Problem with the connection between KRC Kuka Roboter and my computer

Without using the KUKA DirLoader, or some serious hacking, the only way I know of to move programs from a computer (such as one using OfficeLite) to a robot is to copy the .SRC and .DAT files onto a removable disk (Floppy, USB, CD), then using the KCP on the robot to Copy&Paste those files into the /R1/Programs/ directory, manually.

You should ask your local KUKA representative for a manual and price for the DirLoader. You could also ask about Download Server. Directory Loader is designed to copy a whole folder with commands from a PLC. Download Server is designed to download a single file at a time via Windows (like through a Visual C program you will have to create). This is my understanding of it, but to be truthful, I have only every used Directory Loader.

I had a chance to try out a Beta version of the DirLoader a few years back. I assume that it is now available for sale, but I have not checked into this. (edit: well, if MeanRobot's used it, I guess it must be available)

KRL has no built-in capability to copy, move, or delete program files. The DirLoader tech package partially addresses this by, on command, loading the entire contents of a directory (any directory available to Windows on a local drive or a remote network share -- anything that shows up as a drive letter to Windows) into the robot's /R1/Programs/ RAMDrive. These programs will be copied into the robot, compiled, and made ready for use, and this can happen while the robot is in automatic and running.

The root concept behind the DirLoader, as I understand it, was to allow users with high-precision Simulation systems or CAM-conversion programs like RobotMaster to load new motion programs into the robot on the fly, without stopping the robot.

A PLC is not necessary to use DirLoader. And as far as I can recall, the DirLoader commands will work in any mode.

What you do have to have is the directory where the new program directories are stored. These could be on the robot's own hard drive, or a remote network share, or even a USB or CD unit. If the directories are not availabel when the DirLoader command runs, the commands will error out.

XML isn't a programing language, it's a markup language. The only thing I can think of is that the KUKA-Spain tech was suggesting you could use KRL-XML and stream data in from an external source to populate (for example) an array of E6POS variables inside a .DAT file. But that doesn't seem like what you need. As I understand it, you need to load entire .SRC/.DAT files from a disk on demand, even in automatic mode. I don't know of any way to do this using XML. However, my knowledge is hardly encyclopedic. I would ask this tech to send you a manual or other documentation describing what he's referring to.

Quote from SkyeFire

Okay, now I am confused.

Do you have OfficeLite and a real-world, physical, robot? Or do you have OfficeLite and a robot modelled in KukaSim? Because I've been thinking that your problem was making a network connection between your computer and a physical robot.

yes genius i do believe thats what hes said.

um.. are you saying you have the laptop connected straight through to the robot or do you have a router in between?

the dir loader is used to replace directories upon signalling. ie. you have a backup directory, a target directory and an inbound directory. the robot will backup your current directory to the backup, then it will pull from the target and drop it into the inbound. this is done upon the rise of a signal. i will check my documentation to see exactly how it works for you though when im not braind dead. Im not sure how xhtml will help you because if i remember correctly and ill have to look through the code, its directly manipulating the kernel and stopping certain services to make sure the programs are loaded correctly.

it uses xml to transfer the information 3.1

-<Config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"> <TriggerVar>KRDLTRIGGER</TriggerVar> <CommandVar>KRDLCOMMAND</CommandVar> <DownloadReadyVar>KRDLREADY</DownloadReadyVar> <SourceDirectory>C:\KRDLExchange\</SourceDirectory> <TargetDirectory>Krc:\R1\Program\</TargetDirectory> <LogAll>false</LogAll> <DeleteSource>false</DeleteSource> </Config>

Im still digging through code i can give to you.

im gonna bet that this doesnt help you but ill post it anyways.

essentially your talking about 2 different things though. the dir loader lets you modify the whole program on the fly, while xml is going to let you modify each variable along the way. it just depends on how you want to do it.

As Mookie says, those are two completely different systems.

The DirLoader is for loading a fresh set of modules (.SRC and .DAT files) into the robot, so that it is not necessary to carry the programs to the robot by hand and load them manually.

RSI (the newest versions of which contain XML functionality natively, so there is no separate RSI-XML package anymore) is for doing realtime transfer of data, and controlling the robot's motion with that data -- this is for connecting sensors directly to the robot motion in a constant 12ms loop.

RSI cannot load program modules. DirLoader cannot act in realtime.

If your KSS version is 5.5 or higher, the USB drive should show up in the KUKA Navigator when you plug in the drive (as long as you are in Expert mode). Simply navigate to the modules you want to copy on the USB drive, hilight them, and do EDIT>COPY. Then navigate to the appropriate robot directory under /R1/Program and do EDIT>PASTE.