Programming PLCs will be different from brand to brand. You pretty much get training on the job or from a PLC manufacturer. I would suggest you simply learn some Structured text and know the general idea behind ladder logic but don't waste too much effort on ladder as it is getting phased out...
First, PLC is a deterministic processor. It is not a language. Many people think that PLCs run only Ladder Logic which isn't even close to true. They think this because the mechatronics class at their university uses the cheapest PLC they can get donated to them and they program it with the...
jonesy29847,
I've only used ST on B&R and one or two times with Siemens. I would assume that Siemens implementation is similar to AB and I found it to be pretty good but didn't have to do anything nifty with it so I don't know the limitations. With B&R, the only annoyance that I've run into is...
SubVersion is definitely a good solution to this. Not only do you track changes, it makes them reversible and keeps the files in a central location so there are no local copies that end up radically different from the main copy resulting in a combination nightmare. Speaking of that, subversion...
You could look into a PLS with the option to program in structured text like so. Ladder is really the way of the past that is only around because old dogs don't want to learn new tricks. I mean really, they advance the tech so you don't use big relays and switches only to program with pictures...
