JPH08166807A - Control program generating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To decrease the debugging and maintenance manhour of ladder programs. CONSTITUTION: A high-order ladder program A includes a low-order ladder program entry instruction L1 and when the low-order ladder program entry instruction L1 is specified and a low-order ladder program generation request is inputted, the generation of the ladder program A which is currently generated is interrupted and a ladder program lower in order the ladder program A is generated; when the generation of the low-order ladder program A is finished, the generation of the high-order ladder program A which is interrupted is restarted. Similarly, a ladder program D lower in order than a low-order ladder program C and the low-order ladder program B is generated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control program creating device for creating a control program consisting of a plurality of control commands.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in a control device such as a programmable controller, a user program (hereinafter referred to as a control program) consisting of control instructions such as a ladder language has become large in capacity, and the program itself is also highly functional. ing.

Therefore, as a means for facilitating the design, debugging, and maintenance of the control program, the control program is modularized and managed by a subroutine, or the control program is divided by dividing the control program into paragraphs or inserting comment sentences. Ways have been taken to make it easier to understand.

[0004]

However, even if the means for modularizing the control program or dividing the control program into paragraphs is adopted as described above, the designer or maintainer of the control program must manage the entire control program. Since it is necessary to manage the
There is a problem that a large number of man-hours are required during maintenance.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a control program creating apparatus capable of reducing the number of man-hours for debugging and maintenance of a control program.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, in the invention according to claim 1, in a control program creating apparatus for creating a control program consisting of a plurality of control commands, a normal control for inputting a normal control command is performed. An instruction input means, a lower control program entry instruction input means for inputting a lower control program entry instruction indicating an entry of a control program lower than the control program currently being created, and the lower control program entry instruction,
Input is made by means of a lower-order control program creation request input means for inputting a lower-order control program creation request for requesting creation of a lower-order control program than the control program currently being created, and the above-mentioned normal control command input means and lower-order control program entry command input means. Program creating means for creating a program by each command, and the control program created by the program creating means includes the lower control program entry command, and the lower control program creation request inputting means creates the lower control program entry command. When a lower-order control program creation request is input by specifying, the creation of the control program currently being created is interrupted by the program creating means to create a control program lower than the control program, and control When the program creation is completed, characterized by comprising a programming control means for resuming the creation of higher control program of the interrupted, the.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the first aspect is
In the control program creation device described above, a program storage means for storing the upper and lower control programs created by the program creation means, and the program storage when the creation of the upper and lower control programs by the program creation means is completed. Program transfer means for transferring the upper and lower control programs stored in the means to the control device.

According to the invention of claim 3, the invention according to claim 1
Alternatively, in the control program creating apparatus according to the present invention, the control program is a ladder program including a plurality of ladder instructions.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the program is normally created by the input normal control command or lower control program entry command. When there is a lower control program entry command in the created control program and a lower control program creation request is input, the creation of the control program currently being created is interrupted,
The control program lower than the control program is created, and when the creation of the lower control program is completed, the creation of the interrupted upper control program is restarted.

In the invention according to claim 2, further,
The upper and lower control programs thus created are stored, and when the creation of the upper and lower control programs is completed, the stored upper and lower control programs are transferred to the control device. To do.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a control program creating device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an embodiment of a control program creating apparatus according to the present invention together with a programmable controller (hereinafter referred to as "PLC") which is a control apparatus.

The control program creating apparatus 1 creates a ladder program including a plurality of ladder instructions as a control program including a plurality of control instructions, and the connecting cable 3
And a CPU 11, a system program memory 12, an input device 13 such as a keyboard, an output device 14 such as a display, an external storage device 15, an internal memory 16, and an interface 17. Externally, it is connected to the PLC 2 via the connection cable 3 connected to the interface 17.

The CPU 11 executes a system program stored in the system program memory 12 to execute a program creating means, a program creating control means,
5 and functioning as program transfer means, which will be described later.
The processing shown in is performed.

The input device 13 is a normal control command input means,
The low-order control program entry command input means and the low-order control program creation request input means function as various low-order control command input keys for inputting normal ladder commands, which are not shown, and the present-day description described with reference to FIG. Of the lower ladder program entry command input key for inputting the lower ladder program entry command that indicates the entry of the lower ladder program than the ladder program being created, and the lower ladder program creation request input key for instructing the creation request of the lower ladder program. When pressed, each command is input into this device.

The external storage device 15 serves as a program storage means for storing the upper and lower ladder programs created by the CPU 11 in the ladder program area. The internal memory 16 may have a function as the program storage means.

The PLC 2 is generally constructed, and includes a microprocessor 21, an I / O memory 22, and
System program memory 23 and work memory 24
, User program memory 25, interface 2
6 and 6 are connected by a bus 27.

FIG. 2 shows a low-order ladder program entry command which is input into this apparatus by the input device 13.

This lower ladder program entry instruction L
Indicates "LOWE", which indicates the entry of the lower ladder program.
It is composed of an instruction word L1 of R "and an operand L2 indicating" 000 "which is the program number of the lower ladder program.

FIG. 3 shows a specific example of the upper and lower ladder programs created by using the lower ladder program entry instruction shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, one ladder program is composed of upper and lower ladder programs A to D, the ladder program A is the highest ladder program, and the ladder programs B and C are ladder programs A. It is shown that the lower-order ladder program D and the ladder program D whose call source is the lower-order ladder program D whose call source is the ladder program B, respectively.

The existence of the lower ladder program B in the upper ladder program A means that the a contact instruction S1
And the program number "00" of the lower ladder program B
The existence of a lower ladder program entry circuit A1 consisting of a lower ladder program entry instruction L1 "LOWER 000" with 0 "as an operand is substituted, and the existence of the lower ladder program C depends on the a contact instruction S2 and the lower ladder program. C program number "0
It is substituted by the existence of a lower ladder program entry circuit C2 composed of a lower ladder program entry instruction L2 "LOWER 010" with 10 "as an operand.

The existence of the lower-order ladder program D in the lower-order ladder program B means that the a contact instruction S3 and the program number "0" of the lower-order ladder program D are present.
This is substituted by the existence of the lower ladder program entry circuit C3 including the lower ladder program entry instruction L3 "LOWER002" with "02" as an operand.

Note that FIG. 3 also shows a display screen on the output device 14 such as a display in the ladder program creating process, and the upper and lower ladder programs A to D are shown in principle in FIG. Are displayed on the output device 14 in separate screens. That is,
Since the upper and lower ladder programs A to D are separate as programs, as a general rule, except for the case where a program calling process or the like is performed on the same screen on the output device 14 such as a display, the other upper programs. It is controlled so as not to be displayed at the same time as the lower ladder programs A to D.

FIG. 4 shows a storage state in the external storage device 15 of the ladder program including the upper and lower ladder programs A to D shown in FIG.

In the external storage device 15, the upper and lower ladder programs A to D are not stored as separate files but are stored as one file. One ladder program area 15a is divided to store the upper ladder program area 15a. By linking the operand of the lower ladder program entry instruction L in the program and the program number of the lower ladder program, the upper and lower relationships are associated and the upper and lower ladder programs A to D are stored in the respective divided areas. I am trying to do it.

If stored in this way, when this user program is transferred to the PLC 2, all the ladder programs A to D in one ladder program area 15a will be transferred.

Next, the ladder program creation and transfer processing by the CPU 11 of the control program creation apparatus according to the present invention thus configured will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 shows the ladder program creation and transfer processing by the CPU 11.

In this device, first, the CP is turned on by inputting the power source.
When U11 is started (step 100), it is judged whether or not the ladder program has been created (step 110). If the ladder program has not been created (step 11).
0 “N”), input a normal ladder command or a lower ladder program entry command with the normal ladder command input key of the input device 13 or the lower ladder program entry command input key to create a ladder program, and create the created ladder program. As shown in FIG. 4, it is stored in the corresponding area of the ladder program area 15a of the external storage device 15 (step 120).

During the ladder program creating process in step 120, the CPU 11 determines whether there is an unrequested lower ladder program entry command for which a lower ladder program creating request has not been input yet (step 130) and inputs it. The device 13 determines whether or not a lower ladder program creation request is input (step 140).

Here, if it is determined that there is no unrequested lower ladder program entry instruction in the ladder program being created (step 130 "none"), the ladder program remains unchanged from the normal programming of the ladder program. Until creation is completed (step 110 “N”),
Continue creating the ladder program (step 12)
0).

Even if there is a lower ladder program entry command in the ladder program currently being created (step 130 "Yes"), if it is determined that the lower ladder program creation request has not been input (step 130). 1
40 “N”), similarly continue to create the ladder program and store it in the external storage device 15 (step 12).
0).

In other words, in this case, even if there is a lower ladder program entry command in the ladder program currently being created, the lower ladder program creation request has not been input, so the lower order in the ladder program currently being created. The lower ladder program is not created with the ladder program entry command still being input, but the normal ladder command or the lower ladder program entry command is input following the lower ladder program entry command to create the ladder program. This is the case to continue.

Explaining this case with reference to FIG. 3, for example, when the upper ladder program A is created, the lower ladder program entry instructions L1 and L2 are input, and then the lower ladder program entry instructions L1 and L2 are designated. Without inputting a lower ladder program creation request,
This is the case where the creation of the upper ladder program A is continued as it is.

On the other hand, the lower ladder program entry command is present in the ladder program currently being created (step 130 "Y"), and the lower ladder program entry request is input by designating the lower ladder program entry command. In the case (step 140), the CPU 11
Then, even if a normal ladder instruction or a lower ladder program entry instruction is input, the respective lower instructions are not input to the upper ladder program currently being created, but are input to the lower ladder program, thereby A low-order ladder program for the ladder program entry instruction is created, and the created low-order ladder program is stored in the corresponding area of the ladder program area 15a of the external storage device 15 in association with the high-order ladder program (see FIG. 4). Step 150).

That is, in this case, the lower ladder program entry command is input during the preparation of the upper ladder program, and immediately thereafter, the lower ladder program entry command is designated to input the lower ladder program creation request. When creating a program and its subordinate programs in parallel, or even when a subordinate ladder program entry command is input, continue creating the superordinate ladder program without inputting a subordinate ladder program creation request. After creating the upper ladder program, specify the lower ladder program entry command in the upper ladder program and input the lower ladder program creation request, and then create the lower program sequentially after creating the upper program. There are cases.

This case will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In the former case, for example, in creating the upper ladder program A,
When the lower ladder program entry commands L1 and L2 are input, subsequently, the lower ladder program entry commands L1 and L2 are designated to input the lower ladder program creation request, and the creation of the lower ladder programs B and C is continued. After the creation of the lower ladder programs B and C, the creation of the upper ladder program A is restarted.

In the latter case, for example, when the upper ladder program A is created, the lower ladder program entry commands L1 and L2 are input, but then these commands L1 and L2 are designated to request the creation of the lower ladder program. Continue to create the upper ladder program A without inputting, and after the completion of the upper ladder program A, specify the lower ladder program entry instructions L1 and L2 in the upper ladder program A and request to create the lower ladder program. Is input to create the lower ladder programs B and C.

The lower ladder program is created in a state of being linked with the program number of the lower ladder program set as the operand of the lower ladder program entry instruction L.

When the creation of the lower ladder program is completed (step 160 "Y"), the process returns to the upper ladder program of the lower ladder program which is the ladder program that called the lower ladder program (step 170), Creation of the ladder program is continued (step 130).

Finally, if there is no unrequested lower ladder program entry instruction in the highest ladder program (step 130 "none") and it is judged that the ladder program has been created (step 11).
0 "Y"), which indicates that the creation of all the upper and lower ladder programs has been completed, so the CPU 11 stores the ladder programs in the corresponding area of the ladder program area 15a of the external storage device 15 as shown in FIG. The upper and lower ladder programs are collectively converted into objects and transferred to the PLC 2 (step 180).

In the creation process of the lower ladder program in the above step 150, there is a lower ladder program entry command in the lower ladder program, and the lower ladder program creation request is input by designating the lower ladder program entry command. In such a case, depending on the judgments of the above step 130 and the above step 140, the processing shifts to step 150, a ladder program lower than the lower ladder program is created, and stored in the external storage device 15. .

To explain this case with reference to FIG. 3, the lower ladder program entry command L3 is inputted during the preparation of the lower ladder program B, and the lower ladder program entry request is inputted by designating the lower ladder program entry instruction L3. This is the case, and in this case, the lower ladder program D is created in the lower ladder program B.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, there is an unrequested lower ladder program entry command in the ladder program currently being created, and the unrequested lower ladder program entry command is designated to create the lower ladder program. When a request is input, the creation of the ladder program that is currently being created is interrupted, a ladder program lower than the ladder program is created, and if the creation of the lower ladder program is completed, it is interrupted. Since the creation of the upper ladder program is restarted, the ladder program can be arbitrarily divided into the upper ladder program and the lower ladder program, and can be hierarchically configured.

Therefore, for example, by dividing the main sequence into a high-order ladder program and the detailed sequence into a low-order ladder program, debugging and maintenance points of the ladder program can be narrowed down.
It is possible to reduce the man-hours spent for that.

Further, since the upper and lower ladder programs have a reduced program amount, not only the person in charge of designing but also a third person can easily understand and manage the programs.

Further, since the ladder program is divided into upper and lower ladder programs and programmed, it is possible to change the lower ladder program without affecting the upper ladder program.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, an instruction called a lower ladder program entry instruction is newly provided,
If there is a lower ladder program entry command in the ladder program currently being created, and if a lower ladder program creation request is input by specifying the lower ladder program entry command, create the ladder program currently being created. Since the program was interrupted, a ladder program lower than the ladder program was created, and when the creation of the lower ladder program was completed, the creation of the interrupted upper ladder program was restarted.
Ladder programs can be arbitrarily divided into upper and lower ladder programs and can be configured hierarchically.

Therefore, for example, by dividing the main sequence into the upper ladder program and the detailed sequence into the lower ladder program, the debugging and maintenance points of the ladder program can be narrowed down.
It is possible to reduce the man-hours spent for that.

Further, since the upper and lower ladder programs have a reduced program amount, not only the person in charge of designing but also a third person can easily understand and manage the programs.

Further, since the ladder program is divided into upper and lower ladder programs and programmed, it is possible to change the lower ladder program without affecting the upper ladder program.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a control program creating device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a ladder program entry instruction.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of upper and lower ladder programs created by using the lower ladder program entry instruction shown in FIG.

4 is an explanatory diagram showing a storage state of the ladder program shown in FIG. 3 in an external storage device 15. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a ladder program creation process by the CPU.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Control Program Creation Device 11 CPU (Program Creation Means, Program Creation Control Means, Program Transfer Means) 13 Input Device (Normal Control Command Input Means, Lower Control Program Entry Command Input Means, Lower Control Program Creation Request Input Means) 15 External Storage device (program storage means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A control program creating device for creating a control program comprising a plurality of control commands, comprising: a normal control command input means for inputting a normal control command; and a control program entry lower than the control program currently being created. Lower control program entry command input means for inputting the lower control program entry command shown and lower control program creation request for designating the lower control program entry command by designating the lower control program entry command Lower-order control program creation request input means for inputting, a program creation means for creating a program by each command input by the normal control command input means and the lower-level control program entry command input means, and a control created by the program creation means. Program The low order control program entry instructions are there in the,
Further, when the lower-order control program entry is specified and the lower-order control program entry request is input by the lower-order control program creation request input means, the creation of the control program currently being created is interrupted by the program creation means. And a program creation control means for creating a control program lower than the control program and restarting the creation of the interrupted higher control program when the creation of the lower control program is completed. Characteristic control program creation device. 2. A program storage means for storing the upper and lower control programs created by the program creating means, and a program storage means for storing the upper and lower control programs when the program creating means completes the creation of the upper and lower control programs. 2. The control program creating device according to claim 1, further comprising: a program transfer unit that transfers the upper and lower control programs that have been created to the control device. 3. The control program creating device according to claim 1, wherein the control program is a ladder program including a plurality of ladder instructions.