Automation / Engineering Software / Programming

PLC Developer

Modern automisation systems solve complex tasks that go well

beyond plant control. The procedural programming, in accordance
with IEC 61131-3, allows multiple tasks to be solved in an efficient
and structured way. This is where the PLC Developer supports the
system programmer through all phases of software development.

Synergies in the SolutionCenter

The seamless integration of the PLC Developer into the
SolutionCenter provides added value from the resulting synergies:

• By linking PLC projects in a Solution project with device

­configurations and templates, they can be combined to form
an overall solution and managed as one.
• The version management function using GIT and SVN enables
the user to trace code modifications easily and provides the
basis for effective release management.
• The use of extensions, in the form of plugins, which can also
be directly installed from the Eclipse Marketplace, simplifies
engineering and programming.
• The SolutionCenter scripting API enables the use of modern
software development methods such as continuous
­integration, model-driven development and test-driven
­development.

Bachmann electronic GmbH • 08/2021 • Specification subject to change – the product’s characteristics are exclusively governed by the data of the respective user manual.
 Automation / Engineering Software / Programming

Efficient programming and management Modern operation through modular structure

The clear and intuitive editors allow modern and efficient The PLC Developer has an open, flexible and transparent
operation: design, and thus brings the engineering to a new level:

• The user-defined syntax highlighting increases the code • All sections of the source code are saved in text form in the
readability in »Structured Text« (ST). project in a defined file format, which opens the p ­ ossibility
• The modern and clear design of the user interface for for the user to generate modules and configurations.
programming in »Continuous Function Chart« (CFC) also Recurring operating steps can thus be automated and
allows a good overview in large programs. copy/paste errors prevented.
• Thanks to the fully available code navigation and • The structuring of the program sections can be selected
call h ­ ierarchy, it is also possible to easily identify as required and thus enables the application to have a
­interrelationships in complex applications. modular design.
• Efficient programming is particularly enhanced by • In order to ensure a reproducible build, the libraries used
the c­ ontext-sensitive autocomplete function and the are saved in the project. An update produces a clear
­predefined and extendable code and file templates. ­display of the libraries present in a newer version.
• Project management in one workspace enables all changes • Creation and debugging of user-defined libraries in ST,
to the source files to be stored in a local history. These can CFC, C and C++ is possible throughout and particularly
be called again at a later time irrespective of whether the ­supports the reusability of code in other projects.
project is version managed. • Programming is carried out irrespective of the target
• An extensive validation function immediately notifies the platform, which only has to be selected at the time of
programmer of programming errors when the program is ­execution. After compilation, the created application can
edited. Quick fixes correct missing program sections such be transferred directly to an M1 controller and run.
as variable declarations by adding them automatically. • Externally visible variables can be configured clearly in the
• Information on interfaces and documentation of function symbol configuration.
blocks or variables can be called and displayed via tooltips
without leaving the editor.
• The project-wide changing of identifiers can be carried out
easily and thoroughly.
• When entering and saving the program, the notation of
keywords and identifiers is corrected automatically.
• The CFC editors can also be fully operated via the
­keyboard. This increases efficiency when creating CFC
diagrams.

Bachmann electronic GmbH • 08/2021 • Specification subject to change – the product’s characteristics are exclusively governed by the data of the respective user manual.
Automation / Engineering Software / Programming

Better quality through rapid troubleshooting • The dynamics of variables can be better assessed by
The debug framework of the PLC Developer is extremely ­highlighting variable values when they change.
useful, particularly with the development of new applications • Values of Boolean variables are highlighted in color
and with troubleshooting: in order to better identify the current status of an
­application.
• After a debug session is started, the actual variable values • Code modifications can be applied online without stopping
can be monitored without stopping the application. This the application. The PLC Developer detects during the
can be carried out via the clearly designed monitoring transfer whether the online change can be carried out.
table in ST or the inline monitoring in CFC. The individual • It is also possible to debug several applications
variables and structures of the application can also be ­simultaneously. When an application with several tasks
combined in variable lists and monitored jointly, plotted in is debugged, the active debug task can be selected when
a graph and set. connecting and changed during the debug session.
• Activating the flow control makes it possible to follow the • PLC Insight is an automatically generated webMI
program flow without stopping the application. visualization based on selected CFC blocks. It provides
• An application can be stopped at any position via a break users with access to the application logic without the need
point and then executed in steps. Break points can be for an engineering tool. The visualization is installed on the
managed jointly and activated or deactivated altogether. target controller together with the application. Along with
• When the application is stopped, the stack frame is the signal flow, values of exported variables can also be
displayed by which it is also possible to navigate to the monitored and changed.
functions to be called.

Bachmann electronic GmbH • 08/2021 • Specification subject to change – the product’s characteristics are exclusively governed by the data of the respective user manual.
 Automation / Engineering Software / Programming

PLC Developer
General
Integration • Management of several PLC projects in one workspace
• Management of all devices and PLC projects in one workspace
• Linking of PLC projects in the Solution projects for joint management
Display • Predefined perspectives with views for processing PLC projects
• Clear, freely selectable arrangement of views and editors
Version management • ZIT (local and remote)
• SVN (local and remote)
Libraries • Integration of libraries as copies with version comparison
• Version display
• Incorporation of standard libraries
• Incorporation of PLC libraries
• Incorporation of external PLC libraries (C/C++, MATLAB® /Simulink®)
Automation • Execution of scripts in the SolutionCenter (JavaScript, Python)
• Predefined modules for creating and transferring applications
Expandability • Extensions (plugins) installable via Eclipse Marketplace
• Use of user-created Eclipse plugins
Scalability • Creation of the application independent of the target platform
• Transfer and execution on all M200-CPUs
Structure • Combination of projects in work sets
• Folder structure freely selectable in the project
• Full access to all source code files
Compatibility • Compatible with M-PLC (compiler and runtime)
• Import of M-PLC projects possible
Editors
Languages • Structured text (ST)
• Continuous function chart (CFC)
• Can be combined as required
Code navigation • Finding references (in the project)
• Call hierarchy (up to the task)
• Caller hierarchy (hierarchy levels expandable)
• Opening declaration (local and global)
Auto-complete • Context-sensitive (declaration, call, program section)
• Predefined source code templates
• User-defined source code templates
Autocorrection • Correction of identifier notation
• Correction of keyword notation
Syntax highlighting • Freely configurable
• Separate for structured text, global variable lists, data types and hardware
configuration
Quick fixes • Declaration of variables and function block instances
• Creation of missing elements (connection marks, jumps and jump labels)
• Updating of the function block interface
Version control • Comparison with locally stored versions (local history)
• Comparison with source code from SVN or GIT
Changes • Project-wide rename of identifiers
Information • Context-sensitive information in the tooltip on identifier (ST)
• Context-sensitive information on function block and pin (CFC)
Keyboard operation • Execution of most frequently used actions with keyboard shortcuts
• Programming possible also in CFC via keyboard
Validation • Syntactical and semantic checking of the source code on typing
• Display of problems directly in the source code and in the error view

Bachmann electronic GmbH • 08/2021 • Specification subject to change – the product’s characteristics are exclusively governed by the data of the respective user manual.
Automation / Engineering Software / Programming

PLC Developer
Configuration
Symbol configuration • Visibility of the local and global variables
• Access to local and global variables
• Export of collective, structure and array entries
• Inheritable configurations
Global variable lists • Declaration of global variables
• Declaration of global constants
• Declaration of global retain variables
Variable configuration • Assignment of variables to physical hardware addresses
Task configuration • Up to 16 tasks configurable
• Configuration of called programs
• Configuration of task type (cyclic, sync, event/error interrupt, free wheeling)
• PTP synchronization
• Watchdog timeout
Process image • Hardware import of online and offline device (selective)
• Manual addition of hardware modules
Project settings • Version number
• Name of the module (m-file)
• Error tolerance
• Multicore suitability
• Conflict handling with retain variables
• Memory layout
• Marker settings
Online Operation
Installation • Online change for code changes
• Target controller permanently or dynamically selectable
• Installation on target controller temporarily or permanently
• Name of the module instance freely selectable
Initialization • Selectable debug task on start (with multitasking projects)
Deploy configurations • Several configurations per project possible
• Combined execution of several configurations possible (launch groups)
• Management of favorites
Debugging – Troubleshooting
Stepwise processing • Stopping of the application via breakpoint
• Step into/over/return
Monitoring • Variable values in the monitoring table in the editor (ST/CFC)
• Variable values inline (only CFC)
• Variable list for selected variables
• Display of executed code via flow control
Display • Changing the format of INT values (dec, hex, bin)
• Current stack frame when the application is stopped
Libraries • Internal libraries by incorporating the source codes (linked resources)
• External libraries by connecting with the source codes (C/C++)
Manipulation • Variable values can be set (one-off write)
• Variable values can be forced (writing before each execution)
Visualization • Generation of a complete webMI visualization from CFC blocks (PLC Insight)
• Transfer of the visualization to the target together with the application
• Monitoring and changing the exported variables via the visualization
• Tracking the signal flow based on the connections between the function blocks

Bachmann electronic GmbH • 08/2021 • Specification subject to change – the product’s characteristics are exclusively governed by the data of the respective user manual.