6 - The Resources

Executing Tool Shortcuts

A shortcut will be executed on a double-click on the entry in the Resources tree or by the command 'Open Object' in the 'Project' 'Object' menu resp. in the context menu (right mouse button).

If the execution of the file, which is defined in the shortcut properties (Parameter), fails, then an appropriate error message will appear. If a parameter file will not be found, the exe-file of the tool will be executed and a dialog will open, asking you whether the file should be created.

If the exe-file of the tool is not found in the defined path or if no path has been defined, then the standard dialog for selecting a file will be opened and the user will be asked to enter the path of the exe-file. This path will be saved when the dialog is closed by OK and thus will be available for the tool also in other CoDeSys projects.

Saving Tool Shortcuts

When the CoDeSys project is saved, the status and settings of the 'Tools' folder in the Resources tree will also be saved.

Please note: If you save a project by 'Save as' with a new name, then you must consider the following if you use the template $(PROJECT_NAME) in the definition of the parameter file and of the files which are to be downloaded:

If you had added shortcuts for a tool (FixedCount=0) in the old project, then in the new project the file names have to be renamend manually corresponding to the new project name. In contrast for a tool which is defined with a fix number of shortcuts, the template always will be replaced automatically by the current project name !

6.14.3Frequently asked questions on Tools

Why do I get no entry 'Tools' in the 'Resources' ?

Only if it is defined in the target file of the currently set target system, the 'Tools' functionality will be available.

For which tools already shortcuts are available, which shortcuts can I add in the CoDeSys project ?

Open the folder 'Tools' in the 'Resources' tree of the Object Organizer by a double-click on the plus sign. You will see which tools already are connected for the current project. If you have just set up a new project and not yet worked on the Tools list, then just those entries will be displayed, which are predefined unalterably by the definitions in the target file. Otherwise you might see an already project specifically modified tools list. In order to check, whether the list is extendable by new entries, select the command 'Add Object'. You will get a dialog offering all tools for which additional shortcuts can be created.

Which global properties do the available tools have ?

Mark the entry 'Tools' in the Object Organizer and choose the command 'Object Properties' from the context menu (right mouse button). Expand the appearing dialog by pressing the 'Advanced' button. Now you will see a list of the available tools and the corresponding parameters. Select one of the tools by a mouse click on the IDSymbol in order to – for example - get displayed the allowed number of shortcuts for the tool in the field 'FixedCount', or to get displayed which files will be downloaded to the PLC if the shortcut is activated. The file names or paths might be shown in the form of templates, which will be interpreted for each single shortcut as described in the following paragraph:

Which individual properties have the available shortcuts ?

Mark one of the entries below 'Tools' in the Object Organizer and select the command 'Object Properties' in the context menu (right mouse button). Press button 'Advanced' to get the parameters of the chosen shortcut. Partially they will correspond to the above described global tool properties. If allowed by the definition in the target file you can edit these parameters here.

How can I create a shortcut for a tool ?

Mark the entry 'Tools' in the Object Organizer and choose the command 'Add Object' from the context menu (right mouse button). You will see a list of available tools, but only of those for which the maximum number of shortcuts (FixedCount) is not yet reached. Choose a tool and press OK. The tool will now be inserted in the Tools folder in the Object Organizer. If you want to insert it once more, then you must enter a different tool name first, which means to mark the new entry as another instance of the same tool. For example you could name the instances of the tool Toolxy "Toolxy_1", "Toolxy_2" etc.

Tools

How can I modify the parameters of a tool ?

In order to modify the parameters of a shortcut (instance of a tool connection), mark the shortcut in the Object Organizer and choose command 'Object Properties' from the context menu. It depends on the pre-definition of the tool in the target file, whether the parameters can be edited in the properties dialog. (See in the expanded dialog whether the option 'Editable' is activated. Button 'Standard' resets all edited values to the defaults.

How can I execute a tool shortcut ?

Perform a double-click on the shortcut entry in the Object Organizer or select the command 'Open Object' in the context menu resp. in the 'Project' menu when the entry is marked in the Object Organizer.