User Guide

April 1 2014
Contents

3 Welcome
3 What is Connect I/O

4 How Does It Work

4 Inputs, Outputs and Memories
4 Sources and Plugins

5 User Interface
5 Toolbar
5 Main Panel
6 Properties Panel

7 System Navigation
7 Actions
7 Shortcuts

8 Plugins
8 What is a Plugin

9 Support

2
Welcome
What is Connect I/O
Connect I/O is a function blocks SoftPLC which is able to communicate with different types of technologies. It
enables the creation and control of data flows between input and output points. This diagram application can
be connected to both software and hardware and work as a bridge between them.

Connect I/O has a modular design which allows new functionalities to be implemented with plugins.

Welcome What is Connect I/O 3

How Does It Work
Connect I/O is built on top of a shared memory map technology (.NET assembly EngineIO.dll) designed for
efficient inter-process communication, i.e. data exchange with third-party applications. This is how Connect I/O
interfaces with other Real Games applications.

Inputs, Outputs and Memories

Inputs, Outputs and Memories are the basis of the shared memory map and by convention defined from the
controllers point of view. This means that inputs values are read only, outputs and memories can be read and
wrote to.

Built-In Datatype
Connect I/O provides most common datatype available in high level programming languages such as Java and
C#.

Inputs, Outputs and Memories

Equivalent
Datatypes Range IEC61131-3 Notes
Datatypes
bit True or False BOOL

byte 0 to 255 BYTE

short -32.768 to 32.767 SINT

int -2.147.483.648 to 2.147.483,647 INT

long 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to DINT

9,223,372,036,854,775,807
float -3,4 1038 to 3,4 1038 REAL

double -1,79 10 308 to1,79 10308 LREAL

string 64 UNICODE Characters STRING

DateTime 00:00:00 (midnight), January 1, 0001 Anno
Domini (Common Era) through 11:59:59
P.M., December 31, 9999 A.D. (C.E.)
TimeSpan -10675199.02:48:05.4775808,
to 10675199.02:48:05.4775807
DATE_AND_ Represents an instant in time,
TIME typically expressed as a date and
time of day.
N/A Represents a time interval that
is measured as a positive or
negative number of days, hours,
minutes, seconds, and fractions
of a second.

Sources and Plugins

Source nodes are used as a source of data for the diagram. The source nodes BIT, NUMERICAL, STRING and
DATETIME provide data compatible with all the supported datatype.

Plugins are nodes that add functionalities to Connect I/O. Apart from the Real Games provided plugins, users
may develop their own in order to fit their needs.

How Does It Work Inputs, Outputs and Memories | Sources and Plugins 4
User Interface
Toolbar

RUN - Executes the diagram.

PAUSE - Pauses the diagram.
RESET - Sets the diagram to its initial state.
DEBUG - When pressed the diagram execution advances one step.

Main Panel

INPUTS
Nodes that read data from the memory map inputs.

OUTPUTS
Nodes that read and write data to the memory map outputs.

MEMORIES
Nodes that read and write data to the memory map memories.

SOURCES
Nodes that provide data.

BIT; NUMERICAL; STRING; DATETIME - source data

SYSTEM TIME - System date and time
CYCLETIME - Update cycle time

TAGS
Input and output nodes are automatically detected by Connect I/O. When an external application sets a name
to an input or output memory it is automatically detected and added to the TAG panel.

PLUGINS
A list of nodes that add functionalities to Connect I/O.

User Interface Toolbar | Nodes Library 5

UTILS

NOTE - Use to add notes to the diagram.

SETTINGS

Sync. Timers
When checked, synchronizes the Connect I/O time scale with the shared memory map (uses the float
memory address 129). It should be used when synchronizing Connect I/O with external applications.

Cycle Time (ms)

Diagram update cycle time; Values can range between 1 and 10000.

Properties Panel

PROPERTIES
Displays the properties of the selected node.

LOGGER
Displays information regarding relevant actions and events.

User Interface Properties Panel 6

System Navigation
Actions
Create node
Double click or Drag and Drop the desired node into the canvas.

Edit node
Properties can be changed by selecting the node and editing them on the Properties Panel.
Some properties can be edited directly on the node by clicking on the desired value.

Creating a link between nodes

Output ports of a node have to be connected to input ports of another node. Press and hold the left mouse
button on the desired port and drag it to the destination port. When the connection is possible both ports are
identified and the possible link is drawn.

Panning
Press and hold the right mouse button and move to the desired direction.

Shortcuts
CTRL + N: Create new diagram
CTRL + O: Open diagram
CTRL + S: Save diagram
CTRL + Alt + S: Save As
CTRL + P: Print
CTRL + C: Copy
CTRL + V: Paste
CTRL + X: Cut
CTRL + Z: Undo
CTRL + Y: Redo
CTRL + A: Select all
Zoom Out: Scroll back using mouse
Zoom In: Scroll forward using mouse

System Navigation Actions | Shortcuts 7

Plugins
What is a Plugin
Plugins are .NET 4.5 assemblies containing classes that inherit from CustomNode or CustomNodeAsync. These
assemblies must be available on the Connect I/O plugins folder to be automatically loaded at startup.

The CustomNode class is the base class for nodes running logic on the same thread as Connect I/O. A good
example of such nodes is the down counter (CTD) which executes code that will never block the Connect I/O
thread.

The CustomNodeAsync is the base class for nodes which will execute logic on a different thread. These nodes
are typically used when the delay caused by the execution of a node logic may cause Connect I/O to block or
run too slow. An example would be a node executing TCP/IP communications or a node accessing a DAQ driver.

Plugins What Is A Plugin 8

Support
We want you to get the maximum advantage from Connect I/O. If you run into technical difficulties we are here
to help.

For the most frequently asked questions you can easily find answers in the product documentation.

If you still cannot find the answer, gather all the information or questions that apply to your problem and, with
the product close at hand, contact us:

Website: www.realgames.pt
Email: support@realgames.pt

Support 9