Domains Configuration Panel

Domains Configuration Panel

On the left of the Motorcortex-ECAT screen you will find the Domains Configuration Panel. In this panel you can configure the domains of your EtherCAT devices.

EtherCAT devices have to be placed inside of Domains. A Domain is an group of EtherCAT slaves (physical cluster of EtherCAT modules). For your project you can make use of one single domain, or multiple domains. An advantage multiple domains, is that every domain is separate and can (if configured properly) be disconnected and reconnected (hot-plug), while other devices in other domains that remain connected are still operational. Beside hot-plug capability domains also keep your structure more clear.

Adding devices

To add a new device you can click the Add your first devices button or add devices from the Top Menu Bar dropdown. After this the Add devices menu will pop up. From this menu you can add EtherCAT devices in several ways:

• From scan
• From configuration
• From description file
• Manually

In the From scan tab when connected to a Motorcortex controller with EtherCAT devices connected:

1. Scan the EtherCAT bus pressing Scan Bus.
2. List of scanned devices, with the checkbox you can include or exclude devices to you Domains Configuration Panel.
3. Pressing Add Devices includes the selected devices to the Domains Configuration Panel.

Now your scanned etherCAT devices are visible in the Domains Configuration Panel and ready to be configured.

In the From configuration tab when connected to a Motorcortex controller with EtherCAT devices connected:

1. Pressing Upload file gives you the possibility to upload a locally stored master.xml file.
2. Pressing Scan Config retrieves the master.xml file stored on your Motorcortex controller.
3. List of scanned/uploaded devices, with the checkbox you can include or exclude devices to you Domains Configuration Panel.
4. Pressing Add Devices includes the selected devices to the Domains Configuration Panel.

Now your etherCAT devices are visible in the Domains Configuration Panel and ready to be configured !

1. Pressing Upload files button gives you the possibility to upload a locally stored ESI.xml files.
2. ESI-files contain information about a range off device. With checkbox in the Select Device screen you can include or exclude devices to your From description file tab by pressing Select button.
3. List of uploaded devices, with the checkbox you can include or exclude devices to you Domains Configuration Panel.
4. Pressing the Edit Button, gives you the possibility to x Delete or Edit.
5. The Edit Device screen gives you the possibility to change device information. Changes are saved after pressing save button.
6. Pressing Delete selection button will delete the selected checkbox.
7. Pressing Add Devices includes the selected devices to the Domains Configuration Panel.

Now your etherCAT devices are visible in the Domains Configuration Panel and ready to be configured !

1. Pressing Device button will add a new empty device.
2. In Device screen you can fill in your device information. Pressing save button includes selected device to manually tab.
3. List of edit devices with the checkbox you can include or exclude devices to you Domains Configuration Panel.
4. Pressing the Edit Button, gives you the possibility to Delete or Edit.
5. Pressing Delete selection button will delete the selected checkbox.
6. Pressing Add Devices includes the selected devices to the Domains Configuration Panel.

Now your etherCAT devices are visible in the Domains Configuration Panel and ready to be configured !

Devices

After having devices added the Domains Configuration Panel should look like this.

The number in front of a device is the device alias number, this number is normally used as the device position in the EtherCAT bus. By pressing the Checkbox you can include or exclude the device from the EtherCAT message, this means that this device will not be used for your application. The device name and settings can be adjusted in the Device Configuration Panel.

Domains

In the Domain Configuration Panel you can add domains by pressing button, this will automatically generate a new domain. The name of the new domain is changed by means of selecting the Domain, popping up a domain settings panel. In this panel the domain name can be changed to for example: Test Domain 1. Also the mode of operation can be changed which is per default in production mode, switch Simulation to on will activate simulation mode and gives a activation notification in the Domain Configuration Panel as visible in Test Domain 2.

By pressing the Checkbox after each domain you can include or exclude the domain from the EtherCAT message, this means that this domain will not be used for your application. By Pressing the More Actions button, you will get a drop-down list with the options to Add, Clone or Delete a domain.