CHAPTER 4: RESULTS
4.4 Why do families engage in SFEs?
4.4.2 Themes
Configuring system parameters
System parameters may be configured as follows:
• To view topics, types, instances and parameters
• To edit the parameters of an instance
• To copy and paste instances
• To add and delete instances
• To load and save complete configuration files to and from controllers When working with configurations, the following tools, seeConfiguration editor on page 361, are useful:
Use Tool
With the Configuration Editor you work with the types and instances of a specific topic.
The Configuration Editor
With the Instance Editor, you specify the values of the parameters in the instances of system parameter types.
The Instance Editor
Note
To edit system parameters, you must have write access to the controller.
Terms
The sum of all parameters that configure the system, these are divided into topics and types.
System parameters
A collection of parameters relating to a specific area, and the highest level in the system parameter structure. Examples are Controller, Communication and Motion.
Topic
A set of parameters for a specific configuration task. A type can be seen as a pattern describing the construction and properties for the parameters included in the task. For instance, the type Motion System defines which parameters shall be used for configuring a motion system.
Type
An actualization of a type, an instance is a specific set of parameters with unique values created from a type pattern. In the Configuration Editor, each row in the Instance list is an instance of the type selected in the Type list.
Instance
A property to set when configuring the robot system.
Parameter
Contains all public parameters of a specific topic.
Configuration file
Viewing configurations
1 To view the topics of a controller, from the Controller tab, expand the Configuration node for the controller.
All topics in are now displayed as child nodes to the Configuration node.
2 To view the types and instances of a topic, double-click the topic node for the topic to view.
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The Configuration Editor is now opened, listing all types of the topic in the Type name list. In the Instance list, each instance of the type selected in the Type name list is displayed as row. The parameter values of the instances are displayed in the columns of the instance list.
3 To view detailed parameter information for an instance, double-click the instance.
The instance editor now displays the current value, restrictions and limits of each parameter in the instance.
Editing parameters
You can either edit the parameters of one single instance, or you can edit several instances at one time. Editing several instances at one time is useful when you want to change the same parameter in several instances, like when moving signals from one I/O unit to another.
1 In the Controller tab, expand the Controller and the Configuration node and double-click the topic that contains the parameters to edit.
This opens the Configuration Editor.
2 In the Type name list of the Configuration Editor, select the type that the parameter to edit belongs to.
The instances of the type is now displayed in the Instance list of the Configuration Editor.
3 In the Instance list, select the instances to edit and press the Enter Key. To select several instances at once, hold down the SHIFT or CTRL key while selecting.
Alternatively, right-click an instance and then click Edit.
The Instance Editor is now displayed.
4 In the Parameter list of the Instance Editor, select the parameter to edit and change the value of the parameter in the Value box.
When editing several instances at one time, the parameter values you specify will be applied to all instances. For parameters that you do not specify any new value, each instance will keep its existing value for that parameter.
5 Click OK to apply the changes to the configuration database of the controller.
For many parameters, the changes will not take affect until the controller is restarted. If your changes require a restart, you will be notified of this.
You have now updated the controller's system parameters. If you are going to make several changes, you can wait with the restart until all changes are done.
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Adding instances
With the Configuration Editor, you can select a type and create a new instance of it. For example, adding a new instance of the type Signal creates a new signal in the system.
1 In the Controller tab, expand the Controller and the Configuration node and double-click the topic that contains the type of which you want to add an instance.
This opens the Configuration Editor.
2 In the Type name list of the Configuration Editor, select the type of which you want to add an instance.
3 On the Controller menu, point to Configuration and click Add type (the word type is replaced by the type you selected previously).
You can also right-click anywhere in the configuration editor and then select Add type from the shortcut menu.
A new instance with default values is added and displayed in the Instance Editor window.
4 If required, edit the values.
5 Click OK to save the new instance.
The values in the new instance are now validated. If the values are valid, the instance is saved. Otherwise, you will be notified of which parameter values to correct.
For many instances, the changes will not take affect until the controller is restarted. If your changes require a restart you will be notified of this.
You have now updated the controller's system parameters. If the changes require a restart of the controller, the changes will not take affect until you do this. If you are going to make several changes, you can wait with the restart until all changes are done.
Copying an instance
1 In the Controller tab, expand the Controller and the Configuration node and double-click the topic that contains the instance to copy.
This opens the Configuration Editor.
2 In the Type name list of the Configuration Editor, select the type of which you want to copy an instance.
3 In the Instance list, select one or several instances to copy.
If you select several instances and they don't have the same value for all parameters, these parameters will have no default values in the new instances.
4 On the Controller menu, point to Configuration and click Copy Type (the word type is replaced by the type you selected previously).
You can also right-click the instance to copy and then select Copy Type from the shortcut menu.
A new instance with the same values as the one you copied is added and displayed in the Instance Editor window.
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5 Change the name of the instance. If required, also edit the other values.
6 Click OK to save the new instance.
The values in the new instance are now validated. If the values are valid, the instance is saved. Otherwise, you will be notified of which parameter values to correct.
For many instances, the changes will not take affect until the controller is restarted. If your changes require a restart you will be notified of this.
You have now updated the controller's system parameters. If the changes require a restart of the controller, the changes will not take affect until you do this. If you are going to make several changes, you can wait with the restart until all changes are done.
Deleting an instance
1 In the Controller tab, expand the Controller and the Configuration node and double-click the topic that contains the type of which you want to delete an instance.
This opens the Configuration Editor.
2 In the Type name list of the Configuration Editor, select the type of which you want to delete an instance.
3 In the Instance list, select the instance to delete.
4 On the Controller menu, point to Configuration and then click Delete type (the word type is replaced by the type you selected previously).
You can also right-click the instance to delete and then select Delete type from the shortcut menu.
5 A message box is displayed, asking if you want to delete or keep the instance.
Click Yes to confirm that you want to delete it.
For many instances, the changes will not take affect until the controller is restarted. If your changes require a restart you will be notified of this.
You have now updated the controller's system parameters. If the changes require a restart of the controller, the changes will not take affect until you do this. If you are going to make several changes, you can wait with the restart until all changes are done.
Save one configuration file
The system parameters of a configuration topic can be saved to a configuration file, stored on the PC or any of its network drives.
The configuration files can then be loaded into a controller. They are thereby useful as backups, or for transferring configurations from one controller to another.
1 In the Controller tab, expand the Configuration node and select the topic to save to a file.
2 On the Controller menu, point to Configuration and select Save System Parameters.
You can also right-click the topic and then select Save System Parameters from the shortcut menu.
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3 In the Save As dialog box, browse for the folder to save the file in.
4 Click Save.
Saving several configuration files
1 In the Controller tab, select the Configuration node.
2 On the Controller menu, point to Configuration and click Save System Parameters.
You can also right-click the configuration node and then click Save System Parameters.
3 In the Save System Parameters dialog box, select the topics to save to files.
Then click Save.
4 In the Browse for Folder dialog box, browse for the folder to save the files in, and then click OK.
The selected topics will now be saved as configuration files with default names in the specified folder.
Loading a configuration file
A configuration file contains the system parameters of a configuration topic. They are thereby useful as backups, or for transferring configurations from one controller to another.
When loading a configuration file to a controller, it must be of the same major version as the controller. For instance, you cannot load configuration files from an S4 system to an IRC 5 controller.
1 In the Controller tab, select the Configuration node.
2 On the Controller menu, point to Configuration and select Load Parameters.
You can also right-click the configuration node and then select Load Parameters from the context menu.
This opens the Select mode dialog box.
3 In the Select mode dialog box, select how you want to combine the parameters in the configuration file to load with the existing parameters:
then If you want to
select Delete existing parameters before loading
replace the entire configuration of the topic with the one in the configuration file.
click Load parameters if no duplicates add new parameters from the
configura-tion file to the topic, without modifying the existing ones.
click Load parameters and replace du-plicates
add new parameters from the configura-tion file to the topic and update the exist-ing ones with values from the configura-tion file. Parameters that only exist in the controller and not in the configuration file will not be changed at all.
4 Click Open and browse to the configuration file to load. Then click Open again.
5 In the information box, click OK to confirm that you want to load the parameters from the configuration file.
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6 When the loading of the configuration file is finished, close the Select mode dialog box.
If a restart of the controller is necessary for the new parameters to take affect, you will be notified of this.
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