change the settings on this tab can be controlled by
FactoryTalk Security
 permissions.
TIP:
This tab can also appear in the
Connected
dialog box, to view date and time information for the attached controller without having to correlate with it.
IMPORTANT:
Enabling Time Synchronization on a controller impacts the system time related to this controller, other controllers, and CIP Sync enabled devices.
IMPORTANT:
When time synchronization is enabled, the wall clock is controlled by the grandmaster clock. If the controller is a slave to the grandmaster clock, the option to change the date and time on this controller is not enabled. The controller's local wall clock time can only be changed by the grandmaster clock.
For more information about Time Synchronization and CIP Sync, refer to
Integrated Architecture
 and CIP Sync Configuration Application Techniques
, publication IA-AT003.
Parameters
Set Date, Time, and Zone from Workstation
Select this button to set the controller date, time, and time zone settings to match those of the workstation settings. The Date and Time control, Time Zone, and Adjust Daylight Saving (+/-hh:mm) controls are updated to reflect the new controller date and time settings.
This button is unavailable when offline.
IMPORTANT:
If time synchronization is enabled, setting the controller date, time, and time zone may also set the date, time, and time zone throughout the system.
Date and Time
The Date and Time parameter reflects the current local time for the controller.
TIP:
This is the only instance where time is displayed in
controller
local time. Most other instances in which date and time are displayed in the
Logix Designer
 application use
workstation
 local time. Therefore, if the controller is not configured to be in the same time zone as the workstation, the displayed times are different.
For example, if the controller time zone is UTC-08:00 and the workstation time zone is UTC-05:00, a three hour difference shows between the controller time in this dialog box and the timestamps that appear in Date/Time tags in the applications, or in fault logs.
This parameter is read only.
IMPORTANT:
The Date and Time parameter is controlled by the system grandmaster clock when time synchronization is enabled.
Change Date and Time
Select this button to launch the
Controller Date and Time Browser
 dialog box to configure the controller date and time.
TIP:
The change takes effect when you select the
OK
 button in the
Date and Time Browser
 dialog box, not when you select the
OK
 button in this dialog box.
This parameter is unavailable when offline.
IMPORTANT:
If time synchronization is enabled, attempts to change the Date and Time parameter may not succeed if the device is a slave to the grandmaster clock.
IMPORTANT:
If time synchronization is enabled, changing the Date and Time parameter may also cause the device to become the grandmaster.
Time Zone
When working online, the Time Zone field is enabled and is set to the value of the TimeZoneString attribute that is read from the controller.
Select the Time Zone from the list. The time zone list contains all the predefined time zones that are supported by the controller. The list is sorted by time zones, from UTC-12 to UTC+13.
Only make a selection from the time zone list. Entering a time value is not supported. Therefore, if the controller time is set by the
Logix Designer
 application, the TimeZoneString read from the controller should be one of the time zones listed in the time zone list.
However, if the controller time is set externally from the application using a CIP command; the TimeZoneString may not be found in the time zone list. If the TimeZoneString read from the controller cannot be found in the time zone list, it is temporarily inserted into the time zone list. The next time the application is used to change the time zone, the time zone configured using the CIP command will not be in the list.
When a new Time Zone is selected, it is sent immediately to the controller.
This parameter is unavailable when offline.
Adjust for Daylight Saving
Select this box to adjust the time for Daylight Saving Time. The state of the daylight saving is sent to the controller as soon as this parameter is selected or cleared.
TIP:
Clear this box to exit Daylight Saving Time and select this box to enter Daylight Saving Time. Also create an application to adjust daylight saving time. By default, this check box adjusts the local time by one hour. Change the default using a GSV instruction or CIP message to access the controller's wallclock.
This parameter is unavailable when offline.
Time Synchronization
Time synchronization technology for the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) is CIP Sync. CIP Sync provides a standard mechanism to synchronize clocks across a network of distributed devices.
Time synchronization is important in many applications including time stamping, sequence of events recording, distributed motion control, increased control coordination, and coordinated outputs. Enabling Time Synchronization enables CIP Sync and allows the controller to become a CST master.
IMPORTANT:
When enabled, the CIP Sync master clock selection process is always active; therefore, the system may select a new master clock at any time. The device which is the current CIP Sync master clock for the chassis will also be the CST master for the chassis.
For more information on Time Synchronization, refer to
Integrated Architecture
 and CIP Sync Configuration Application Techniques
, publication IA-AT003.
Enable Time Synchronization
Select this box to enable time synchronization on the controller. When enabled, the controller participates in the selection of the grandmaster clock. If the controller is the grandmaster clock, all devices connected to the controller synchronize with its clock. If it is not the grandmaster clock, the controller synchronizes to the device that is currently regulating the system time.
Clear this box to make time synchronization unavailable on the controller. By default, time synchronization is unavailable.
IMPORTANT:
If you are using a motion card (such as an analog servo card or a SERCOS module) on this controller, select the
Enable Time Synchronization
 box. For a Safety controller project, at least one module in the local rack must enable Time Synchronization or CST. Otherwise, the controller to which this project is targeted faults when it attempts to enter into the Run mode.
TIP:
The Date and Time parameter is controlled by the grandmaster clock when time synchronization is enabled.
TIP:
This check box replaces the
Coordinated System Time (CST)
 check box in
Logix Designer
 software, version 17.00.00 or earlier.
Status
Indicates the state of the time synchronization when online. There are five status fields, with a circular indicator to the left of each. This indicator is colored if the corresponding status condition is true; otherwise, it is clear. The status conditions are:
  • Is the system time master
     - This controller is the grandmaster clock for the system. Note that the grandmaster clock identity matches the local controller clock identity in the
    Controller Properties - Advanced Time Sync
     dialog box.
    IMPORTANT:
    Any changes to the Date and Time will be propagated to all CIP Sync devices that are synchronized with this controller.
  • Is a synchronized time slave
     - This controller is not the master; it is synchronized to another device, which may be the grandmaster or a boundary clock that provides a communication path to the grandmaster.
  • Duplicate CST master detected
     - This controller is attempting to become the CST master in the local chassis but some other device is currently acting as the CST master. This may be caused by other devices in the chassis running earlier versions of the firmware.
  • CST Mastership disabled
     - This controller will not become a CST master but it may still become a CST slave. This is a special condition for compatibility with older devices, and must be set using a CIP message.
  • No CST master
     - A CST master can not be found in the local chassis.
    All of the circular indicators are clear when offline.
Advanced
Select to open the
Controller Properties - Advanced Time Sync
 dialog box to view the attributes of the grandmaster clock and local clock and to set local clock priorities.
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