Main function

In this section, you'll learn how to apply all the code in this chapter to main.cpp. If everything is done correctly, you should be able to move your group properly. To help you review what you have learned, we add comments into the code to describe the meaning of the functions.

  1. In main.cpp, under GroupConfiguration.h, add the following code:
    2. Copy 
    #include "GroupMotion.h"
  2. In int _tmain, under the code block if (!StartKingstar()), add the following code to get the number of devices on your EtherCAT network.
    3. Copy 
        //Create an instance of the SubsystemStatus structure and get the state from it.
        SubsystemStatus Subsystem = { ecatOffline, ecatOffline, 0, 0, 0, {ecatOffline}, {ecatOffline}, {axisOffline} };
        GetStatus(&Subsystem, NULL);

        //Display the details of the EtherCAT network.
        RtPrintf("Number of Devices found: %d\n", Subsystem.SlaveCount);
        RtPrintf("Number of Axes found: %d\n", Subsystem.AxesCount);
        RtPrintf("Number of I/O found: %d\n", Subsystem.IOCount);
        RtPrintf("\n");
  3. Under RtPrintf("\n");, add the following code to move and stop an axis group. We use an array to store the indexes of the axes, so we can easily select the axes we want to use instead of changing all the indexes in the group functions.

    4. We comment out MotionProfileGroup(0), because it is optional to create a motion profile for a group. For more information about group motion profile, see Chapter 9 > Group motion profile.

    We also comment out most motion functions in the //Move an axis group area, because these functions are better to be demonstrated on their own instead of running together with others. To see the output of each motion function, see its help topic.

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        const int ARRLENGTH = 3;
        int Axis[ARRLENGTH] = { 0, 5, 6 };

        //Display the information of devices.
        PrintDeviceInformation(Axis[0]);
        PrintDeviceInformation(Axis[1]);
        PrintDeviceInformation(Axis[2]);

        //Set motion profiles.
        //You need to set motion profiles, or the minimum following error will be large.
        MotionProfile(Axis[0]);
        MotionProfile(Axis[1]);
        MotionProfile(Axis[2]);
        
        //Set a group motion profile.
        //It is optional to use a group motion profile.
        //MotionProfileGroup(0);

        //Convert the unit. In this tutorial we convert it to degrees.
        PositionUnitConversion(Axis[0]);
        PositionUnitConversion(Axis[1]);
        PositionUnitConversion(Axis[2]);

        //PID tuning.
        /*When you use velocity or torque modes, you must tune PID.
          In this tutorial we use modeMasterIntPos, which doesn't require PID,
          but you should offer PID values for your drive to get the best performance.*/
        UpdatePID(Axis[0]);
        UpdatePID(Axis[1]);
        UpdatePID(Axis[2]);

        //Add axes to Group Zero.
        AssignAxis(0, Axis[0], 0);
        AssignAxis(0, Axis[1], 1);
        AssignAxis(0, Axis[2], 2);

        //Set the starting positions for axes.
        //SetGroupPositionOffset must be used when groups are disabled.
        RtPrintf("Starting positions:\n\n");
        SetGroupStartingPosition(0);

        //Display a group's state.
        GetAGroupState(0);

        //Enable a group.
        GroupEnable(0);

        //Display a group's state.
        GetAGroupState(0);

        //Reset and enable axes.
        EnableAxis(Axis[0]);
        EnableAxis(Axis[1]);
        EnableAxis(Axis[2]);

        //Move an axis group
        /* Linear moves */
        MoveLinearAbsoluteGroup(0);
        //MoveLinearRelativeGroup(0);
        //MoveLinearAdditiveGroup(0);

        /* Circular moves */
        //MoveCircularAbsoluteGroup(0);
        //MoveCircularRelativeGroup(0);
        //MoveCircularAdditiveGroup(0);
        
        /* Helical moves */
        //MoveHelicalAbsoluteGroup(0);
        //MoveHelicalRelativeGroup(0);
        //MoveHelicalAdditiveGroup(0);

        /* Test moves */
        //GroupJog(0);
        //GroupInch(0);

        /* Blending sample */
        //BlendSample(0);
        
        //Enable digital switches using a group's distance.
        /*The code of this function is in DigitalSwitch.cpp. Since it needs
          a group to run, it is put in Chapter 10's Main function.
          To learn how it works, see Chapter 12.*/
        //GroupCamSwitch(0);

        /* Stop a group */
        //GroupHalt(0);
        //GroupStop(0);

        //Disable Group Zero.
        GroupDisable(0);

        //Remove all the axes in Group Zero at once.
        RemoveGroup(0);

        //Disable axes.
        DisableAxis(Axis[0]);
        DisableAxis(Axis[1]);
        DisableAxis(Axis[2]);

Complete code

In conclusion, in main.cpp, your code should be as follows:

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#include "RT_Project_01.h"
#include "SystemInitialization.h"
#include "IOModule.h"
#include "AxisConfiguration.h"
#include "SingleAxisMotion.h"
#include "Homing.h"
#include "Cam.h"
#include "Gear.h"
#include "GroupConfiguration.h"
#include "GroupMotion.h"

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR * argv[])
{
    //Start the KINGSTAR Subsystem.
    if (!StartKingstar())
    {
        RtPrintf("The KINGSTAR Subsystem is not started.\n");
        return -1;
    }

    else
        RtPrintf("The KINGSTAR Subsystem is started.\n");

    RtPrintf("\n");

    //Create an instance of the SubsystemStatus structure and get the state from it.
    SubsystemStatus Subsystem = { ecatOffline, ecatOffline, 0, 0, 0, {ecatOffline}, {ecatOffline}, {axisOffline} };
    GetStatus(&Subsystem, NULL);

    //Display the details of the EtherCAT network.
    RtPrintf("Number of Devices found: %d\n", Subsystem.SlaveCount);
    RtPrintf("Number of Axes found: %d\n", Subsystem.AxesCount);
    RtPrintf("Number of I/O found: %d\n", Subsystem.IOCount);
    RtPrintf("\n");

    const int ARRLENGTH = 3;
    int Axis[ARRLENGTH] = { 0, 5, 6 };

    //Display the information of devices.
    PrintDeviceInformation(Axis[0]);
    PrintDeviceInformation(Axis[1]);
    PrintDeviceInformation(Axis[2]);

    //Set motion profiles.
    //You need to set motion profiles, or the minimum following error will be large.
    MotionProfile(Axis[0]);
    MotionProfile(Axis[1]);
    MotionProfile(Axis[2]);

    //Set a group motion profile.
    //It is optional to use a group motion profile.
    //MotionProfileGroup(0);

    //Convert the unit. In this tutorial we convert it to degrees.
    PositionUnitConversion(Axis[0]);
    PositionUnitConversion(Axis[1]);
    PositionUnitConversion(Axis[2]);

    //PID tuning.
    /*When you use velocity or torque modes, you must tune PID.
      In this tutorial we use modeMasterIntPos, which doesn't require PID,
      but you should offer PID values for your drive to get the best performance.*/
    UpdatePID(Axis[0]);
    UpdatePID(Axis[1]);
    UpdatePID(Axis[2]);

    //Add axes to Group Zero.
    AssignAxis(0, Axis[0], 0);
    AssignAxis(0, Axis[1], 1);
    AssignAxis(0, Axis[2], 2);

    //Set the starting positions for axes.
    //SetGroupPositionOffset must be used when groups are disabled.
    RtPrintf("Starting positions:\n\n");
    SetGroupStartingPosition(0);

    //Display a group's state.
    GetAGroupState(0);

    //Enable a group.
    GroupEnable(0);

    //Display a group's state.
    GetAGroupState(0);

    //Reset and enable axes.
    EnableAxis(Axis[0]);
    EnableAxis(Axis[1]);
    EnableAxis(Axis[2]);

    //Move an axis group
    /* Linear moves */
    MoveLinearAbsoluteGroup(0);
    //MoveLinearRelativeGroup(0);
    //MoveLinearAdditiveGroup(0);

    /* Circular moves */
    //MoveCircularAbsoluteGroup(0);
    //MoveCircularRelativeGroup(0);
    //MoveCircularAdditiveGroup(0);
    
    /* Helical moves */
    //MoveHelicalAbsoluteGroup(0);
    //MoveHelicalRelativeGroup(0);
    //MoveHelicalAdditiveGroup(0);

    /* Test moves */
    //GroupJog(0);
    //GroupInch(0);

    /* Blending sample */
    //BlendSample(0);
    
    //Enable digital switches using a group's distance.
    /*The code of this function is in DigitalSwitch.cpp. Since it needs
      a group to run, it is put in Chapter 10's Main function.
      To learn how it works, see Chapter 12.*/
    //GroupCamSwitch(0);

    /* Stop a group */
    //GroupHalt(0);
    //GroupStop(0);

    //Disable Group Zero.
    GroupDisable(0);

    //Remove all the axes in Group Zero at once.
    RemoveGroup(0);

    //Disable axes.
    DisableAxis(Axis[0]);
    DisableAxis(Axis[1]);
    DisableAxis(Axis[2]);

    //Stop the KINGSTAR Subsystem.
    if (!StopKingstar())
    {
        RtPrintf("The KINGSTAR Subsystem is not stopped.\n");
        return -1;
    }

    else
        RtPrintf("The KINGSTAR Subsystem is stopped.\n");
  
    return 0;
}

NOTE:  To let you easily understand how to move an axis, we leave only necessary code in the main function. You can add more code depending on your needs.

NOTE:  You probably have noticed that several header files are not used because we didn't include their related functions in the main function. Feel free to comment out unused header files. In the tutorial, we preserve all the header files in case you want to use any of the functions you have learned.

 

Output: