Connect with controllers

Connect with the physical controllers when developing an application. A virtual machine executes the code for each controller in real-time on the equipment.
TIP: Breakpoints, cycle-to-cycle, and step-by-step execution are only available while simulating an application.
Connect individual controllers within a project. Use the
Connect
dialog box to select individual or all controllers. When connected, perform tasks that include:
  • Monitor program execution and the values of variables
  • Lock and unlock I/O channels of an I/O module
  • Modify values of variables
  • Modify cycle timing
    IMPORTANT:
    • When connected, do not modify any controllers. Modifications may be lost after disconnecting.
    • Connecting to multiple controllers after a library update uses the library content that matches the topmost selected controller from the
      Connect
       dialog box. The
      Connect In Progress
       dialog box may warn that some libraries may not match the running application for other controllers. To use library content that matches another controller, connect only to that controller.
When connected, a local or remote
AADvance-Trusted SIS Workstation software
 locks a controller from other users while performing any operation modifying the controller. Only one
AADvance-Trusted SIS Workstation software
 can lock a controller at any given time. Operations that lock a controller include performing downloads and updates, modifying the values of variables and I/Os, modifying cycle timing, and more. The
AADvance-Trusted SIS Workstation software
 unlocks access after disconnecting from the controller or after completing a download. When the
AADvance-Trusted SIS Workstation software
 locks a controller, the identity is indicated as the user name from the computer. If the
AADvance-Trusted SIS Workstation software
 is unable to restrict access to the controller, the operation modifying the controller fails.
TIP: Check in all pending changes before connecting.
Status information for a controller appears as a lightning bolt icon in the
Application View
,
Communication View
, and
Equipment View
:
Icon
Description
cam_ixun
Yellow. Controller is unlocked and available to any
AADvance-Trusted SIS Workstation software
.
cam_ixrl
Green. Controller is locked by a local
AADvance-Trusted SIS Workstation software
 and unavailable from other
AADvance-Trusted SIS Workstation software
.
cam_ixrw
Red. Controller is locked by a remote
AADvance-Trusted SIS Workstation software
 and unavailable to local
AADvance-Trusted SIS Workstation software
.
cam_ixrr
Grey. Controller is not connected or is in simulation mode.
From these views, obtain detailed status information for controllers including the identity of an
AADvance-Trusted SIS Workstation software
 locking a controller by mousing over the controller status icons. The
Controller Status
 displays the identities of
AADvance-Trusted SIS Workstation software
 locking controllers.
IMPORTANT: Before initially connecting to controllers, build the project, then download the code to the controller. Subsequent connections automatically extract the controller code from the version control repository resulting from the latest download or update operation.
To connect with controllers
  1. In the
    Communication View
    , specify the IP addresses for the controllers in the project.
    The compiler generates different code for simulation than for targets.
  2. From the
    Project
    menu, point to
    Connect Mode
    , and then click
    Online
    .
    The
    Online
    menu category appears with the online command options.
  3. Build the controller or project code.
  4. Download the code to the physical controller or controllers.
  5. In the
    Application View
    , select the controller or project to connect, then from the
    Online
    menu click
    Connect
    (or press
    F5
    ).
  6. In the
    Connect
    window, select the controller or controllers to connect, and then click
    Connect
    .
    The selected controllers are connected.
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