The following tips are designed to assist you in using Control Studio's features. These tips are displayed when first starting Control Studio. They can also be accessed from the Help icon.
Function Block Execution Order — The correct execution order of function blocks makes the module run as efficiently as possible. You may set the function block execution order manually or allow Control Studio to determine the order automatically.
Scan Rate Multiplier — It is possible to make a function block run slower than the module that contains it. To do so, right-click a function block and select Block Scan Rate.
Extensible Parameters — Certain function blocks allow the number of input/output parameters to be increased or decreased. You can increase or decrease this number by right-clicking a function block, and then selecting Extensible Parameters.
Show Parameter — Function block parameters that are not visible on the block can be displayed. To select such a parameter for display, right-click the associated function block, and then select Show Parameter.
Phase Requests — It is very important that your phase waits for the Phase Request to be completed, as signified by the REQUEST register returning to 0, before issuing another request. Always follow any step that writes a value to REQUEST with a transition expression that waits for 'REQUEST' = 0.
Unfinished Configuration — A Work in Progress flag is available to mark your module as unfinished. This flag has no effect on the operation of the module. The download procedure will inquire whether modules with this flag set should be downloaded.
Alarm Priorities — You can write to the PRI parameter of an alarm to adjust the priority of the alarm in run time.
Setting Execution Order after Adding a New Function Block — After you add a function block, you can insert it into the execution order without having to reorder everything else manually. To insert a new function block into the execution order, press the SHIFT key, click the function block that precedes the new function block's place in the execution order, and then click the new function block.
Function Block Diagram Wire Highlighting — In the Online or Debug view, you can distinguish the wires that carry non-zero numeric values. Select Diagram Preferences from the Tools menu and check the box called Highlight non-zero wires.
Feedback Wires — Wires that carry feedback signals in function block diagrams are displayed as dashed lines. Feedback wires are determined when a module is saved or when the function block execution order is set.
Expression Editor Errors — If you double-click a syntax error, the cursor will be positioned at the source of the error in the expression logic.