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Getting started

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Use this page for your first KEYENCE KV Host Link read and write from Node-RED. The examples below use 192.168.250.100:8501.

Prerequisites

Requirement Value
Node-RED 3.0 or newer
PLC endpoint 192.168.250.100:8501
Transport TCP unless your PLC setup requires UDP

Install

Step Action
1 Open Node-RED.
2 Open Manage palette.
3 Choose Install.
4 Search for @fa_yoshinobu/node-red-contrib-plc-comm-kvhostlink.
5 Install the package and restart Node-RED if prompted.

Choose profile

The connection node requires an exact canonical PLC profile string. Start with the profile that matches your KV family.

PLC family Profile to select
KV-3000 keyence:kv-3000 or keyence:kv-3000-xym
KV-5000 / KV-5500 keyence:kv-5000 or keyence:kv-5000-xym
KV-7000 / KV-7300 / KV-7500 keyence:kv-7000 or keyence:kv-7000-xym
KV-8000 keyence:kv-8000 or keyence:kv-8000-xym
KV-X500 family keyence:kv-x500 or keyence:kv-x500-xym
KV-NANO keyence:kv-nano or keyence:kv-nano-xym

Create a connection node

Add or edit a kvhostlink-connection config node.

Field Example value Description
Name KV Host Link TCP Display name in the editor.
Host 192.168.250.100 IP address or host name for your PLC.
Port 8501 Default KEYENCE KV Host Link TCP/UDP port.
Transport tcp Use tcp or udp.
Timeout 3000 Response timeout in milliseconds.
PLC Profile keyence:kv-5000 Exact canonical profile value for your PLC.

Import the basic flow

Step Action
1 Open the Node-RED import menu.
2 Import examples/flows/kvhostlink-basic-read-write.json.
3 Confirm the connection node uses host 192.168.250.100, port 8501, and your canonical PLC profile.
4 Deploy.
5 Trigger Read DM100.
6 Check the debug sidebar for a value.

Read your first value

For a single manual read, configure a kvhostlink-read node like this:

Field Value
Connection Your kvhostlink-connection node
Source str
Addresses DM100
Output Single value when one address
Metadata Minimal msg.kvhostlink
Errors Second output

Successful output is written to msg.payload.

{
  "payload": 123
}

First write

For a single manual write, configure a kvhostlink-write node like this:

Field Value
Connection Your kvhostlink-connection node
Source str
Static updates {"DM100":123}
Metadata Minimal msg.kvhostlink
Errors Second output

Use only a test address that is safe for your machine and PLC program.

Confirm success

Check Expected result
Connection status The connection node status changes to connected during the request.
Read status The read node reports 1 item(s).
Debug output The debug sidebar shows msg.payload.
Error output The error output stays quiet.
Write readback The follow-up read shows the value written to your test address.

If it does not work

Symptom Check
Timeout immediately Default port is 8501, not 1025.
Profile dropdown rejects a value Use only the exact values in PLC profiles.
First import feels too large Import kvhostlink-basic-read-write.json first, not the device-matrix flow.
Timer/counter preset write fails Timer/counter preset writes only work on KV-8000/7000-series CPU units.
Transport fails Check that your PLC Host Link setting allows the selected TCP or UDP transport.

Next pages

Page Link
Usage guide USAGE_GUIDE.md
Supported registers SUPPORTED_REGISTERS.md
PLC profiles PROFILES.md
Gotchas GOTCHAS.md