Method for visually determining the status of program edits in an on-line programming environment

• US 5,818,711 A
• Filed: 09/30/1996
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company LLC (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schwabe, Judith E., Urdaneta, Shelly L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Paul P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US08/724,099
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 364/147, 364/191, 364/140, 364/141, 364/146, 364/144, 364/140.01, 364/140.02, 395/161, 395/153, 395/180, 395/375, 395/700, 395/683, 395/200.03, 395/200.04, 395/200.06, 371/19, 371/29.1, 371/16, 371/29, 345/967, 707/526-530
• US Class Current: 700/18
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/056 Programming the PLC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13046 Display status of edited program segments: inserted, deleted, replaced
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13052 Display of ladder diagram
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13172 Remote programming from computer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13197 Host and remote version of ladder program, avoid different versions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A method for visually displaying the status of edits utilizes a plurality of visual indicia proximal the portions of edited program segments. Program segments which have not been edited and are currently part of the executable program in the programmable logic controller'"'"'s processor are represented with solid power rails. Edited rungs which have either been inserted, replaced or deleted are noted as such by I, R and D indicia proximal the power rail of the rung. An asterisk symbol (*) is used to visually identify rungs that have been modified at the workstation but which have not yet been downloaded to the controller. Other visual indicia identify to a workstation operator rungs which have been verified. When the controller is put into test edits mode, the state of the program in the controller prior to downloading the edited program segments is maintained but is not executed and the edits are resolved into the program executing in the processor. Inserted program segments are visually represented as a solid line indicating they are currently part of the program being executed in the controller. Replaced and deleted program segments are visually represented in dotted lines as they are no longer part of the program being executed in the remote processor. In the event the operator deletes a program segment which has been downloaded to the controller, the program segment is visually represented with small d indicia which informs the operator that rung will be deleted at the next download.

Claims

1. A method for simultaneously displaying an executable program in a remote processor and a plurality program edits input at a workstation, the executable program comprising a plurality of executable program segments, the plurality of program edits comprising new program segments and modified program segments, the executable program segments including corresponding executable program segments corresponding to the modified program segments, the plurality of program edits being selectively downloaded from the workstation to the remote processor, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying the plurality of executable program segments;

displaying new program segments at selected positions proximal the executable program segments, each new program segment including a first modifiable visual indica; and

displaying each modified program segment proximal the corresponding executable program segment, each modified program segment including a second modifiable visual indica.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first modifiable visual indica indicates whether each new program segment has been downloaded to the remote processor.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first modifiable visual indica indicates whether each new program segment is executing in the remote processor.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second modifiable visual indica indicates whether each new program segment has been downloaded to the remote processor.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second modifiable visual indica indicates whether each new program segment is executing in the remote processor.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said corresponding executable program segments include a third modifiable visual indica.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said executable program segments, said new program segments and said modified program segments are relay ladder logic rungs.

8. A method for simultaneously displaying an executable program in a remote processor and a plurality program edits input at a workstation, the executable program comprising a plurality of executable program segments, the plurality of program edits comprising new program segments and modified program segments, the executable program segments including corresponding executable program segments corresponding to the modified program segments, the workstation coupled to the remote processor, the plurality of program edits being selectively downloaded from the workstation to the remote processor, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying the plurality of executable program segments;

displaying new program segments proximal the executable program segments, each new program segment including a first modifiable visual indica that indicates whether each new program segment has been downloaded; and

displaying each modified program segment proximal the corresponding executable program segment, each modified program segment including a second modifiable visual indica that indicates whether each modified program segment has been modified.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said executable program segments, said new program segments and said modified program segments are relay ladder logic rungs.

10. A method for simultaneously displaying the status of a program including program edits at a workstation and a remote processor, the program comprising a plurality of program segments, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a first and second visual indica proximal a new program segment, the first visual indica indicating that the new program segment will be inserted upon a subsequent download, said second visual indica indicating said new program segments exists only in the workstation;

displaying a modified program segment as two program segments, said two program segments comprising an insert program segment and a replace program segment, the insert program segment including a third visual indica and fourth visual indica, the third visual indica indicating the insert program segment will be inserted into the program upon a subsequent download, the fourth visual indica indicating the insert program segment exists only in the workstation, the replace program segment including an fifth and sixth visual indica, the fifth visual indica indicating the replace program segment will be replaced upon a subsequent download, the sixth visual indica indicating the replace program segment is part of the executable code running in the remote processor; and

displaying a seventh visual indica proximal a delete program segment indicating the delete program segment will be deleted upon a subsequent download to the remote processor.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said executable program segments, said new program segments and said modified program segments are relay ladder logic rungs.

12. A method for simultaneously displaying the status of a program including program edits at a workstation and a remote processor, the program comprising a plurality of program segments, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a first visual indica proximal edited program segments which have not been downloaded to the remote processor; and

displaying a second visual indica proximal edited program segments which have been downloaded to the remote processor.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein said second visual indica comprises a first type and a second type, the method further comprising:

displaying the first type proximal edited program segments which have been downloaded and are not executing in the remote processor; and

displaying the second type proximal edited program segments which have been downloaded and are executing in the remote processor.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein said plurality of program segments are relay ladder logic rungs.