Equipos de ultrasonido de última generación

© Copyri ght 200 7 - 2009 ABB . All ri ghts res erved.

4.6. How to use the online help

The online help comes with the installation of Robot Application Builder and is accessible from Windows Start menu.

The recommendation is to read this user’s guide carefully as you develop your first RAB application. FP SDK Reference and PC SDK Reference are important complements to this manual, as these make up the complete reference to the class libraries of RAB. See

Documentation and help on page 16 for details.

NOTE!

The SDK Reference is NOT integrated in Visual Studio. You must open it from the Start menu.

TIP!

See Documentation and help on page 16 for the web address to RobotStudio Community, where RAB developers discuss software problems and solutions online.

4.6. How to use the online help © Copyri ght 200 7 - 2009 ABB . All ri ghts res erved.

5.1.1. About this chapter © Copyri ght 200 7 - 2009 ABB . All ri ghts res erved.

5 Using the FlexPendant SDK

5.1 Introduction

5.1.1. About this chapter

This chapter gives detailed information on how to use the FlexPendant SDK. These topics are covered:

• How to take advantage of some system features that support the use of customized screens.

• How to utilize the integrated Visual Studio wizard to set up a FlexPendant project.

• How to add the FlexPendant SDK GUI controls to the Visual Studio Toolbox.

• How to build the user interface using the integrated design support.

• How to program FlexPendant SDK GUI controls.

• How to launch other applications from your application.

• How to implement controller functionality using CAPI.

The design support in Visual Studio enables you to visually lay out the application, reducing the need to write code. This speeds up development and gives you a more precise control of the appearance of your FP screens.

Using the FlexPendant SDK it is possible to launch several of the standard FlexPendant applications from your application, which is often a very handy alternative to handling complicated procedures on your own, such as reading and writing RAPID data for example. The Controller API (CAPI) is at the core of the FlexPendant SDK. It is used to access the robot controller, which the FlexPendant is attached to. First there is information about how this public API is organized. Then each domain of CAPI is dealt with separately. There are code samples in C# and VB throughout the chapter.

5.1.2. System features supporting the use of customized screens © Copyri ght 200 7 - 2009 ABB . All ri ghts res erved.

5.1.2. System features supporting the use of customized screens

The FlexPendant can be adapted to end-users' specific needs in many different ways. It can be operated in 14 different languages, including Asian character-based languages such as Japanese and Chinese. Left-handed operators can adapt the device from its default setting by simply rotating the display through 180 degrees. Four of the eight hard keys are

programmable, i.e. their function can be assigned by the end-user.

Customized FlexPendant screens, tailored to end-users’ needs is yet another way of rendering the flexible solutions required by many customers. To support the use of customized screens there are a couple of features that you may want to tell the end-users of your application about.

Configure the FlexPendant

Using the FlexPendant configuration facilities (Control Panel - FlexPendant) it is possible to configure the FlexPendant to allow RAPID execution in manual mode from an FP SDK view. You can also make the FlexPendant automatically display an SDK view at operating mode change.

Additional Test View

Set the FlexPendant configuration property Additional Test View if you want to be able to start RAPID execution in manual mode with a custom application as the active view.

6.1.0_1

5.1.2. System features supporting the use of customized screens © Copyri ght 200 7 - 2009 ABB . All ri ghts res erved.

View On Operating Mode Change

Set the FlexPendant configuration property View On Operating Mode Change if you want the custom application to become active when the controller operating mode is switched to auto, manual or manual full speed.

6.1.0_2

Use RAPID instruction to launch RAB application

The RAPID instruction UIShow (User Interface Show) is used to communicate with the user of the robot system via a FlexPendant application. Both RAB applications and standard applications can be launched using this instruction.

Example:

The RAPID code below launches the custom application TpsViewMyApp.

CONST string Name :="TpsViewMyApp.gtpu.dll";CONST string Type :="ABB.Robotics.SDK.Views.TpsViewMyApp";UIShow Name, Type;

For this to work the robot system must have the RobotWare option FlexPendant Interface. The assemblies TpsViewMyApp.dll and TpsViewMyApp.gtpu.dll must be located in the HOME directory of the active robot system. (When the assemblies have been downloaded to the controller the FlexPendant must be restarted in order to load them.)

NOTE!

See the RAPID reference manual for further information about the UIShow instruction. Continued

5.2.1. Using the project template in Visual Studio © Copyri ght 200 7 - 2009 ABB . All ri ghts res erved.