This is a new series of articles using a Virtual PLC called OTee. In the fourth article, we will create Functions on the OTee Platform, which allows you to reuse code and improve the readability of your programs.
Come on, let’s enjoy FA.
Foreword
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Project Replication
If you want to duplicate the current project, click the … button on the Project List screen → click Duplicate.
Set a new name for the project.
Global Variable Definition
By creating a Global variable, the same variable can be accessed in different programs. Click on the “Add Variable Group” button below to create a new variable group.
Done!A new variable group is created as shown below.
Rename the Global variable group and add the new variable to the Global variable group with the Add Variable button.
Done!Finally, rename the Global variable appropriately as well.
In this article, we created a group of Global variables called GVL and declared a real type variable called rData in it.
Function
Next, add a Function in the project by clicking on the + button in the Tool bar.
The Create an entity screen will appear and Type should be set to Function.
Next, set the Function name in the Name field and click the Save button to save the settings.
Done!Function has been added.
VAR
Define the input/output parameters and other parameters of the Function on the right side of the screen.
In this article, we want to make the Scaling program a function, so we define the following input parameters.
This is the Local variable definition area.
Return Type
Return Type can return the result of an operation after the Function execution is completed.
In this article, the Return value of Scaling’s function is a real number type.
Program
Here is the content of the function.
rTemp:=rRawUpper-rRawLower;
if rTemp <= 0.0 then
rTemp:= 10.0;
end_if;
FCScaling:=(rInput-rRawLower)*((rEngUnitUpper-rEngUnitLower)/rRawUpper-rRawLower)+rEngUnitLower;
MAIN Program
Finally, let’s call the function we just created in the MAIN program. In the figure below, the program is scaling the value 0-32767 to 4-20.
Access Global variable
We want to access the Global variable we just registered from the MAINPRO program, so click the + button next to External.
A new group of variables has been added.
Click on the “Import a Global” button shown below.
Here you can select the Global variable you defined earlier.
Done!Registration is now complete.
Then you can assign the result of your function to the global variable.
Result
Done!
The Global variable rData now also contains the Scaling value.
