JP2003157104A - Programming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a programming device which restores and displays a source program consistent with an execution program stored in a programmable controller and program auxiliary information always correctly. SOLUTION: When a user specifies automatic storage, the programming device 1 stores as execution program 8 generated by compiling the source program 7 as an execution program 19 in a programmable controller 13, stores the source program 7 as a source program 22 in the programmable controller 13 on confirming that the storage is completed normally, and stores a program information table 9 generated from file information of the execution program 8 as a program information table 23 in the programmable controller 13. The program auxiliary information of comment sentences, etc., is added to the source program 22. The program information table 23 consists of a program number, a generation date and time, and a program size and is used to check consistency.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a programming device for a programmable controller, and more specifically, it always corrects a source program and program auxiliary information which are consistent with an execution program stored in the programmable controller. The present invention relates to a programming device for restoration display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, it is generally called a programmable controller and is a controlled object by a logical operation according to various physical quantity information or logical information at a work site based on an execution program supplied from a programming device. A general-purpose sequence controller (P that performs predetermined output control (sequence control) for the module group
LC: Programmable Logic Controller).

This method of programming a programmable controller involves a completely different description format from normal computer programming. That is, by combining symbol marks of control elements such as a-contact (normally open contact), b-contact (normally closed contact), coil (electromagnetic relay), which have been used in the field since the days of electromagnetic relay control devices before computerization. The developed connection diagram of the relay circuits of the sequentially described format is described on the paper. The expanded connection diagram (circuit diagram source program) of the relay circuit described on this paper is generally called a ladder diagram (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a program).

The ladder diagram described on the paper as described above is first inputted as it is to a programming device such as a program loader having a display and a keyboard (hereinafter, the ladder diagram described on the paper is referred to as an original program). That is, the ladder diagram input to the programming device is called the input program).

The ladder diagram input to this programming device is checked for correctness, and finally converted (compiled) into a machine language and stored in a programmable controller as an object program (hereinafter referred to as an execution program). To be done.

In addition to the simple ladder diagram, SFC (Sequencial Function Chart)
There is also a method to describe using the program description format of the international standard dedicated to the programmable controller,
There is also a format in which a program is described by describing transition conditions and outputs for each step of sequence control in a data entry format table called a spreadsheet displayed on a display screen by general-purpose spreadsheet software.

In any case, such a program is described by a combination of an illustrated element representing an instruction and an operand handled by the instruction. The operand is an address of the data memory of the programmable controller, and is often represented by a combination of a letter indicating the memory classification and a number indicating the address.

However, in such notation, the program is displayed on the programming device as a list of illustrated elements and alphanumeric characters, and it is difficult to understand the control contents of the execution program only by looking at the program. As it is, there is a problem that the program maintenance / maintenance work takes time and the work does not progress easily.

Therefore, in the address of the contact or coil of the program, a comment statement such as what the contact is for actuating, and what coil the output of that address is for actuating, etc. Has been considered as a program auxiliary information, which is described and displayed in association with each illustrated element of the program, thereby enabling programming with an expression that is easier for a person to see and understand.

By the way, in order to see the program auxiliary information together with the program on the display screen of the programming device, the program auxiliary information must be input to the programming device. For this input, the original program is input to the programming device. Separately from the above, each program auxiliary information is input in correspondence with the address of each illustrated element described above.

However, even if the data is input manually, no matter how carefully the data is input, an input error will always occur. The occurrence of this input error is almost inevitable. Therefore, when checking the consistency between the original program and the input program, it is necessary to perform two kinds of checking simultaneously, that is, whether the ladder diagram is correct and the program auxiliary information is correct. Although there is no problem with simple sequence control, this check is not easy for programs that have tens of thousands of steps in control.

Therefore, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-51817, program assistance is used to check the consistency between an original program (original sequence program) and an input program (input sequence program). Flags are added to the comment data as information and the contact element and coil element related to this comment data, and the consistency check table is created based on the comment data, contact element, and coil element to which this flag is added. However, there has been proposed an input error check method for an input program in which the consistency check table is used to check the consistency between the original sequence program and the input sequence program.

By the way, the maintenance / maintenance work of the execution program is performed by reading the execution program stored in the programmable controller while decompiling it on the programming device and displaying it on the screen.
However, since the execution program stored in the programmable controller is composed of machine language for executing the process, it does not include the program auxiliary information. Therefore, a comment statement or the like is not displayed in the program displayed by decompiling the execution program on the display screen of the programming device. Therefore, the user who performs maintenance / maintenance must work based on a program that is difficult to understand without such comment statements added.

[0014]

In order to make it easier to understand the program that is decompiled from the execution program and displayed as described above, it is conceivable to use the above-mentioned program auxiliary information. After updating the program, human error such as forgetting to update the program auxiliary information is often made, and if this happens, an inconsistent state between the program and the program auxiliary information will occur, and Even if the auxiliary information is referred to, there is a problem that the referenced program auxiliary information is no longer useful. In addition, there is no way to check the consistency between the program stored in the programmable controller and the program auxiliary information, so it is not possible to quickly and accurately detect the inconsistency between the program and the program auxiliary information. there were.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems.
(EN) Provided is a programming device which always restores and displays a source program and program auxiliary information consistent with an execution program stored in a programmable controller.

[0016]

The structure of the programming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below. The programming device of the present invention includes a designation unit that designates to automatically store program restoration information including program auxiliary information when an execution program compiled from a source program is stored in a programmable controller, and the above-mentioned designation unit from the designation unit. Storage means for storing the program restoration information in the programmable controller by receiving a designation to automatically store the program restoration information, and reading for reading the program restoration information stored in the programmable controller by the storage means from the programmable controller Means for reading the restoration information from the programmable controller, thereby matching the source program and the program in the execution program in the programmable controller. Configured to always properly screen display and an auxiliary information.

In the programming device, for example, as described in claim 2, an information table generating means for generating a program information table in which the file information of the execution program is recorded, and the information table generating means for generating the program information table. Information table storing means for storing a program information table in the programmable controller, information table reading means for reading the program information table stored in the programmable controller by the information table storing means from the programmable controller, and the information table reading means. Consistency verification means for verifying the consistency between the execution program and the program restoration information based on the program information table read from the programmable controller by A verification result output means for outputting a verification result by the means on a display device, further is configured with,
Further, for example, as described in claim 3, encryption means for performing encryption processing on the program information table, and compounding means for compounding the program information table encrypted by the encryption means, Is further provided.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a programming device according to an embodiment together with a programmable controller. As shown in FIG. 1, the programming device 1 includes a CPU 2, a display device 3 connected to the CPU 2 via a bus (not shown), and a CPU 2 as well.
Further, it is provided with a compiling function 4 by a program creating program stored in a program area of a storage device (not shown) connected via the bus, a collating function 5, and a communication function 6 by a communication program.

A source program 7 and an execution program 8 are stored in another program area of the storage device. A program information table 9 described later in detail is stored in the data area of the storage device, and the execution program file information 1 is also stored in the work area of the storage device.
1 is stored.

The above-mentioned source program 7 is created by the user using the keyboard (not shown) of the programming apparatus 1 by inputting the original program while looking at the original program or by direct input. Although not shown in particular, the source program 7 is integrally added with program auxiliary information such as a comment statement associated with each ladder circuit element such as a contact element or a coil element and created as a separate file. ing. Then, the consistency between the program auxiliary information and the source program 7 is
It has been sufficiently confirmed in advance by some method.

Each function described above is executed by the CPU 2 in accordance with a program creating program. And
The execution program 8 is generated by compiling the source program 7 by the compiling function 4. Also, the program information table 9
It is generated by the compiling function 4 in accordance with the above. The collating function 5 and the execution program file information 11 will be described later.

This programming device 1 has a communication function 6
Is connected to the communication interface 14 of the programmable controller 13 via the communication interface 12. The programmable controller 13 is the CPU 1
5, the CPU 15 exchanges data with the programming device 1 via the communication interface 14 by the communication function 16 of the CPU 15.

The programmable controller 13 is provided with a storage device 17 in addition to a memory (not shown), and the execution program storage area 18 of the storage device 17 stores the execution program 8 transferred from the programming device 1 as an execution program 19. It That is, the execution program 8 of the programming device 1 and the execution program 19 of the programmable controller 13 shown in FIG. 1 are the same.

A source program 22 and a program information table 23 are stored in the source program storage area 21 of the storage device 17. The source program 22 is
The source program 7 transferred from the programming device 1 and the program information table 23 are the program information table 9 similarly transferred from the programming device 1.

In the present system having such a configuration, the source program and the program auxiliary information which are consistent with the execution program 19 stored in the programmable controller can always be correctly restored and displayed. How to realize the restored display will be described below.

FIG. 2 shows the CPU 2 of the programming device 1.
7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a process performed according to a program creation program. Figure 3
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen for “designating whether or not to automatically store program restoration information” displayed on the display device 3 of the programming device 1 prior to the above processing. Normally, the user uses the check input box 26 displayed on the left side of the "automatically save program restoration information" displayed in the center of the page data display area 25 of the display screen 24 shown in FIG. Check the box and specify "Automatic save of program restoration information".

In this example, since the source program is used as the program restoration information, the automatic saving of the source program is designated here. It should be noted that prevention of the occurrence of a failure expected when the user does not specify "automatic storage of program restoration information" will be described later.

After this processing, the user inputs an instruction to "store the execution program" to start the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. In FIG.
First, the programming device 1 (that is, the CPU 2 of the programming device 1 and the same applies hereinafter) uses the source program 7
Is confirmed by the compiling function 4 to be normally compiled into the execution program 8 (process S1).

In this processing, it is judged from the output result of the compiling function 4 whether or not the processing is completed normally.
Then, when the process is not normally completed (the process S1 is N
O), the process ends here.

On the other hand, if the compilation is completed normally (YES in step S1), the programming device 1 sends the compiled execution program 8 to the programmable controller 13 via the communication function 6 and the communication interface 12. The data is stored in the execution program storage area 18 of the storage device 17 (process 2).

As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the execution program 19 is stored in the execution program storage area 18 of the storage device 17 of the programmable controller 13. Subsequently, the programming device 1 determines whether or not automatic storage of program restoration information is designated (process S3).

This process is performed by the display screen 24 shown in FIG.
This is a process for determining whether or not the check input box 26 on the left side of "automatically save source program" in the center of is checked.

Then, when the automatic saving of the source program is not designated (check is not made) (NO at step S3), the processing is ended here. On the other hand, if the automatic saving of the source program is designated (checked) (YES in step S3), the file information of the execution program 8 is extracted, which will be described later in detail, and this extraction is performed. Processing for generating the program information table 9 based on the file information is performed (processing 4).

Subsequently, the programming device 1 stores the program restoration information in the programmable controller 13 via the communication function 6 and the communication interface 12 (process 5).

In this example, the source program 7 is used as the program restoration information. Then, in this process, the source program 7 is stored in the source program storage area 21 of the storage device 17 of the programmable controller 13. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the source program 22 is stored in the source program storage area 21 of the storage device 17 of the programmable controller 13.

Subsequently, the programming device 1 changes the program information table 9 created in the process S4 to
The data is stored in the source program storage area 21 of the programmable controller 13 via the communication function 6 and the communication interface 12 (process 6).

As described above, in the present invention, when the compiled execution program is stored in the programmable controller, the program restoration information having the program auxiliary information (in this example, the source program integrally having the program auxiliary information is used, A data file having program auxiliary information may be of any format) and can be automatically stored in a pair with the execution program.

As in the conventional case, an execution program simply compiled from a source program is stored in a programmable controller, and an information table and a check table input separately are stored in the programmable controller. After disconnecting the connection between the programmable controller and the programmable controller, the source program is modified by the request for improvement of the program, the discovery of defects, etc. and compiled into an execution program, the execution program is stored in the programmable controller, and then When trying to call the program auxiliary information for further maintenance of the execution program, the program auxiliary information is definitely the program auxiliary information of the currently stored execution program. There is no assurance that, also there is no way to verify this.

As described above, this is because a person transfers the modified execution program to the programmable controller, performs a trial run of the programmable controller, and confirms that the result of the trial run is satisfactory. This is because when the user thinks “I am good”, I often forget to save the program auxiliary information related to the source program of the execution program by associating it with the execution program and saving it.

In the present invention, as described above, when the execution program is stored in the programmable controller,
Since the program restoration information having the program auxiliary information can be automatically stored in a pair with the execution program according to the user's designation, the conventional problem is solved and the program restoration information is stored in the programmable controller. The program auxiliary information consistent with the executed program can always be restored and displayed correctly.

Further, since the program restoration information is stored in the programmable controller so as to always match the execution program, by using this program restoration information as the source program, it is not necessary to decompile and restore the execution program. Also, by displaying the source program as it is, it is possible to display the source program whose consistency with the execution program is guaranteed.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the process S4 for generating the program information table 9 in the above process in more detail. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a data structure of the program information table 9 generated by the above processing.

In the process shown in FIG. 4, the programming device 1 first extracts the file information of the execution program 8 (process S4-1). Generally, file information is always added to the header part of an execution program. This process is a process of reading the file information.

Subsequently, the programming device 1 generates the program information table 9 shown in FIG. 1 in the record format having the data structure shown in FIG. 5 based on the extracted file information (process S4-2). . In this process, when the execution program 8 is composed of a plurality of programs, the program information table 9 is repeatedly generated for that number.

As shown in FIG. 5, the program information table 9 includes a program number 27 and a program generation date / time 2
8 and program size 29, each consisting of 3 items of data. The data of the above-mentioned three items cannot be the same not only in the case of mutually independently created programs, but also between the original and the modified version of the programs. Therefore, later, by verifying each data of the above-mentioned three items, it is possible to specify whether the program is the same program or another program.

Returning to FIG. 4, the program information table 9 generated as described above is encrypted, and the encrypted program information table 9 is stored in the storage device inside the programming device 1 (process S4-3).

In this way, although not described in FIG. 2, in this example, after the program information table 9 is encrypted,
As shown in FIG. 1, the program information table 23 is stored in the programmable controller 13. This encryption ensures the security of the program contents.

In this way, the execution program 19, the source program 22, and the program information table 23
For the programmable controller 13 in which is stored the programming device 1 as required during maintenance or the like.
From the user using the programmable controller 13
An instruction to check the consistency between the execution program 19 and the program restoration information (the source program 22 in this example) stored in is issued.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the confirmation processing performed by the programming device 1 when the user issues an instruction to confirm the consistency between the execution program 19 stored in the programmable controller 13 and the source program 22. This process is a process performed by the CPU 2 based on the collating function 5 of the programming device 1 shown in FIG.

Further, in this process, as shown in the process S3 of FIG. 2 and the display screen 24 of FIG. 3, in this example, the automatic storage of the program restoration information is left to the user's selection. This process is provided in order to prevent the occurrence of a problem expected when the automatic storage of the program restoration information is not specified, in case the automatic storage of the program restoration information is not specified.

In FIG. 6, first, the programming device 1 transfers the file information of the execution program 19 of the programmable controller 13 to the communication interface 12,
The program information table is read out via the communication function 6, the program information table is generated in the record format shown in FIG. 5, and is stored in the storage device in the programming device 1 (process S101).

Subsequently, the programming device 1 includes the program information table 2 of the programmable controller 13.
3 is read out via the communication interface 12 and the communication function 6 and stored in the storage device in the programming device 1 (process S102). At this point, the program information table 23 is still encrypted.

Next, the programming device 1 decrypts the program information table 23 stored in the storage device by the above processing, and stores the decrypted program information table in the storage device in the programming device 1.

Further, subsequently, the programming device 1 executes the execution program 1 stored in the storage device as described above.
The program information table generated from No. 9 is collated with the program information table decrypted from the encrypted program information table 23 (process 104).

Then, the programming device 1 displays the collation result obtained by the above collation process on the display device 3 (process S105). In this display output, for example, if the generated program information table and the decrypted program information table match as a result of collation, “match” is displayed, and if they do not match, “mismatch” is displayed. To be done.

As a result, when the user does not specify the automatic storage, and when the user forgets to store the program restoration information, the program restoration information different from the execution program is displayed due to the display of "inconsistency". Since it is known that it is stored, the correct response can be taken without wasting time.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, when the user specifies automatic storage, the execution program 8 (1
Since the source program 7 (22) is stored only when the storage process of 9) is successful, in addition to the inconsistency that occurs when updating only the execution program 19, only the source program 7 is updated. The inconsistency caused by the loss can be eliminated.

Further, since the entire source program 22 is stored as the program restoration information, even in a programming device having a free format illustrated language editing function, it is possible to completely restore the arrangement coordinates of the programming element.

The storage path of the execution program and the source program to the programmable controller may be via the communication function as described above or via a removable storage medium. Also, the communication function does not matter whether it is wired or wireless.

Further, the program restoration information is not limited to the source program as described above, but when the source program is used, it may be partial information such as the entire source program or only comment information, and is configured as program restoration information. The range of data to be used may be set arbitrarily.

[0061]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, when the execution program is stored in the programmable controller, the program restoration information having the program auxiliary information can be automatically stored in a pair with the execution program. Since this is done, it is possible to always correctly restore and display the program auxiliary information that is consistent with the execution program stored in the programmable controller.

Further, since the program restoration information is stored in the programmable controller so as to always match the execution program, by using this program restoration information as the source program, it is not necessary to decompile and restore the execution program. By displaying the source program as it is, it is possible to display the source program whose consistency with the execution program is guaranteed.

By designating automatic storage, it is possible to complete the two processes of storing the execution program and storing the program restoration information in a single operation, thereby reducing the operational burden on the user. And convenient.

Further, by providing the program information table, the consistency between the execution program and the program restoration information can be confirmed accurately and quickly, so that the management of the execution program and the program restoration information becomes easier and convenient.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a programming device according to an embodiment together with a programmable controller.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of processing performed by a CPU of a programming device according to a program creation program.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen for designating whether to automatically store program restoration information on the display device of the programming device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining in more detail the operation of processing for generating a program information table.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a data structure of a program information table generated by a process of generating a program information table.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process for confirming the consistency between the execution program and the source program stored in the programmable controller.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 programming device 2 CPU 3 display devices 4 Compile function 5 Verification function 6 Communication function 7 Source program 8 execution programs 9 Program information table 11 Execution program file information 12 Communication interface 13 programmable controller 14 Communication interface 15 CPU 16 Communication function 17 Storage 18 Execution program storage area 19 Execution program 21 Source program storage area 22 Source Program 23 Program Information Table 24 display screen 25 page data display area 26 Check input box 27 Program number 28 Date and time of program generation 29 program size

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A designation unit for designating automatically storing program restoration information including program auxiliary information when an execution program compiled from a source program is stored in a programmable controller, and the program restoration from the designation unit. Storage means for storing the program restoration information in the programmable controller by receiving a designation to automatically store information, and reading means for reading the program restoration information stored in the programmable controller by the storage means from the programmable controller By reading the restoration information from the programmable controller, the source program and the program auxiliary information that match the execution program in the programmable controller are provided. Programming device, characterized in that the screen correctly displayed on. 2. An information table generating means for generating a program information table in which file information of the execution program is recorded, and an information table storing means for storing the program information table generated by the information table generating means in the programmable controller. An information table reading unit that reads the program information table stored in the programmable controller by the information table storage unit from the programmable controller; and a program information table read from the programmable controller by the information table reading unit. A consistency verification means for verifying the consistency between the execution program and the program restoration information based on the verification result; and a verification result output means for outputting a verification result by the consistency verification means to a display device. Further programming device according to claim 1, further comprising a. 3. An encryption means for performing an encryption process on the program information table, and a decryption means for decrypting the program information table encrypted by the encryption means. 3. The programming device according to claim 1, wherein the programming device is a device.