SoMachine Basic Software

V1.1
Release Notes
Software Version: 1.1 – build 29854

Firmware version: 1.1.1.1

This document contains important information about the
SoMachine software. Please read the complete document
before you run the product.

This documentation is not intended as a substitute for and is not to be used

for determining suitability or reliability of these products for specific user
applications. It is the duty of any such user or integrator to perform the
appropriate and complete risk analysis, evaluation and testing of the
products with respect to the relevant specific application or use thereof.
Neither Schneider Electric nor any of its affiliates or subsidiaries shall be
responsible or liable for misuse of the information contained herein. All
pertinent state, regional, and local safety regulations must be observed
when installing and using this product. When devices are used for
applications with technical safety requirements, the relevant instructions
must be followed. Failure to use Schneider Electric software or approved
software with our hardware products may result in injury, harm, or improper
operating results. Failure to observe this information can result in injury or
equipment damage. If you have any suggestions for improvements or
amendments or have found errors in this publication, please notify us. No
part of this document may be reproduced in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without express written
permission of Schneider Electric.

© 2014 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved.

April 2014

1 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 Table of contents
1. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS 3
2. IMPORTANT INFORMATION 4
2.1. PROVIDED TEMPLATES AND PROJECT
EXAMPLES 4
2.2. MAIN FEATURES 6
2.2.1. Software features 6
2.2.2. Simulator Features 7
2.2.3. Controller features 8
2.3. LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS 9
2.3.1. SoMachine Basic Software 9
2.3.2. M221 Simulator 11
2.3.3. M221 Controller 12
2.3.4. System objects 15
2.3.5. Compatibility with the Schneider Electric legacy controller
offer 16
2.3.6. Clone management 16
2.3.7. Post configuration management 17
2.3.8. Twido conversion 17
2.3.9. Simulation between SoMachine Basic and Vijeo Designer
on the same PC 18

2 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 1. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
This software can be installed on a personal computer
having the following hardware:

Processor Core 2 duo or higher

RAM Memory 2 GBytes recommended or higher
Hard Disk 200 MBytes
Drive CD player
Display 1280 x 768 pixels resolution or higher
Peripherals Mouse or compatible pointing device
Peripherals USB interface
Web access Web registration requires Internet access

Having the following operating systems:

 Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3 32 Bit & 64

Bit
 Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Edition 32 Bit &
64 Bit

SoMachine Basic has to be installed with Administrator

rights.

Remove any USB connection to a M221 controller when

installing or uninstalling SoMachine Basic.

For further information contact your Schneider Electric

support center.

3 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 2. IMPORTANT INFORMATION

4 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 2.1. Provided templates and project
examples
********Disclaimer of Warranty********
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, AND WITHIN
ANY RELATED SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
DOCUMENTATION, IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-
INFRINGEMENT OR OTHER VIOLATION OF RIGHTS.
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC DOES NOT WARRANT OR
MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE,
VALIDITY, ACCURACY, OR RELIABILITY OF, OR THE
RESULTS OF THE USE OF, OR OTHERWISE,
RESPECTING THE MATERIALS, SPECIFICATIONS,
CHARACTERISTICS OR OTHER INFORMATION
SPECIFIED HEREIN. FURTHERMORE, ALL
WARRANTIES, CONDITIONS, REPRESENTATIONS,
INDEMNITIES AND GUARANTEES WITH RESPECT TO
THE ACCURACY, OPERATION, CAPACITY, SPEED,
FUNCTIONALITY, QUALIFICATIONS, OR CAPABILITIES
OF THE SOFTWARE, SYSTEMS AND SERVICES
COMPRISING OR UTILIZED IN THE COURSE OF
APPLYING THIS INFORMATION, SPECIFICATIONS, OR
MATERIALS, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
ARISING BY LAW, CUSTOM, PRIOR ORAL OR WRITTEN
STATEMENTS BY SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC, OR
OTHERWISE (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY
WARRANTY OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY,
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, TITLE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT) ARE
HEREBY EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED AND DISCLAIMED.

5 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 ********Disclaimer of Liability*********
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES (INCLUDING
NEGLIGENCE OR FORESEEABLE MISUSE) WILL
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING WITHOUT
LIMITATION, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, DELAYS, LOSS
OF DATA OR PROFIT) ARISING OUT OF THE
APPLICATION OF THE INFORMATION,
SPECIFICATIONS, CHARACTERISTICS OR MATERIALS
CONTAINED HEREIN EVEN IF SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGES.
************************************
The information, program and configuration contained
herein, as in other Schneider Electric documentation, are
provided as general training on the products concerned, in
part, by way of theoretical and/or hypothetical examples.
Only you, the user, can be aware of all the conditions and
factors present during setup, operation, and maintenance of
your machine and its application; therefore, only you, the
user, can determine the automation equipment and the
related safeties and interlocks which can be properly used.
When selecting automation and control equipment and
related software for a particular application, you must refer
to the applicable local and national standards and
regulations.
************************************
Copyright © 2014 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved.

6 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 2.2. Main features
2.2.1. Software features

8 localization languages are available: English, French,

German, Italian, Spanish, simplified Chinese, Portuguese
and Turkish

Automatic conversion of Twido project (TwidoSoft projects,

TwidoSuite projects and archives)

Several sessions can be open at the same time

Copy paste of rungs or POUs in the same or different

sessions (see restrictions below)

Symbols, comments, animation tables are downloaded to

the controller with the application (see restrictions below)

Limited protection of project file or controller application

Instruction List and Ladder programming languages

(including Grafcet List)

Ladder program animation

Online modifications in RUN are supported, however the

backup of these modifications can be performed only in
STOP mode and when logging out.

Save / restore data backup by SoMachine Basic

Firmware and user program backup by SD card

7 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 2.2.2. Simulator Features

The following features can be simulated: all Booleans and

complex instructions, Grafcet instructions, Function Blocks
like Drum, Counter, FIFO/LIFO, Shift Bit Register, Step
Counter, Timer, and Schedule, Mast and Fast tasks and
subroutines, Events for Inputs %I0.2, %I0.3, %I0.4, %I0.5,
TM3 and TM2 expansion modules, Cartridges, RTC, LEDs,
Embedded I/Os and Online Modification.

Two Ethernet server connections are available: one of them

is dedicated for SoMachine Basic link.

Output trace screen.

Time management screen.

8 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 2.2.3. Controller features

USB communication (application download, firmware

update, Monitoring)

Ethernet communication (application download, monitoring,

Modbus TCP/IP client & server, DHCP BOOTP client)

Serial line communication (application download, Modbus

and ASCII protocols)

RTC (Real Time Clock)

Firmware update with M221 Firmware Update tool

SD card management: Firmware update and Clone

application (see details below)

Powerless download (firmware and application)

Digital and analog output fallback management

PLS, PWM

Event tasks

Fast Counters and High Speed Counters

PID with Autotuning

9 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 2.3. Limitations and Restrictions

10 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 2.3.1. SoMachine Basic Software

When updating M221 firmware with "Firmware Update" tool,

ensure to be offline in SoMachine Basic

Avoid having more than 500 rungs in one POU: separate

rungs between different POUs to increase performances
and to help assure the proper functioning of SoMachine
Basic

Avoid doing online modifications when the controller scan

time is close to the configured watchdog value: you may
trigger a watchdog timeout and bring your controller to the
HALT state, losing synchronization between the software
and the firmware.

The following online modifications will require you to

download your application after disconnection:
 Change or create symbol or comment on objects
 Add/change/remove objects in animation table
 Add/remove a line in Instruction List

When an output is reserved by an IO function block (HSC

reflex output, PLS or PWM):
 Its on-screen animation value is not refreshed
(neither in the program editor nor animation table)
 A force action has no effect

Configurable software objects types (Drums, Scheduler,

PID) have the following restrictions:
 They don't appear in search/replace results
 They are not automatically updated when moving
expansion modules

Programming messages prefixed with "Compiler Message"

are only refreshed when doing a new compilation at login
time or by launching the simulator
11 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric
18
Avoid downloading an empty Rung to the controller as it
may have adverse effects on SoMachine Basic

When you copy/past a part of your user logic in another

session of SoMachine Basic, only the code is copied. The
symbols and comments associated to software objects are
not copied.

In power less mode, the values in animation tables may not

be valid.

12 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 2.3.2. M221 Simulator

It is not possible to launch two simulator instances on the

same PC.

If M221 simulator is being used with the Vijeo Designer

Simulator, the M221 Simulator must be launched first.

The minimum time base for the simulator is 50ms; all tasks
with a period lower than 50 ms will be configured at 50ms.

Down-counters (%SW76-%SW79) have 50 ms resolution.

Event tasks priorities are not been taken into account (tasks
are executed in the order in which they were activated).

It is not possible to simulate hardware features like Fast

Counter, PID, EXCH, PWM, PLS, HSC, filters and latches.

Serial Lines are not simulated.

SD card functionality is not simulated.

Cyber security settings are not simulated.

13 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 2.3.3. M221 Controller

User updating firmware from V1.0.1.1 should reconfigure

any existing Post Configuration file

During a controller reset when the controller first enters an

EMPTY state, all outputs are set to zero for the first cycle of
the controller. If you set the default (fallback) value of an
output to one in the configuration, it will not take effect until
after this first cycle, the duration of which is dependent on
your application (size, communications, etc.). You may,
given you intend a default (fallback) value of 1 for any or all
outputs, take this into consideration. Thoroughly test your
application and ascertain whether a reset of the controller,
followed by an EMPTY state and the setting of outputs to
zero, would cause your machine or process to react in ways
that would have adverse consequences.

UNINTENDED EQUIPMENT OPERATION

 Be sure your machine is brought to a known, safe

state before initiating a reset of the controller.
 Account for an EMPTY state as you would for the
interruption of power to your outputs, such as in the
case of a power outage.

Failure to follow these instructions can result in

death, serious injury or equipment damage.

Force states are maintained in case of a warm start and

cleared in case of a cold start.

Some controller input LEDs are ON in power less mode.

14 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
When the PLC is in HALT and configured in "START in
RUN", after the first power cycle, it starts in STOP (correct
behavior), however after the second power cycle the M221
also starts in STOP (it should start in RUN).

On overloaded networks (more than 300 frames per second

received by the controller), the error led may not be ON to
signal a duplicate IP address.

When there is mismatch between the physical configuration

and the SoMachine Basic software configuration, the bit 13
of %SW118 is set to 0, indicating an "I/O expansion
configuration error" is detected. In this case, the expansion
bus is not started. The bit in %SW120 corresponding to the
modules which do not match are set to 1.

If there are more modules in the physical configuration than

in the SoMachine Basic software configuration, only the bit
corresponding to the first module missing is set to 1.

When at least one module does not answer correctly to the

M221 during runtime (meaning the configuration step
succeeded) the corresponding bit in %SW120 is set to 1
and the bit 13 of the %SW118 is set to 0. Even if it is the
same error information as it is for a configuration mismatch
(see above), the behavior is different as the expansion bus
is still refreshed by the M221.

The INIT command may disconnect the Ethernet connection

with SoMachine Basic.

If you make a connection with a defective or otherwise

nonstandard USB cable, and power cycle the controller, it
may stay locked in boot phase. This is usually because
there is a short circuit between pins 4 & 5. Replace the USB
cable or at least disconnect it in case of a power cycle.

15 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
Serial line speed 115200 baud cannot be set by a Post
Configuration file.

When using a M221 controller with I/O cartridges, the

values of the I/Os from the cartridges cannot be directly
accessed by the HMI. To access these values, write them
programmatically to controller memory addresses so that
they can be used by the HMI.

When using an M221 controller as a slave behind an IO

scanner, ensure to configure a timeout greater than 2.5
seconds.

16 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 2.3.4. System objects

Refer to the online help for more information on system

objects definitions.

%S9 is not operational in this release1.

%SW33 to %SW36 may be incorrect when the M221 is

configured in BOOTP or DHCP and the BOOTP/DHCP
server does not answer during the IP address assignment.

%SW59: Bits 0 and 8 (day of week) and bits 7 and 15

(Centuries) cannot be used.

%SW70 to %SW72 provide the microsecond part of the last

scan time of the master task.

%SW130 to %SW138 provide the microsecond part of the

last execution time of the periodic and event tasks.

%SW148 to %SW156 provide the millisecond part of the

last execution time of the periodic and event tasks.

%SW39 to %SW47 provide the microsecond part of the

average execution time of the periodic and event tasks.

%SW158 to %SW166 provide the millisecond part of the

average execution time of the periodic and event tasks.
1
The %S9 bit is intended to put all outputs to a steady,
known state. In the case of the re-arming of outputs during
a short circuit, which may be disadvantageous in certain
applications, it cannot be relied upon in this version to over-
ride the re-arming mechanism. If the otherwise automatic
re-arming of the outputs would have unintended
consequences for your application, use instead some other
mechanism, such as inserting logic into rungs controlling

17 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
each physical output, to be sure of output states in the
event of a short circuit. Use system bit %S10 to determine
the diagnostic state of your outputs.

In addition, if you convert a Twido application to a M221

application, consider the impact the current non-
implementation of the %S9 if it is applied in your original
Twido application for whatever reason. If necessary, modify
the converted application to take this into account.

UNINTENDED EQUIPMENT OPERATION

 Do not rely upon system bit %S9 to set outputs in

a determinate state; instead, use alternate methods.
 Inspect and modify any converted Twido
application that uses %S9.

Failure to follow these instructions can result in

death, serious injury or equipment damage.

The %S9 system bit will be implemented in a subsequent

firmware version.

2.3.5. Compatibility with the Schneider Electric

legacy controller offer

Quantum DHCP server is not compatible with M221and

cannot be used.

Quantum BOOTP server could cause a disconnection of

SoMachine Basic at configuration time when it is connected
via Ethernet.

18 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 2.3.6. Clone management

The clone feature allows you to duplicate a controller:

 Firmware
 User application
 Post Configuration

The clone process is done by the following actions:

 Insert an empty SD card in the controller (can be in
run or stop mode)
 Wait the end of copy to the SD card (SD card led is
OFF if OK, blinking in case an error is detected)
 Put the 'master' SD card in another controller
 Make a power cycle in order to put the cloned
application in the new controller

2.3.7. Post configuration management

The user can manage a post configuration using an SD

card, by using the following script commands.
An example with an SD card image is provided in your
SoMachine Basic installation folder:
"\Firmware\PostConfiguration"
Download "/usr/cfg/"
The Download command sets the post configuration
parameters written in the Machine.cfg.
Upload "/usr/cfg/"
The Upload command reads the post configuration of the
controller and save it in a Machine.cfg file in the folder
"/usr/cfg".
Delete "/usr/cfg/"
The Delete command deletes the post configuration inside
the controller.

19 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
 2.3.8. Twido conversion

I/O assignment between Twido and M221 has changed for

high speed counting:

 Main pulse input on Twido is %I0.1 and %I0.7

 Main pulse input on M221 is %I0.0 and %I0.6

When an I/O is used for such hardware function, it cannot

be used in the user program. Therefore, your application
may need some adjustment. If inputs in the user logic that
where originally available are used as regular inputs, they
would now be considered as used by the hardware function.
This conflict is indicated in the converted program as a
logical error and colored red.

When converting your Twido application to a M221 that has

less inputs or outputs then the original Twido controller,
verify that the extra IOs of the original configuration are not
configured on special functions ("run/stop" input or "status
alarm" output), as this case will have no indication upon
conversion.

Verify the system objects on the M221 as some of them

may not be supported as they are with Twido

Verify your serial line configuration after conversion such

that it will operate as intended relative to the original
application.

2.3.9. Simulation between SoMachine Basic

and Vijeo Designer on the same PC

In order to operate both the SoMachine Basic simulation

together with Vijeo Designer simulation, start the
SoMachine Basic simulation first and then launch Vijeo
Designer simulation. Vijeo Designer simulation execution is

20 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18
limited in time, so you may want to re-launch it if you face
any issues.

21 of SoMachine Basic V1.1 Release Notes | Schneider Electric

18