When the device configuration and programming is complete and compiled successfully but no physical device is connected, you can download the program onto the simulator for offline simulation. When simulating offline, you can change input values to simulate as if a physical device were connected to different input types.
If a physical device is connected, download the program onto the physical device to check if it runs according to the compiled configuration and programming by using the online simulation function.
After an offline/online simulation starts, labels for all configured terminals are displayed on the screen. Meanwhile, the following information is also visible: IP address, baud rates of RS485 and EM Bus, RS485 transmission format and communication failure status (I/O module is properly connected or not). Also, the device firmware version is displayed on the tool's device picture. See the following screenshot for details:
Offline simulation
- In the area of "Device Connect", expand all the NICs and locate ELCSimulator.
- In the area of "Projects", drag the device to ELCSimulator to establish a binding relationship between the virtual device and the simulator.
- Confirm the drag and binding in the confirmation box that pops up in the lower-right corner of Logic Manager Programming Tool.
- If the binding is successful, the information on the corresponding virtual device appears on the screen when you hover the mouse over the simulator.
- Right-click the simulator and click "Connect this device". Once connected successfully, Connected appears next to ELCSimulator.
- Right-click the simulator and click "Download and Restart(lock)".
- Locate and expand the virtual device that is bound with the simulator in the "Projects" area of the primary side bar.
- Click Device.efc, and then click "Simulate" on the device configuration page that appears.
- Button "Simulate" changing to "Simulating" indicates that the offline simulation starts. Check if the compiled program is working as expected and change input values to simulate as if a physical device were connected to different input types. To stop the simulation, click "Simulating" again.
If the tool displays "Connecting" for a long time after you perform Step 4, download and manually install the Microsoft C and C++ (MSVC) runtime library vcredist_x86.exe from the following address, and then try performing the above steps again.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170
Online simulation
- Make sure that the configuration and program files are downloaded to the physical device.
See "Downloading configuration and program files".
- Reconnect the tool to the current physical device. See "Connecting to a physical device" for details.
- Locate and expand the virtual device that is bound with the physical device in the "Projects" area of the primary side bar.
- Click Device.efc, and then click "Simulate" on the device configuration page that appears.
- Button "Simulate" changing to "Simulating" indicates that the online simulation starts. Check if the compiled program is working as expected. To stop the simulation, click "Simulating" again.
- Check if a physical device is connected if an I/O terminal label is red. If connected, check for the following issues: Input out of range, device short circuit, device power-off and I/O extension module (if any) offline.
- Check the communication status indicators (EM BUS TX and EM BUS RX) on an I/O extension module picture to see if the corresponding physical module is connected properly to the controller. If the indicators are yellow, connection is successful; if they are red, connection is unsuccessful.