Creating and Configuring Projects

What is a project?

  • A project contains the objects that are necessary for the creation of a control program (‘application’):

    • Pure POUs, for example programs, function blocks, functions, GVLs.
    • Objects that are additionally required in order to be able to execute the application on a PLC. For example, task configuration, library manager, symbol configuration, device configuration, visualizations, external files.

  • You can program several applications and connect several control devices in a project.

  • Automation Builder manages device-specific and application-specific POUs in the Devices view (‘Device tree’), project-wide available POUs in the POUs view.

  • For the creation of projects there are templates that already contain certain objects.

  • Basic configurations and information for the project are defined in the Project Settings and the Project Information. For example:

    • Compiler settings
    • User management
    • Author
    • Data for the project file.

    There are settings for the version compatibility of the project in the configuration dialog boxes for the Project Environment.

  • You save a project as a file in the file system. Optionally you can pack it together with project-relevant files and information in a project archive. Saving in a source control system such as SVN is also possible

  • Each project contains the information regarding the Automation Builder version with which it was created. If you open it in another version, Automation Builder will draw your attention to possible or necessary updates with regard to file format, library versions, etc.

  • You can compare, export or import projects and create documentation for them.

  • You can protect a project against change and completely, i.e. also against reading. By using a user management system you can purposefully control access to the project and even to individual objects in the project.

Handling of AC500 projects such as project creation, export/import, comparison of projects etc. is described in the sections for