Config Package

Introduction

In general, a motorcortex application requires configuration files that contain application and system specific parameters; for example the values of software parameters or the configuration of the EtherCAT bus.

Config Packages can be Deployed from motorcortex.io to your controller. The parameters are loaded by the application when it starts or used while it is running. An application may also modify parameters and save them to the configuration files, for instance calibration values of some sensor. The updated configuration files can therefore also be Fetched from the controller and uploaded to motorcortex.io. When they are uploaded to the portal, they will receive a new timestamp, so you can keep track of changes.

When a config package is Deployed, it will be installed in /etc/motorcortex/apps-available/{config_package_name+timestamp} and a link to this folder will be created /etc/motorcortex/config, so the startup service knows which application to start.

Common Config Package Structure

Motorcortex applications follow the following structure for their configuration:

├── config.json                         # application startup parameters
├── control
│   ├── control.xml                     # application parameter values
│   └── persistence.bin                 # persistent parameter values
├── io
│   ├── master.xml                      # etherCAT bus configuration
│   └── firmware                        
│       └── ec_{VendorID}_{ProductCode}_{RevisionNumber}.bin
├── license.lic                         # application license
├── linking                             # defines linking between parameters and set parameters 
│   ├── agv-control.link.json           
│   ├── base.link.json                  
│   ├── joystick.link.json                
│   ├── machine-control.link.json       
│   ├── safety-selector.link.json       
│   ├── setpoint-generator.link.json    
│   └── signal-generator.link.json      
├── mech 
│   └── mech-parameter.xml 
├── motorcortex.conf                    # executable command line
├── udp
│   ├── udp.link.json                  
│   └── udp.packets.json               
└── user
    └── parameters.json                 # user parameter definitions

In the following sections the configuration files are described in more detail.