Atlas Copco PowerMACS 4000, Руководство пользователя

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Peripheral Devices
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The PowerMACS API handles all communication needed between the PC, on which the custom
application resides, and the PowerMACS TC targets involved. The developer of the custom application
needs only to know which function(s) to call, and in some cases how the returned data is formatted.
When the custom application invokes one of the API functions the API first translates the request to
commands understood by the target TC. These are then sent to the target TC via the TCP/IP connection.
Thereafter the API waits for the answer to be returned. When the answer is received it is interpreted and
in some cases translated to a more easily understood format before the API returns the answer to the
custom application.
Custom applications using the API can be run on any PC that is connected to a PowerMACS TC via
TCP/IP. It need not be the Console Computer, that is, the PC running ToolsTalk PowerMACS. However,
only one custom application may use a specific API instance of a specific TC system at the time. The only
information needed in order to establish a connection between the API and the specific target system is
the IP-address and Port No (Primary/Secondary instance) of a TC in the system executing a station
function.
Technically the PowerMACS API is implemented as a Microsoft ActiveX component. The main advantage
with having the API implemented as an ActiveX component is that it provides a standardized way of
describing its public interface. This makes it possible for a developer to use more or less any of the
existing development environments that runs on a Windows machine when creating applications.
Before using the PowerMACS API you must install the component on the PC you are going to use it from.
Executing the PowerMACS API install kit distributed on the same CD as the ToolsTalk PowerMACS install
kit does this.
The install kit will copy the component to the computer in question and make all necessary registrations. It
also installs two small custom application examples, one written in Visual Basic and one written as a VBA
macro in Excel, which shows you how to use the API. Given that you have access to a running
PowerMACS TC you can also use it to verify that the component was correctly installed.
After installing the PowerMACS API you can start to develop applications performing tasks not covered by
the standard PowerMACS system. Typical cases are:

Storing cycle data on disk, or in a data base, in any customer specific format

Sending cycle data to an external SPC program

Sending or receiving data via any serial protocol

Backing up setups on a central server

Etc.
To access a PowerMACS system via the API the target system in question must be set up to allow access
via the API. Adding an API device to the first TC, or any other TC executing a station function, in the
system enables this access. See chapter: Add a device for how to do this.