Machine.dat changes are reverted when project is changed and deployed (WorkVisual)

    Hi everyone,

    I'm running into a strange issue, and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

    I make changes to the R1/Mada/machine.dat file in WorkVisual (under Programming and diagnosis workspace). Then I transfer changes to the controller.

    Then, I make changes to the IO Mapping in WorkVisual (under Configuration and commissioning workspace). Then I deploy the project.

    The earlier changes made in the machine.dat file are completely gone!

    For example, I am seeing this issue with the Auto Ext output $IN_HOME. I change the machine.dat variable $H_POS to match my current robot home position and transfer the machine.dat to the controller. And I see the output light up in Display>Inputs/Outputs>Automatic External: outputs.

    But then when I changed an IO mapping, and redeployed the project, $IN_HOME was no longer lit up. I hadn't moved the robot at all.

    What am I doing wrong?

    Thanks in advance!


    (Kuka controller KRC4 NA UL SC5.1 X14B/X14B2 X17A-C X51

    KSS 8.6.8

    WorkVisual 6.0)

    • Best Answer
    Quote from robotninja

    I make changes to the R1/Mada/machine.dat file in WorkVisual (under Programming and diagnosis workspace). Then I transfer changes to the controller.


    Then, I make changes to the IO Mapping in WorkVisual (under Configuration and commissioning workspace). Then I deploy the project.

    The two workspaces are not synchronized. When you remotely open a project under the Configuration workspace, that is static -- any changes you then make under the "live" Programming workspace do not carry over to the Configuration workspace until you close and re-open the Project.

    If you are going to use both workspaces, you must sequence them carefully. Never make changes in both workspaces at the same time -- work in one, save/deploy the changes, then re-open the robot in the other workspace.

    The Programming workspace has a button to "synchronize to controller" that makes this easier, but the Configuration workspace only (to my knowledge, at least) "synchronizes" to the current state of the controller when you open the project.

    This appears to be a holdover from when WV was new, and only the Configuration workspace existed, and interaction with the robot was only open/deploy. Then the Programming workspace was added, with more advanced features.

    Quote from SkyeFire

    The two workspaces are not synchronized. When you remotely open a project under the Configuration workspace, that is static -- any changes you then make under the "live" Programming workspace do not carry over to the Configuration workspace until you close and re-open the Project.

    If you are going to use both workspaces, you must sequence them carefully. Never make changes in both workspaces at the same time -- work in one, save/deploy the changes, then re-open the robot in the other workspace.

    The Programming workspace has a button to "synchronize to controller" that makes this easier, but the Configuration workspace only (to my knowledge, at least) "synchronizes" to the current state of the controller when you open the project.

    This appears to be a holdover from when WV was new, and only the Configuration workspace existed, and interaction with the robot was only open/deploy. Then the Programming workspace was added, with more advanced features.

    Thank you! So I'm not the one doing something crazy, it is one of the quirks of WoV.

    So the best approach would be to make changes under the Programming workspace, save, close the project. Then reopen the project, then "Transfer Changes to Controller"?

    After this, would the Configuration workspace be synchronized, so that if I make changes and Deploy the project, the code changes are still saved in the controller?

    No, just do the changes in Programming and download it. Switch to Configuration, reopen Project from Controller, make changes and then download it. Go back to Programming, synrchonize to Controller, makes changes and download. And so on....

    Quote from freak

    No, just do the changes in Programming and download it. Switch to Configuration, reopen Project from Controller, make changes and then download it. Go back to Programming, synrchonize to Controller, makes changes and download. And so on....

    Ah ok, so basically, each time get the project and/or code files from the controller before doing any new change on either Programming or Configuration.

    I've been assuming that if my local project and/or code files have been deployed/transferred to controller, the local project is already synchronized i.e. latest version. So I just start making changes in my local project the next time. Apparently this is wrong.

    Yep.

    As SkyeFire said, there is no synchronization

    But You can change programs and other files in Configuration Workspace, and when You deploy the project, everything will be loaded on the robot controller.

    As a rule of thumb, You can use Programming workspace when in need to change specific config files or programs, and use Configuration workspace when doing major changes in the system.

    Remember that project deployment requires a robot reconfiguration, what will probably shut down robot safety and so on, while Programming workspace (and, specifically a feature called WorkOnline) doesn't need it, being a smooth process.

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