The DNC performs those operations necessary to execute programs located on a remote machine. The proced-ures to enable remote connection are found in the Technical Data application. When the connection is enabled, the name of the remote machine is displayed in the DIRECTORY menus of File Selection in Editor, of PROGRAM SELECTION in QUOTE, and of WORKLIST SELECTION or PROGRAM SELECTION in WORKLIST. In addition, when remote directories are accessed to select a remote file, the icon located at the right of the Menu Bar displays the image of two PC connected instead of the CNi logo.
When a program from the remote PC is selected, its name will be preceded by the name of the remote machine followed by a colon ":". This makes it possible to use programs with the same name but residing on two different machines, such as for instance Prog and PC:Prog. It is then possible to issue a Start using a program residing on a remote machine. Please note however that, when a remote program is Started, it will be requested and loaded in the memory of the local machine. If it contains subroutines, these will not always be loaded from the remote machine but the subroutines with the same name present in the local machine will be used instead.
This mode of operation applies also to worklists. As with individual programs, files residing on a remote machine can be selected. If the connection has been enabled, it is possible to execute a worklist on a remote machine.
A worklist, whether it be local or remote, may contain programs of both machines. Remote worklists are also identified by the name of the machine and the ":" colon sign prefixed to their name. If a remote worlist is opened, all the programs contained in it will retain the indication of the machine they belong to. This means that if you save on the local machine a remote worklist, each program name will contain the reference to the remote machine, and viceversa.
When a remote or local worklist is started, the mechanism for requesting and loading a remote program in the memory of the local machine is also activated to prepare for the possibility that the worklist should contain remote programs also. The requests are carried out in sequence as the worklist is executed, but in advance of the Start line so as not to delay the execution of the programs. If a program already loaded from the remote machine is to be executed again, it will not be re-loaded. The copy present in the memory of the local machine will be executed instead. This means that all changes implemented on the remote machine will take effect only with a new machine Start cycle.
8 P.A. Worklist
8.1 Introduction
The WorkList is a file containing a list of program names, labels, numbers and instructions arranged in a precise order. By using WorkList files, the NC is able to execute the programs automatically, following the order defined in the file.
The Worklist application program allows you to build worklist files containing all data necessary to organise the work of the machine for an extended period of time. You can organise for example the sequence and the number of programs to be executed on the machine during one or more days of work. The execution of the sequence can be interrupted or modified at any time as required.
To display on the NC screen the window containing the Worklist application, select first theA.P. QUOTE, verify that the AUTOMATIC machine command mode is active, and click on the Worklist button (alternatively, press the Function Key F2).
Fig. 8.1 shows theA.P. Worklist. The window consists of the following parts:
F
H C A B
D
E
G
Figure 8.1: Worklist Window
Machine Function Icon It is the icon on the top left of the screen (Fig. 8.1-A).
Menu Bar Contains the options FILE, EDIT, MODE and HELP (Fig. 8.1-B).
WorkList function mode icon Currently, it operates only in the following states: NORMAL and SELFEXITIN-GUISH. It is the icon on the top right of the screen. (Fig. 8.1-C).
Legend for the fields in the data insertion box (Fig. 8.1-D).
Data insertion box The box is in the central part of the window (Fig. 8.1-E).
Rapid access icons They give rapid access to various application functions, they are arranged in a column to the right of the worklist table (Fig. 8.1-F).
The WorkList Function mode icon It appears as a closed safe if the file has been saved or an open one, if not.
(Fig. 8.1-G).
Information box Provides information regarding the currently selected field (Fig. 8.1-H).
This application can be minimised to an icon, as shown in Fig. 8.2.
Chapter 8 P.A. Worklist
CNI Controlli Numerici IndustrialiFigure 8.2: Worklist Icon
8.2 Menu Bar
The Menu Bar can be used to recall the following menus:
FILE provides access to the functions for loading and saving WorkList files. These functions are described at par. 8.2.1.
EDIT provides access to the functions for editing the WorkList files as described in par. 8.2.2.
MODE Used to select the execution mode of the WorkList files. At present only NORMAL and SELFEXITIN-GUISHmode is active.
HELP provides access to help information.
8.2.1 File
Select FILE on the Menu Bar to open a box allowing you to load and save worklist files and work programs (Fig. 8.3).
Figure 8.3: FILE Menu
Open (Shift + F2)
Opens the WORKLIST SELECTION window. From this window you can load a worklist file and check it, modify it, or execute it. The WORKLIST SELECTION window operates identically to the PROGRAM SELECTION window.
Par. 7.11 contains a description of the individual items.
As with individual programs, it is possible to select files located on remote machines when working with worklists also.
Read (ˆr)
Opens the WORKLIST SELECTION window. The local or remote worklist is inserted beginning with the line following the one on which the cursor is located.
Save (Shift + F3)
Saves the worklist file being displayed with the same name, and in the same local or remote directory in which it was located originally.
Save as (ˆl)
Opens the WORKLIST SELECTION window to save the worklist file being displayed under a different name, either on the local or on the remote machine.
Program (F1)
This option is used to compose a worklist. It opens the PROGRAM SELECTION window, from which the user can choose the program to be placed in a line of the worklist. For a description of the window, see Section 7.11, keeping in mind, however, that with this option two additional buttons are displayed: INSERT and REPLACE.
INSERT places a program at the end of the worklist, while REPLACE modifies the line of the worklist selected, with the selected program.
Worklist (SHIFT + F1)
Opens the WORKLIST SELECTION window from which the user can insert the names of other worklists into the lines of the current worklist. These worklists will be exploded during program execution. This is another function of building a worklist.
In this case the WORKLIST SELECTION window, represented by the option OPEN of this menu, is displayed with the following software buttons INSERT, REPLACE, CLOSE, instead of software buttons OK and CANCEL. Use the INSERT option to add a line beginning with the READ instruction to the end of a worklist. Use the REPLACE option to modify the line selected with the cursor, by inserting the name of the worklist beginning with the READ instruction in the place of the preceding line. For details on the READ command, see Section 8.5.
Use the CLOSE option to exit from the WORKLIST SELECTION window.
Last selected WorkLists
The last three worklists remain in the menu to allow rapid selection, should the user need to re-open them.
Close (ˆx)
Closes the Worklist Window.
8.2.2 Edit
Select EDIT on the Menu Bar to display a pull-down menu containing the following items: (Fig. 8.4).
PROGRAM EDIT (ˆb): allows the program selected in the worklist to be edited with theA.P. Editor(Section 10).
SUCTION CUP (ˆv): launches the Tooling System relative to the program selected in the worklist by means of theA.P. Editor(Section 11).
INSERT (F2): Inserts a blank line in the worklist immediately below the line on which the cursor is located.
DELETE (F3): Deletes the worklist line on which the cursor is located.
COPY (F4): Copies the worklist line on which the cursor is located to a new line immediately below it.
MARK (ˆm): Allows one or more lines of a worklist to be selected. The first and last lines of the selection must be marked.
Chapter 8 P.A. Worklist
CNI Controlli Numerici IndustrialiFigure 8.4: EDIT Menu
When only the first line is marked, it is highlighted in black; when the final line is also marked, all of the selected lines are highlighted in red. Once a selection is highlighted, the elimination or copy functions may be used.
FIND (Shift F4): Opens the find and replace string function (Fig. 8.5), active only in the worklist column on which the cursor is located. After finding and replacing the required string, the cursor will move automatically to the next occurrence, if found.
Figure 8.5: FIND REPLACE Window
RESET COUNTER (ˆz): Resets the value of the piece counters for all the worklist lines, that is all the elements in the Count column.
DELETE ALL (ˆh): eliminates all the lines of the worklist. A window is opened which asks for confirmation of the operation.
8.2.3 Mode
Currently, the following are the active modes:
NORMAL (ˆn) In this mode the execution occurs line by line until the END command is reached; the same line may be executed repeatedly until the COUN value is equal to that set in QNTY.
SELFEXITINGUISH (ˆu) In this mode, a line is cancelled after it has been executed; this makes it possible to insert other worklist lines during the execution phase.
8.2.4 Help
This function accesses the on-line manual. The manual is opened to the beginning of the chapter relative to the worklist.