Module 4

Project Settings
September 2008

User Interface
Menus and
toolbars
Application
browser

Configuration editor
Data editor
Language editor
Output
windows
Status bar

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User Interface (cont)

All functions are accessible
from the toolbars via menus
or icons (standard or
contextual)

Project browser gives

access to all elements of
Unity Pro application

Configure the hardware and

parameterize each module
with configuration editor
Status bar gives information
linked to the operation

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User Interface (cont)

Language editors allow you
to program the application in
FBD, LD, SFC, ST or IL

Project browser gives

access to all elements of
Unity Pro application

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Use data editor to define the

variables of the application :
types and instances
Output windows give result
of some functions : build,
import / export, search

Ergonomics
All editor can be switched from
normal to full screen mode (to
enlarge the space dedicated for
edition)

Some windows (animation tables,

data editor) can be :
docked (to anchor in positions
outside the application window)
or floating (to be always visible
in foreground). I.e. : if data editor
is floating you can use variables
in the language editors by drag
and drop
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Project Browser
Functional
Structural view
view

Project browser proposes 2 different views to

present and structure your project in treestructured format
Structural view
Functional view

With the structural view the user can access

and manage the different elements of the
application (hardware configuration, variables,
program, documentation, )
Functional view enables the user to structure
the application into functional modules

Structural view

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Structural View
Hardware
configuration
Type of structured
variables
Elementary variables
and instances of
function blocks
Logical networks
configuration

Type of user function

blocks

Logical motion axis

configuration

Table of user
variables

Program structure

Project
documentation

Graphical screens

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Functional View
Program sections of
the functional module
Operator screens of
the functional module

User variables of the

functional module

Functional module

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Navigation Between Views

Structural View
Functional View
Vertical Views
Horizontal Views

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Start a new project

Run Unity Pro from Program / Schneider
Electric / Unity Pro
Open a new project
Select the family (if necessary) and the
processor (i.e. BMX P34 2030)

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Methodology to Develop a New Application

Terminal & Project settings

Hardware
configuration

Networks / Axes
configuration

Data structuring &

symbolisation

Data channel association

Application
structuring

Programming

Import / Export

Analyse
Operator screens
On line modifications
Operate and maintain
your application

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Code generation
Operator screens
On line modifications
Target selection &
download

Debugging

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Methodology to develop an application (cont)

1. Define the settings
Work station settings accessible via Tools / Options
Project settings accessible via Tools / Project settings

2. Configure the hardware and the networks (racks, modules,)

3. Define and edit the variables (elementary variables, arrays,
structures, instances of function blocks,)
4. Structure the application (tasks, sections, functional modules)
5. Edit the sections of program (Ladder, FBD, )
6. Generate the code (build)
7. Choose the target (PLC or simulator) and transfert the
application (download)
8. Debug the application (breakpoint, step by step, )
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Work Station Settings

General tab to define the general settings
of the project and the working directories
Data & Languages tab to configure the
settings for entering data
Connection tab to define options relating to
connection of terminal to the PLC
Library settings tab to give information
about the global library
Conversion settings tab to define settings
for the conversion of legacy projects
Operator screens tab to define runtime
screens

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Options - General
Auto incrementation
on each save

To restore the default

settings

Auto completion when

entering data / values

Online modifications
are made on both
executable and
source code or on
executable code only
(the source code must
be updated using a
user command)

Displays messages in
dialog boxes or output
window
Restores the windows
arrangement when
the project is opened
(ctx file)
Paths to save the stu
project files and
import / export source
files (ie xef files)
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The project is
automatically backed
up in a stu or / and a
xvm file during the
transfer to PLC
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Options Data & Languages

Specifies which neighboring cell becomes
active when Enter key is pressed
Input mode is automatically opened for active
cell when a character key is pressed
(contents of active cell will be overwritten by
new contents)
When graphical object is placed a properties
dialog box or FFB input assistant is opened
for assigning a formal parameter
Reuses the same window on refine or when
opening transition / action in SFC
Defines available area for variable comment /
symbol / address (0 to 20 lines for comment /
symbol and 0 to 5 lines for address)
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Options Data & Languages

Displays complete comment of structured
element in mixed display mode
Defines character set used (standard IEC /
ASCII with accented characters / Unicode)
Defines the width of the cells (from 1 to 3
standard cell width)
Restores the default settings

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Options Connection
Identifies which terminal holds the PLC
reservation when several terminals
simultaneously access the same PLC
Defines the default terminal connection to the
PLC : programming mode (read and write
access) / monitoring mode (read only
access) / ask for programming or monitoring
mode on each connection / only programming
mode (if the PLC is reserved the connection
is refused)
Restores the default settings

Note : in monitoring mode the links between EFs are not animated
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Options Library Settings

Path where the custom libraries are located

Note : the libraries provided by Schneider electric are located in a system folder.
The location of these libraries cannot be changed by the user
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Options Conversion Settings

To improve performances at execution some
SFC transitions are converted to variables
The macro steps not used on PL7 program
are declared on Unity Pro project (or are not
converted)
The PL7 steps %Xi are converted with the
PL7 step symbol (ie motor_1)
Only used variables are converted
The converter splits LD sections at a given
amount of networks (from 1 to 10)
The converter takes into account jumps only
inside a section
The variables are converted with the symbol
instead the address (*)
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Note (*) : if there is no symbol in

the source application a symbol
is automatically created
(%IO2.3.4 -> IO_2_3_4)
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Options Conversion Settings (cont)

Empty pins are filled with variables
Added data type is removed from the name of
the function
Recognized networks are moved vertically
which prevents overlapping
Column number after which a network is
wrapped to the next column
Instance name of call is replace with the type
name. If checkbox is not enabled a DFB is
created to access the procedure
%QD variables are converted to %MF
(enabled) or %MW (not enabled)
To create a topological address
Generates ConvError objects in LD program
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Options Operator Screens

Displays a grid according to the step defined
(from 5 to 100 pixels)
Positions objects on the grid when handled
Displays the position of the mouse in the
status bar. If an object is selected display the
position of the left corner, the dimensions and
the animation settings (if they exist)
Displays a vertical / horizontal scroll bar
Enables editing of screens in online mode
(creation, modification and deletion)
Enables selection of an object in online mode
Defines the default size of new screens. Size
of existing screens is not changed
Displays the screens in the same window or in
different windows
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Project settings
These settings are saved in the application
Build configures the generation of the project
Editors defines the features for graphical
languages (LD and FBD)
Language extensions contains settings for
enabling expansions to IEC standard.
Uncheck all boxes to be IEC compliant
Operator screens defines management of
the screen by the operator

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Project Settings - Build

Displays in the view window warning
messages during the analysis phase
(variables defined and not used in the
program / EFB or DFB parameters not
assigned / variables assigned several times /
EFB or DFB instances used several time /
DDTs to modify to have the same alignment
and allow the communication)
Defines the maximum number of warning and
error messages (100 to 2000)
Displays nothing, a warning or an error
message when overlapping of address
Includes the source code during the download
of the program. The code can also contain the
comments and the animation tables
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Project Settings Build (Cont)

Defines an additional memory area reserved
for creation of new unlocated variables when
modifying the project in online mode
Defines a dictionary of symbolized variables
with their characteristics (address, type, ) in
the PLC memory (for HMI, Web,). Data
dictionary is generated at build time
Virtual connected mode is used to modify a
project on a non-connected terminal as if this
terminal were connected to the PLC
Displays system / application diagnostics in
the Diagnostic Viewer Its possible to choose
the language to display system errors and the
cause of application errors (no cause / local in
the section which triggered the alarm / global
in the whole application)
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Project Settings Build (Cont)

Allows to include information on Ladder
diagram link animation in the generated code
Optimized code reduces the size of the code
generated

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Project Settings Editors

Places automatically the coils on the last
column (right power rail)
Defines the number of columns of the LD
sections (from 11 to 64)
Defines available area for variable comment /
symbol / address (0 to 20 lines for comment /
symbol and 0 to lines for address)
Defines the width of the cells (from 1 to 3
standard cell width)
Displays complete comment of structured
element in mixed display mode
Defines the number of rows and comumns for
FBD (240 to 1440 rows and 60 to 360
columns by step of 10)
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Project Settings Language Extensions

Allows procedures / subroutines in the project
Restores the default settings
Allows the macro steps in the project
Allows multiple or single token
In multiple token defines the maximum
number of active steps / actions per section
In multiple token defines the state of previous
steps when new steps are set by the user
In multiple token allows jumps into or out of a
parallel sequence / allows to process in
parallel or in sequence all transistions of an
alternative branch

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Project Settings Language Extensions (Cont)

Allows use leading digits in names
Defines character set used (standard IEC /
ASCII with accented characters / Unicode)
Allows usage of EBOOL type
Allows INT / DINT type in place of generic
parameters ANY_BIT
Allows extraction of individual bits from a INT
or WORD
Allows direct variables : indexed addresses
(%MW1[3]) / bits and words as tables
(%MW16:16) / combination of both of them
(%MW[3]:16)
Allows use of dynamic arrays
Disables size compatibility check on arrays
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Project Settings Language Extensions (Cont)

Allows empty parameters in non-formal calls
of functions and function blocks
Allows use of jumps and labels in ST
Allows use of multi assignment in ST
(a:=b:=c:=d)
Allows nested comments without error report
Allows use of ST expressions as actual
parameters of FFB inputs and contacts

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Project Settings Operator

Screens

Defines a screen control variable used to

select the screen to be displayed

Allows to display the screen number in the

project browser and in the title bar of the
screen
Allows to define a variable containing the
number of the last screen opened by the user
This button cleans the project of all the
unused images
Allows to open the operator screens in full
screen mode (the menu and scroll bars are
hidden)

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Project properties
Accessible by right-clicking on station folder
General defines the name of the project (Station or
Functional station by default) and indicates the type
of Unity pro software and Libset version used
Protection activates the protection of the program
sections. This operation needs a password
Change password allows to change the password
Clear password allows to clear the password

Identification identifies the project (current

version, last rebuild all and last partial build)
Comment allows to associate a comment to the
project

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Customize Dialog Box

Accessible by Tools / Customized command or
by right click on the toolbar
Toolbars tab is used to show/hide toolbars,
create new toolbars and define the appearance
of the toolbars
Tools tab defines the menu commands for
starting external applications

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Customize Dialog Box - Toolbars

Displays the currently available toolbars
(deactivate the respective checkbox to hide a
toolbar)
Displays a tooltip for each symbol toolbar
Displays the toolbar symbols in flat form
Opens a dialog box for defining new toolbars
Restores the original state of the selected
toolbar (see Toolbar name area)

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Customize Dialog Box - Tools

Menu Contents displays the defined menu
commands (Add button)
To define a new command :
1 - Enter the name (Menu Text)
2 - Enter the path of the file to be executed
(Command)
3 - Enter the arguments to be transferred
while launching the application (Arguments)
4 - Enter the path of the working directory of
the application (Initial Directory)
5 Add the command
Delete / Move up / Move down the selected
menu command

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