Kuka auto external control

Hello, my comrades!
I have a task to create a control of kuka by siemens PLC and siemens HMI panel. We have some recipies, and depending on the chosen one, kuka has to complete different tasks. Buttons of each recipe will be placed on HMI panel.
Example: Kuka is run, waiting for a pushed button, then completing the task in the loop until other external commands stop it or do something else.

I've learnt some manuals about making auto external connection between kuka and "host computer", but I didn't understand, is that the way I should use in order to achieve my goal, using CELL.src with different CASES? Or isn't that necessary for me in my case to use "auto ext"? And all I have to do is just to:
1. create main program and subprograms
2. set interruptions and bind them to INPUT signals from HMI
3. Launch main program in a loop?

But then very important question appears here! - How is it possible to launch kuka without using KCP, without manual choosing and starting the program?
And what is the purpose of auto ext mode usage at all?

I hope on your feedback!

Quote from SkyeFire

AUTO_EXTERN I/O is required to operate the robot in EXT mode. In EXT mode, pendant controls for Acknowledge, Motors On, Program Start, Move Enable, etc, are disabled, and must instead be provided over I/O. These signals are required.

AUT mode is a sort of "standalone" automatic mode -- it allows the robot to run in automatic, but uses the pendant buttons (manual motors, start, program selection, etc), and ignores the AUTO_EXTERN signals (aside from Move Enable, which must be set to $IN[1025], the "always true" system input).

The PGNO signals for CELL.SRC are not required at the system level, but are provided along with CELL to make an easy, common template for selecting programs in EXT mode. It is possible to ignore CELL and the PGNO signals entirely and create your own alternative, but most programmers don't bother -- CELL is convenient and well-tested, so why not use it?

Thanks for detailed explanation, but the problem is that I haven't understood yet how to send these PGNO signals. What kind of device is sending PGNO signals to kuka controller? Is that a remote PC either external PLC-master?
As I guess, PLC-master sends bytes with programs numbers through SEND/RECIEVE blocks in s7/TiaPortal, for example. Then, we configure inputs/outputs in work visual. After all, we need to write conditions in CELL.src for each CASE.

For example, which condition should be followed to start CASE 2? Should I firstly set PGNO as (for example) a $signal of 16 bits (to transfer from PLC)? Could you show me an example of simple cell.src template?

&ACCESS RVP

&REL 1

&COMMENT HANDLER on external automatic

DEF  CELL ( )

EXT program_sort_1 ( )

EXT program_sort_2 ( )

;FOLD INIT

DECL CHAR DMY[3]

DMY[]="---"

;ENDFOLD (INIT)

;FOLD BASISTECH INI

GLOBAL INTERRUPT DECL 3 WHEN $STOPMESS==TRUE DO IR_STOPM ( )

INTERRUPT ON 3

BAS (#INITMOV,0 )

;ENDFOLD (BASISTECH INI)

;FOLD CHECK HOME

$H_POS=XHOME

IF CHECK_HOME==TRUE THEN

P00 (#CHK_HOME,#PGNO_GET,DMY[],0 ) ;Testing Home-Position

ENDIF

;ENDFOLD (CHECK HOME)

;FOLD PTP HOME Vel= 100 % DEFAULT;%{PE}%MKUKATPBASIS,%CMOVE,%VPTP,%P 1:PTP, 2:HOME, 3:, 5:100, 7:DEFAULT

$H_POS=XHOME

PDAT_ACT=PDEFAULT

BAS (#PTP_DAT )

FDAT_ACT=FHOME

BAS (#FRAMES )

BAS (#VEL_PTP,100 )

PTP XHOME

;ENDFOLD

;FOLD AUTOEXT INI

P00 (#INIT_EXT,#PGNO_GET,DMY[],0 ) ; Initialize extern mode

;ENDFOLD (AUTOEXT INI)

LOOP

P00 (#EXT_PGNO,#PGNO_GET,DMY[],0 )

SWITCH PGNO ; Select with Programnumber

CASE 1

P00 (#EXT_PGNO,#PGNO_ACKN,DMY[],0 ) ; Reset Progr.No.-Request

program_sort_1 ( ) ; Call User-Program

CASE 2

P00 (#EXT_PGNO,#PGNO_ACKN,DMY[],0 ) ; Reset Progr.No.-Request

program_sort_2 ( )

DEFAULT

P00 (#EXT_PGNO,#PGNO_FAULT,DMY[],0 )

ENDSWITCH

ENDLOOP

END


I would be unlimitedly happy to get some good clear manual about that.

Quote from panic mode

PGNO is 1-16 bit word that is mapped to robot inputs. what drives them is up to you, can be toggle switches, PLC outputs or whatever you like.

CELL() makes use of P00() to do all the parsing, number crunching and format decoding.

so to make use of this several things need to be setup:

1. there has to be IO between KRC and PLC (or whatever is used to control robot)

2. at least some of the AutoExternal function need to be mapped to this shared IO, some things can remain fixed to some static value and not changing, but things like PGNO (1-16 bits), acknowledge messages, drives on, program start, etc must be shared IO. also for PLC to know when to set those signals, it will need some status from robot: stop message, drives are on, main program is selected (CELL), application program is running (one of cases in CELL) etc.

3. CELL() need to be modified so that for each PGNO value there is a program to be used. template comes with 3 cases defined, one can duplicate this to generate more cases if needed.

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Thanks a lot for you support! You and SkyeFire have really helped me to find out what "auto ext" is and what it is created for.
Today I've managed to launch auto ext, according to manual. Everything works!

But it's not that easy