Medialon MxMs' Help  
   
Name : Medialon IO
Version : 1.0.6
Available for : Manager V5 (all versions), Showmaster (ST & Pro)
Limitation In :  
Device Brand : Medialon
Positrack Compatible : Yes
Ressources type : I/O
 
Compatible hardware interfaces - available resource modules (MRC) :
 

 

> Overview | > Installation (MXM) | > Creation (Device) | > Commands (List Of) | > Variables (List Of) | > Support


Overview :

This MXM allows controlling and monitoring various types of Inputs/Outputs (I/Os) with a unified programming and user interface.

The I/O resources themselves are provided by MRCs (Medialon Resource Connectors) which implement I/O Resource management like the "Advantech ADAM" MRC. This MxM requires Manager V4.10 or higher.

 

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Installation (MXM) :
 

This MxM doesn't require any specific installation but I/O resources used by a Medialon I/O device must be properly declared and configured prior creating a device. See the Manager User's Manual for more information about resource configuration.

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Creation (Device) :
 

Device setup window

The device setup window allows declaring and configuring the device I/O channels. I/O channels can be one of the following types:

  • Output Switches (digital outputs)
  • Input Switches (digital inputs)
  • Output Levels (analog outputs)
  • Input Levels (analog inputs)

To add an Output Switch (digital output channel) to the device, click on the "Output Switches" button at the upper left of the setup window in order to show the currently configured output switches. Then click on the "Add Output Switches..." button. This displays the "Add I/O Channels" dialog box as shown bellow. The procedure is the same for other type of I/O.

Adding I/O channels to the device

Select one or several available I/O channels by clicking on the corresponding button and click the "Ok" button. Note that clicking on an already selected channel deselects this channel. "Unspecified" channels may also be added to the device in case the final I/O configuration is not known at programming time.

Configuring an I/O channel

To rename an I/O channel either select a channel and click on the "Rename" button or double click on the I/O channel name. Type the name and press enter or click elsewhere. Note that a channel name must be unique in the scope of the device.

I/O channel monitoring can be turned on or off by checking the "Monitor" checkbox of the relevant I/O channels. A system monitoring variable is created for each monitored channel.

The I/O resource attached to a device I/O channel can be modified after creation time by selecting an I/O channel and clicking on the "Select I/O channel" button or by double-clicking on the "I/O resource channel" column. This displays the "Select I/O Channel" dialog box which is similar to the "Add I/O Channels..." dialog box.

Note that a I/O channel can be set to "Unspecifed" by clicking on the "Unspecified" channel pin

A channel can also be deleted by selecting the channel and clicking the "Delete" button.

Specific Output Switch configuration

Specific device output switches configuration is available on the "Output Switches" page.

Exclusive Outputs: Enables the device to force only one closed output switch at a time.

Default pulse duration : Specifies the value of a switch pulse (sequence on/off) used by default if no other value is chosen in the "Set Switch Status" command.

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Commands (List Of) :

      Description : Set the status of one switch output.
      Parameters :
      Select By : [Type : Enum] : Switch selection method.
          Availables values :
          "Name" : select switch by its name.
          "Index" : select switch by its index (in the device). Valid indexes start at 1.
      Name : [Type : String] : Name of the switch (Select By should indicate Name).
      Index : [Type : Integer] : Index of the switch (Select By should indicate Index). Index 0 means all switches of the device.
      Status : [Type : Enum] : Status to set to the output.
          Availables values :
          "Off".
          "On".
          "Pulse" : generate a sequence On/Off with the specified duration.
          "Toggle" : Invert the current status.
      Pulse Duration : [Type : Time] : Duration of the pulse (if selected as status). If this value is 0, default pulse duration is used.
Switches Memory :
      Description : This command sends a switches memory as they have been programmed by insertion of a swicthes memory Cue in the task.
      For the creation of the cue, a dialog box appears :



      Status of each switch could be changed by clicking on it. Differents status are display using differents symbols (see symbols table area).

      A switch is defined by 3 areas :
      - Status itself (Off, On, Pulse, Toggle).
      - In Cue/Not in Cue consideration.
      - Name.

      Memory example description :
      - switch 0:000:04 is in Cue (in memory) and its state is off.
      - switch 0:000:05 is in Cue (in memory) and its state is on.
      - switch 0:000:06 is in Cue (in memory) and its state is pulse (selected pulse duration is 00:00:01/00).
      - switch 0:000:07 is in Cue (in memory) and its state is toggle.
      - switch 0:000:08 is NOT in Cue (in memory) and its state does not matter, this switch will not be updated by the memory.

      Pulse duration :
      Indicate the pulse duration for all switches with status set to Pulse (Yellow symbol). If this value is 0, the default pulse duration is used.

      Live Edition :
      Enable or not to update switch status in real time (like memory is).
      Symbols area :
      Explain the signification of each symbols used in switch status display area.
Read Switch Status :
      Description : Read the current status of one switch output or input into the given variable.
      Parameters :
      Select By : [Type : Enum] : Switch selection method.
          Availables values :
          "Name" : select switch by its name.
          "Index" : select switch by its index (in the device).
      Name : [Type : String] : Name of the switch (Select By should indicate Name).
      Index : [Type : Integer] : Index of the switch (Select By should indicate Index).
      Type : [Type : Enum] : Type of switch.
          Availables values :
          "Output".
          "Input".

    Status : [Type : Integer] : Current status of the given switch. This parameter is an outgoing value, it is set when the command execution finished.

Set Level Status :

      Description : Set the status of one output level.
      Parameters :
      Select By : [Type : Enum] : Output level selection method.

          Availables values :
          "Name" : select output level by its name.
          "Index" : select output level by its index (in the device). Valid indexes start at 1.
      Name : [Type : String] : Name of the output level (Select By should indicate Name).
      Index : [Type : Integer] : Index of the output level (Select By should indicate Index).
      Status : [Type :Real] : Level to set (0% to 100%).

Levels Memory :

      Description : This command sends a levels memory as they have been programmed by insertion of a levels memory Cue in the task. This option works in a quite similar way than the "Switches Memory" function.

Read Level Status :

 
      Description : Read the current status of one level output or input into the given variable.
      Parameters :
      Select By : [Type : Enum] : Switch selection method.
          Availables values :
          "Name" : select level by its name.
          "Index" : select level by its index (in the device).
      Name : [Type : String] : Name of the level (Select By should indicate Name).
      Index : [Type : Integer] : Index of the level (Select By should indicate Index).
      Type : [Type : Enum] : Type of level.
          Availables values :
          "Output".
          "Input".

    Status : [Type : Real] : Current status of the given level. This parameter is an outgoing value, it is set when the command execution finished. 

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Variables (List Of) :

Status :

Type : Enum.
Description : Current status of the device connection.
Available Values :

        "Unconnected" : Not connected
        "Connecting" : Connection in progress
        "Ready" : Device is connected and ready to work
        "Open Error" : Open Error

ResourceStatus:

      Type : String
      Description : Current status of the resource(s) used by the device.

I/O monitoring variables:

Variable names are composed by the device name and the IO name.

      Type : Integer or Real.
      Description : Current output or input state of the IO.
      Usage :
      When IO is a switch, the variable is an Integer variable whose value is 0 or 1 (1 when the input is detected, 0 otherwise).
      When the IO is an output or an input level,
      the variable is a Real variable which ranges from 0% to 100%. The precision (number of digits) of the variable can be set in variable properties.

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Support (Difference with previous versions) :

V 1.0.1:

  • Added: Support for Showmaster.

V 1.0.2:

  • Fixed: cue channel name parameter wizard doesn't work anymore after the device has been modified by the Setup Dialog.

V 1.0.3:

  • Fixed: crash when adding I/O channels in the device setup dialog with Manager 5.0.3 or higher. Note that this version of the MxM is not compatible with Manager versions below 5.0.3
  • Fixed: in the setup, the refreshing of the IO list is very slow when there is a lot of IOs.
  • Fixed: in case of error the status of the device is not updated.

V 1.0.4:

  • Fixed: clicking on the "Select I/O Channel..." button has no effect
  • Fixed: crash when closing the setup dialog while a I/O name editing is in progress
  • Added: Support for Showmaster Pro.

V 1.0.5:

  • Fixed: import corrupts I/O channel settings
  • Fixed: I/O channels are now labelled starting from "1" in the setup dialog

V 1.0.6:

  • Fixed: inputs are still active when the device is disabled.

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