On Tue, 09 Aug 2016 20:18:15 +0100
Tim Streater wrote:

Agreed, and we find that the tablets do that just fine, even in our
Very Hard Water area.

I take it you are referring to the tablets that contain the washing
powder? If so, explain how any salt in such tablets can be beneficial.
As Bob points out, salt doesn't soften water.

I have no idea how it, or even if, regenerates the softener, but there
are no indications of lack of softening, in our Very Hard Water area.
There can, by now, be absolutely no residual salt in the machine, so
something is either softening the water, or having the same effect,
somehow. All we put in is dishes, and tablets.
However it is working, it is working, and we have no need to add salt
or rinse-aid to our machine.

--
Davey.