JP2002229613A - Ladder diagram preparing method and device, ladder preparation supporting program and recording medium for recording the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a ladder preparation supporting program capable of reducing input works of device numbers and inserting works of ladder instructions included in communication protocol set in a link unit when preparing a ladder diagram by using a computer. SOLUTION: By performing drag-and-drop or the like for each column of a transmission starting relay column 143, a transmission leading DM address column 144 for variable conversion, a reception collation relay column 146 and a reception leading DM address column 147 for variable conversion on a macro set screen 140 superposed and displayed on a ladder diagram preparation screen 150 of a display 92 from a device number to a desired position on a ladder diagram display screen by using a mouse (non-illustration), attribute information on a drag origin, that is, a DM or relay device number and macro comment are automatically displayed together with a ladder symbol on the ladder diagram preparation screen 150.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for creating a ladder diagram of an execution program of a programmable controller (PLC) system on a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An execution program for sequentially controlling a PLC system is created on a computer screen using a ladder diagram creation program that supports creation of the ladder diagram. When a general-purpose external device is connected to the PLC system, for example, a communication unit or a link unit is added as a link means of the PLC system, and communication with the general-purpose external device is performed via the link unit.

A P which incorporates such a link unit
In order to construct an LC system, it is necessary to create a communication protocol macro with a general-purpose external device, and this communication protocol macro is created using a macro creation device using a computer.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram for explaining, as a typical example, communication between a PLC system using a conventional protocol macro and a general-purpose external device. In the figure, the PLC system includes a CPU (central processing unit) unit 500 and a PLC component unit such as a link unit 510, and a general-purpose external device 520 is connected to the link unit 510.

[0005] The macro creating device 540 includes a program for creating a protocol macro for communication between the CPU unit 500 and the general-purpose external device 520, and is typically constituted by a general-purpose personal computer. Protocol macro 5 created by protocol macro creation device 540
11 is transferred to the link unit 510. Also, C
The PU unit 500 includes a PLC created by a user.
Program memory area 50 for storing execution programs
1 and a data memory area 502 to which a data memory is allocated.

[0006] The protocol macro 511 includes a plurality of transmission / reception sequences S1 to S3. Each transmission / reception sequence S
1 to S3 are composed of a command group in units of steps. CPU
The designated sequence is executed by designating the sequence number of the protocol macro 511 by a dedicated instruction on the ladder program of the unit 500. Thereby, a message is created, and transmission / reception between the link unit 510 and the general-purpose external device 520 via the transmission path 530 is performed.

When a macro is created by the macro creation device 540, conventionally, the macro setting information is printed out, and the user refers to the printed macro information to refer to the device included in each protocol macro. Check each attribute and device number (for example, relay number or data memory address number) one by one, determine each device number and ladder command,
Ladder diagrams were created by inserting or entering device numbers.

[0008]

For this reason, it is necessary for the user to put his / her own ladder command related to the device number and device attribute included in the communication protocol macro under the control of the user. Checking the device number and the like is a very nervous operation and involves the possibility of an input error or the like. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a ladder diagram creation method and apparatus and a ladder creation support that can reduce the insertion work of inputting a device number included in a communication protocol macro when creating a ladder diagram using a computer. An object of the present invention is to provide a program and a recording medium on which the program is recorded.

[0009]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ladder diagram for creating a ladder diagram of an execution program of a PLC system including link means to which a general-purpose external device is connected. A ladder diagram creation method created on a computer display screen using a program,
A plurality of device attributes included in the communication protocol macro between the link means and the external device, and a step of preparing a comparison list of selectable command words in relation to each device attribute of the plurality of device attributes; A ladder diagram creation screen display step of displaying a ladder diagram creation screen for creating the ladder diagram on a display screen of the computer, and the ladder diagram creation screen together with a communication protocol macro between the link means and the external device. A macro setting screen display step of displaying a macro setting screen for setting on the display screen of the computer, a device number specifying step of specifying a device number on the macro setting screen, and referring to the comparison list, A predetermined command is determined from selectable commands of the device attribute associated with the specified device number, and An instruction code determining step of completing an instruction code including the determined instruction word and the specified device number; a symbol insertion position specifying step of specifying a ladder symbol insertion position on the ladder diagram creation screen; This is achieved by providing a ladder diagram creation method including a symbol display step of converting the ladder symbol into a ladder symbol on a ladder diagram creation screen and displaying the ladder symbol at a designated position on the ladder diagram creation screen.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, the above technical problem is solved by using a ladder diagram creation program to create a ladder diagram of an execution program of a PLC system including link means to which a general-purpose external device is connected. A ladder diagram creation device created on a display screen of a computer, comprising: comparing a device attribute included in a communication protocol macro between the link means and the external device with a command word selectable in association with the device attribute. List means, ladder diagram creation screen display means for displaying a ladder diagram creation screen for creating the ladder diagram on a display screen of the computer, together with the ladder diagram creation screen, the link means and the external device Macro setting screen table for displaying a macro setting screen for setting a communication protocol macro with the display screen of the computer A device number designating means for designating means, the device number on the macro setting screen,
With reference to the comparison list, a predetermined command word is determined from selectable command words of a device attribute associated with the specified device number, and the determined command word and the specified device number are determined. Instruction code determining means for completing the instruction code including, a symbol insertion position designating means for designating a ladder symbol insertion position on the ladder diagram creation screen, and converting the instruction code into a ladder symbol on the ladder diagram creation program. And a symbol display unit for displaying the ladder symbol at a designated position on the ladder diagram creation screen.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a function for displaying a ladder diagram creation screen on a computer screen so that a user can create a ladder diagram on the computer screen. Ladder diagram creation program for causing a computer to realize the above, and a macro setting screen is displayed on the computer screen, and the user sets a communication protocol macro between the link means and the general-purpose external device connected thereto on the computer screen A ladder creation support program for causing a computer to implement a function of creating an execution program of a PLC system including the linking means, the ladder creation support program comprising: The creation program contains a device that may be included in the communication protocol macro. It includes a class attribute, the control list data with selectable ladder instruction word in relation to the device attribute,
A function of displaying the macro setting screen on the computer screen together with the ladder diagram creation screen, a device number on the macro setting screen designated by a user, and the object list based on device attributes related to the device number. A function of referring to data and allowing a user to determine a predetermined command from command words selectable in association with the device attribute; and an instruction code including the determined command and the designated device number A function of storing the ladder diagram creation program and the macro creation program in a shared memory, and a function of converting an instruction word in an instruction code stored in the shared memory into a ladder symbol of the ladder diagram creation program, Displaying the ladder symbol at a designated position on the ladder diagram creation screen designated by the user. It is achieved by providing a ladder creation support program and a computer-readable recording medium recording this, characterized in that to realize.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ladder diagram creation screen displayed on a computer screen so that a user can create a ladder diagram on the computer screen. Displays a ladder diagram creation program for realizing the function on the computer and a macro setting screen on the computer screen, and the user sets the communication protocol macro between the link means and the general-purpose external device connected to this on the computer screen A ladder creation support program for causing a computer to have a macro creation program for causing a computer to perform a function capable of performing the function, and for causing the computer to implement a function for creating an execution program for a PLC system including the link means. Ladder creation support program may be included in the communication protocol macro A function of displaying the macro setting screen on the computer screen together with the ladder diagram creation screen, including a list of comparisons of device attributes to be selected and ladder command words selectable in association with the device attributes; A function of storing a device number on the macro setting screen designated by the above and a device attribute related to the device number in a shared memory of the ladder diagram creation program and the macro creation program; A function of allowing a user to determine a predetermined command from command words that can be selected in relation to the device attribute by referring to the target list data from the device attribute, and the determined command and the shared memory And an instruction code with the device number stored in the ladder diagram creation program from the instruction code. A ladder creation support program for causing a computer to realize a function of displaying a symbol at a designated position on the ladder diagram creation screen designated by a user, and a computer-readable recording medium recording the program. This is achieved by:

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The above-mentioned device number typically includes a transmission / reception relay number and a transmission / reception data memory address. It is convenient for the user to specify the device number and the ladder symbol insertion position using a mouse pointer. In this case, it would be convenient for the user to specify the device number and the ladder symbol insertion position in a series of mouse movements by an operation similar to a well-known drag and drop operation using a mouse.

A ladder symbol corresponding to a selectable command word is included in the above-mentioned control list data, and a ladder symbol of the control list data is used in the process of drag-and-drop operation similar to a mouse. Alternatively, a ladder symbol to be inserted may be displayed on the screen in accordance with the movement of the mouse pointer.

The ladder creation support program according to the present invention preferably includes a unit configuration program described later. This unit configuration program not only simulates the construction of the PLC system by arbitrarily arranging the units selected by the user from the units that can be selected as the configuration units of the PLC system on a computer screen, but also can configure each component of the PLC system. It is preferable to have a function of assigning a relay usable range and a DM usable range to the device of the unit. By including such a unit configuration program, utilizing the data created by the unit configuration program, and incorporating this data when creating a protocol macro, the data created by the unit configuration program can be utilized by the macro creation program, Further, the data created by the macro creation program can be utilized in the ladder diagram creation program, and the burden of the user on the ladder diagram creation can be reduced. The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention are:
It will be clear from the detailed description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an overall configuration of a programmable controller (PLC) system using a macro creation program according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The programmable controller system of FIG. 1 includes a CPU unit 10, an A / D conversion unit (not shown), a D / A conversion unit (not shown), a link unit 20, and the like, and has a serial port. The external device 30 is a link unit 20 as link means.
Done through. The link unit 20 and the CPU unit 10 may be integrated and taken in the same case to form a single unit.

The CPU unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 and a memory 12. The memory 12
Unit configuration information area 13, protocol macro area 1
4, a program area 15, a data memory area 16, and a relay area 17.

The unit configuration information area 13 stores unit configuration information created by the unit configuration creation device 60. Here, the unit configuration creation device 60 has a program for laying out various PLC configuration units and constructing a PLC system on a computer screen. The unit configuration information stored in the unit configuration information area 13 includes a data memory (DM) usable range and a relay usable range allocated to each constituent unit included in the PLC system constructed on the computer screen. That is, the unit configuration information is stored in the link unit 20 assigned by the unit configuration creation device 60.
, The DM usable range and the relay usable range, the DM usable range and the relay usable range of the A / D conversion unit, the data usable range and the relay usable range of the D / A conversion unit.

The protocol macro area 14 stores a protocol macro created by a protocol macro creation device 70 described later. The program area 15 stores a ladder program created by the ladder program creating device 80, that is, an execution program of the PLC system.

A data memory (DM) used on the ladder program is allocated to the data memory area 16, and a relay used on the ladder program is allocated to the relay area 17.

CPU unit 10 and link unit 2
PLC connection units such as 0 are connected by an inter-unit interface 40. Link unit 20
Includes a variable conversion processing unit 21 that performs a variable conversion process, and is connected to a serial communication port of the external device 30 via a transmission line 50.

The link unit 20 transmits and receives a message to and from the general-purpose external device 30 via the transmission line 50 by referring to the protocol macro stored in the protocol macro area 14. That is, when the transmission relay is turned on, the transmission of the transmission message is started, and then the reception processing is performed, and the received data is compared with the expected reception data of the protocol macro. Turn on.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an outline of one computer 90 which substantially constitutes the unit configuration creation device 60, the protocol macro creation device 70, and the ladder program creation device 80. Computer 90 typically comprises a general-purpose personal computer. As described above, the unit configuration creation device 60 includes various PLCs.
Layout the components on the computer screen
Includes a unit configuration creation program for building an LC system. The protocol macro creation device 70 includes a macro creation program for creating the above-described protocol macro. The ladder program creation device 80 is a PLC
The program includes a ladder program creation program for creating an execution program, and the ladder program creation program includes a ladder diagram creation program.

The computer 90 includes, as shown in FIG.
Communication control unit 91, display 92, input device 93, ROM (read-on memory) 94 for storing system programs, CPU (central processing unit) 95, RAM
(Random access memory) 96, storage medium drive 9
7 and an external storage device 98. The external storage device 98 such as a hard disk includes a unit configuration creation program, a macro creation program, and a ladder program stored in an external storage medium 99 such as a CD-ROM or a floppy (registered trademark) desk. The program creation programs are installed individually or together, and the unit configuration creation program, macro creation program, and ladder program creation program are integrated to constitute a ladder creation support program or system. The CPU 95 stores these three programs in the RAM 9
6 and controls the communication control unit 91, the display 92, and the input device 93. The unit configuration creation program, macro creation program, and ladder program creation program may be downloaded individually or together to the external storage device 98 via a communication medium of a communication line.

The communication control section 91 controls communication with the CPU unit 10. The display 92 is selected from display means such as a liquid crystal display panel and a CRT.
During execution of the macro creation program, a macro setting screen, which will be described later, is superimposed on the ladder diagram creation screen and displayed.
The input device 93 includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and is used by a user to input various data and various commands.

The unit configuration creation program constituting the unit configuration creation device 60 stores specific information such as the size, weight, and power consumption of various units (including link units) that can be selected as constituent units of the PLC system. Includes stored unit information files.

The unit configuration program also includes a program for arranging the units selected by the user from the selectable units on the display 92 arbitrarily to construct a PLC system. In addition to the function of calculating power consumption and the like and displaying the calculated result on the display 92, it has a function of allocating a relay usable range and a DM usable range to devices of each constituent unit of the PLC system constructed on the display 92.

FIG. 3 shows, by way of example, the data structure of a protocol macro. The protocol macro 100 includes a transmission control attribute 101, a transmission / reception macro 102, and unit setting information 103. The transmission control attribute 101 includes a header / footer 104 and a delimiter 105. The unit setting information 103 includes a data memory allocation range 106 The transmission / reception macro 102 includes a relay allocation range 107, and includes a transmission macro 108, a reception macro 109, a command type 110, and a comment 111. Command type 110 is
It consists of "transmission", "reception", and "transmission / reception". Comment 1
11 is a command name composed of a character string.

The transmission macro 108 is a transmission start relay 11
2, a source data memory 113, a message 116, and a variable conversion attribute 117. Here, the message 116 of the transmission macro 108 is a transmission message, and the message of the reception macro 109 is a reception expectation message.

The message 116 includes a constant 118 and a variable conversion designation 119. The variable conversion attribute 117 includes the presence / absence 120 of variable conversion and the data length 121 of one variable.

The variable conversion designation 119 is ASC on the receiving side.
Specification of conversion from I (ASCII) code to BIN (binary) code or transmission from BIN code to ASCI
Conversion to code, variable decimal conversion 122, variable hexadecimal conversion 123, variable real number conversion (floating point conversion)
124, a decimal point function 125, and a wildcard 126. The decimal point function 125 includes insertion of a decimal point during transmission or collation of a decimal point position during reception. Wildcards 126 valid at the time of reception include "*" representing a variable length and "?" Representing one character (byte).

As the variable conversion designation 119, a data memory read 127 at the time of transmission or a data memory write 128 at the time of reception is used. The variable conversion designation 119 is inserted into the transmission message in the case of the data memory read 127, and is performed on the data acquired from the received data in the case of the data memory write 128.

FIG. 4 shows an example of unit configuration information automatically assigned by the unit configuration creation device 60. As shown in FIG. 5 as an example, the addresses “DM0000” to “DM0”
999 "is set, and" 30 "is set as the relay usable range.
It can be seen that "000" to "30115" have been set. Addresses “DM1000” to “DM1999” are set as the DM usable range of the A / D conversion unit (not shown) configuring the PLC system, and “30200” to “3031” are set as the relay usable range.
5 "is set. Further, as a DM usable range of a D / A conversion unit (not shown) constituting the PLC system, addresses “DM2000” to “DM2999” are set.
Is set, and “30400” is set as the relay usable range.
To “30515” are set.

FIG. 5 shows a macro setting screen 140 superimposed on the ladder diagram creation screen of the display 92.
The macro setting screen 140 includes a comment field 141, a transmission start message field 142, a transmission start relay field 143, and a variable conversion transmission first DM address field 1 arranged side by side.
44, received message field 145, received collation relay field 14
6. It has a plurality of rows including the reception head DM address column 147 for variable conversion and the like.

When the protocol macro creating device 70 is started, the address of the DM usable range of the target link unit 20 and the number of the relay usable range are taken in from the unit configuration creating device 60. Next, when a predetermined input is performed on the macro setting screen 140, the transmission start relay number, the transmission start DM address for variable conversion, the reception collation relay number, the variable The conversion start DM address is automatically assigned. Of course, when the unit configuration creation device 60 is not provided, the user uses the keyboard to set the transmission start relay, the transmission start DM address for variable conversion, the reception collation relay, the reception for variable conversion on the macro setting screen 140. What is necessary is just to input a head DM address.

In addition, on the macro setting screen 140, the user inputs constants and variables in columns 142 and 145 of a transmission text, that is, a transmission message, and a reception collation text, that is, a reception expectation message. Here, the metacharacter "#" is used for the variable when the variable is input in the transmission text and the reception collation text. The meta character "#" indicates a variable conversion between a BIN code (integer code) and a decimal ASCII code character string, and indicates the number of digits of the variable by arranging the required number of meta characters. For example, when "##" is input as a transmission variable of the transmission text, the BIN code (integer code) data is converted to a two-digit decimal ASCII.
It means to convert to a code string.

The protocol macro creator 60 parses the metacharacters of the transmission variable or the reception variable so that the source read DM address or the reception write destination DM is stored within the DM usable range of the data memory area 16.
The required number of addresses can be automatically assigned.

Ladder diagram creation screen 15 of display 92
0, a transmission start relay field 143, a variable conversion transmission start DM address field 144, and a reception collation relay field 1 which are displayed side by side on the macro setting screen 140 displayed together.
46. After designating the device number from the line including the reception start DM address column 147 for variable conversion, drag and drop using a mouse (not shown) to the desired position on the ladder diagram display screen. By doing so, the attribute information of the drag source, that is, the DM or relay device number and the macro comment are automatically displayed together with the ladder symbol on the ladder diagram creation screen. Thus, at the time of creating the ladder diagram, the user can check the result of the device number or the like automatically input on the ladder diagram creating screen without referring to anything at hand.

For this purpose, the macro creation program that constitutes the protocol macro creation device 70 has a comparison table 1 between the device attribute and the ladder command illustrated in FIG.
60 inclusive. The illustrated comparison table 160 includes a transmission start relay, a reception collation relay, a transmission DM head number, a reception D
It includes four attributes 161 of the M head number and a command word 162 that can be selected from each attribute. For example, the device attribute “transmission start relay” includes two command words “OUT” and “OUB” that can be selected in this attribute. As shown in FIG. 6, the device attribute-ladder command word comparison table may include a command symbol 163 corresponding to each command word.

It is preferable to add an attribute indicating the number of operands added to the instruction word and an insertion position of a device number from which the instruction word is extracted to the device attribute and instruction word reference table 160 in FIG. . That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the instruction word "OUT" has one operand, that is, an attribute indicating that a device number is included. On the other hand, since the instruction word “DW” includes two operands, the instruction word “DW” has an attribute indicating a position designation for defining the insertion order of the operand and the device number determined by the ladder diagram creation program. A device number is displayed on a ladder diagram creation screen, which will be described later, based on the number of the operands and an additional attribute that defines the position of the device number included therein.

The protocol macro creating device 70
As shown in FIG. 7, a function 701 for detecting a drag (Drag) of device information, that is, four types of device attributes (transmission start relay, reception collation relay, transmission DM head number, reception DM head number), and control (Ctrl) A function 702 for detecting an operation of a key and / or a shift key and a function 703 for detecting a drag operation of a mouse are included.

The protocol macro creating device 70 displays a setting dialog 706 as shown in FIG. 8 in order to include the presuffixes 704 and 705 in the above-mentioned macro comment in order to clearly indicate a command on the transmission side or the reception side. Then, a function 707 for allowing the user to select this may be further included.

For example, when a pointer (not shown) is set to a device number, that is, a relay number input in a desired column of the transmission start relay column 143 in FIG. Immediately, the table 161 in FIG. 6 is searched, and the transmission start column 1 to which this column belongs
Command word associated with 43 attributes, ie, “OUT”
"OUB" is searched. At this time, Ctrl key or shif
The command word "OUT" or "O"
UB "is selectively determined. For example, Ctrl key or sh
If there is no operation of the ift key, "OUT" is selected and Ctrl
If the operation of the key or the shift key is performed, “OUB” is selected. In association with the dragged attribute, for example, when three commands exist, one command is determined when the Ctrl key or the shift key is operated, and the Ctrl key and the shift key are operated together. Sometimes, another command is determined, and if there is no key operation, the remaining one command may be determined.

That is, the protocol macro creating device 70
Includes such a decision processing function 708 (FIG. 7), wherein the device number and ladder instruction determined by this function 708 are the number of operands and the device number therein as described above in connection with FIG. 8 together with the attribute defining the position of the macro comment 141 and FIG.
If there is the additional comment described in the above, the shared memory 9 of the computer 90 is used as an instruction code together with the additional comment.
01 is stored.

That is, the protocol macro creating device 70
Includes a function 709 for storing, in the shared memory 901, a command word converted from a device attribute and a device number associated with the command word.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, the ladder program creation device 80 has a function 801 for detecting the movement of the mouse on the ladder diagram creation screen, and a function for recognizing the dropped position on the ladder diagram creation screen. 802 and the shared memory 9
And a function 803 for converting the instruction code stored in the ladder symbol into the ladder symbol on the ladder diagram creation program.

The ladder program creating device 80 refers to the instruction word included in the instruction code stored in the shared memory 901 and displays a ladder symbol at a dropped position on the ladder creating screen 805. And a function of ladder diagram editing means 804 for inserting the instruction word into the ladder diagram. Similarly, the device number and the macro comment included in the instruction code are displayed near the ladder symbol and inserted into the ladder diagram by the ladder diagram display means 805 and the ladder diagram editing means 804. The display of the input device number is defined by the attribute (see FIG. 6) that defines the number of operands and the position of the device number described above. For example, in the ladder diagram creation screen of FIG. 5, “??? As shown in "DM10001",
It is displayed above and below the ladder symbol on the ladder diagram creation screen.

During the mouse operation similar to the drag and drop, the ladder symbol 1 in the comparison table 160 in FIG.
By using 63, the target ladder symbol can be displayed on the screen in accordance with the movement of the mouse pointer.

The procedure for automatically inserting a command word extracted from the device attribute related to the device number of the drag source into the ladder diagram by an operation similar to the mouse drag and drop described above is represented by the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. be able to.

First, it is determined whether any of the above four device attributes on the macro setting screen 140 has been dragged (step S10). If YES in step S10, the process proceeds to the next step S11, where a ladder command associated with the dragged device attribute is searched from the table in FIG. The data is converted into a memory format for F and stored in the common memory 901 (step S1).
2). The processing of steps S10 to S12 is executed by the protocol macro creating device 70.

Next, when it is confirmed that the mouse pointer has moved from the macro setting screen 140 to the ladder diagram creation screen 150 (step S13), a command related to the dragged device attribute is displayed on the ladder diagram creation program. And drop it at the location specified by the mouse pointer (step S14).

When recognizing the drop processing, the ladder program creation device 80 checks the data in the interface memory area and determines whether the data is normal in relation to the ladder symbol to be dropped. If there is no mistake, the protocol macro creation device 70
After the device attributes and comments fetched from the file are expanded into a format that can be input, they are inserted into the ladder diagram by the ladder diagram editing means 804, and are inserted into the ladder diagram display means 80.
5 on the ladder diagram creation screen (step S
15).

The movement of the mouse described above is indicated by an arrow in FIG. FIG. 12 shows a state after a ladder command including a device number and a comment is automatically inserted into a predetermined position on the ladder diagram creation screen as a result of an operation similar to mouse drag and drop.

In the above description, the command for the selected device attribute is determined by the presence or absence of a key operation of a predetermined key, for example, a key operation of a shift key. However, as shown in FIG. 13 or FIG. A list 170 of ladder symbols or a list 171 of ladder commands included in the inserted device attribute are displayed on the display 92,
You may make it determine from this list 170 or 171.

FIG. 15 shows the list 170 (FIG. 13) or 1
FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining a second embodiment using the reference numeral 71 (FIG. 14). In the second embodiment, the command word is not determined on the protocol macro creation device 70 side, and the user selects from the list of command words that can be inserted on the ladder program creation device 80 side. That is, as in the first embodiment, when the user drags the relay number or the DM address in FIG. 5 with the mouse (step S2).
1) Device attributes, device numbers, macro comments, and the like are stored in an I / F shared memory with the ladder diagram creation program (step S22). After confirming the drop to the shared memory, the ladder diagram creation program acquires information such as device attributes from the I / F shared memory (step S23). Referring to the same table, a list of ladder symbols or command words that can be selected from the device attributes stored in the shared memory is displayed on the display 92 (step S24). When the user selects or designates a symbol or a command from the displayed list (step S25), the ladder program creating device 80 completes the command code with the specified ladder command, device number, macro comment, etc. (step S25). S26), a ladder symbol is displayed at the drop position designated by the mouse pointer on the ladder diagram creation screen, a command word is inserted into the ladder diagram, and a device number, a macro comment, etc. are displayed near the ladder diagram (step S27). .

In the above-described first and second embodiments, a command extracted from a device attribute associated with a device number of a drag source is laddered using a shared memory by an operation similar to mouse drag and drop. Although the insertion of the ladder symbol into the figure is performed automatically, instead of the shared memory, for example, if the OS is windows (registered trademark), a clipboard which is a function included in the OS may be used. Further, in the first embodiment, the device attribute-ladder command word comparison table 160 of FIG. 6 is provided in the protocol macro creating device 70, but this table 160 is provided by the ladder command word that the ladder program creating device 80 originally has. And a list file of symbols may be used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an entire configuration of an apparatus for supporting a ladder program creation including a unit configuration creation program, a macro creation program, a ladder program creation program, and a PLC system controlled by a ladder diagram according to an embodiment. is there.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining an overall configuration of a general-purpose personal computer in which a unit configuration creation program and a macro creation program are installed in a ladder program creation program in a built-in manner.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data structure of a protocol macro.

FIG. 4 is a table illustrating a device number assigned to a link unit or the like by executing a unit configuration creation program;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a macro creation screen displayed on a ladder diagram creation screen in a superimposed manner.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a comparison table between a device attribute and a ladder command.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a macro creation program related to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a setting dialog used to add an additional comment of a command automatically inserted into a ladder diagram creation screen by dropping;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of a ladder diagram creation program for creating a ladder diagram related to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a part of a flowchart showing a procedure for automatically inserting a device number or the like into a ladder diagram according to the ladder creation support program of the first embodiment and displaying it on a screen.

FIG. 11 shows a remaining flowchart following the procedure in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a part of a ladder diagram creation screen displayed according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a modified example replacing the table of FIG. 6;

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining another modified example replacing the table in FIG. 6;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a procedure for automatically inserting a device number or the like into a ladder diagram according to the ladder creation support program of the second embodiment and displaying it on a screen.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram for explaining communication between a PLC system and an external device using a conventional protocol macro.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 CPU unit of PLC system 20 Link unit included in PLC system 30 General-purpose external device with serial port 60 Unit configuration creation device 70 Protocol macro creation device 80 Ladder program creation device 92 Display 140 Macro setting screen 150 Ladder diagram creation screen 160 Comparison table between device attributes and ladder commands

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A ladder diagram creating method for creating a ladder diagram of an execution program of a PLC system including a link unit to which a general-purpose external device is connected on a display screen of a computer using a ladder diagram creating program. Preparing a comparison list of a plurality of device attributes included in a communication protocol macro between the link unit and the external device, and a command word selectable in association with each device attribute of the plurality of device attributes; A ladder diagram creation screen displaying step of displaying a ladder diagram creation screen for creating a ladder diagram on a display screen of the computer; and setting of a communication protocol macro between the link means and the external device together with the ladder diagram creation screen A macro setting screen displaying step of displaying a macro setting screen for performing a macro setting screen on a display screen of the computer; A device number designation step of designating a device number on a setting screen; and a predetermined command word is determined from selectable command words of a device attribute associated with the specified device number with reference to the comparison list. An instruction code determining step of completing an instruction code including the determined instruction word and the specified device number; a symbol insertion position specifying step of specifying a ladder symbol insertion position on the ladder diagram creation screen; Converting a code into a ladder symbol on the ladder diagram creation program and displaying the ladder symbol at a designated position on the ladder diagram creation screen. 2. The ladder diagram creating method according to claim 1, wherein in the symbol displaying step, a command is displayed on the ladder diagram creating screen in addition to the ladder symbol. 3. The macro setting screen includes a macro comment field that can be input in association with the device number, the instruction code includes a macro comment input in the macro comment field, and the symbol display. 3. The ladder diagram creation method according to claim 1, wherein, in the step, the macro comment is displayed together with the ladder symbol on the ladder diagram creation screen. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control list includes:
The attribute of the number of operands and the position of the device number in the operands is additionally provided. According to the attribute, the device is placed at a predetermined position near the ladder symbol displayed on the ladder diagram creation screen in the symbol display step. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a number is displayed. 5. A ladder diagram creating apparatus for creating a ladder diagram of an execution program of a PLC system including a link means to which a general-purpose external device is connected on a display screen of a computer using a ladder diagram creating program. A device attribute included in a communication protocol macro between the link means and the external device, a comparison list means for a command word selectable in relation to the device attribute, and a ladder diagram creation screen for creating the ladder diagram. A ladder diagram creation screen display unit for displaying on a display screen of the computer; and a ladder diagram creation screen together with a macro setting screen for setting a communication protocol macro between the link unit and the external device. Macro setting screen display means for displaying the macro setting screen on a display screen, and specifying a device number on the macro setting screen. A predetermined command word from selectable command words of a device attribute associated with the specified device number with reference to the comparison list, and the determined command Instruction code determining means for completing an instruction code including a word and the specified device number; symbol insertion position specifying means for specifying a ladder symbol insertion position on the ladder diagram generation screen; and creating the ladder diagram from the instruction code. A ladder diagram creating apparatus comprising: a symbol display unit that converts the ladder symbol into a ladder symbol on a program and displays the ladder symbol at a designated position on the ladder diagram creating screen. 6. A ladder diagram creation program for displaying a ladder diagram creation screen on a computer screen so that a computer can realize a function of allowing a user to create a ladder diagram on the computer screen. A macro setting screen for displaying a macro setting screen, and having a macro creation program for allowing a computer to realize a function of allowing a user to set a link protocol and a communication protocol macro for a general-purpose external device connected to the link means on the computer screen; A ladder creation support program for causing a computer to implement a function of creating an execution program of a PLC system including the link means, wherein the macro creation program is a device attribute that may be included in the communication protocol macro And a ladder selectable in association with the device attribute. A function of displaying the macro setting screen on the computer screen together with the ladder diagram creation screen, including a list of data to be compared with the command word, a device number on the macro setting screen specified by a user, A function of referring to the target list data from a device attribute related to a device number and allowing a user to determine a predetermined command from command words selectable in relation to the device attribute; A function of storing an instruction code including the designated device number in a shared memory of the ladder diagram creation program and the macro creation program; and an instruction word in the instruction code stored in the shared memory as the ladder diagram. A function for converting a ladder symbol into a ladder symbol of a creation program; Ladder creation support program for causing and a function of displaying the position on the computer. 7. A ladder diagram creation program for displaying a ladder diagram creation screen on a computer screen and realizing a function of allowing a user to create a ladder diagram on the computer screen, and a ladder diagram creation program on the computer screen. A macro setting screen for displaying a macro setting screen, and having a macro creation program for allowing a computer to realize a function of allowing a user to set a link protocol and a communication protocol macro for a general-purpose external device connected to the link means on the computer screen; A ladder creation support program for causing a computer to realize a function of creating an execution program of a PLC system including the link means, wherein the ladder creation support program may be included in the communication protocol macro Attributes and selectable in relation to the device attributes A function of displaying the macro setting screen on the computer screen together with the ladder diagram creation screen, including a list of data to be compared with the ladder command, a device number on the macro setting screen specified by a user, A function of storing a device attribute related to a device number in a shared memory of the ladder diagram creation program and the macro creation program, and referring to the target list data from the device attribute stored in the shared memory. A function for allowing a user to determine a predetermined command from command words that can be selected in relation to a device attribute; and completing a command code with the determined command and the device number stored in the shared memory. The ladder diagram creation program designated by the user from the instruction code. A ladder creation support program for causing a computer to realize a function of displaying a designated position on a surface. 8. The ladder creation support program according to claim 6, wherein the device number includes a transmission start relay number and a reception collation relay number. 9. The ladder creation support program according to claim 8, wherein said device number further includes a transmission data memory address number and a reception data memory address number. 10. A computer-readable recording medium on which the ladder creation support program according to claim 6 is recorded.