Controller Runtime Configuration and Tasks

Configuring the machine controller runtime comprises the following steps:

Creating and configuring tasks/events that are executed by the machine controller runtime.
Creating program instances (by assigning programs to tasks).

If a Safety PLC is included in your program, the standard machine controller and the Safety PLC are strictly separated. The Safety PLC is represented by a separate icon in the PLANT. Refer to the topic "Safety PLC Runtime Configuration"

Below the 'PLCnext' node, one ESM (Execution and Synchronization Manager) subnode is provided for each controller core. Tasks and program instances have to be defined specifically for a particular controller core. The criteria for the distribution of task and instances between the cores may be the performance of tasks and the requirements of the program instances to be executed.

For that purpose, the 'PLCnext' PLANT node provides several editors for configuring the machine controller runtime:

'Tasks and Events' editor used to create and configure the tasks to be executed and instantiate programs. The same editor is used for all cores (ESM nodes), separating the cores in the table.
'Online Parameters' editor ‣ Setting the Controller IP Address
×‣ Reading/Writing Controller Parameters - 'Online Parameters' Editor
×: firmware editor for device-specific settings. The contained parameters are defined in the device description file. The editor allows to read parameter values from and write values to the device.