PiCPro for Windows Version 14.0-SP2 Professional Edition and MMC-Limited Edition Readme
IMPORTANT
It is important to read this document. It provides late-breaking product information such as:
- A list of new features in this release
- Tips and helpful hints on using the product
- Information so new it isn't in the documentation
- Known problems and work-arounds
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
For technical support call Sheffield Automation, LLC at 1 800 558 4808, 1 920 921 7100, or send an e-mail to glmotion.info@danahermotion.com.
V14.0-SP2 RELEASE NOTES
V14.0-SP2 New Features/Changes
PiCPro V14.0-SP2 contains the features and changes listed below.
- Added support for the MMC-S8 Plus (8-axis) SERCOS (M.1302.7479).
- Added motors LSM54-3-602, LSM63-12-602, LSM63-6-602, and LSM75-10-602 to MotorPersonality.csv file.
- A change was made to correct a problem in Control Panel/Oscilloscope when doing a File | Restore Trace. Previously, if a saved trace was from a triggered trace, the restore would not return the data correctly and nothing was displayed. The data is now restored correctly and the restored trace displays the same as when you saved it.
- Changes were made to the NEWRATIO function to allow calling the function at a high frequency (i.e. every ladder scan or in a servo or time task). Previously, calling NEWRATIO on a high frequency basis would sometimes result in an incorrect master/slave ratio being executed.
- A change was made to correct a problem in which a slave axis would jump when a RATIOCAM, RATIONSLP, or RATIO_RL move was aborted and a new RATIOCAM, RATIOSLP, or RATIO_RL move would begin immediately using FAST_QUE.
V14.0-SP1 RELEASE NOTES
V14.0-SP1 New Features/Changes
PiCPro V14.0-SP1 contains the features and changes listed below.
- Added support for MMC Smart Drive Firmware V2.0 to PiCPro for Windows.
- The install of this Service Pack deletes MMC Smart Drive Beta Firmware (DRB0100B3.HEX). If you need to reload the firmware of your MMC Smart Drive, please contact Technical Support.
- Added the ability to add structure variables to a view list by using the right mouse button.
- Made a change to prevent wire insertion hotkeys from functioning within a Structured Text Network.
- Prevented the user from combining two '<' or '>' characters, which would create a template in an Structured Text Network.
- A change was made to output an error message when attempting to write the dependency list to a directory specification rather than a filename specification.
- Changed the Drive Data view to not display read-only rows while in Basic View when offline.
- When initializing structure array members, the member name field is resized so the member name is completely in view - the user does not need to resize it anymore.
- Corrected a problem where after entering a variable, using Ctrl-Enter, into a Structured Text network, the focus would change to column 1.
- Any windows when created/opened, that may be placed completely off the screen, will be moved to appear on the screen. It was possible to open a window that was created off the screen - looking like the open failed. This can happen if the PiCPro window was once maximized (or large) and now it has been resized smaller.
- Corrected a problem when editing a Drive Data field and the drive status changes causing the field to become read-only, the field will now revert back to its original value and the user will be notified.
- Corrected a problem in the MMC-Limited Edition that prevented the MMC Plus CPU ladders from compiling when they did not have any additional analog servo modules declared and slots 5 and 6 were empty.
- Corrected a paste problem in Hardware Declarations. If an MMC Plus CPU is declared and slot 1 contains a 4 1/2 axis analog servo module, slot 1 can now be copied and pasted onto slots 3, 4, 5, or 6.
- Corrected a paste problem in Hardware Declarations. If an MMC Plus CPU is declared and slot 2 (CPU) is copied, pasting onto slot 1 will now paste the analog servo module, not the CPU.
- Corrected a problem where the Brake Release Control Status light was not updated properly when assigning or unassigning "External Brake Release" to an input.
- Corrected a problem where trying to print Drive Data did not work at all under Windows NT.
- Made a change to prevent the text buffer from overflowing in the comment and long name editors.
- Removed from the product installation screens "All user install" when attempting to install any of the PiCPro Editions under Windows 98/ME. This feature does not apply to those operating systems.
- Made a change to prevent the Ctrl-Backspace keystroke from being entered in the comment and long name editors.
- Added necessary logic to insure that servo software waits for axis feedback data to be received from the ASIU. This eliminates the possibility of an invalid loss-of-feedback E-stop error. This change only affects MMC for PC Analog controls.
- Corrected a problem in which the stack space for a ladder system task was not fully utilized.
- Corrected a problem in which the second ring on a PiC900 2-ring SERCOS board would not reinitialize after a drive on that ring would cycle power or after the fiber optic ring was broken and then reconnected. Prior to this correction, the only way to reinitialize the SERCOS ring was to cycle power on the PiC900 control.
- Made a change to prevent channel definition data from being printed on the wrong line during auto-tune mode.
- Made a change to allow printing of the Information Window while working on drive information. Prior to this change, the Information Window could not be printed.
- Corrected multiple problems with Download File Data in Analog Drive Setup.
- Corrected a problem with printing a ladder with a large cross-reference table that caused an "Out of memory" error message to be displayed.
- Corrected a condition where certain changes made to a Structured Text
network would not cause a compile of the network when patching a ladder.
This could cause the screen contents of a ST network to not correctly
represent what was being executed in the control.
V14.0-SP1 Reasons To Update Your Firmware
- SERCOS (SERCO06.HEX)
- To correct a problem in which the second ring on a PiC900 2-ring SERCOS board would not reinitialize after a drive on that ring would cycle power or after the fiber optic ring was broken and then reconnected.
See PiCPro Software manual or On-line Help "Download a Hex File" to update the various firmware files.
V14.0-SP1 Updated Technical Manuals
The following Technical Manual has been updated since PiCPro for Windows V14.0 was released. To obtain or download this Technical Manual, please reference the Sheffield Automation, LLC website http://glcontrols.com/ie/technicalinformation/technical_info.asp.
- MMC Smart Drive Hardware Manual V1.1
Note: At this time this Technical Manual is only available in electronic form and is not presently available in hardcopy form.
V14.0 RELEASE NOTES
V14.0 New Features/Changes
PiCPro V14.0 contains the features and changes listed below. Features are documented in the Version 14.0 manuals (.pdf files) found on your CD and/or in the on-line help found in PiCPro.
- Supports MMC Smart Drive Setup.
- Supports MMC PLUS CPU hardware.
- Changed the name of PiCPro for Windows Standalone MMC Edition to PiCPro for Windows MMC-Limited Edition. This reflects that it is limited to development of applications using MMC-A2, MMC-A2 Plus without AIO expansion, MMC-A4, MMC-A4 Plus without AIO expansion and MMC-S8 controls. Applications using MMC for PC, PiC, MMC-A2 Plus with AIO expansion and MMC-A4 Plus with AIO expansion all require PiCPro for Windows Professional Edition.
- Added support for Virtual Axis. This allows the user to declare a virtual axis that has no command output hardware or feedback hardware. A virtual axis can perform all the same functions as a normal servo axis: motion functions, master/slave functions, registration, reference, etc.
- Added the function VFASTIN to emulate a fast input for a virtual axis.
- Added the amount of retentive memory being used by the compiled ladder to the information window.
- PiCPro for Windows is no longer supported under Windows 95.
- Changed the SCA_ERST function block to correct a problem in which the FAIL output would not be set when the function block returned error 5 at the ERR output.
- Changed the S-Curve code to correct a problem in which an S-Curve distance move following an aborted S-Curve distance move would travel the incorrect distance.
- Corrected a problem in which an axis would occasionally fail to move when commanded with a ratio move. For this problem to occur, synchronized-slave-start had to be set for the axis and the ratio move had to immediately follow a previous ratio move with a different master.
- Changed the ACC_JERK function code to correct a problem in which the internal calculations on the ACC and JERK input values could be performed incorrectly causing either failure of the OK output to energize or unexpected acceleration rates.
- Added an abort bit to the OPTN input of the SCA_RFIT function block. This allows the ladder to abort a LAD_REF or FAST_REF with a SERCOS axis.
- Changed STRTSERV to correct a problem in which ERR=1 was returned when the servo setup function contained time axis declarations, but no servo axis declarations.
- A change was made to avoid loss-of-feedback errors occurring in MMC for PC - Analog systems with high axis counts in which the axes are declared with different update rates.
- A change was made to the interpolation code to correct a problem in which an axis could move away from its programmed endpoint when commanded by a POSITION or DISTANCE function. This problem could occur only if the acceleration rate is ten times greater than the deceleration rate and the distance of the move is very short.
- Corrected a problem in the PID2 function block. The PID2 function block could have affected the operation of other functions if manual mode was invoked in the PID2 function block.
- A change was made to the time axis S-Curve code to correct a problem in which a time axis would occasionally take on an invalid velocity and its current position would oscillate between zero and an invalid value. This problem would typically occur if multiple time axes were simultaneously commanded with S-Curve distance or position moves. This is the case when multiple M_SCRVLC function blocks, each with a different path, are started simultaneously.
- Corrected a problem in which TCP/IP communications could lock up while downloading ladders.
- Corrected a problem where bytes 38050 and 38051 of the Software Declarations table (control data memory) would be written into by the operating system for the MMC-A2 and MMC-A4.
- Corrected a problem where byte 35404 of the Software Declarations table (control data memory) would be written into by the operating system when a TTL module was specified in Hardware Declarations for the PiC90 and PiC900 control.
- Corrected the following problem in Servo Setup. If a servo setup doc was closed while a servo force list was open and the user answered yes to the prompt to update the axis configuration data with the current forcing values the axis configuration data would not be updated.
- Corrected a problem where PiCPro for Windows would crash when opening an LDO that was created prior to PiCPro for Windows V13.0 in PiCPro for Windows V13.0 or later.
- Corrected a problem where selecting Update Project Tree in Project Manager would not always generate the complete list of UDFB dependencies but rather would only generate a subset of the complete list of dependencies. For this problem to occur "Include only sources for functions used." had to be set in Project Manager Properties.
- Corrected a problem where the ladder compiler would generate invalid code for a ladder network that only contained a function/function block with at most 1 input specified and no outputs specified.
- Corrected the following problems when a JumpSub and a vertical wire were inserted into the same cell of a ladder network. First, the code generated by the ladder compiler was invalid for this network. Secondly, when the ladder was saved/closed and then reopened, the vertical wire in this cell would be missing.
- Corrected a time/date error that may be displayed when downloading a patch that referenced a standard library. The cause of the error was based on a computers timezone, daylight savings time checkbox state and whether the file system that the standard library was installed onto was FAT or NTFS.
Note: A time/date error is still possible if the state of the daylight savings time checkbox has been changed between the time PiCPro was installed and the time of the patching operation.
- Corrected a problem where forcing a string value caused unexpected and random characters to be appended to the end of the string value when sent down to the control. The unexpected and random characters found in the string did not show up in the Force window but were displayed in various animation views.
- Corrected a problem where the NE function would not execute properly when there were more than 2 inputs, not including the EN, and the data type of the inputs were either a DINT, DWORD, or UDINT. This problem existed in both Structured Text and Ladder Networks.
- Corrected a problem in the Structured Text compiler where under some conditions a simple assignment statement overwrote other sections of the Software Declaration table (control data memory). This problem was limited to the following condition:
variable := constant; (i.e., A := 1;)
where
- variable - is any boolean variable declared in Software Declarations that was located in one of the two extended data memory segments.
- constant - a constant value of either 0 or 1.
V14.0 Reasons To Update Your Firmware
See PiCPro Software manual or On-line Help "Download a Hex File" to update the various firmware files.
KNOWN PROBLEMS AND WORK-AROUNDS
- MMC Smart Drive - Autotune Feature
Autotune for the MMC Smart Drive is not currently operational.
- Storing a Constant in a Variable in Structured Text
In a Structured Text or Ladder Network, storing a constant in a variable, whose value is out of range for the data type of the variable, does not presently produce an error or warning message. Only the least significant bits of the constant equal to the number of bits in the variable data type will be stored in the variable and the most significant bits of the constant will be ignored. For example, if A is defined as an SINT and the Structured Text statement "A := 3889;" is executed, then the value 49 will be stored into A. In the future, we plan to correct this problem by issuing an error message that will prevent you from doing this.
- Saving .G&L Files From E-mail
Please be aware that if you attempt to save a compressed project file (.G&L) from within an e-mail by right-clicking and then selecting "Save As" from the popup menu, the "&" is removed from the filename extension in the Save Attachment dialog. To fix the problem, you must manually add this "&" back in. This problem has been diagnosed in Microsoft E-mail and has not been observed in other e-mail packages. To avoid this problem, save a .G&L file attachment by double-clicking on it and selecting "Save it to disk" on the Opening Mail Attachment dialog.
- Serial or Ethernet Connection Icons May Disappear
If your connection icon or IP address does not appear on the status bar, you need to display the Communication Settings dialog (Online | Comm Settings) and select OK.
- Dependencies in a Compressed Project File
To make sure that all of your project files are actually included in the compressed file,
- Perform an Update Project tree (select this from the File menu) to list all missing source files (.LDO, .SRV, .SRC, .PRO) to the Information Window. If you were to compress your project without these files, you won't be able to build the associated function/function blocks. Make sure that if you really need these files, they are in the locations specified in the project library paths.
- To ensure that all required functions are found, do a rebuild all (Compile | All UDFBs found) and also compile your main .LDO. If any errors are found, correct and compile again. When all errors are resolved, now you can compress your project.
Note: Step (2) can only be done if the version of PiCPro you are running matches the version of PiCPro in the project.
- Printing Help Windows
Printing help windows that contain graphics using Windows 98 may produce unexpected results. The problem does not occur when using Windows NT 4, Windows 2000 or Windows XP.
- Changing UDFBs:
If you change the inputs and/or outputs to a UDFB that is already in your main or another UDFB ladder, you must close and reopen that main or UDFB ladder in order for the changes to appear.
- Power Save Option:
The Power save option in BIOS should not be set when using an MMC for PC as it will cause a communications error when it shuts the computer down.
SOFTWARE NOTES
- It is highly recommended that you Rebuild all UDFBs and servo setup files in your system before using version 14.0. If they aren't recompiled, there could be problems with operation. If the source files aren't available, get the source files or a new compiled library from whoever wrote the program.
- PiCPro defaults to serial communications on restarting unless you were connected to a local MMC for PC.
- Use the DOS 8.3 format naming convention for Project compressed files if you will be saving those on FMSDISK.
- Do NOT move, rename, replace, or delete PiCPro Library files (.LIB) from outside of PiCPro while PiCPro is running. If you do this, you MUST open the Libraries dialog (File | PiCPro Libraries) and click on the OK button to rescan the Library files; otherwise unpredictable results may occur. After rescanning, close and reopen all open files.
BEFORE RUNNING PiCPro for Windows V14.0
- It is helpful to have your extensions appear on your files. Ensure that Windows Explorer is setup to display three-letter extensions on all filenames. Follow these steps to do this:
In Windows 98/NT:
- Right click My Computer.
- Choose either Open or Explore.
- Click View | Folder Options in the window's menu bar. The Options box appears. Click on the View tab and choose "Show all files" and uncheck "Hide file extensions for known file types.".
- Click OK. Your extensions will now appear on your files.
In Windows 2000/ME/XP:
- Right click My Computer.
- Choose either Open or Explore.
- Click Tools | Folder Options in the window's menu bar. The Options box appears. Click on the View tab and uncheck "Hide file extensions for known file types". (In Windows XP uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types".)
- Click OK. Your extensions will now appear on your files.
- After installation is completed, but before you run PiCPro, modify the properties of your virus scanning program and exclude any *.tmp files in your Windows temporary directory. For example, temporary files are usually found in \WINDOWS\TEMP or \WINNT\TEMP directory. You would add this directory to the exclude list in your virus scanning program's properties. (This prevents any confusion for the scanning program when you compile a binary file in PiCPro that might resemble virus binary sequences.)