Controller Commissioning: From Compiling to Debugging

WARNING

Unintended machine operation

Prior to starting up or debugging the application, make certain that suitable organizational measures (according to applicable sector standards) have been taken to avoid hazardous situations if the application logic functions in an unintended or incorrect way.
Do not enter the zone of operation while the machine is operating.
Ensure that no other persons can access the zone of operation while the machine is operating.
Observe the regulations given by relevant sector standards while the machine is running in any other operating mode than "operational".
Use appropriate safety interlocks where personnel and/or equipment hazards exist.

Note
Both the Safety PLC and the standard (non-safety-related) machine controller have their own, separate Cockpit and both can be connected and commissioned independently of each other. Therefore, both PLANT nodes provide separate context menu commands to write and start the standard project and the safety application independently. It is, for example, possible to write and start the standard application while simulating the safety-related application. See help chapter "Controlling the Safety Application from the Safety Cockpit".

Safety download combined with standard download:
However, it is possible to write and start the safety application together with the standard application. For that purpose, the commands 'Write and Start Project (incl. Safety)' (with and without project sources) are available. The following procedure also takes this case into account.

Verify the following:

Controller and all configured devices are available in the network.
Verify that the controller operating mode switch is in the desired position:
Only in switch position RN (RUN), the CPU can start the execution after completion of this procedure. If set to ST (STOP), execution is not started until switched to RN.
Application structure modeled in the PLANT represents the physical network.
IP address settings in the 'Settings' editor of each device involved are correct (controller node and PROFINET device nodes). If required, adjust the IP settings as described in the topic "Device Configuration/Parameterization".
No errors are pending in the Error List (MESSAGES window).
Programming mode is active and debug mode is inactive, i.e., the controller node icon does not indicate a controller status and the controller name is not shown bold in the PLANT. Reason: the project cannot be written to the machine controller while online and debug data is exchanged in debug mode.
If on, switch the debug mode off by selecting 'Debug On/Off' from the context menu of the controller in the PLANT or in the ONLINE STATE window, or deactivate the corresponding icon on the 'Cockpit' toolbar:

Note
Poor internet connection? Performance problems due to VPN connection? You can adapt the TCP communication settings by increasing the handshake timeout value and the polling interval. See topic "TCP Communication Connection".

Set the controller (not the controller simulation) as target system.

Double-click the controller node in the PLANT to open its properties in the editors area.
In the editors area, open the 'Cockpit' editor.
In the 'Cockpit' editor, select the controller port to which the LAN cable is connected.
Example for the iC9222M-EC controller:

Note
Ad-hoc IP address instead of project-defined address
Instead of the IP address defined in the controller settings of the project, you can also connect to a controller with any other IP address (provided it can be accessed in the network). In this way, communication connections to several PLCnext devices can be established one after the other (e.g. in router scenarios) without having to change the IP address in the project settings and rebuild the project. How to do this is described under "Ad-hoc IP address instead of project-defined address".

Create the project image (build the project), send it to the controller, and start the program execution.
The project image contains the application logic as machine-readable code and all relevant configuration/parameterization data of the project.

Note
When writing the project to the controller and starting up the application, observe the safety warning message noted at the beginning of this topic.

Building the project, sending, and starting the project execution is possible with only one command:
In the PLANT, right-click the controller node and select the desired 'Write and start project' from the context menu or press <F5> on your keyboard.
It is possible to combine the safety download with standard download. (See also the help section "Further 'Write and Start' commands..." below.)
Example

(Which 'Write' commands are actually available depends on the controller type and the 'Write and Start Commands' settings you made in the 'Options' dialog.)

Alternatively, select the command in the context menu of the machine controller in the ONLINE STATE window, or click the following icon on the 'Cockpit' toolbar:
Refer to the topic "Controlling the application / Toolbar icons in the Cockpit" for detailed information on the 'Write and Start' command.
Menu item/icon not active?

If the command is not available although the controller is reachable in the network, iCube Engineer may run in debug mode. Detach iCube Engineer from the running application process. See preconditions in step 1.

'Write and Start' aborted due to compiler errors?

The project build process is aborted in case of any detected errors. When correcting errors, you can use the 'Rebuild' command to prove the error-free project before calling the 'Write and Start' command again.

Further 'Write and Start' commands...
Also observe the other 'Write and start' commands if provided and supported by your controller type:

Note
In the 'Options' dialog ('Online' category), you can specify which commands are available. Make sure that all required commands are selected in the 'Options' dialog.
- 'Write project changes...' writes only modifications to the target and switches the project execution without stopping the machine controller. If the menu items are not provided, writing changes is not supported by the controller type involved. See topic "Writing project changes" for details.
- The 'Write ... (with sources)' commands include project sources and store them on the target:
  and
- Safety download combined with standard download:
  If your project includes a safety application, it is possible to write and start both the safety project image to the Safety PLC and the standard project image to the standard machine controller.
  For that purpose, the commands 'Write and Start Project (incl. Safety)' (with and without project sources) are available:
  and
Not yet logged on to the controller?

The controller involved implements a secure device concept. If you are not yet logged on to the controller (black shield symbol beside the controller icon in the PLANT), the authentication dialog appears. Enter a user name of the desired and suitable role as well as the relating password and press <Enter> to log on. (Make sure that the user role you are entering allows writing and starting the project.)
If an authentication error occurs during connection establishment (due to a rejected or unknown controller certificate), a dialog appears where you can instruct iCube Engineer to establish the ("unsecured") connection nevertheless.

While you are logged on to the controller, this is indicated by a green shield symbol beside the controller icon in the PLANT. Refer to the topic "Network Security" for details.

Safety download combined with standard download:
If you have included the safety project image by selecting one of the commands 'Write and Start Project (incl. Safety)' (with and without project sources), you must additionally logon to the Safety PLC. Refer to the topic "Safety PLC Password Protection" for details.

On the controller, the project is automatically stored as Boot Project in the Flash Memory. As a result, the controller will automatically execute this project after each start-up.
iCube Engineer automatically attaches to the process and switches to Debug mode when the project execution has been started after a 'Write and Start' command.

Perform a function test after the successful controller startup. To support you in this, iCube Engineer provides the following features:

Debug mode in which online values are read cyclically from the controller and displayed in the editors.
Debug commands, such as forcing/overwriting of variables and breakpoints.
After activating an extended debug option in the Cockpit, debugging of functions, methods, inline transitions and actions is possible. This option, however, increases the execution time and memory consumption on the controller.
For SFC worksheets, additional SFC-specific debug commands are available.
WATCHES window for collecting variables from different worksheets, displaying their online values and execute debug commands.
LOGIC ANALYZER for recording and graphical representation (as curves) of variables values read from the running controller.

Note
The test of the application in debug mode using debug commands, the WATCHES window and LOGIC ANALYZER may not replace the proper function test using I/O devices/sensors/actuators under any circumstances. The test in debug mode may only be performed in addition to the standard function test, as a preliminary test, for example.

If you detect incorrect behavior or an error in the application logic during the function test, you must make certain that it will not lead to a hazardous situation. Observe the safety warning message noted at the beginning of this topic. Next, remove the error in the application logic by reediting the project. Following a successful compilation, start commissioning again.

Safety download combined with standard download:
If you have included the safety project image by selecting one of the commands 'Write and Start Project (incl. Safety)' (with and without project sources), you must additionally perform a safety-related function test. With a few exceptions, the same debug and monitoring tools are available for the safety application as for the standard application. Refer to the corresponding help topic in the chapter "Safety PLC Commissioning: From Compiling to Debugging".