Adept DeskTop 4.

3 Online User Guide

June 2007

Adept DeskTop Online User Guide

Welcome to the Adept DeskTop 4.3 Online User Guide. To help get you started, use links below to
selected topics.

What would you like to do?

Connect to a controller

Learn about the Using Adept DeskTop Interface

Learn about Adept DeskTop Layouts

Learn about Access Levels

Find information on the following:

• Task Manager Control

• Program Manager Control

• Robot Control

• Tool Transformation Control

• Digital I/O Control

• Switches and Parameters Control

• System Information Control

• Variable Manager Control

• Code Library Control

• Frame Manager Control

• Monitor Terminal Control

• Watch Variable Control

• Jog Pendant Control

• Keyword Browser Control

• Operator Control

Look for additional help on the Adept Website

Installing Adept DeskTop
The following procedures describe pre-installation steps as well as the installation procedures.

The Adept DeskTop software for the PC is distributed on CD-ROM. The media contains installation
programs to properly install the software on the PC. The following software will be installed:

• Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0

• Adept DeskTop

• Help Files

Before Installing Adept DeskTop Software

Before you install Adept DeskTop you must complete the following steps:

1. Install the Adept controller.

2. Uninstall any previous Adept DeskTop versions installed on your computer before installing the
new version.

Installing Adept DeskTop Software

To install Adept DeskTop:

1. Insert the CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive of your PC. If Autoplay is enabled, the Adept DeskTop
CD-ROM menu is displayed. If Autoplay is disabled, you will need to manually start the CD-ROM.

2. Click Read Important Information. Information about the CD-ROM, the Adept online
documentation, and any last-minute release notes is displayed.

3. After reviewing the information, click the 'Close' icon in the upper-right corner of the information
window to close it.

4. Follow the instructions on screen.

5. Do not change the default destination folder to which Adept DeskTop will be installed.

After installation, Adept DeskTop can be started from the Start menu bar in Windows.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 2

System Requirements
To run and use Adept DeskTop Software, the following hardware and software are required.

PC Requirements
Hardware

• Processor: Minimum: P4 / 1 GHz or higher

• Disk Space: 500MB recommended minimum

• Memory: Minimum: 256 MB RAM. Your operating system may require more.

• Monitor: SVGA, minimum resolution 800x600

• Ethernet card and networking hardware required for Ethernet connection.

• Serial-interface cable required for serial connection.

Software

• Operating System (OS): Windows XP (SP1 or SP2) or Windows 2000 (SP3 or SP4), with
latest critical updates for the version of Windows that you are running.

• Microsoft .NET Framework version 2.0 (included in the Adept DeskTop installer)

• Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.01 or later. Necessary for viewing Online help.

Controller Requirements
• Adept SmartController or AIB (amp in base) controller

• V+: version 16.2D3 or higher

• MicroV+: 2.1A8 for Adept Cobra i600/800

Network Requirements
A fixed IP address is required for both the PC and the Controller. Typically, IP addresses are allocated by
your IT department.

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Configuring Ethernet Communications
There are many ways to configure the Ethernet communications for your Adept DeskTop system. You
can set up a basic Ethernet installation between one PC and one Adept controller. Or you can set up
more complex systems involving multiple PCs and controllers.

For complete information on using Ethernet in your Adept system refer to the online documentation in
the Adept Document Library on the Adept Website at http://www.adept.com/main/KE/DATA/
adept_title_index.htm

Once in the Adept Document Library, go to Software Titles/PC Software and select AdeptWindows. Open
the Installation topic to view numerous subtopics on installing and configuring Ethernet and NFS
servers.

In addition, refer to the Procedures, FAQs, & Troubleshooting section under Quick Links, for topics that
include:

• Ethernet Troubleshooting Guide

• Methods for mounting an NFS Drive

• Using NFS Server with Windows

• Using Omni-NFS Server with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 4

Getting Started with Adept DeskTop
To access the full functionality of Adept DeskTop, you will need to connect to a Controller. For example,
you must connect to a controller to create or edit programs.See Connecting to a Controller.

Before Starting an Adept DeskTop Session

• If you are currently running TFTP, you must stop the session. TFTP is integrated in Adept
DeskTop and running TFTP separately will interfere with some functions, such as the File
Manager utility.

• Verify if you will need an Access Level password. See the Access Levels section.

Starting an Adept DeskTop Session

To start Adept DeskTop:

6. Open Adept DeskTop. From Windows select Start > Programs > Adept Technology> Adept
DeskTop 4.3.

7. Typically, you will have to log in to an Access Level with a password. See the Access Levels
section.

8. Connect to a controller. This is necessary to access the full functionality of Adept DeskTop. See
Connecting to a Controller.

9. If needed, configure personal preferences in the Options form. See Setting Adept DeskTop
Options.

10.See Using Adept DeskTop Interface for information on the Adept DeskTop environment.

Related Topics
Using Adept DeskTop Interface
Opening and Displaying Control Windows
Adept DeskTop Menus

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 5

Using Adept DeskTop Interface
The Adept DeskTop interface is based on the Windows Visual Studio development interface and Window
standards.

The appearance of the Adept DeskTop interface can be modified using the multiple document interface
(MDI) functionality. You can modify and save the configuration of the desktop as 'layouts'. See Adept
DeskTop Layouts.

This section illustrates and explains different parts of the Adept DeskTop interface, including: Menus,
Toolbar, Status bar, Program Editor window, and Control windows.

Menu

Toolbar

Toggle 'pushpin'
icon to autohide a
docked window

Control Windows
'Hidden' Control
Windows

Status bar

Keyword description Program Editor

Figure 1 Adept DeskTop - Docked Windows

Menus
The following drop-down menus are available in the menu bar: File, View, Utilities, Tools, Windows, and
Help. See the Adept DeskTop Menus topic for more information on these menus.

Toolbar
The toolbar appears directly under the menu bar. Icons in the toolbar provide quick access to Adept
DeskTop controls. Hover the cursor over an icon to see the name.

Status Bar
The Status Bar displays the information on the following:

• Access Level (on bottom left)

• Controller OS version

• IP Address

• Connection State (icon at bottom right)

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Control Windows
A Control, sometimes called a Tool, is a module that provides specific functionalities to Adept DeskTop.

• Controls interfaces can be docked almost anywhere in the interface as shown in Figure 1. For
additional help on docking or displaying windows, see Opening and Displaying Control
Windows

• Most control windows provide a toolbar, for executing processes and tasks to the control.

• Other interface elements that can be found in control windows are message boxes, displays,
status bars, and context menus.

Program Editor Window

The Program Editor is an online, interactive editor for V+ and MicroV+ programs. The Program Editor
performs syntax checking and formatting while you are programming. It also provides debugging
functionality. See the Program Editor topic for more details.

The Program Editor cannot be moved or docked in the interface. However you can open multiple pages
(program windows, as shown in Figure 2.)

Adept DeskTop
toolbar

Control window
toolbar

Various program windows

are currently open in the
Program Editor

Connection status

Figure 2 Multiple Program Editor Windows Displaying Various Programs

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Opening and Displaying Control Windows
Controls can be opened from the Adept DeskTop toolbar. The positions and state of control widows can
be saved: See Adept DeskTop Layouts.

Control windows can be placed in several different positions and configurations relative to the main
window of the Adept DeskTop interface:

Docked Windows: A dockable window can be connected to the border of the primary interface
window to create a docked window.

• To dock a window, drag the title bar of the window to an edge of the main interface window.

• To undock a window, drag the title bar of the window away from away from the edges of the
main interface.

Tabbed Window: Windows can dragged on top of each other and combined to form a single tabbed
window. There is no limit to the number of tabbed windows the user can put on top of each other.
However, it may make it difficult to see the complete description of the tab if there are too many.

Floating Window: Any docked window can be dragged off to become a separate, floating window.
You can drag and add other controls window to a floating window.

Auto Hide Mode: Windows in auto-hide mode are automatically hidden when not in use. To auto-hide
a window, click the pushpin icon at top right of the window (See Figure 1.) The hidden window is visibly
identified by a tab.

• To display a hidden window, hover above the tab that identifies the window

• To remove the auto-hide mode, hover over the tab to display the window and click the
pushpin icon.

• You cannot auto-hide a floating window.

Related Topics
Adept DeskTop Layouts
Adept DeskTop Menus

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Adept DeskTop Menus
The following section gives an overview of the Adept DeskTop menus. Depending on your system,
setup, and user licenses, the menus in your interface may differ from the descriptions and images
below.

File Menu

New Program: See Creating a New Program.

Connect: Establishes communication between DeskTop and

the controller. See Connecting to a Controller.

Disconnect: Halts communications between Adept DeskTop

the controller.

Change Access Level: See Access Levels.

Layout: See Adept DeskTop Layouts.

Page Setup..., Print Preview..., Print...: Provides options

for printing documents (programs) that are open in the
Program Editor.

Exit: Closes Adept DeskTop.

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View Menu

Controller Configuration:

• V+ Utilities: Opens the V+ Utilities Control.

• Auto-Start: Opens the Switches and Parameters

Control.

Debug Tools:

• Watch Variable: Opens the Watch Variable Control.

• Monitor Terminal: Opens a Monitor Terminal window.

See Monitor Terminal Control.

System Resources:

• Digital I/O: Opens the Digital I/O Control.

• Switches and Parameters: Opens the Switches and

Parameters Control to the Auto Start switch. MicroV+
systems only.

• Variable Manager: Opens the Variable Manager

Control.

• System Information: Opens the System Information

Control.

• Adept Graphics Window: Opens the Adept Graphics

Window Control.

The remaining selections can be toggled on or off the

displaying of Adept DeskTop controls. See related sections on
controls.

For AdeptSight, see the AdeptSight online help.

Utilities Menu

The utilities available from this menu depend on the type

of system and the active licenses that are installed on the
system. The following are usually available to all systems
and users.

File Manager: Opens the File Manager Utility.

License Manager: Opens the License Manager Utility.

Pick and Place Wizard: Opens the Pick and Place

Wizard.

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Tools Menu

Options...: Opens the Options form. See Setting Adept

DeskTop Options.

The following may be available depending on the Access

Level of the user.

Access Level Manager...: See Access Level Manager.

Controller IP Config...: See Controller IP Configuration

Wizard.

Operations Manager...: See Operations Manager.

Windows Menu

Shows list of all windows currently open in the

Program Editor and provides options for closing
these windows.

A dot indicates the topmost (active) window in the

Program Editor.

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Access Levels
When you first open an Adept DeskTop session, you are prompted for a Access Level (user name) and
password as show in Figure 6.

What Are Access Levels?

An Access Level is a set of parameters that define user access to Adept DeskTop controls, utilities and
functionality. An Access Level includes a name, a password, and permissions. Permissions for controls
and utilities can be set as Full, Read-Only, or Hidden.

Only a system administrator can change and create passwords, and create and modify Access Levels. A
system administrator logs in at the Level 1 access level.

• The Level1 access level cannot be deleted.

• It is strongly recommended that on the first Adept DeskTop session, the system
administrator create a password through the Access Level Manager.

• Once additional levels have been set by the Administrator, subsequent Adept DeskTop
sessions will display the Access Level of the user of the previous Adept DeskTop session.

Figure 6 Enter Access Level and Password

Entering an Access Level

The Enter Level Access form allows you to enter an Access Level, with a valid name and password.

Access Level
Enter a valid Access level, or select an existing access level from the dropdown list.

• If an incorrect or non-existent Access Level is entered, the error message shown in Figure 6
appears.

Password
Passwords can only be created and assigned by a top-level administrator (Level 1 access level).

• Passwords are encrypted.

• If an incorrect password is entered, the error message shown in Figure 6 appears.

• If you have lost or forgotten your password you must contact the administrator of your Adept
DeskTop software for a new password.

• If you are the top-level administrator and have lost your password, you will have to contact
Adept Customer Support.

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Changing Access Levels
You can at any time change Access Levels. Before changing Access Levels you should save any changes
made to programs if necessary; these changes may be lost if you change to a level that does not have
full access to saving programs.

To change the Access Level:

1. From the menu select File > Change Access Level.

2. Alternatively you can double-click on the Access Level in the Adept DeskTop status bar.

3. You will be prompted to save any changes you have made to programs while in the current
Access Level.

4. To make changes, Click No, save changes and restart step 1.

5. Enter the new access level name and password

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 20

Access Level Manager
The Access Level Manager allows the system administrator to set access levels for all the controls,
utilities, and functions of the Adept DeskTop program. This tool is restricted to the top-level
administrators of the system, who are logged in at Access Level 1, by default named 'Admin'.

Note:If you are not logged into the session as the 'Admin' system administrator
of Adept DeskTop, the Access Level Manager is not available.

Purpose of the Access Level Manager

The Access Level Manager is used to manage the list of access levels and add, delete or edit the
settings Access levels.

To open the Access Level Manager:

1. Make sure you are logged in at the Level 1 access level.

2. Choose Tools > Access Level Manager...

3. The Access Level Manager control opens, as illustrated in Figure 7.

4. See Configuring and Adding Access Levels for details on creating and editing Access Levels.

List of all currently

existing access
levels

Figure 7 Access Level Manager

Using the Access Level Manager

The Access Level manager displays the list of existing Access Levels. Use the New, Edit, Clone,
Delete buttons to make modifications to this list. In this dialog, you can also enable Adept DeskTop to
'lock' after a certain time of inactivity.

New
Opens the Access Level Editor for creation of a new level. Permissions to all controls and utilities will
initially set to Hidden.

Edit
Opens the Access Level Editor for editing of the selected Access Level.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 21

Clone
Opens the Access Level Editor with same settings as the selected Access Level. The administrator level
cannot be cloned.

Delete
Deletes the selected Access Level. The administrator level cannot be deleted.

Lock when not used for

When enabled, Adept DeskTop will lock when it has been idle for the set number of minutes. Once
locked, the user must log in with an access level name and password.

If you reenter at the same access level as before the lock up, your session will continue. If you enter
another access level, your session will be closed and a new session will be opened with the new access
level.

Related Topics
Configuring and Adding Access Levels

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 22

Configuring and Adding Access Levels
The Access Level Editor provides the interface in which an administrator can set and modify the Access
Level parameters. Level 1 administrators can modify all settings but cannot modify the permissions for
Level 1, which is the administrator level for Adept DeskTop.

Relative value assigned to the

current level.
Higher numbers indicate more
restrictions.
Lower numbers indicate less
restrictions

Drop-down menu provides

permission options

Figure 8 Access Level Settings

Level
Levels values range from 1 to 10. The permissions associated with each level are relative and can be
set by the Administrator. Only Level 1 permissions cannot be modified.

• Level 1 is the top level and is reserved for administrators of the system. You cannot delete
Level 1, nor change the permissions for this access level.

• The only changes allowed to Level 1 are modifications to the name and password.

• You cannot create another Level 1 access level; if you try to create another Level 1, it will be
automatically changed to Level 2.

Name
The name assigned to the Access Level should reflects the status or function of users who will use the
Access Level. When Adept DeskTop is installed, there are initially four predefined Access Levels, which
can be modified by a Level 1 administrator.

• Admin. Level 1. Full access to all controls and utilities visible in the Access Level Editor. This
is the only level that can access the Access Level Manager and a few other tools such as the
Operations Manager and the Controller Network Configuration Utility.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 23

 • Developer. Level 2. Full access to all controls and utilities visible in the Access Level
Manager. Cannot administrate or configure Access Levels.

• Maintenance.Level 5. Full access to most controls. Read only access to Program Editor and
variables.

• Operator. Level 10. Full access only to Operator Control, Robot Control and Adept Graphics
Window. All other controls and utilities are hidden.

Password/Confirm Password
Create and confirm passwords in these fields. Passwords are optional, but strongly recommended.

Note:If you are a Level 1 administrator make sure that you do not lose your
password. If you forget or lose your administrator password, you will need to
contact Adept Technical Support.

Controls and Utilities

The Controls and Utilities tabs display elements for which permissions can be set. Use the drop-down
list to set permissions for the Adept DeskTop controls and utilities. The available permissions (Access
Type) are:

• Full: Full capacity to use, edit, and set properties of a controls and utilities.

• Read Only: the user can open a control or utility but not modify properties.

• Hidden: A hidden control or utility cannot be opened nor seen by the user.

To modify the permission on a control or utility:

1. Select an item from the Control or Utilities tab.

2. Double-click in the Access Type column.

3. Select the permission type (Access Type) from the drop-down box.

4. You can also set all access types (permissions) to a same value from the context menu. To do so,
right-click in the list to display the context menu then select Set all items to > type. See Figure
9.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 24

 Figure 9 Setting all Access Types to the Same Value

Cancel
Cancels changes and closes the form.

OK
Makes changes to access level settings and parameters, and closes the form.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 25

Connecting to a Controller
To use most of the Adept DeskTop tools and functions you must be connected to a controller. Adept
DeskTop can be used with the following controllers:

• Adept SmartController CX

• Adept AIB controller in an Adept Cobra i600 or Adept Cobra i800 robot

• Adept AIB in Smart Amp/SmartAxis

Note:When you attempt scan/connect to a controller for the first time in Adept
DeskTop, the Windows XP Firewall may block the scanning or connecting
operations.
In such a case, Click 'Off' in the Windows Firewall window. This will add Adept
DeskTop to the list of exceptions, and unblock scanning and connecting.
After this, you may have to close the connection dialog and reattempt the
operation

To connect to a controller:

1. From the menu, select File>Connect...

2. In the Connect To Controller form, select the System Type.

3. Depending on the System Type, select either the required COM port or the Ethernet address.

4. If necessary, click Scan to browse and locate the address of controllers that are available on the
network.

5. Click Connect to complete connection to the required Controller.

If another computer is already connected to this controller you will be prompted to choose
between continuing or cancelling the connection request.

6. The connection status is displayed in the Adept DeskTop status bar. See Figure 5.

Select Controller type

Enter or select Address/COM port

List of the available addresses or

COM ports for the selected controller

Scan to locate addresses of controllers

currently on the network

Figure 4 Connect to Controller Form

System Type
Select the type of controller to which you want to connect.

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Address
Enter, or select from the list at right, the Ethernet address of the controller to which you want to
connect. This appears only if the selected System Type is SmartController.

COM
Enter, or select from the list at right, the COM port of the controller to which you want to connect. This
appears if the selected System Type is Cobra iSeries or Smart Axis.

Scan
Scans the network to find the ethernet address of available controller. Addresses found by the Scan
procedure are displayed in the list box.

Connect
Initiates the connection to the controller and closes the form. The status connection icon appears in the
Adept DeskTop status bar. See Figure 5.

Cancel
Cancels changes and closes the form.

Connection status icon:

Double-click to connect/
Address or Port of disconnect
the controller

Figure 5 Connection Status Icon in the Status Bar

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Adept DeskTop Layouts
Windows and tools can be positioned in different manners in the Adept DeskTop user interface, due to a
multiple document interface (MDI), much like Visual Studio.

This allows you to position child windows in the main Adept DeskTop window (docked) or in separate
windows (floating). Docked windows can be displayed at all times (standard tabs) or auto-hidden (side
tabs).

The layout of the user interface refers to position and state of windows in the Adept DeskTop user
interface. You can configure layouts to suit different needs. For example, the system programmer can
create a custom user interface layout for programming tasks, and create a different desktop for the
workcell operator.

Toggle pushpin icon

to auto-hide a
docked window

Move (hover) cursor over tab to Docked windows can

display windows that are 'hidden' be repositioned by
(Auto-Hide) dragging with the
cursor

Status bar

Figure 10 Adept DeskTop - Docked Windows

Default Layouts
There are three default layouts installed with Adept DeskTop. These layouts cannot be deleted nor
modified.

• Adept DeskTop Default: Shows the controls and windows most commonly used to create
and edit programs and tasks.

• Empty: Useful for creating a completely new layout. See Creating a Custom DeskTop
Layout.

• Operator: Useful for configuring a layout that corresponds to an Operator access Level. See
Operator Layout.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 26

Operator Layout
The default Operator Layout contains only the windows that are enabled when the default Operator
Level user access is enabled. These controls are those typically required for basic operation-level tasks
in a workcell:

• The Robot Control

• The Operator Control

Note:Selecting the Operator Layout will NOT log the user into the Operator
Access Level.

Robot Control

Operator Control

Figure 11 Default Operator Layout

Changing Layouts
To change layouts:

1. From the Adept DeskTop menu select File >Layout >Select > layout name

2. Select a layout from the list of available layouts. Available layouts are the default Adept DeskTop
layouts and any layouts you have saved.

Any layouts saved in previous Adept DeskTop versions are displayed in Adept DeskTop 4.1. Note that
layouts are no longer stored as *.lyt files as in previous versions; layouts are now stored as part of your
Adept DeskTop preferences, on your computer.

Saving Layouts
At any given moment, you can save the layout information as a new layout. See Saving DeskTop
Layouts for more details.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 27

Deleting Layouts
To delete a layout:

1. Choose File > Layout > Delete > layout name.

2. Choose the layout you want to delete. Default layouts do not appear in the list because the
cannot be deleted. See Default Layouts.

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Creating a Custom DeskTop Layout
Adept DeskTop allows you to create and save custom desktop layouts. After a desktop layout is created
and saved, it can be loaded through the Adept DeskTop menu bar.

This allows you to create layout that is tailored for your application, or for a specific type of user. For
example, a system designer may create a custom desktop for programming tasks, and create a
different desktop for the workcell operator.

To create a new layout, you can start from the default "Empty" layout.

To create a new custom layout:

1. From the Adept DeskTop menu, select File > Layout > Select > Empty.

2. Begin placing items on the blank desktop. For example, if you would like your desktop to contain
a Robot Control window, from the Adept DeskTop menu bar, select View > Robot Control.
Robot Control window is displayed on the desktop.

3. Continue placing items on the desktop until it contains everything required for your application.

4. Position each item on the desktop by clicking the title bar of the item and dragging the item to
the desired position. The position of windows and items will be saved in the layout.

5. To remove an item from the desktop, simply click on the item to select it. Then, click the Close
icon (located in the upper right corner of the item window) to remove the item.

After you have arranged items on the desktop; save your layout so that you can reload the layout at a
later time. For more details on saving the current desktop, see Saving Layouts.

Related Topics
Saving DeskTop Layouts

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 29

Saving DeskTop Layouts
A configuration of windows and controls in the Adept DeskTop interface is called a 'layout'. Layouts can
be saved to memory and recalled when needed.

There are three default layouts provided in Adept DeskTop:

• Adept DeskTop Default

• Operator Layout

• Empty

You cannot delete default layouts but you can use default layouts as a basis for creating custom
layouts.

To save the current Adept DeskTop layout:

1. From the Adept DeskTop menu, select: File > Layout > Save (or Save As...).

2. Enter information in the Enter new layout name form.

3. Once the layout is saved you can reload it from the menu selecting File > Layout > Select >
layoutname.

Figure 12 Adept DeskTop - Saving a New Layout

Layout name
Enter the name of the layout.

OK
Saves the current layout with the new name and close the form.

Cancel
Cancels changes and closes the form.

Related Topics
Default Layouts
Creating a Custom DeskTop Layout

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Setting Adept DeskTop Options
The Options form allows you to customize the appearance of Adept DeskTop. For example, from this
form, you can:

• Set the text size and colors for the Program Editor.

• Set the text size and colors for the Monitor Terminal.

• Set startup options and other program preferences.

To open the Options tool:

1. Select: Tools > Options.

2. Select a folder icon to access options and preferences for various items.

Figure 3 Adept DeskTop Options Form

To modify options:

1. In the list at left of the Options form, select an option.

Options are classed into three categories: Controls, Desktop, or Controller.

2. Settings and parameters for the selected option are displayed on the right side of the Options
form.

3. For more details on configuring options, refer to the following topics:

• Setting Controls Options

• Setting Desktop Options

• Setting Controller Options

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 12

Setting Controls Options
Use options in the tab to set the colors, fonts and other appearance properties of the Program Editor
and the Monitor Terminal. The Sample display shows the effect of the selected settings.

Font
Opens a Font properties form in which you can select font type, color, and size.

Display items
This lists allows you to select an item and view or select the color that is used to display the item in the
Program Editor or the Monitor Terminal.

Color
Click this button to select and change the color that will be used to display a selected item in the
Program Editor or the Monitor Terminal.

Syntax Highlighting
Syntax highlighting is a feature of the Program Editor that assign different colors to V+ and MicroV+
code, according to the category of elements in a program. This enables you to easily identify elements
in a program and helps debug and identify syntax errors. By default, syntax highlighting is enabled.

To modify syntax highlighting colors:

1. Select a category in the Display items list.

2. Click the Color button.

3. Select or create a color in the Color picker dialog, then click OK.

Legacy keyboard shortcuts

Enabling this check box applies the legacy shortcut keys used with the Adept Windows SEE editor. By
default Adept DeskTop 4.3 applies standard Windows shortcut keys. Long-time users of Adept DeskTop
may prefer to use the legacy shortcuts. To do so enable this check box.

Table 1: and Table 2: illustrate some standard keyboard shortcuts and legacy keyboard shortcuts.

Table 1: Example of standard Window (R) keyboard shortcuts used by Adept DeskTop

Keys Action
Ctrl+A Select All
Ctrl+C Copy
Ctrl+F Find
Ctrl+V Paste
Ctrl+X Cut
Ctrl+Z Undo
F1 Display contextual Help window
F5 Execute (run) a program
LEFT ARROW Left one unit
RIGHT ARROW Right one unit
UP ARROW Up one unit or line

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 13

 Keys Action
DOWN ARROW Down one unit or line
HOME To the beginning of the line /To the beginning of the data
(topmost position)
END To the end of the line /To the end of the data (bottommost
position)
TAB Next field / To next tab position

Table 2: Example of Legacy Keyboard Shortcuts

Keys Action
Ctrl+B Add or remove breakpoints to a program.
Ctrl+S or Single step operation that skips stepping through a subroutine call.
Shift+F5
Ctrl+X or F5 Single step operation that will enter a subroutine call.
Ctrl+G The current position of the cursor becomes the next point the program starts
from.
Pause Pause the program task execution.
Ctrl+R Retries the current line.
Ctrl+P Proceeds the task until the next break point or program terminates.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 14

Setting Desktop Options
Open "Terminal Monitor" control on program output
When this option is enabled, the Monitor Terminal control automatically opens on program output, if the
program uses a TYPE instruction.

• If the Monitor Terminal window is already open, there is no effect.

• If this option is selected and there is active output from a program, you will not be able to
close the monitor window.

Load Utilities
When this option is enabled, Adept DeskTop loads external utilities. Disable this option to speed up
loading of Adept DeskTop or when debugging the system.

Show Version in title bar

When this option is enabled, the Adept DeskTop software version is displayed in the title bar of the
Adept DeskTop window.

Maximize DeskTop on startup

When this option is enabled, the Adept DeskTop interface window is maximized in your monitor when
you open an Adept DeskTop session.

Help Location
Adept DeskTop has integrated online help that you can access at anytime by clicking F1. However, to
access additional Adept documentation that is not included in the integrated online help, you can use
this option to set the location of documentation that is located elsewhere, such as on the Adept Online
Manuals CD.

Open Connect dialog on startup

When this option is enabled, the Connect to Controller dialog automatically opens when you open an
Adept DeskTop session.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 15

Setting Controller Options
Automatically connect using the last connection
When this option is enabled, Adept DeskTop will automatically connect to the controller through the last
used connection method.

Check for DDT prompt for V+ Systems

When this option is enabled, Adept DeskTop detects and displays the DDT window. This option is
enabled by default.

• If DDT is not detected, Adept DeskTop attempts to connect to the control during system
startup.

• Disabling DDT detection can speed up connection time.

On Error
These options affect the actions performed by Adept DeskTop when the controller encounters an error.
By default, Ask user for directives is enabled.

Close the connection

When this option is enabled, Adept DeskTop automatically closes if there is a communication error. The
error is logged to the file before exiting Adept DeskTop.

Ask user for directives

When this option is enabled and an error occurs Adept DeskTop will ask the user what action to take. All
communication errors are logged to a file even if they are ignored.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 16

Program Manager Control
The Program Manager control allows you to create, load, store and delete programs. Also, from the
Program Manager you assign programs to specific tasks by dragging programs to tasks in the Task
Manager.

To open the Program Manager

1. From the Adept DeskTop menu, select View > Program Manager.

2. Alternatively, select the Program Manager icon from the toolbar.

3. Dock the window if needed. Typically, it is docked above the Task Manager window to facilitate
dragging programs to the task list.

Program Manager toolbar

Modules and programs currently on the

controller.
Bold letters indicate that one or more programs
To assign a have been modified
program to a task,
drag program onto
a task in the Task

Figure 13 Program Manager Control in V+

The appearance of the Program Manager differs depending on whether you are in V+ or MicroV+.

The Program Manager in V+

• In V+, program files are 'contained' in one or more modules as illustrated in Figure 13.

• See Using the Program Manager Control and Saving Programs in V+ for more information.

The Program Manager in MicroV+

In Micro V+, Programs are not 'contained' in modules; all programs are listed in a 'flat' hierarchy as
shown in Figure 14.

• Programs are not stored as files, instead they are saved as a block, on the controller, in
NVRAM.

• You cannot drag and drop programs from the PC into the task manager

• You cannot copy/paste programs.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 31

 Program Manager toolbar

Programs currently on the controller.

Bold letters indicate that one or more programs
have been modified

To assign a program to
a task, drag program
onto a task in the Task
Manager

Figure 14 Program Manager Control in MicroV+

Protected Programs and Modules

Protected programs are displayed in the program manager but these programs cannot be renamed,
modified, moved or deleted. The module that contains one or more protected programs is a protected
module that shares the same restrictions as a protected program.

• Cut and Copy functions are not active on protected items.

• Programs cannot be added to a protected module.

• A protected program in a module cannot be deleted. This preserves the integrity of the
module.

• You cannot create a code clip from protected elements nor copy the element to a clipboard.

• You can drop a protected item to a task in the Task Manager.

Program Manager Toolbar and Context Menu

The actions or tasks described below launched from the toolbar or the context menu.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 32

 Toolbar

Context menu

Figure 15 Program Manager Toolbar and Context menu

Edit selected program

Opens a selected program in the Program Editor. If the program is already open, it becomes the active
program in the Program Editor. If there is an error in the program code, the icon changes to a question
mark to indicate this condition.

Create New Program

Opens the New Program dialog that asks for the new program name and module name. See Creating a
New Program.

Open Program
Opens a existing program file and adds it tho the Program Manager. See Opening Programs in the
Program Editor.

Save As...
Saves files to PC or Controller. See Saving Programs and Modules for details and differences between
V+ and MicroV+ systems.

Save Module
Saves the module with the last filename used to load or save the module. If this file has been
previously saved, a dialog opens showed to ask for a filename. Unsaved modules appear in bold type in
Program Manager list. Does not apply to MicroV+ systems.

Save All Modules

Saves all modules currently in the Program Manager to the controller, with the last used filename. A
dialog opens for each filename that is not yet defined. Does not apply to MicroV+ systems.

Save All Reals

Saves to file all real values currently in the selected program. The values are stored to the specified
destination, with the file extension 'rv'.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 33

Save All Locations
Saves to file all location values currently in the selected program. The values are stored to the specified
destination, with the file extension 'lc.

Save All Strings

Saves to file all string values currently in the selected program. The values are stored to the specified
destination with the file extension 'st'.

Cut Program
Removes a selected program so it can be pasted to another module. If the program is not pasted
elsewhere, it is permanently deleted. Does not apply to MicroV+ systems.

Copy Program
Copies a program so it can be pasted to another module. Does not apply to MicroV+ systems.

Paste
Pastes (adds) the program to a selected module after a Cut Program or Copy Program operation. Does
not apply to MicroV+ systems.

Search and Replace

Opens a Search and Replace dialog that allows you to find and replace text in program files.

Delete
Permanently deletes the selected program so it can be pasted to another module.

Zero contents of controller memory

Clears from memory all programs and variables that have not been saved as well as any changes made
to programs and modules since the last 'Save'.

Rename
Enables you to rename a selected program. This function is not active on protected items.

Refresh
Refreshes the list of programs in the Program Manager.

Help
Opens Adept Online Help to the Program Manager section.

Note:There is no 'undo' for the Zero Memory operation. A warning prompt is

displayed, with an option to cancel the operation, before this command is
executed.

Refresh list of programs

Updates the list of modules and programs.

Related Topics
Creating a New Program
Using the Program Manager Control
Saving Programs and Modules

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 34

Using the Program Manager Control
From the Program Manager control you can manage programs, create new programs, and assign
programs to tasks.

The use of the Program Manager control differs between V+ and MicroV+ systems. Refer to the section
below that applies to your system.

Modules and programs

indicated by yellow icon
are protected and cannot
be modified

Modules and
programs in bold
letters indicate
unsaved
modifications

Figure 16 Program Manager Interface

Managing Programs in V+
The Program Manager displays the list of all programs in a hierarchical view, organized by modules.
From this list you can carry our various operations on programs through the toolbar, the context menu,
or by dragging elements in the interface.

Programs in the Program Manager are physically on the controller. Until a program is saved, it exists in
volatile memory (RAM) only. See Saving Programs in V+ for details on saving files and modules.

Opening Programs
To open a program and add it to the program list:

• Drag any program file (*.V2) from the Microsoft Windows Explorer or the Adept File Manager
Utility and drop it onto this area. The file will automatically be loaded into the memory of the
connected Adept controller.

• From the toolbar, select Open Program. In the Open form, browse to find a file on the
controller or on the computer.

Creating New Programs

See the section Creating a New Program.

Saving Programs
See the section Saving Programs in V+.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 35

Deleting Programs
Programs that are assigned to a task cannot be deleted from the Program Manager. For this reason you
cannot delete a module that contains a program that is in a task execution stack. You must first clear
the task execution task, then delete the program or module. See Using the Task Manager Control.

You can delete either a selected program or module from the task, with the Delete Program/Module
icon in the toolbar or the Delete instruction.

Opening Programs in the Program Editor

To open and edit a program in the Program Editor:

• Select a program in the list, then click the Edit Program toolbar or context menu.

• You can also double-click on a program in the list to open it in the Program Editor.

Assigning a Program to a Task

• To assign a program to a task, select a program and drag it onto a task in the Task Manager.
From there you can use the Task Manager operations to modify or manage the task.

Renaming a Program
• To rename a program, select a program and then select Rename from the context menu or
click F2. Alternatively, you can click on the program name in the list.

• When the name of the program is edited, the arguments and the parentheses are removed
and only the name can be modified. The arguments and the parentheses are added back
after editing.

• If you want to modify or remove arguments that appear after the program name, you must
open the program in the Program Editor and modify or remove the arguments in the code.

Moving Programs Between Modules

A program can be moved or copied to other modules. Note that there cannot at any time be two or
more programs with the same name. Therefore any program that is copied to another module must be
renamed.

To remove a program from a module and place it in another module:

• Select a program the use Cut Program operation followed by a Paste operation on a
selected module.

• Alternatively, you can drag the selected program to a new module.

• If you drag a program to an empty area in the Program Manager, a dialog opens to ask you
for a new module name; your program will be copied or moved to the new module.

• You cannot move a program that is currently assigned to a task.

To copy a program from a module to another module:

• Select a program the use Copy Program operation followed by a Paste operation on a
selected module.

• Drag the selected program, while holding the CTRL key, to a new module.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 36

Managing Programs in MicroV+
The Program Manager displays the list of all programs currently in memory. From this list you can carry
our various operations on programs through the toolbar, the context menu, or by dragging elements in
the interface.

Programs in the Program Manager are physically on the controller. Until a program is saved, it exists in
volatile memory (RAM) only. See Saving Programs in MicroV+ for details on saving files and modules.

Opening Programs
To open a program from the PC:

1. From the toolbar, select Open Program > from PC.

2. In the Open form, browse to find a file on the controller or on the computer.

To open a program in NVRAM:

1. From the toolbar, select Open Program > from NVRAM.

Creating New Programs

See the section Creating a New Program.

Deleting Programs
Programs that are assigned to a task cannot be deleted from the Program Manager. You must first clear
the task’s execution stack, then delete the program. See Using the Task Manager Control.

You can delete either a selected program or module from the task, with the Delete Program/Module
icon in the toolbar or the Delete instruction.

Saving Programs
See the section Saving Programs in MicroV+.

Bold letters indicate

unsaved changes

Right-click here to
display context menu

Figure 17 Program Manager Context Menu in MicroV+

Opening Programs in the Program Editor

To open and edit a program in the Program Editor

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 37

 • Select a program in the list, then click the Edit Program toolbar or context menu.

• You can also double-click on a program in the list to open it in the Program Editor.

Assigning a Program to a Task

• To assign a program to a task, select a program and drag it onto a task in the Task Manager.
From there you can use the Task Manager operations to modify or manage the task.

Renaming a Program
• To rename a program, select a program and then select Rename from the context menu or
click F2. Alternatively, you can click on the program name in the list.

• When the name of the program is edited, the arguments and the parentheses are removed
and only the name can be modified. The arguments and the parentheses are added back
after editing.

• If you want to modify or remove arguments that appear after the program name, you must
open the program in the Program Editor and modify or remove the arguments in the code.

Related Topics
Creating a New Program
Saving Programs and Modules
Using the Task Manager Control

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 38

Creating a New Program
To create a new program:

1. From the Adept DeskTop menu, select File > New Program.

2. Alternatively, from the Program Manager toolbar select Create New Program.

3. In the New Program form, enter the name for the new program and enter or select a module
name.

4. The program is added to the Program Manager list, in the designated module and the new
program is opened in the Program Editor. See Program Editor for information on writing and
editing programs.

'Create New Program' icon

opens New Program form Type module name
or select it from list
(V+ systems)

Figure 18 New Program Form

Program Name
Enter the name of the new program of the program that will be created.

• If you want to create a program with arguments, you can specify the argument(s) in the
program name, in parentheses. Figure 18 illustrates an example where the program
'prgrm_test' will be created containing the argument 'er'.

• Empty spaces are not allowed in program names. A name cannot exceed 15 characters.

Module name
Enter the name of the module to which the new program will be assigned or select a module name from
the drop-down list.

• Empty spaces are not allowed in module names. A name cannot exceed 15 characters.

• Modules only apply to V+. There are no modules in a MicroV+ system.

Create
Creates the new program, adds it to the program Manager list, and opens the program in the Program
Editor.

Cancel
Cancels any changes and closes the form.

Help
Opens the Adept DeskTop online help to the related help topic.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 39

 Related Topics
Saving Programs and Modules
Program Manager Control

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 40

Saving Programs and Modules
The saving and storing of files on the controller differs between MicroV+ and V+ systems. This section
describes the effect of the different actions that you can use to save program data in each of these
systems.

Saving Programs in V+
In V+, programs and modules can be save to the controller or the PC.

• You have the option of saving all modules, all programs, or only selected modules or
programs.

• Optionally, you can save data in the files.

• See Table 3: for details on the correspondence between file saving options and V+ keywords.

Figure 19 Save As dialog for Saving V+ Files

Options for Saving

As illustrated in Figure 19, there are three options that can modify the content of saved files.

All
When All is enabled, all modules and programs are saved.

Selection Only
When Selection Only is enabled, only the selected module or program is saved. All dependencies are
also saved.

with Data
When with Data is enabled, all variable data used by the saved modules and programs is saved to file.

Save As
This operation allows you to saves the current selection under another filename.

• The Save dialog that opens allows you to save only the Selection (selected program or
module) or All programs or modules that are in memory.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 41

 • To save all variables that are in the saved module(s) or file(s) enable the with Data check
box.

Table 3: Relation between Save Options in Adept DeskTop and V+ Keywords

Selected item Corresponding Keyword and effect

Independent of the selection before select-

ing Save As:
• All STORE, program name is empty
• All + with Data STOREP and program name is empty

When a module is selected:

• Selection Only STOREM with the Module name selected but
without any data
• Selection Only + with Data STOREM with the Module name selected and
with all the data

When a program is selected

• Selection Only STORE with the program name selected
• Selection Only + with Data STOREP with the program name selected

Save Module
This operation saves the selected module to the controller, with the last filename used to load or save
the module.

• This function is only available from the context menu when there are unsaved changes to the
selected module.

• Module names are temporary and are not saved to memory. When you save a module, the
programs it contains are saved with their respective names; the Module name is not saved.
When you reopen the file to which the module programs were saved, Adept DeskTop opens a
module that has the same name as the first file in the module.

Save All Modules

This operation saves all the modules to the controller, with the last filename used to load or save each
module.

Saving Programs in MicroV+

In MicroV+ programs are not saved to individual files. You cannot save only selected programs to the
controller: all programs and data are saved to the contents of the NVRAM, overwriting existing data.

• MicroV+ programs are loaded from NVRAM into RAM, and saved from RAM into NVRAM.

• When the programs are saved into NVRAM, any existing programs are overwritten by the
programs being saved.

• To avoid overwriting existing programs, you must first load all programs from NVRAM to
RAM, create your new programs, and then save all programs back into NVRAM.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 42

 Figure 20 Saving Micro V+ Files

Saving programs to NVRAM

Saving programs to NVRAM saves all data that is in RAM and saves it to the NVRAM memory on the
controller. Saved data includes:

• All programs

• All variables

The related MicroV+ keyword for this action is STORE. See the MicroV+ Language Reference for details
on storing files to NVRAM.

To save a program to NVRAM:

• In the toolbar, select the Save As icon, and select to NVRAM. See Figure 20.

• Alternatively, right-click in the program list and select Save As > to NVRAM from the
context menu.

Saving Programs to the PC

Saving programs to a PC provides an alternative to saving and overwriting NVRAM memory.

• Programs are saved to a single file that can then be opened from Adept DeskTop.

• If needed, program files saved on the PC can later be saved to the controller NVRAM
memory

• When you store to PC you can optionally choose to save only programs, or all data, which
includes programs and variables.

To save a program to the PC:

• In the toolbar or context menu, select Save As > to PC

• In the Open dialog that opens create the filename an select the path for the file in which
programs will be saved.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 43

Task Manager Control
The Task Manager control allows you to assign programs to tasks, visualize, and manage tasks that are
running on the controller.

• From the Task Manager you can start or stop tasks as well as launch debugging of programs
in the task.

• You assign programs to a tasks by dragging the programs from the Program Manager into the
Task Manager.

To open the Task Manager control:

1. From the menu, select View > Task Manager.

2. Alternatively, click the Open Task Manager icon in the Adept DeskTop toolbar.

3. The control window opens, similar to Figure 21.

Task Manager toolbar

Color of flag icons

indicate the status of a
task

Right-click here
to display the
context menu

Information on
selected task

Figure 21 Task Manager Control

What is a Task?
A task is a sequence of instructions that are defined by one or more programs. This sequence is also
referred to as the execution stack of the task.

Tasks can be executed and stopped either manually or programatically. Errors and system failures can
also halt or stop the execution of a task.

Task Status
Task status is indicated by a colored flag:

• Red indicates that the task was stopped due to an error or was manually stopped.

• Yellow indicates that task execution is paused or at breakpoint.

• Green indicates that the task is running.

• Black and white checker pattern indicates that the task execution has completed.

• White indicates that the task is idle or primed.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 44

The display box displays information on the status of a selected task.

Number of Tasks
The number of tasks is limited as follows:

• Micro V+: 4 tasks. Task 0 is the only task that can send instructions to a robot.

• V+: 7 tasks.

• V+ with Extensions: 28 tasks

Numbering of task is 0-based, that is the numbering of tasks starts at Task 0.

Assigning Programs to a Task Execution Stack

The programs and instructions that are in a task are referred to as the execution stack, or simply the
stack, of the task.

From Adept DeskTop you can only assign a single program to a task. However, if the program added to
the task calls one or more programs, these programs will be added to the execution stack when they
are called. Figure 22 illustrates a 'called' program that was added to a stack after execution.

A single program can be assigned to more than one task.

this program
calls program
After executing Task 1,
'pallet_loc'
program 'pallet_loc' is added
to the stack

Before execution of Task 1 only

program 'pckplc_3' is in stack

Figure 22 Program Added to an Execution task by the CALL Instruction

Task Handling
• In MicroV+, Task0 is the only task that can be assigned to a robot.

• You cannot delete a task that is running, or delete or edit programs that are in a currently
executing task.

• You can Zero the memory when a task is running.

• In the Program Editor, attempting to edit a program that is executing will generate an error,
or will be ignored.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 45

Task Manager Toolbar and Context Menu Options
The following actions or tasks can be launched from the task bar or the context menu.

Execute Task
Executes the selected task. In the toolbar, this icon toggles to Select Program when no programs have
been assigned to the selected task.

Select Program
When an empty task is selected, prompts for a program to assign to the task and launches execution of
the selected task. In the toolbar, this icon toggles to Execute Task when a selected task contains
programs in its stack.

Execute Using
Prompts for the name of a program and launches execution of the selected program, on the selected
task.

Debug Task
Launches debugging of a selected task.

Debug Using
Prompts for the name of a program and launches debugging of the selected program, on the selected
task.

Reset and Debug

Stops the executing of a task and restarts debugging from the first line of the first program in the stack.

Pause Task
Pauses the execution of the selected task at the next instruction.

Stop all tasks

Stops (pauses) the execution of all running tasks.

Retry Step
Retries the failed step and continues executing the task. If the selected task was paused or stopped due
to an error, attempts to re-execute the current step and continue execution.

Proceed Task
Continue executions of a task. If the selected task was paused or stopped due to an error, this button
attempts to continue the execution of the task.

Kill Task
Clear the selected task of any programs. A program must be cleared from the stack before it can be
fully edited. Note that AUTO variables or calling arguments cannot be changed while a program is in a
task stack.

Display only tasks used

When enabled, only the tasks that currently contain a stack (assigned programs) are displayed in the
Task Manager list.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 46

Copy Stack to Clipboard
Records the contents of the selected task stack to the Windows clipboard. If a program terminates with
an error, this allows you to copy and paste the stack contents and send it to the proper support person.
Note that the robot ID is also recorded in this operation. Figure 23 shows an example of the contents of
a stack.

Figure 23 Text Content of a Task Stack Copied to the Clipboard

Refresh task list

Refreshes the status of the task list.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 47

Using the Task Manager Control
The Task Manager control allows you to assign programs to tasks, and visualize and manage tasks that
are running on the controller.

• Programs added to the execution stack of a task are provided by the Program Manager
control.

• Use the tool bar or context menu to modify tasks, debug tasks or run/stop tasks.

• The Task Manager monitors controller events and will refresh the task status list when
needed.

Task Manager toolbar

Color of flag indicates the status

of a task

Right-click to display the

context menu

Displays status of selected task

Figure 24 Task Manager Control

Assigning Program to Tasks

Programs that open in the Program manager can be assigned (added) to tasks in the Task Manager.
The programs and instructions that are contained in a task are referred to as the execution stack.

To assign a program to a task stack:

1. Drag a program from the Program Manager list on a task in the Task Manager list.

2. Alternatively, select a task, then in the toolbar click the Select Program icon.

To remove programs from a task stack

1. Select a task.

1. If the task containing the program is running, you must stop the execution of the task.

2. From the toolbar or context menu, select the Kill Task.

Executing Tasks
You can execute, pause and debug programs from the Task Manager.

If a program in the task calls one or more programs that have not been opened, executing the task will
generate the error: Undefined program or variable name. Refer to V+ System Messages in the
V+ Reference Guide for more details.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 48

To execute a task:

1. Select a task in the Task Manager.

2. If the task already contains instructions (one or more programs) select Execute Task from the
toolbar or context menu

3. If the task is empty, select Select Program, and enter the name of the program that you want
to execute in this task.

4. The flag beside the task will change color to indicate the progress/status of the program.

To pause a task:

• Select the task in the list, then select Pause Task from the toolbar or context menu. This
stops the task at the next execution in the running program.

• To pause all tasks that are running, select Stop All Tasks. This pauses all tasks that are
currently executing.

• To resume execution of a task that has been paused, select Retry Failed Step or Proceed
Task.

To debug a program:

You can launch debugging of programs from the Task Manager. For more details on debugging
programs see Debugging Programs.

1. Right-click on a task in the Task Manager to display the context menu as shown in Figure 25.

2. If the task is empty (no programs), select Debug Using. You will be prompted to provide the
name of the program you want to debug. The program will open in the Program Editor window.

3. If the task contains programs, select Debug Task. The task programs will open in the Program
Editor window. Reset and Debug will reset variable values and restart the debugging of a
program from the beginning.

4. Debugging messages and status appear in the bottom pane of the Task Manager window.

If the task stack is empty, you can

add a program to the task list and
launch debugging from the Task

Figure 25 Debug Using command adds program and launches debugging

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 49

Program Editor
The Adept DeskTop Program Editor is an online, interactive editor that includes program debugging
functionality.

• The editor performs syntax checking and formatting while you are programming.

• You can open up as many programs as needed.

• Program pages can be displayed as a group of tabs, or 'tiled' and displayed in horizontal or
vertical windows, which allows you to compare two or more routines. An example is shown in
Figure 26

Tabs show programs

currently open in the
Program Editor

Program Editor toolbar

Keyword tooltip displays

keyword syntax and
description when you move
(hover) over with mouse

Status bar indicates: line and

column number of the cursor
position, error message, and
keyword help

Figure 26 Program Editor

Context Sensitive Help on Keywords

You can obtain help on a V+ or MicroV+ keyword directly from the Program Editor.

To obtain Keyword help:

1. Click on a keyword and right click to obtain the context menu

2. Select the keyword help item, as illustrated in Figure 27.

Click here
to open online help page
for selected keyword

Figure 27 Obtaining Keyword Help in the Program Editor

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 50

Viewing Programs in The Program Editor

Tabs group at right has

two open programs

Two vertical tab groups

each with its own toolbar
and status bar

Figure 28 Displaying programs in Vertical or Horizontal groups

You can split (tile) the display in the Program Editor into vertical or horizontal groups. Figure 28
illustrates two vertical groups, one containing two tabbed program windows.

To split the Program Editor Window into groups:

1. In the Program Editor click on a tab and drag it elsewhere in the Program Editor window

2. Release the mouse to open a context menu.

3. Select an option from the context menu.

Drag tab onto Program Editor

Select tab group option

from context menu

Figure 29 Creating Tab groups in the Program Editor

Program Editor Toolbar

The following list gives a quick description and keyboard shortcut of tasks you can carry out in the
Program Editor.

• Cut (Ctrl+X): Cut the selected text.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 51

 • Copy: Copy the selected text.

• Paste: Paste the text in the clipboard to the selected position.

• Undo last change: Erases last text change made to current file, returning it back to
previous state.

• Redo last undo: Reverses the previous Undo command; returning text back to state before
the Undo.

• Find/Replace: Opens the Search and Replace form, as illustrated in figure

• Toggle breakpoint at current line: Add or remove breakpoints to a program. Breakpoints

provide a way to set a point in the program where the program will automatically pause
when it reaches that point. This optimizes debugging so you don't have to single step
through the entire program.

• Clear all breakpoints: Removes all break points in the active program.

• Step into: Single step operation that will enter a subroutine call.

• Step over: Single step operation that skips stepping through a subroutine call. The
subroutine is executed in it entirety.

• Jump to current line and step: Starts the execution of the program, in step mode, starting
with at the current line (where the cursor is positioned).

• Retry line: Retries the current line.

• Proceed execution: Continues program execution.

Figure 30 Search and Replace Form used by the Program Editor

Printing Programs from the Program Editor

Print options are available from the Adept DeskTop menu. This allows you to print contents of the
Program Editor. To access print options, from the Adept DeskTop menu select

• File > Page Setup...: Opens the Page Setup dialog in which you can set paper orientation,
paper size, and margins.

• File > Page Preview...: Opens the Print Preview dialog in which you can visualize the
print output before launching the print job.

• File > Print: Opens the Print dialog in which you can select the printer, print range and
number of copies.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 52

Syntax Highlighting
The default syntax highlighting colors can be modified in the Options window. See Setting Controls
Options.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 53

Using the Program Editor

Program Editor
toolbar

Tooltip appears
when you hover
over with mouse

Breakpoint

Figure 31 Using the Program Editor

Opening the Program Editor

The Program Editor opens when you open a V+ or MicroV+ program.

To open the Program Editor

Do any of the following actions:

• From menu select File > New Program.

• In the Program Manager control toolbar select the Create New Program icon.

• In the program Program Manager control toolbar select the Open Program icon.

• Double-clack on a program in the Program Manager or Task Manager.

Formatting and Syntax Checking

As each line of program is entered, it is sent down to the controller dynamically. The controller
performs the formatting and checking, reports back the resulting format and the PC editor is updated to
reflect this.

In most cases, recognized keywords are properly indented in the code.

Elements in the program code are automatically displayed according to syntax hig lighting preferences
set in the Options form. For example, by default, keywords display in blue text, comments display in
green.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 54

 New line is typed, starting
at left margin

After 'Enter/Return' key is clicked, the

new line is automatically indented

Figure 32 Automatic Formatting of Code in Program Editor

Detecting Errors
There are many aids in the Program Manager to assist you in finding errors in programs.

• Syntax highlighting: Some errors are detected by the syntax checker. These errors are
highlighted in different color (red, by default) from the rest of the code.

• Status bar: The status bar displays the last error message reported by V+ or MicroV+ on
the controller, as illustrated in Figure 33. It also shows the line (Ln:) and column (Col:)
position of the cursor.

• Program Manager Icons: In the Program Manager, the program containing an error is
indicated by an icon with a red "?" character.

• Tooltips: Tooltips appear at various places in the Program Editor when you hover and pause
over items with the mouse.

Text highlighting colors

can be modified in the
Options form

Error tooltip

Error message in status

bar provides description
and message number

Figure 33 Display of Errors in the Program Editor

Debugging Programs
Program debugging integrated into the Program Editor. Debugging allows you to interactively step
through a program execution while simultaneously displaying variables and states.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 55

 • You can have as many active debugging sessions as there are tasks. This feature allows you
to debug multiple tasks.

• The Watch Variable control assists in debugging programs. You can observe changes in the
values of variable as you step through the program. See the Watch Variable Control section
for more details.

Breakpoints
• Set breakpoints at a point of interest in a program where you want to pause the execution of
the program and observe the value of variables.

• An executing program will stop at a breakpoint and then wait for a command to step through
the code or resume execution.

• The corresponding keyword for a breakpoint is BPT.

To add and remove breakpoints in a program:

Breakpoints must be set after the first executable statement in a program. You cannot set a breakpoint
before the .PROGRAM statement, any AUTO and LOCAL statements, and all comments and blank lines
at the start of the program.

• In the Program Editor, click to the left of a code line, in the left margin of the editor window.

• The breakpoint is indicated by a dot and a highlighted line; similar to Figure 34. The color
may vary depending on personal preferences set in the Options form. See Setting Controls
Options.

• To remove a breakpoint, click on the breakpoint dot, at the left side of the line.

• You cannot add breakpoints before the first executable statement in the program.

• You cannot add or remove breakpoints in a program that is actively executing.

Click at left of line to set/remove a breakpoint

Figure 34 Breakpoints in a program

To step through a program using breakpoints:

1. When a execution of a program stops at a breakpoint the line is highlighted in yellow (default
color). The Program editor is in 'step' mode.

2. To continue the execution and debugging of the program in step mode, you must use one of the
following actions:

• Step into: Single steps into program lines. If it encounters a subroutine, it steps through the
subroutine, then continues stepping through the program.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 56

 • Step over: Single steps into program lines. If it encounters a subroutine, it executes the
subroutine the continues in step mode at the first line after the subroutine call.

• Jump into Current Line and Step: Starts single step mode, starting at the current line,
where the cursor is positioned.

• Retry: Retries the current line

• Proceed: Exits step mode and continues program execution.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 57

Code Library Control
The Code Library tool is used to store code samples, also called clips, that can reused.

• Adept DeskTop also provides some predefined code clips that you can use as a starting point.

• Code clips added by the user are stored to the preferences folder in Windows on the
computer. This ensures that when you reinstall or upgrade Adept DeskTop, your code clips
are reloaded into the Code Library.

• Code clips provided with Adept DeskTop are protected files. They cannot be modified or
deleted.

To open the Code Library

1. From the Adept DeskTop menu, select View > Code Library.

2. Alternatively, from the Adept DeskTop toolbar, select the Code Library control icon.

Code Library toolbar

Code clip created by user

Yellow icons indicate

protected code clips
Group of code clips

Description of selected code

clip, if exists

Figure 35 Code Library Control

Using the Code Library

From the code library you can create new programs, insert code clips into open programs, or open the
Clip Editor to edit existing clips.

To create an new program from a code clip:

1. Select a code clip.

2. From the toolbar select the Create new program from clip icon.

3. This opens the New Program form in which you must provide the program name.

4. A new program page opens page in the Program Editor, containing the code from the selected
code clip. See Creating and Editing Code Clips for more details.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 58

To create a new code clip:

New clips are created and define in Clip Editor. To open the Clip Editor do one of the following:

• From the toolbar, click the Create a new library entry icon, or select a New from the
context menu. This opens a blank Clip Editor session.

• Select a code clip from which you want to reuse the code. Click Copy, then, Paste. This
opens the Clip Editor, containing the code copied from the selected clip.

• Select a code clip and click Edit. You can then rename and edit this code clip in the Clip
Editor. See Creating and Editing Code Clips for more details.

To insert a code clip into an open program:

• Select a code clip and drag it onto an open program in the Program Editor.

• This adds the code contained in the clip, starting at the line where you drop the clip.

• Adept DeskTop will not allow you to drop the code clip into certain incorrect positions in a
program. For example after the.END statement.

To delete a code clip:

Note that you cannot delete the protected code clips that are installed with Adept DeskTop. Protected
code clips are indicated by a yellow icon.

1. Select the clip you want to delete.

2. From the toolbar click the Remove clip from system icon.

Related Topics
Creating and Editing Code Clips

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 59

Creating and Editing Code Clips
Use the Clip Editor to create new clips or edit existing code clips.

Figure 36 Clip File Editor

Note:A clip does not require a '.PROGRAM' and '.END'. However, if either is used
in the clip, then both are required.

To open a create an new code clip:

1. From the Code Library toolbar, select Create a new library entry.

2. Fill in the fields described below and type or paste code into the Data field.

3. Click Ok to save this clip and add it to the Library.

To edit an existing code clip:

1. Select the code clip to edit in the Code Library list.

2. From the Code Library toolbar, select Edit Clip.

3. Alternatively, you can double-click on the Clip name to open the Clip Editor.

4. Enter the required modifications to the text fields in the Clip Editor and Ok to save the
modifications.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 60

Clip Editor Text and Data Fields
Name
You must enter an Name. This name is the node name that is displayed in the Code Library list view
display. The name must be unique in its Group.

Group
You must provide a Group name. Select a existing group from the drop-down list, or create a new
group by typing the name in the field. The clip will be displayed under this group name in the Code
Library.

Description
Descriptions are optional but recommended. Enter a description that describes the purpose or use of
the code in the clip.

Data
Use this area to type or paste contents of the clip file.

A clip does not require a '.PROGRAM' and '.END'. However, if either is used in the clip, then both are
required.

Supported Controllers
Select the controller types that this code clip is compatible with. This enables the Code Library control
to determine the display setting for this clip.

Related Topics
Code Library Control

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 61

Keyword Browser Control
The Keyword Browser control displays and manages all the keywords available for the type of system
connected; either V+ or MicroV+.

Keywords from can be dragged into open programs in the Program Editor.

To open the Keyword Browser:

The keyword browser is typically open in the default desktop layout and is tabbed in auto hide mode to
the left of Adept DeskTop window.

1. From the Adept DeskTop menu, select View > Keyword Browser.

2. Alternatively from the toolbar, click the Open Keyword Browser icon.

To drag keywords to the Program Editor:

• Select a keyword and drag the keyword required position in a program in the Program Editor.

• To drag the keywords with their arguments, enable the toolbar icon: Drag keyword and
arguments.

• Adept DeskTop will not allow you to drag keywords to certain positions in a program. For
example, you cannot drag a keyword before .PROGRAM or after .END.

Toolbar provides
display options

Icons indicate type of

keyword:
I - Instruction
F - Function
M - Monitor Command

Yellow icons indicate

advanced keywords

Description of
selected keyword

Figure 37 Keyword Browser Control

Keyword Browser Toolbar

The toolbar provides the following options for the Keyword Browser control.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 62

Grouped
Enabling Grouped displays all the keywords grouped by similarity in function, as illustrated in Figure
37.

Alphabetic
Enabling Alphabetic the keywords in three groups: Functions, Instructions and Monitor Commands.
The keywords are displayed alphabetically within each group.

Drag Keyword
When Drag Keyword button is enabled, only the keyword can be dragged to the Program Editor, the
default arguments are not.

Drag Keyword and Instructions

When this button is enabled both the keyword and the default arguments can be dragged to the
Program Editor.

All
By default, the Keyword Browser tool displays only the commonly used keywords.

• When All is enabled, this button is selected, advanced keywords are also displayed are
displayed in the selected display mode.

• Advanced keywords are indicated by yellow icons.

Help
Displays online help for the selected keyword.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 63

Variable Manager Control
The Variable Manager control allows you to view, search, and modify variables that are in memory. By
default, the Variable Manager monitors and displays GLOBAL variables, however you can add
monitoring of AUTO and Local variable for specific tasks and programs.

From the Variable Manager you can:

• Drag a variable into a program in the Program Editor.

• Select any variable and modify its value.

• For location type variables, you can either manually enter a new value or record the current
position of the robot.

• Create and remove variables.

• Monitor variables in tasks.

To open the Variable Manager control:

1. From the menu, select View > System Resources > Variable Manager.

2. Alternatively, click the Variable Manager icon in the Adept DeskTop toolbar.

3. The control window opens, similar to Figure 38.

Variable Manager toolbar

Use text filter to search for

variables

String variables are supported

only in V+ systems

Tooltip displays variable

contents

Figure 38 Variable Manager Control

Variables are arranged by type in a tree view control. Each variable is represented by a node item in the
display with the variable name followed by its last value.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 64

Variable Manager Toolbar and Context Menu
You can carry out the following operations with the task bar and context menu.

Continuous Scanning
Updates all displayed variables continuously. The scan rate varies depending on controller type and
number of variables displayed. To dynamically scan a large number of variable, it is preferable to use
the Watch Variable Control.

Stop Scanning
Terminates the Continuous Scanning process.

Create New Variable

Opens the Create Variable dialog for creating a new variable. See Creating a Variable

Copy
Copies a variable and saves it to the clipboard. It can then be pasted into a program in the Program
Editor.

Paste
Pastes a copied a variable.

Edit Selected Variable

Opens the Edit Variable dialog in which you can view and modify the current value of a selected
variable.

Delete Selected Variable

Removes the currently-selected variable. A confirmation is displayed and must be acknowledged,
before the variable is deleted.

Add @task: Program monitoring node

Adds monitoring of AUTO variables for a specified task and program. You can also monitor of LOCAL
variables for a selected program.

• AUTO and LOCAL task monitoring is not supported for MicroV+ systems.

• Figure 39 shows a AUTO variables added to the Variable Manager list.

• Corresponding V+ keywords for displaying variables are LISTL, LISTR, and LISTS.

Add to Watch Variable

Opens the Watch Variable control to add the selected variable to the list of watched variables. See
Adding a Watched Variable.

Refresh
Refresh the contents of the window.

Record
Records the current position of the robot in the selected Location or Precision Point variable.

Jog To
Opens the Jog Pendant control to set the selected variable as a Jog To location.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 65

Filter
The Filter facilitates finding one or more variables.

• Enter characters in the Filter field and click OK to display variables that begin with the
entered characters.

Add Task Monitoring

AUTO variables of task

'Jog To' opens the

Jog Pendant Control

Figure 39 Variable Manager with AUTO Variable Node Added

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 66

Using the Variable Manager Control

Creating a Variable
To create a new variable:

• In the Variable Manager toolbar, click the Create a variable icon, or select Create from the
context menu. This opens the Create Variable form.

• The fields in this form depend on the type of variable selected as shown in Figure 40.

Form for creating a

Location variable

Form for creating a

Real variable

Figure 40 Create New Variable Form

To create a Location variable:

1. In the Type field, select: Location

2. In the Name field, type a unique name that will identify the variable. The name cannot exceed
15 characters and empty spaces are not allowed.

3. Type in or select a Value for the components of the Location variable for: X, Y, Z, Yaw, Pitch,
Roll.

4. To create the Location variable from the current position of a connected robot, select the
appropriate Robot, then click the Record button

5. Click OK to save the variable and exit the form.

To create a Precision Point variable:

To create a Precision Point variable you must be connected to a controller on which a robot is
configured.

1. In the Type field, select: Precision Point.

2. In the Name field, type a unique name that will identify the variable. The name cannot exceed
15 characters and empty spaces are not allowed.

3. Type in or select a Value for the components of the Location variable for: X, Y, Z, Yaw, Pitch,
Roll.

4. To create the Precision Point variable from the current position of a connected robot, select the
appropriate Robot, then click the Record button.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 67

 5. Click OK to save the variable and exit the form.

To create a Real variable:

1. In the Type field, select: Real.

2. In the Name field, type a unique name that will identify the variable. The name cannot exceed
15 characters and empty spaces are not allowed.

3. In the Value field, enter the text string for the variable.

4. Click OK to save the variable and exit the form.

To create a String variable (in V+ only):

String variables are currently supported only in V+ systems.

1. In the Type field, select: String.

2. In the Name field, type a unique name that will identify the variable. String variable names
MUST start with a '$' symbol to be correctly recognized and interpreted as a string. The name
cannot exceed 15 characters and empty spaces are not allowed.

3. In the Value field, enter the text string for the variable.

4. Click OK to save the variable and exit the form.

Editing a Variable
To directly edit the value of a variable, select a variable in the Variable Manager and click the Edit
selected variable icon in the toolbar.

• You can the directly view the current value and edit the value in the Edit Variable form, as
shown in Figure 41.

• The Edit Variable form differs depending on the type of variable selected.

Name of variable appears

in title bar

Figure 41 Edit Variable Form

Monitoring Variables in a Program

By default, the Variable Manager monitors and displays only Global variables. You can add monitoring
of:

• AUTO variables for a specified task and program.

• LOCAL variables for a specified program.

To add monitoring of AUTO or LOCAL variables:

1. Select the Add @task icon in the toolbar of the Variable Manager.

2. This opens the Add Program Monitoring form, as shown in Figure 42.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 68

 3. Select a Task number. If you leave the Name field blank, program monitoring will be added for
AUTO variables.

4. To add task monitoring for LOCAL variables, specify a program name in the Program field.

Name of variable appears

in title bar

Figure 42 Add Program Monitoring Form

Task
Number of the task to which is assigned the program you want to monitor.

Program
Name of the program in which you want to monitor variable values.

Adding a Watched Variable

From the Variable Manager, you can add a variable to the Watch Variable control.

To add a watched variable:

1. Select a variable.

2. From the toolbar select the Add to Variable Watch icon, or from the context menu, select Add
to Watch Variable.

3. The Watch Variable control opens, with the selected variable added to the list of watched
variables. See Watch Variable Control for more details.

Related Topics
Variable Manager Control
Watch Variable Control

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 69

Operator Control
The Operator Control provides an interface for the basic operations required to run a robotic application
in a workcell.

• The operations that can be run from the Operator Control must be created by a system
administrator, through the Operation Manager control.

• The control buttons available in the Operator Control window execute one of the four
following commands: Start, Proceed, Pause, Stop.

Opening the Operator Control

The Operator Control Tool is automatically opened when you select the Operator Layout.

To open the Operator Control:

1. From the menu, select View > Operator Control.

2. Alternatively, from the toolbar, select the Operator Control icon.

Selects the active operation

Operation buttons. Pause and

Stop buttons may be disabled
for some operations

Displays the status of the

current task

Figure 43 Operator Control

Using the Operator Control

Operation Selection
To start an operation, select the operation from the dropdown list. Only operations created through the
Operations Manager are available in the dropdown list.

START
Click START to launch the execution of the selected operation.

Proceed
Click Proceed to continue the execution of a program that has stopped. A message appears in the
Task Status display to explain the reason why the program has halted. Proceed resumes the
execution of the program at the point where the program has stopped.

Proceed replaces the START button when the current operation is halted from outside the Operator
Control. For example, when an error occurs, or when a program encounters a breakpoint. See Figure
44.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 70

PAUSE
PAUSE halts the selected operation. After a PAUSE, the operation can be restarted at the point where
it was halted by the PAUSE.

The PAUSE button may be disabled for some operations. See Operation Editor.

STOP
Clicking STOP completely stops the selected operation.

The STOP button may be disabled for some operations. See Operation Editor.

Task Status
The Task Status display provides information on the execution of the current operation.

Selects the active operation

Proceed restarts an operation that

has been halted by an external
cause

Message reporting why the

current operation is been
stopped

Figure 44 Operator Control Waiting for a Proceed instruction

Related Topics
Operator Layout
Operations Manager

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 71

Operations Manager
The Operations Manager tool allows an administrator-level user to configure operations that can later
be run from the Operator Control.

Note:The Operation Manager is only available if you are logged into Adept
DeskTop with the administrator (top-level) Access Level.

• The operations configured and managed through the Operation Manager are operations that
are typically executed by an operator in a workcell. The only possible actions that can be
carried out on these operations from the Operator Control are START, Proceed, PAUSE and
STOP. See Operator Control.

• The STOP and PAUSE buttons for a defined operation can be optionally enabled or disabled in
the Operation Editor.

• The grid in the Operation window displays all the currently available operations, as illustrated
in Figure 45.

To open the Operations Manager:

1. From the Adept DeskTop menu, select Tools > Operations Manager.

2. The Operation Manager window opens, as illustrated in Figure 45. This is a modal window: you
cannot return to the main interface while it is open.

Figure 45 Operations Manager Window

Add
Opens a blank Operation Editor form in which you can configure a new operation to add to the current
list. See Operation Editor.

Remove
Removes the a selected operation from the list of operations.

Edit
Opens the Operation Editor, containing the current settings of the selected operation. See Operation
Editor.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 72

 Related Topics
Operator Control
Operation Editor

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 73

Operation Editor
The Operation Editor allows you to configure and define an operation that will be added to the
Operations Manager. All operations defined in the Operations Manager can be run from the Operator
Control.

Name that will be displayed in

the Operator Control

Enables buttons that will appear in

the Operator Control

Figure 46 Operations Editor Window in V+

Operation Name
In the Operation Name field, enter a unique, common name that will identify the operation.

Program Name
In the Operation Name field, enter the name of a program, currently in memory (in the Program
Manager), that defines the operation.

If this program may not be in memory when an operator launches it from the Operator Control, you can
define a program in the Source parameters, as explained below.

Source
Use Source parameters to set the location of a program that can be run from the Operations Manager,
when the required program is NOT in memory (not in the Program Manager).

To set Source parameters in V+

1. Click the browse button (...) to find the required program.

2. In the Open file dialog, browse and select the required program.

3. Enable the check box Also load data from file if you want to load the data associated to the
source program when the operation is executed.

To set Source parameters in MicroV+

1. Click the browse button (...) to find the required program.

2. In the Open file dialog, Browse and select the required program.

3. Enable the check box Also load data from file if you want to load the data associated to the
source program when the operation is executed.

4. Enabling Auto Load NVRAM will allow Adept DeskTop to load NVRAM to find the required
program if is not in memory.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 74

 Name that will be displayed
in the Operator Control

Source file used if the

program is not found in
memory when the operation
is run

Figure 47 The Operation Editor in MicroV+

Task Number
In the Task Number drop-down list, select the task to which the defined operation will be assigned.

Buttons Enabled
Enable the buttons that will be enabled in the Operator Control to run this task.

• Stop: Enables the use of the Stop button in the Operator Control, to stop the selected task.

• Pause: Enables the use of the Pause button in the Operator Control, to pause the selected
task. Paused task can be resumed by the operator by a Start or Proceed command.

Related Topics
Operator Control
Operations Manager

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 75

Robot Control
The Robot Control tool is used to enable power, calibrate, and change the speed of the robot. This
control also provides the status of power, calibration, and e-stop state of the connected controller.

To display the Robot Control tool:

1. From the menu select: View > Robot Control.

2. The Robot Control tool opens, the E-Stop Button and Robot Status indicate the current status of
the robot connection.

Robot Status indicator

E-Stop button

Set/Modify robot speed

Error message display

Figure 48 Robot Control

E-Stop Button Status and Messages

The E-Stop button in the Robot Control carries out the same function as the physical E-Stop button on
the Front Panel or T1 Pendant. Table 4: provides information on the significance of the E-Stop button
color and text.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 76

Table 4: E-Stop Button appearance in the Robot Control

Color Text Description

Gray (no text) Adept DeskTop has not connected to a controller
Green Disable Power The robot power is ON and the robot is calibrated.
Click to disable power to the robot.
Yellow Enable Power The robot power is off and the E-stop state is off.
Click the button to enable power to the robot.
Yellow Calibrate The robot power is ON but the robot is not calibrated. The
robot cannot operate until it is calibrated.
Click the button to attempt a calibration sequence.
Yellow Stand By... The system is waiting for High Power to be enabled by
pressing the High Power button on the Front Panel.
Red E-Stop E-stop is pushed. There is no power to the robot.
You cannot operate the robot until E-stop state is cleared
on the controller.

Robot Status Display and Messages

The Robot Status field displays status messages about the current status of the robot. Table 4:
provides information on the significance of the color and text messages in the status display.

Table 5: Status Display of the Robot Control

Color Text Description

Gray Not connected Adept DeskTop has not connected to a controller
Green Robot power ON Robot power is on.
Yellow Turning Power OFF The system is disabling power to the robot.
Yellow Dry Run Mode DRY.RUN is enabled and it overrides all other display
states except for E-Stop Pushed.
Red E-Stop Pushed An E-stop is pushed.
Red Fatal Error A fatal hardware error has occurred. Robot power is off
and cannot be turned on.
The robot is not configured correctly and High Power can-
not be enabled.
White Robot Power OFF Robot power is off.
White Press HIGH The system is waiting for the High Power button on the
POWER button on Front Panel to be pressed.
Front Panel If the button is not pressed, the message returns to Robot
Power Off.
White Not calibrated Robot is not calibrated.

Robot Speed
Use the Robot Speed% items to set to set the monitor speed of the controller. You can enter the
speed numerically into the field, or use the slider to adjust the speed. The results of any slider
adjustments are displayed numerically in the % field.

Clear Display
Click Clear Display to clear the error messages displayed in the Robot Control.

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Jog Pendant Control
The Jog Pendant control, also called the virtual jog pendant, performs functions similar to the T1
Pendant, from the Adept DeskTop interface. The Jog Pendant Control offers additional features for
increased control and functionality, especially useful for developing, setting up and troubleshooting.

• The robot can be moved in distance increments; this facilitates the moving of the robot to
very precise positions or small increments.

• The Jog To mode allow quick positioning of the robot to defined positions. These positions
can be provided by predefined transformation parameter, stored in a variable, or entered
manually.

Note:To control the robot from the Jog Pendant Control the physical T1 pendant
MUST be set to Comp mode. If the Pendant is not in comp mode the status
message in the Jog Pendant control window reads: 'Pendant Not In Comp'

To open the Jog Pendant control:

1. From the menu, select View > Jog Pendant

2. Alternatively, from the toolbar, select the Jog Pendant icon.

Robot Status
message

Movement command
buttons

Robots currently
available

Figure 49 Jog Pendant Tool

Current Position
The Current Position frame displays the current position of the robot tool. This display is dynamically
refreshed as the robot moves.

• Use the World and Joint radio buttons to show the robot position expressed in either
Cartesian units or joint angles.

• In the World frame of reference, position is expressed as x, y, z, yaw, pitch, roll

• In the Joint frame of reference, position is expressed as joint angles, in degrees.

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Jog Control
The Jog Control frame provides controls and parameters to physically move the robot and to control
speed and distance of robot movements.

• Use the slider to set a value, or type a value directly in the text box.

• When setting up, slow speed or small increments are recommended.

Movement Commands
Movement command buttons display arrows representing the relative direction in which the robot will
be moved.

For example in Figure 50, pressing movement buttons will move the Robot along the Y-axis of the
Robot tool (end-effector) frame of reference.

• The behavior of the movement buttons is determined by the Speed and Increment options.

• The arrow labels vary depending on the selected Mode and Axis. In Figure 50, movement
buttons represent robot movement along the Y axis.

• In Figure 51, movement buttons represent robot movement as a rotation about the Z axis.

Robot position expressed

precision-point values when
'Joint' mode is selected

Movement buttons express

direction and axis of robot
movement

Figure 50 Jog Pendant in Tool Mode

Speed
The Speed option enables you to set the speed at which the robot moves, as a percentage of the
maximum robot speed.

• In this mode, the robot moves with the set speed, in the selected direction, for as long as a
movement button (arrow) is maintained

• When the robot attains its limit (out of range), the movement stops.

• If you need to refine the movement to reach a precise point, the Increment mode may
provide more control.

Increment
The Increment option enables you to set a distance increment for robot movement. This is useful for
precise positioning; for example, when the slowest Speed mode overshoots the precise location to
which you are attempting to position the robot.

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Increments are expressed in World coordinates; the Increment option sets the Jog Pendant to World
mode.

• In this mode the robot moves by the define Increment distance, in the selected direction,
regardless of the time the movement button (arrow) is maintained, except if released before
completed.

• Each time the movement button is pressed, the robot moves again, to the Increment
distance.

Incremental
movement can be
used only in 'World'
mode

Increments can be
millimeters or degrees,
depending on axis

Precision Point values

described robot position
in Joint-based values

Figure 51 Jog Pendant set to move the robot in Increment Mode

Mode
Jog Mode sets the Mode that will be used to move the robot. These modes are described below.

Comp Mode
Comp mode is also called Computer mode. In this mode, the Jog Control commands and settings are
disabled. When Comp mode is enabled, the robot can be controlled by an executing program or the
system terminal, the operator cannot move the robot.

Joint Mode
Joint mode enables the Jog Control to move the robot about the axis of the joint selected in the Axis
group.

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 Buttons move selected
joint in + or - direction

Number of joints depends

on the type of the
selected robot

Location Management allows

you set location manually or
get location from robot

Figure 52 Jog Pendant in Joint Mode

World Mode
World mode enables the Jog Control to move the robot in the selected direction: X, Y, or Z axes, of the
World frame of reference, or rotated around these axes: RX, RY, or RZ, in the world coordinate system.

Tool Mode
Tool mode enables the Jog Control to move the robot in the selected direction X, Y, or Z axes of the
Tool coordinate system, or rotated around these axes: RX, RY, or RZ, in the tool coordinate system.

Jog To Mode
The Jog To mode allows you to move the robot to a defined location. You must first set the Jog To
location before you enable the Jog To button.

• The Jog To location is defined under Location Management if the current robot position is
expressed in World coordinates.

• Jog To locations can only be expressed in Cartesian units.

• Jog To mode is not available in MicroV+ systems.

To set the Jog To location:

1. Set the Jog To location by doing one of the following:

• Enter or select known values in the required fields

• Acquire the location from a variable: click Browse and select a location array variable from
the Variable Browser.

• Click Record to set the Jog To location.

2. Set a distance value under Jog to - distance. This enables the Jog Control buttons shown in
Figure 52 to move to the robot either directly to the Jog To position, or above the Jog To
position, at the defined distance.

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 Moves robot to Jog To location

Moves robot above Jog To location

by distance set by Jog to...dist

Precision Point Management allows

you set precision points or get
points from robot

Figure 53 Setting a Robot Location for Jog to Mode

Location Management vs. Precision Point Management

The Location Management frame displays when the robot position is expressed in World
coordinates. A Location must be set in this frame before you enable the Jog To mode.

The Precision Point Management frame displays when the robot position is expressed in Joint
mode.

Location Management
The Location Management frame allows you to either manually set the values of a transform, or get
a transform from the current position of the robot. You can then save this location to variable.

The first three components of a transform variable are the values for the points on the X, Y, and Z axes.
The three other components are the yaw, pitch, and roll.

Figure 54 Selecting a variable in the Location Management Frame

To set a transform from the current robot position:

1. Select the Robot that will provide the transform.

2. Click the Record button. The Location Management values are updated with the values of the
current robot position.

To get a transform from a variable:

1. If you know the name of the required variable, enter or select the name of the variable, as shown
in Figure 54.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 82

 2. To search for a variable, click Browse, to open the Variable Browser.

3. In the Variable Browser find and select a location variable. Click OK.

4. The name of the variable and its value are added to the Location Management fields.

To save the transform to a variable:

1. You cannot create a new variable in the Location Management frame. To save values in the
location management frame you must select an exiting variable.

2. Any changes that you make to transform parameters, either manually, or recorded from a robot
position, will be saved to the variable, overriding the current value of the variable.

3. Click 'Enter' to save transform parameters to the variable.

Precision Point Management

The Precision Point Management frame allows you to either manually set the joint angles of a robot
position, or get these points from the current position of the robot. You can then save this location to
variable

• Precision points express a robot location as the joint angles of each joint of the robot.

• Precision points may be more accurate, and they are the only way of extracting joint
information that will allow you to move an individual joint.

To set precision points from the current robot position:

1. Select the Robot that will provide the precision points.

2. Click the Record button. The Precision Point Management values are updated with the values of
the current robot position.

To get a precision points from a variable:

1. If you know the name of the required variable, enter or select the name of the variable, as shown
in Figure 54.

2. To search for a variable, click Browse, to open the Variable Browser.

3. In the Variable Browser.r find and select a location variable. Click OK.

4. The name of the variable and its value are added to the Precision Point Management fields.

To save the transform to a variable:

1. You cannot create a new variable in the Precision Point Management frame. To save values in the
location management frame you must select an exiting variable.

2. Any changes that you make to transform parameters, either manually, or recorded from a robot
position, will be saved to the variable, overriding the current value of the variable.

3. Click 'Enter' to save transform parameters to the variable.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 83

Tool Transformation Control
This control gives users access to the currently defined tool transformation. It also allows the user to
select or enter a tool transformation and activate it for a specified robot.

To open the Tool Transform Control:

1. From the menu, select View > Tool Transformation Control.

2. Alternatively, from the toolbar, select the Tool Transformation Control icon.

Figure 55 Tool Transform Control

Source Transform
Source transform parameters provide a set of parameters that will be applied to the current tool
transformation.

Browse
Opens the Variables Browser from which you can search and select a variable that will provide the
values for the source transform.

Current Tool Transform

Current tool transform parameters provide information on the current tool transform of a selected
robot.

Robot
Allows you to select the robot to which the tool transformation will be applied.

Null
Sets the current tool for the selected robot to the NULL transform: (0,0,0,0,0,0).

Set from Source

Sets the current tool transform to the values shown in the Source Transform frame.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 84

Frame Manager Control
The Compute Frame control is used to define and store multiple frames of reference.

• The Compute Frame control computes a transformation for the frame of reference from three
points.

• The Teach Frame Wizard available from this control, can assist you in defining the points
required to compute the required frame of reference.

• The data for associating computed frames are stored on the connected controller. This allows
any Adept DeskTop session to connect to the controller and provide a list of available defined
frames.

To open the Compute Frame Control:

1. From the menu, select View > Compute Frame Control.

2. Alternatively, from the toolbar, select the Compute Frame Control icon.

Opens the Teach Frame

wizard

Opens the Variables Browser

form

Read-only values of the

computed frame transform

Figure 56 Compute Frame Control

Why Create a Frame?

When using a very simple workcell layout, it is easy to teach every point in the cell using the default
(World) reference, which is located at the base of the robot.

However, when you start adding tooling to your layout, such as a pallet, you should consider using a
reference frame for the pallet. The reference frame allows you to specify a local coordinate system for
that pallet and then teach positions on the pallet, based on that reference. If you need to adjust the
position of the pallet in the workcell, you simply reteach the frame location and all the pallet locations
will adjust automatically. This saves you the trouble of having to reteach all the individual pallet
locations.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 85

 World Frame of Reference Pallet Frame of Reference

Figure 57 Illustration of a Simple Pallet Frame of Reference

Creating a Frame of Reference

You can create a frame of reference by following the procedure below. Note that you can also create a
frame using the Teach Frame Wizard.

To create a frame of reference:

1. Enter a common name for the new frame in the Frame Name field. This name should allow you
to easily identify the purpose/use of the frame. You can also select an existing name and edit the
selected frame. This is optional, but useful if you intend to use this frame for further reference.

2. Provide the location of three points in the Frame, described by the Base Points section below.

3. You can also provide the Base Points from existing variables or from the current robot position:

• To define a base point from a variable, click Browse and select an appropriate transform
variable from the Variable Browser.

• To define a base point from the current position of a robot, select the robot (number), and
click Record.

4. Enter a variable name, under Store Frame in Variable, in which the new frame transform will
be saved, or click Browse to save the to (and overwrite) an existing variable. This is optional,
but necessary if you want to save the computed transform.

5. Click Compute. The control will compute the transformation that defines the new Frame of
Reference and store it in a variable, if you set a variable name in step 4.

Base Points
You must provide three location from which the control will compute the transform for a Frame. These
locations are labeled: Origin, Point on X, Point on Y

• For each location, you must provide the x, y, z coordinates of the new frame expressed by
their position in the World Frame of Reference. The Teach Frame Wizard can facilitate this
process by allowing you to move the robot to these points instead of calculating their value in
World coordinates.

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 • The yaw, pitch, and roll are optional. They do not affect the computation of the frame of
reference.

Origin
Origin is the origin (0,0) of the new frame of reference.

Point on X
Point on X must be ON the x axis of the new Frame. It should be as far as possible on the X axis: a
longer distance provides greater accuracy in the computation of the Frame of reference.

Point on Y
Point on Y does not have to be ON the Y axis of the new frame, but it must be ON the X-Y plane, on
the positive side.

Z axis Y axis

Point on Y
X,Y plane

Origin

Point on X

Figure 58 Base Points to Required to Compute a Reference Frame

Note:The direction of the Z-Axis is computed from the above points, using the
right-hand rule.

Related Topics
Teach Frame Wizard
See also: FRAME transformation Function in V+ Reference

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 87

Teach Frame Wizard
The Teach Frame Wizard guides you through the creation of a frame of reference for the current
system.

During this wizard you will need to move the robot to teach the origin of the new frame of reference.

To open the Teach Frame Wizard:

In the toolbar of the Compute Frame control, click the Wizard icon.

Figure 59 Teach Frame Wizard - Welcome

Using the Teach Frame Wizard

The Wizard takes you through the necessary steps to create a new Frame of reference.

You will need to enable power to the robot and use the Jog Pendant control to complete the steps of
this wizard application.

Follow the instructions in the Wizard. You will be asked to move the robot to the points that will define
the new Frame of reference.

Do not close the Wizard to operate the robot. Instead, open robot power and move the robot from the
Wizard, using Use the Show/Hide Pendant button and the Show/Hide Power Control button,
shown in Figure 60.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 88

 Figure 60 Operating the Robot from the Teach Frame Window

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Adept Graphics Window Control
The Adept Graphics Window control allows you to access the Adept Windows terminal.

To open the Adept Graphics Window control:

From the Adept DeskTop menu select View > Adept Graphics Window.

Figure 61 Adept Graphics Window

For more information on the Adept Graphics window, refer to the AdeptWindows User’s Guide.

Related Topics
AdeptWindows User’s Guide (on Adept Website)

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 90

V+ Utilities Control
The V+ Utilities control simplifies access to the V+ based utilities on the connected controller. This
control enables you to execute utility programs from the PC instead of running them in text mode, from
the Monitor Terminal window.

The utilities are typically installed on the CompactFlash directory: Disk>D:\UTIL\

• You can browse the system (including NFS-mounted drives) for utilities that are located in a
different folder on the controller.

• You can assign a V+ utility to a task.

• You can execute and pause a V+ utility.

Note:The V+ Utilities control in not available on MicroV+ systems.

To open the V+ Utilities Tool:

1. From the Menu, select View > Controller Configuration > V+ Utilities

2. The V+ Utilities window opens, similar to Figure 62 opens and displays several categories of
available utilities. Click the + sign next to the folders to display utilities.

V+ Utilities toolbar

Double-click on utility name to

execute the utility program

Description of the selected

Utility

Opens a browser form to

find a Utility

Assign selected utility to

task list

Figure 62 V+ Utilities Control

Using the V+ Utilities

Use the toolbar to carry out the following actions or tasks.

• Execute Selected Utility: Launch the selected utility and automatically display the needed
resources (V+ Monitor Window, Vision Window, or V+ Graphics Window). You can also
execute a utility by double-clicking on it in the file list.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 91

 • Pause Application: Pauses the utility and unloads the last launched utility. If a utility does
not complete, clicking on this button will force the Terminal Window to close.

• Displays All Items: Displays all utility programs (all *.V2 files) by group. Any unknown
utilities are placed in the 'Others' folder. Advanced and unknown utilities are indicted by
yellow icons.

• Refresh Display: Refresh the contents of the window.

To execute a utility:

1. Select a utility from the list, then click the Execute Selected Utility icon, or double-click on a
selected utility in the list.

2. The utility opens in a Monitor Terminal Window.

3. To pause the execution, click the Pause Application icon.

Note:The V+ Control will attempt to attempt to launch any V+ program that

follows the standard Adept naming conventions 'FileName.V2' = EXE tsk
'A.FileName'
However this control DOES NOT KNOW what requirements may be needed on a
controller in order to use a selected utility.

To add a utility:

1. Click the 'Browse' button (...) to open the Browse For Folder window, to search for, or add,
folders to the V+ Utilities, as shown in Figure 63.

2. Click the Display All Utilities icon to show all existing V+ commands on the controller.

Figure 63 Browse for Folder Form

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 92

Watch Variable Control
The Watch Variable control is used to monitor specified variables and expressions while debugging a
program. The values of watched variables can dynamically updated as tasks and programs are
executed.

To open the Watch Variable control:

Do one of the following:

• From the Adept DeskTop menu select View > Debug Tools > Watch Variable.

• In the Variable Manager control, select a variable, then in the toolbar select the Add to
Watch Variable icon. The Watch Variable control opens with the selected variable appended
to the list of watched variables.

Watch Variable toolbar

Click 'Browse' to open

Variable Browser

Watch list

Figure 64 Watch Variable Control

To enable dynamic updating of variables and expressions:

1. In the toolbar, Watch Variable toolbar select the Start continuous refresh icon.

2. As programs execute and variables change, the new values will be displayed in the watch list.

3. To stop the continuous updating, click the Stop continuous refresh icon.

To add an existing variable:

1. Click the Browse button to open the Variable Browser and choose a variable.

2. Alternatively, if you know the name of the variable or expression, and its location, enter the
appropriate values in the Task, Program and New expression fields. See below for more
details.

To add an undefined variable to the list:

It is possible to add an undefined (non-existent) variable or expression to the watch list.

1. Set/enter the appropriate values for the new variable in the Task, Program and New
expression fields.

2. Click Enter.

3. This only adds the variable name to the watch list, it does not create the variable. Therefore, the
variable appears as undefined, with an invalid type, as shown in Figure 65.

4. You can then create a new variable with the same name, from the Variable Manager.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 93

 5. Once the variable is created, reopen or refresh the Watch Variable control: the correct variable
value and variable type will be displayed. See Figure 65.

Undefined variable
added to watch list.

Once defined, the

variable value and
type are updated.

Figure 65 Adding an undefined variable to the Watch Variable

To modify the value of a variable:

1. Click once in the Value field of a selected variable

2. A text cursor appears next to the value of the variable

3. Type in the desired value, then press Enter.

To remove variables from the watch list:

1. To remove a single variable, select the variable, then select the Delete the currently selected
item... icon from the Watch Variable toolbar.

2. To remove all variables from the list, select the Delete all items... icon from the toolbar,.
The above actions only remove variables from the Watch Variable control, they do not delete the
variables.

Task
Selects the task in which the watched variable is situated. Global variables apply to all tasks.

Program
Enter a program name for an AUTO or Local variable. No program name is required for a Global
variable.

New Expression
Enter the name of the variable.

Browse
Opens the Variable Browser in which you can search for existing variables. See Variable Browser for
more details.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 94

Variable Browser
The Variable Browser allows you to find and select an existing variable and insert this variable to an
Adept DeskTop control.

The Variable Browser form opens from Adept DeskTop controls in which you have the option to insert
an existing variable.

To open the Variable Browser

Do one of the following:

• Click Browse... in the Tool Transform control.

• Click Browse... in the Digital IO control.

• Click Browse... in the Watch Variable control.

The Variable Browser displays all existing variables that meet the specified Type, Scope and Filter
criteria.

Variables that meet the selected

criteria.
In this example: 'Location' and
'Global'

Select variable type

Figure 66 Variable Browser Form

List of Variables
Displays Name and current Value of variable that meet the selection criteria in this form.

Filter
Enter characters in the Filter to search for variables by their names.

Task
Use the drop-down list to select the task in which you want to search for a LOCAL or AUTO variable.
This is not required for Global variables.

Program
The program in which you want to search for a LOCAL variable.

Type
The browser shows only variables of the selected Type: Real, Location, String or Precision Point.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 95

 Note:The String type is not available only in V+ systems.

Scope
The browser shows only variables of the selected Scope: Global (by default) or LOCAL/AUTO.

• To browse for LOCAL and AUTO variables, select a Task number and enter a Program
name.

• Only Global variables are available in MicroV+.

Related Topics
Variable Manager Control
Creating a Variable
Watch Variable Control

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 96

Monitor Terminal Control
The Monitor Terminal Window control is a test terminal that emulates AdeptWindows. This allows you to
enter monitor commands directly from the Adept DeskTop interface.

All the commands available for the monitor terminal are listed in the Keyword Browser under the
Monitor Command type.

• You can dock the Monitor Terminal in the main window of the Adept DeskTop interface

• You can go into the 'common line buffer', using the Up/Down Arrow keys.

• You can copy/paste text using CTR+C/Ctrl+V.

• You can set modify the Terminal Window display properties, such as background color and
font, in the Options Control. See Setting Adept DeskTop Options.

• User program output from the 'TYPE' keyword is displayed within this window.

To open the Monitor Terminal Emulator tool

1. Select: View > Debug Tools> Monitor Terminal

2. Alternatively, from the Adept DeskTop toolbar select the Open Monitor Terminal icon.

Figure 67 Monitor Terminal Window

Executing Commands from the Monitor Terminal

To execute a command:

1. Type the command at the dot prompt.

2. The results of the command are displayed in the same window.

Related Topics
Monitor Terminal Control
AdeptWindows User’s Guide (on Adept Website)

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 97

Digital I/O Control
The Digital IO tool is provides a virtual display of the current status of the available digital I/O (DIO).
You can also use this control to enable or disable DIO signals from the Adept DeskTop interface. This
can be useful when setting up or debugging system setups.

You can set or modify the status of the inputs and outputs directly in the Digital I/O interface.

• The state of an Input is represented by green icon when the input is ON, gray when the
input is OFF.

• The state of an Output can be modified by clicking the button representing the output.
Green indicates that the Output is ON, gray indicates that it is OFF.

• The type and number of inputs and outputs displayed in Digital IO control depend on the
current controller and system configuration.

• For easy monitoring, selected signals, inputs, and outputs can be added to a custom list and
even saved to file.

To open the Digital I/O control:

1. From the Adept DeskTop menu, select View > System Resources > Digital IO.

2. Alternatively, from the Adept DeskTop tool bar, click the IO icon.

Select the elements to show

in the VirtuaDisplay area

VirtuaDisplay area

Hover over buttons to see

id/number

Enter custom I/O values

here

Custom IO Display area

Figure 68 Digital IO Control

Viewing Inputs, Outputs, and Signals

Enable check boxes in the Show frame to display, in the virtual display area, the current system inputs
and outputs.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 98

Custom IO Signals
The Custom Display allows you to assemble a list of signals, inputs, and outputs. This list can be saved
to file. The saved file includes the status of item. Saved items can be imported as needed into the
Digital IO settings of the current application.

To assemble a custom list of signals:

1. Enter the signal address in the Signal field or click Browse to search for a value in the Variable
Browser.

2. Click Add to add the to the list.

3. Type a description of the signal in the Description field

4. To edit an item on the list, click the desired item on the list. The item's signal and description are
inserted into the corresponding fields for editing.

5. Use toolbar icons to remove items from the custom display.

To save a custom list of signals:

1. In the Digital IO toolbar, select the 'Export Custom list to file' icon

2. Provide the path and filename for the file. The file is saved with a 'cio' extension.

Digital IO Toolbar
Use the toolbar to refresh the display of IO, change refresh options, save a custom list of items, or
import items into the Custom Display list.

Continuous Refresh
Automatically refresh the selected I/O. On Ethernet-based systems, the update rate is once per 100
msec. On Adept Cobra i600/i800 and SmartAmp systems, the rate is once per second.

Stop Continuous Refresh

Stops the Continuous Refresh process.

Refresh Once
Refreshes the status of IO signal one time only.

Delete current line in the custom display

Deletes the contents of a selected line in the Custom Display.

Erase all lines in the custom display

Deletes the contents of all items that are in the Custom Display list. line in the custom display.

Import Custom List from file

Allows you to import a saved list of items. If there are items in the Custom Display list, the imported
items are appended to the list.

Import Custom List from file

Allows you to import a saved list of items. If there are items in the Custom Display list, the imported
items are appended to the list.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 99

Export Custom List from file
Allows you to saved the items that are in the Custom Display, and the status of the items. The file is
saved with a 'cio' extension.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 100

Switches and Parameters Control
The Switches and Parameters control is used to access all available switches and parameters for the
current controller connection. Only available/public switches and parameters are displayed.

• You can set parameter values or enable and disable switches in the Switches and Parameters
control.

• Like the Keyword Browser, this control provides help on the syntax and use of parameter and
switch keywords.

To open the Switches and Parameters control:

1. From the menu select: View > System Resources > Switches and Parameters.

2. Alternatively, from the Adept DeskTop toolbar, click Open Switches and Parameters

Toolbar

Context help opens help for

selected switch or parameter

Description of the selected

parameter

Value and value limits of the

selected parameter

Figure 69 V+ Parameter Displayed in the Switches and Parameters Control

Value
The Value text box shows the current value of a selected parameter.

To modify the value of a selected parameter:

• Entering a new value or select a value.

• Upper and lower limits for the value are expressed to the right of the text box.

State
The State field displays the state of a selected parameter.

To change the state of a selected switch:

• Enable the switch by checking the Enable check box.

• Disable the switch by unchecking the Enable check box.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 101

Parameters and Switches Toolbar

• All: By default, only basic switches and parameters are shown in the display. Enable All to
also display 'Advanced' switches and parameters. Advanced items are indicated by yellow
icons.

• Context Help: opens online help to the page describing the selected switch or parameter.

Toolbar

Description of the
selected switch

State of the selected

parameter

Figure 70 MicroV+ Autostart Switch Displayed in the Switches and Parameter Control

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 102

System Information Control
This control displays information on the system, such as:

• Software versions,

• Available memory

• Motor temperature

To open the System Information Control:

1. From the Adept DeskTop menu select View > System Resources > System Information.

2. Alternatively you can click the System Information icon in the tool bar.

3. The information displayed in the form differs depending on the controller and system
environment, as illustrated in Figure 71.

Contents depend on the

current operating system,
controller and robot

Figure 71 System Information Control

Software Version
Displays the version information for the software on the currently connected controller.

Free Memory
Displays the memory available.

Temperature
When available, this frame displays the temperature of the motor, of the robots connected to the
system.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 103

File Manager Utility
The File Manager Utility provides a user interface to manage the organization, reading, writing.

• The File Manager is provides similar functionality to Windows Explorer.: It displays the
hierarchical structure of files, folders, and drives on the controller and PC.

• Additionally, the File Manager provides tools to mount NFS drives and backup and restore
files data that is located any controller or computer that is accessible on the network.

Note:The File Manager Utility is available only with V+ systems.

Tools available in the File Manager are

• Mount NFS Drive: Enables you to mount an NFS drive from the File Manager. See Mounting
an NFS Drive with the File Manager.

• Quick View: Provides a viewer for ASCII text files. See Viewing Files with File Manager
Quick View.

• Backup Utility: Provides full backup and restore options for controller files. See File
Manager Backup Utility.The File Manager Utility is not available with a MicroV+ system.

File Manager
menu

File Manager
Toolbar
File path

Disk space on a
controller is
expressed in
blocks

Status Bar

Figure 72 File Manager Utility - Main Window

To open the File Manager Utility:

1. From the Adept DeskTop menu, select Utilities > File Manager.

2. It may take some time for the File Manager to open, because the utility must build file lists and
retrieve data.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 104

Using the File Manager
To change display options:

• Select view options from the View menu, or from the toolbar icon View Files As.

To move, copy, delete files:

• Use standard drag-and-drop or copy-paste operations to copy, move, delete files.

• You can also use the File menu, or right-click context menu to carry out operations.

To open files:

Not all file formats can be viewed by the File manager. Those that are recognized can be opened in the
following manner:

• Double click on a file open files in the Quick Viewer.

• Files are displayed in ASCII format.

Opening File Manager tools:

Use the Tools menu or toolbar icons to open the following File Manager tools:

• Quick View. See Viewing Files with File Manager Quick View.

• Mount NFS Drive: See Mounting an NFS Drive with the File Manager.

• Backup Utility: See File Manager Backup Utility.

Related Topics
Viewing Files with File Manager Quick View
Mounting an NFS Drive with the File Manager
File Manager Backup Utility

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Viewing Files with File Manager Quick View
The Quick View function allows you to view the contents of a selected file in ASCII text format. The text
in the Quick View window can be copied to the Windows clipboard.

Files displayed in
the Quick View
window

Figure 73 File Manager Utility - Quick View Window

To view a file:

1. In the File Manager, browse to find the file you want to view.

2. Select the file and click the Quick View icon in the toolbar

3. Alternatively, you can double-click the selected file to display the file in the viewer.

4. Some files, such as protected program files cannot be opened in the viewer.

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Mounting an NFS Drive with the File Manager
The File Manager uses the NFS protocol to carry out its task. The Mount NFS Drive form allows you to
configure a NFS drive on the system.

Note:In order to mount an NFS drive, you must have an NFS server utility, such
as OmniNFS Server by XLink Technology, Inc., running on the PC. This type of
utility allows the PC to 'share' a drive or directory with the controller through NFS.
Additionally, the desired drive(s) and directories must be exported by the NFS
server utility before they can be mounted by the controller.

To mount an NFS drive:

1. Install and run an NFS server utility on your PC. See the online help of the NFS server utility for
details on exporting drives or directories for mounting.

2. Open the File Manager. From the menu, and select Utilities > File Manger.

3. The File Manager opens as a separate utility.

4. From the File Manager menu bar, select Tools > NFS Mount..., or click the Mount NFS Drive
icon from the File Manager toolbar. The Mount NFS Drives form is displayed as illustrated in
Figure 74.

5. Enter the information in the Mount NFS Drives fields. See details below.

6. Click OK to mount the NFS drive to the controller. If you made any changes to the mounted
drives, you will be prompted to save the file; click Yes to save the changes.
If you are unable to mount the selected drive/directory, you may have entered an incorrect IP
address or NFS path. Click Edit to reopen the Mount Property window so that you can correct this
information.

7. The mounted NFS drive is displayed in the File Manager directory tree. You can now browse the
files/folders on the mounted NFS drive, and access files on the mounted drive(s) from the
controller, as if the files/folders on the mounted drives were located directly on the controller.

Figure 74 File Manager Utility - Mount NFS Drives Form

Most Recent Mounts

Shows any previously mounted drives in a drop-down list. Selecting one of these will populate all of the
fields.

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NFS Path
Enter the physical path of the exported drive/directory.

• The drive/directory names in the path must be eight characters or less, and must use
alphanumeric characters or underscores.

• Spaces or other characters are not allowed in names.

NFS Drive
Enter a name for the mounted drive/directory.

• The name must be eight characters or less, and must use alphanumeric characters or
underscores.

• Spaces or other characters are not allowed in names.

IP Address
Enter the IP address of the PC that has the exported drive/directory.

Description
Enter a brief description of the drive/directory being mounted.

Help
Opens online help to the relevant topic.

Cancel
Cancels changes and closes the form.

OK
Makes changes to access level settings and parameters, and closes the form.

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File Manager Backup Utility
The Backup utility provides the functionality in Adept DeskTop to backup files on your Adept system. For
example, you can backup files that are on the controller to a computer hard disk on the PC.

• Backup files can be saved to, or restored from, any destination available on the network.

• You can save the status of the files specified for backup operations to a file. You can then
reload selection files (*.asd) for subsequent backup operations.

• You can use common windows keyboard shortcuts to launch tasks in the Backup Utility.

To open the Backup Utility

1. From the File Manager menu select Tools > Backup Utility.

2. A message window labeled Please Stand By may open briefly while the utility builds file lists
and retrieves data.

3. The Backup Utility opens, similar to Figure 75.

4. The Backup Utility opens in a modal window. You must close this window to return to the File
Manager interface.

Operation
tabs

Figure 75 File Manager Backup Utility

Backup Utility Toolbar

Use the Backup Utility toolbar to execute the following tasks and operations.

• Up one level: Browse up one level from the selected file/folder.

• Load Selection: Load a previously saved selection file.

• Save Selection: Save to file (*.adc) the current status of files that are selected or not
selected for backup.

• View Files As: Select display options for files in the Utility, as List or Details.

• Backup: Launches the backup operation.

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 • Restore: Launches the restore operation.

Backing Up Data
To backup files, you must first select the files and folders that will be backed up. This selection can then
be saved to be applied to future backups.

When you launch the Backup operation, all files selected for backup will be saved to a designated
location. The selection status, i.e. which files are selected or not selected, can also be saved to file, to
be applied to future backups.

To select files for backup:

1. A blue check mark signifies that a folder and all its files and subfolders are selected for backup.
Additionally a blue check mark signifies that all new files and subfolders added in the future to
this folder, will automatically be selected and added to future backups.
For example, in Figure 76, any new files that will added to the SET2 folder and its subfolders
(ALL, CALIB, FOLDER, and NEW) will be automatically selected and added to future backups.

Figure 76 Selecting All Files and Folders - Including Future Files and Folders

2. To select only specific files or folders for backup, add remove check marks as needed. Specifically
selected folders and files will be identified by black check marks.
All future files and subfolders that are later added to a folder selected by a black check mark,
will NOT be automatically backed up. For future backups you will have to manually add (if
needed) any new files and folders to the backup.
For example in Figure 77:

• No files in folder TEMP will be saved.

• All files and subfolders in Disk>D, except the TEMP folder and files, will be backed up

• Any files added in the future to folders and subfolders of Disk>D will NOT be automatically
backed up

• Any files or folders added in the future to V+ Operating System (blue check mark) will
automatically be backed up.

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 Figure 77 Manually Selecting Specific Files and Folders for Backup

3. Once you have completed the selection of files and folders, save these selections. To do this, click
the Save Selections icon in the toolbar.

4. In the Save dialog, specify the path and name of the selection file. Typically you should save it
in, or near the same folder when you will save your backup files.

To backup up files:

1. Select the files and folders that will be backed up, as described in the previous section. See To
select files for backup:

• Check marks indicate the files and folders that will be backed up.

• When you select a folder, its files, subfolders and subfolder are automatically selected.

• To remove from the backup selection any files or folders that are currently selected, click in
the check box to remove the check marks.

2. To launch the backup operation, click the Backup button at bottom right of the window.

3. In the Save dialog that opens, set the location and folder to where the backup files will be
created. The data will be saved in the following format:

• An *.adb file that is a listing (catalog) of all the backed up files. For example: Backup.adb.

• A folder that contains all the data in the backed up files. This folder is named with the adb
filename with *.data appended to the name. For example: Backup.adb.data. See Figure 78.

Figure 78 Saving Backup Files

4. Click OK in the Save dialog. The backup process starts. The Saving files window, illustrated in
Figure 79, shows the progress of the backup operation.

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 Figure 79 Progress Display of the Backup Operation

Restoring Data
There are two restore options: Restore, which is the most common operation, and Restore from
Distribution, to be used only for specific cases, as described below.

Restore
This is the option to use for normal restoration of files and folders from backed-up files.

To restore data:

1. Click the Restore tab

2. In the Open dialog, select the backup file and click OK.

3. Once the backup files are loaded, the Backup Utility displays, in the Restore tab, as shown in
Figure 80.

4. You can select the data that you want to restore by checking/unchecking files and folders.

5. To launch the Restore operation, click the Restore button, at bottom right.

6. The restore process starts. The Restore window opens to shows the progress of the restore
operation.

Figure 80 Restore Tab with Backup files Loaded

Restore from Distribution

This procedure is intended to be used ONLY for updating a V+ version by installing a distribution files
provided by Adept.

More information on restoring from a distribution:

• This method should only be used if you are reinstalling a distribution for a V+ version very
close to your current version. Restoring from a distribution may create problems if the new
V+ version is very different from your current version.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 112

 • Please contact Adept for more details on the compatibility of versions before reinstalling from
a distribution.

Figure 81 Restore From Distribution Tab - Read Warning before proceeding

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License Manager Utility
The License Manager utility is used to track, manage, and activate Adept licenses, passwords, and
security levels on the connected controller licenses.

To open the License Manager utility:

1. From the Adept DeskTop menu, select Utilities > License Manager.

To install a License

1. Enter the Password provided to you by Adept in the Controller License Password field.

2. Click Install.

3. The Result field indicates if the operation has succeeded or failed.

Figure 82 License Manager Utility

Current Controller Information

Displays the controller ID and information in a scrolling panel. This allows you to verify the information
that is provided on the license page.

Enter Controller License Password

To install or remove a license, enter the password provided by Adept for the license, then click Install
or Remove. The result of the installation process appears in the Results field.

Display Area
This area provides a list of licenses that are currently installed. Optionally, you can enable the Display
all licenses check box to display all known licenses.

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Display All Licenses
Displays all possible Adept Licenses, even if they are not currently installed on the Controller.

Copy to Clipboard
Copies the Current Controller Information and the list of currently installed licenses, to the Windows
clipboard. This enables you to document this information and/or send this information to Adept if you
request technical assistance.

Close
Closes the License Manager Utility.

To install a license:

1. Enter the License password in the Password field.

2. Click the Install button.

3. The result of the installation appears in the Results field.

To remove a license:

1. Enter the License password in the field.

2. Click the Remove button.

3. The result of the removal process appears in the Results field.

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MicroV+ Profiler Utility
The MicroV+ Profiler utility provides you with a way to analyze program efficiencies, as well as MicroV+
system task utilization.

The utility provides an interface consisting of a toolbar and a bar-graph display. Each bar of the graph
displays the percentage of utilization of MicroV+ system levels tasks, as well as user-program tasks.

Note:The MicroV+ Profiler is available only for MicroV+ systems.

To open the MicroV+ Profiler Utility:

1. From the Adept DeskTop Menu, select Utilities > MicroV+ Profiler

2. The Utility opens, similar to Figure 83

Toolbar

Bar charts display the

percentage of utilization of
each system and user task
within the system.
(MicroV+ systems only)

Figure 83 MicroV+ Profiler Utility

Using the MicroV+ Profiler

Use toolbar icons to carry out the following tasks and actions:

• Adjust the sample rate from 1,2,5,10 seconds (default is 10, which provides the greatest
accuracy).

• Run the profiler one time to collect data.

• Run the profiler continuously.

• Stop the profiler from scanning.

• Copy a text-based version of the data to the windows clipboard.)

• Refresh the contents of the window.

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Controller IP Configuration Wizard
The Controller Network Configuration wizard simplifies the process of bringing up a new Adept
controller. It guides the through setting up an IP address, and subnet mask, of the Adept controller
regardless of the current IP address of the controller and of the PC.

Note:The Controller Network Configuration wizard is only accessible if you are

logged into Adept DeskTop with the administrator (top-level) Access Level.

• You can use this wizard to set other Adept controller startup features such as use of
AdeptWindows PC as the default system user interface, and enabling auto-start (i.e., use of
the disk file AUTO.V2).

• You can record the IP address of the PC so it will be accessed as the default NFS server for
the controller.

• Lastly, you can initiate a reboot of the Adept controller, so that the configuration changes will
take effect.

Note:The Controller Network Configuration Utility depends on UDP broadcasts for

its functioning. Therefore, the Adept controller and the PC running the
configuration utility must exist on the same LAN segment, either through a Cat 5
shielded crossover cable (provided with the AdeptWindows product) or a simple
network hub. Some network hubs, most network switches and bridges, and all
network routers prevent the transmission of UDP broadcasts.

Figure 84 Controller Network IP Configuration Wizard

Using the Controller Network Wizard

1. Before starting, verify that your PC and Adept controller connected through a network crossover
cable or through a network hub.

Adept DeskTop 4.3 - Online Help 117

 2. From the tools menu select Tools > Controller IP Config...

3. The wizard opens as shown in Figure 84. To edit an existing configuration see Step 4. To create a
new IP configuration, go to Step 5.

4. To edit the parameters of an existing IP configuration, click Scan, find and select the IP address
of the required controller and click next. Go to Step 9.

5. Click on Next. The Controller Network Configuration Utility prompts you to make sure the Adept
controller is turned off.

6. Turn off the Adept controller.

7. Click on Next. The Controller Network Configuration Utility prompts you to turn the Adept
controller back on and wait until it boots completely.

8. Turn the Adept controller on. Once the controller is detected, a new window is displayed as
illustrated in Figure.

9. Use the IP address shown OR enter the new IP address and subnet mask.

10.Configure other parameters as required.

11.Click on Update.

Figure 85 Controller Network Configuration Wizard - Setting the IP Address

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Pick And Place Wizard
The Pick And Place Wizard guides you through the creation of simple pick-and-place application. This
application is for a single robot only and is intended to teach new users the procedure for creating such
an application.

To open the Pick And Place Wizard:

From the Adept DeskTop menu select Utilities > Pick And Place Wizard.

Figure 86 Pick And Place Wizard - Screenshots

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Configuration Manager Utility
Welcome to the Configuration Manager Utility Program
The Configuration Manager Utility is a PC-based software program that allows you to configure
the Cobra i600 or i800 robot running on the MicroV+ operating system. The utility allows you to
specify hand control signals, define workcell obstacles, and set joint travel limits.

To start the utility, select Configuration Manager from the Utilities menu in Adept DeskTop.

Related Topics
Starting the Configuration Manager
Learning the Configuration Manager Utility Interface
Working with Configuration Files

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Installing the Configuration Manager Utility
The Configuration Utility is distributed with the Adept DeskTop software application. It is
installed during the Adept DeskTop installation. No separate installation is required or available.
See the Adept DeskTop online documentation for details on the Adept DeskTop installation.

After installation, the Configuration Utility can be accessed from the Utilities menu in the Adept
DeskTop.

Related Topics
Starting the Configuration Manager
Learning the Configuration Manager Utility Interface

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Starting the Configuration Manager
To open the Configuration Manager Utility:

1. Launch Adept DeskTop and connect to the controller. For details see: Connecting to a
Controller in the Adept DeskTop User Guide.

2. From the Adept DeskTop menu, select Utilities > Configuration Manager to open the
Configuration Manager.

3. The Configuration Manager Utility is launched in a separate window on top of Adept

DeskTop.

Note:If the Configuration Manager option is not available on the Adept DeskTop Utilities menu,
the program may already be open. Look for the Configuration Manager Utility shortcut button in
the Windows taskbar:

Related Topics
Edit Joint Limits
Manage Obstacles in the Workcell
Specify Hand Control Signals

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Learning the Configuration Manager Utility Interface
The Configuration Manager Utility user interface allows direct communication between your PC
and the controller so that you can configure your system.

The user interface provides menu access and icon access to functions, along with access to
online help for details on concepts and parameters.

The following sections describe the different parts of the interface:

• Configuration Manager Main Window

• Configuration Page

• Workcell Obstacles

• Joint View

• Hand Control Signals

• Advanced Robot Configuration

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Configuration Manager Menus
The application-level functions are accessed through a menu system. The most common
functions can also be accessed from the toolbar icons or through keyboard shortcuts.

Keyboard shortcuts are displayed next to a menu item. For example, choosing the File > Load
Configuration menu item does the same thing as pressing the key combination (CTRL + O).

The following sections describe the options available on the Configuration Manager Utility menu.

File Menu
To display the menu, click File.

Load configuration Displays a dialog to load a configuration data file. These files are
created using the Save Configuration option. For details, see Load
Configuration Data from a File.

You can also access Load Configuration using the toolbar icon

or the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+O.

Save Configuration Displays a dialog to save the configuration parameters currently

stored in the Configuration Manager Utility program. For details, see
Save Configuration Data to a File.

You can also access Save Configuration option using the toolbar

icon or the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+S.

Quit Quits the application. If you have not saved your changes, you will be
prompted to do so.

Controller Menu
To display the menu, click Controller.

Change Access By default, access to some parameters is restricted. Only authorized

Level users can modify these restricted parameters.

Use Change Access Level to allow full access to all parameters. For
details, see Change Access Level.

You can also open the Change Access Level option with the toolbar

icon .

The Help Menu

To display the menu, click Help

General Help Displays the online help (the document you are currently reading) for
the Configuration Manager Utility.

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 Hide Help Removes the Help tab from the Configuration Manager Utility
window. If this option is selected, the help will only display when it is
called from the application via the F1 key, a Help button, or the
General Help option on the Help Menu.

Window Tabbed Option to display Help in a tabbed window in the Configuration

Manager Utility window. This is the default display setting for Help.

When you call help using the Help tab, the F1 key, a Help button, or
the General Help option on the Help menu, the Help page is brought
to focus in the Configuration Manager Utility window.

Window Floating Display the online help in a separate window that floats on top of the
application. When this option is selected, you can close the help
window. After the help window is closed, the help will only display
when it is called from the application via the F1 key, a Help button, or
the General Help option on the Help Menu.

About... Displays the version number and copyright notice for the
Configuration Manager Utility program.

Related Topics
Load Configuration Data from a File
Save Configuration Data to a File
Change Access Level

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Configuration Manager Main Window
When the Configuration Manager Utility is launched from Adept DeskTop, the application window
is opened on top of the Adept DeskTop interface.

This section describes the different parts of the Configuration Manager interface.

For details on user interface elements see Item Descriptions below.

Item Descriptions

Main Menu The main menu provides access to application-level functions in the
Configuration Manager Utility program. For details, see
Configuration Manager Menus.

Window Controls The Configuration Manager Utility is launched from Adept DeskTop
into a new window. The controls in the upper right corner of this
window allow you to minimize, maximize, or close the Configuration
Manager Utility program.

When the program is open, the shortcut to the program is available

in the Windows taskbar, as illustrated in the following figure.

Tool bar The toolbar provides shortcuts for the Load, Save and Change
Access Level functions. For details on these functions, see
Configuration Manager Menus.

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 System Tree View Provides a node-level view of the system being configured. The top-
level represents the currently connected controller, followed by one
or more nodes representing the mechanisms in the system. For
each mechanism, the components available for configuration are
displayed as child nodes under the mechanism name.

When you select a node in tree view, the Configuration View

changes to provide access to the configuration options for that
node. For example, if the cursor is on a joint node, the Joint View
page displays.

Tabs Click the tabs to change the page in the Configuration View.

Clicking the Help tab displays the online help topic for the current
configuration view. If the Help tab is not displayed, you can turn it
on by selecting Tabbed Window from the Help menu.

The tabs available are determined by the system component

selected in the system tree view. For example, if you select the
Cobra i600 mechanism, you will have tabs on the side to access the
Hand Control and Obstacle configuration pages.

Page The pages available in the Configuration view are determined by

the node selected in the System Tree View.

Click a tab to change the page currently displayed. For more

details, see Related Topics.

Buttons The configuration pages contain three command buttons: Apply,

Restore, and Help.

Apply

Configuration data changes remain local to the Configuration

Manager Utility program until they are saved to the controller using
the Apply button. Clicking this button launches the Apply Changes
dialog. For details, see Apply Changes to the Controller.

Restore

If you make a mistake editing the configuration data, the Restore

option is available to reset the data. The Restore button is only
available after a change has been made. Clicking this button
launches the Restore Configuration dialog. For details, see Restore
Configuration.

Help

Launches the help topic for the current page or dialog.

Related Topics
Configuration Manager Menus
Configuration Page
Joint View

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 Workcell Obstacles
Hand Control Signals
Apply Changes to the Controller
Restore Configuration

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Configuration Page
The Configuration Page has three views: a Controller View, a Robot View, and a Joint View.

Controller View
When the Controller node is selected in the system tree view, the configuration page for the
controller displays. This page provides information about the system and the available digital
inputs and outputs.

For details on user interface elements, see the Field Descriptions below.

Field Descriptions
Menus and For more information on the menus and toolbars, see Configuration
Toolbars Manager Menus.

Tree View Click a node in the tree view to access the configuration options for
the selected component.

When you select the node, the Configuration view changes to show
the configuration pages available for that component.

Use tabs to change to a different page. For example, if you click the
Cobra i600 node, the Configuration View displays tabs for Hand
Control and Workcell Obstacle configuration.

System Information
OS Version Version and revision number of the MicroV+ software in use.

Serial number Serial number of the system controller.

System memory Size of the system program memory in kilobytes (1K = 1024 8-bit
bytes)

Inputs/Outputs
Available digital Lists the available digital input signals for the robot. For additional
input numbers details on I/O signals, see the User's Guide for your robot.

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 Available digital Lists the available digital output signals for the robot. For additional
output numbers details on I/O signals, see the User's Guide for your robot.

Robot View
When the robot node is selected in the system tree view, the Robot Configuration pages display
in the Configuration View. The view includes three pages: Advanced, Workcell Obstacles and
Hand Control. For details, see the Robot Configuration Page section.

Joint View
When the Joint node is selected in the system tree view, the joint configuration page is
displayed. This page allows you to view and edit the default travel limits for the selected joint to
limit robot joint travel.

Lower and Upper limits are always editable. Minimum and Maximum travel and Mid range are
not editable If you are in restricted-access mode.

For details on setting joint limits, see Edit Joint Limits.

For details on user interface elements see Field Descriptions below.

For details on changing restricted access to parameters see Change Access Level.

Field Descriptions

Travel Limits
Minimum Travel Specifies the lower physical location to which the joint may travel
before hitting a physical hardstop.

Lower Limit Specifies the minimum physical location to which the joint may
travel.

This value must be greater than the value set for Minimum Travel
to provide a safety buffer so that the joint does not travel to a
physical hardstop.

If you try to move the robot beyond the limit of the joint, you will
receive an "out of range" message or error.

Mid Range Indicates the approximate middle of travel for the joint. This value
can be used to specify the safe position for the joint.

Upper Limit Specifies the upper physical location that the joint may travel
before disabling power.

This value must be smaller than the Maximum Travel limit to

provide a safety buffer so that the joint does not travel to a physical
hardstop.

If you try to move the robot beyond the limit of the joint, you will
receive an "out of range" message or error.

Maximum Travel Specifies the maximum physical location that the joint may travel
before hitting a physical hardstop.

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 Buttons
Apply Configuration data changes remain local to the Configuration
Manager Utility program until they are saved to the controller using
the Apply button. Clicking this button launches the Apply Changes
dialog. For details, see Apply Changes to the Controller.

Restore In the event of an error, the Restore button is available to reset the
configuration data. The Restore button is available only after you
have edited the data. Clicking this button launches the Restore
Configuration dialog. For details, see Restore Configuration.

Help Launches the help topic for the current page or dialog.

Related Topics
Edit Joint Limits
Apply Changes to the Controller
Restore Configuration
Change Access Level

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Robot Configuration Page
When the robot node is selected in the system tree view, the Robot Configuration pages display
in the Configuration View. The view includes three pages: Workcell Obstacles, Hand Control
Signals, and Advanced Robot Configuration.

Workcell Obstacles
The Workcell Obstacle page, displayed below, allows you to view, define, and edit workcell
obstacles. The Obstacle display requires that you have DirectX9, or later, installed.

For details on displaying and defining obstacles, see Manage Obstacles in the Workcell.

For details on user interface elements see the Field Descriptions below.

Field Descriptions

Tabs
Hand Control Clicking the Hand Control tab displays the configuration page for
hand control open and close signals. For details, see Specify Hand
Control Signals.

Advanced Clicking the Advanced tab displays the configuration page to

configure E-STOP and calibration options. For details, see Advanced
Robot Configuration.

Obstacle Management

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 Obstacle List Lists the currently defined obstacles for the workcell. To edit the
obstacle parameters, click on the obstacle name. The obstacle
parameters fields will update to show the settings for that obstacle.

Add Obstacle Click this button to display a drop-down list of available obstacles.
Click the desired obstacle to add it to the Obstacle List and to specify
the parameters.

Delete Obstacle Select an obstacle in the Obstacle List, then click the Delete Obstacle
button to remove it.

Obstacle The obstacle parameters include the dimension, position, and

parameters orientation of the obstacle in the workcell with respect to the base
frame of the robot.

Buttons
Apply Click Apply to write the changes to the obstacle definitions to the
controller. For details, see Apply Changes to the Controller.

Restore Click Restore to reset the configuration data. For details, see Restore
Configuration.

Help Launches the help topic for the current page or dialog.

Workcell Obstacle View

The obstacle view displays the obstacle in relation to the base of the robot as illustrated in the
figure below:

Figure 87 Obstacle Display Viewpoint

You can change the viewpoint on obstacles using the view controls, or by clicking and dragging
with the mouse.

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View control descriptions

Rotate the azimuth counter-clockwise. See Figure 87.

Rotate the azimuth clockwise. See the See Figure 87.

Raise the viewpoint elevation or tilt. See the See Figure 87.

Lower the viewpoint elevation or tilt. See Figure 87.

Zoom in on the obstacle view.

Zoom out on the obstacle view.

Related Topics
Manage Obstacles in the Workcell
Specify Hand Control Signals
Apply Changes to the Controller
Restore Configuration

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Hand Control Signals
When the robot node is selected in the system tree view, click the Hand Control tab to display
the Hand Control parameters for the selected robot.

This page allows you to view and edit the digital signals to open and close the gripper hand. For
details on setting the signals, see Specify Hand Control Signals.

Figure 88 The Hand Control Signals tab

Field Descriptions

Tabs
Workcell Obstacles Clicking the Workcell Obstacles tab displays the configuration page to
specify parameters for obstacles in the Workcell. For details, see
Manage Obstacles in the Workcell.

Advanced Clicking the Advanced tab displays the advanced configuration

options. For details, see Advanced Robot Configuration.

Signal Fields
On/Off Each signal field has an On or Off option which determines how the
hand control responds to the specified signal.

On indicates that the hand will perform the specified operation when
the signal is turned on.

Off indicates that the hand will perform the specified operation when
the signal is turned off.

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 The signals listed in the selection list for each signal field include both
the hard and soft signals.

Open Signal Specifies the signal used to Open the hand control.

Open Relax Signal Specifies the signal to relax the pneumatic hand after it opens.

Close Signal Specifies the signal used to Close the hand control.

Close Relax Signal Specifies the signal used to relax the pneumatic hand after it closes.

Buttons
Apply Click Apply to write the changes to the hand control signals to the
controller. For details, see Apply Changes to the Controller.

Restore Click Restore to reset the configuration data. For details, see Restore
Configuration.

Help Launches the help topic for the current page or dialog.

Related Topics
Specify Hand Control Signals
Manage Obstacles in the Workcell
Apply Changes to the Controller
Restore Configuration

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Advanced Robot Configuration
When the robot node is selected in the system tree view, click the Advanced tab to display the
advanced configuration options. This page allows you to select options that control E-STOP and
calibration behavior. For details on selecting the options, see Select Advanced Configuration
Options.

For details on user interface elements see the Field Descriptions below.

Field Descriptions

Tabs
Hand Control Clicking the Hand Control tab displays the configuration page for hand
control open and close signals. For details, see Specify Hand Control
Signals.

Workcell Clicking the Workcell Obstacles tab displays the configuration page to
Obstacles specify parameters for obstacles in the Workcell. For details, see Manage
Obstacles in the Workcell.

Advanced Clicking the Advanced tab displays the advanced configuration options. For
details, see Advanced Robot Configuration.

Option Fields
Retract Z on During calibration of Joint 4, the Z-axis moves slightly. To protect the tool
CALIBRATE flange or gripper, select this option to retract the Z-axis before Joint 4
moves during the execution of the CALIBRATE instruction.

Breakaway E- The break-away E-stop function is provided to enable a high power

STOP shutdown from the outer link area. For example, if you want a breakaway
gripper to shut down robot high power. It essentially lets you disable high
power via a user relay circuit inside the robot. This feature is set to OFF at
the factory. Check this box to enable the Breakaway E-Stop if required.

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 E-STOP Select this option to enable the indicator signal for the state of the
Reflected on emergency stop circuits. The indicator-- Digital Output 1-- is ON when the
Output 1
E-Stop circuits are closed (E-Stop buttons are not pushed, muted safety
gates are closed, etcetera.) and OFF when an E-Stop circuit is open (e.g. an
E-Stop button is pushed).

Buttons
Apply Click Apply to write the changes to the hand control signals to the controller.
For details, see Apply Changes to the Controller.

Restore Click Restore to reset the configuration data. For details, see Manage
Obstacles in the Workcell.

Help Launches the help topic for the current page or dialog.

Related Topics
Specify Hand Control Signals
Manage Obstacles in the Workcell
Apply Changes to the Controller
Restore Configuration

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Managing Configuration Data: Overview
The configuration data entered using the Configuration Manager utility program must be written
to the controller so it is available when the robot is turned on. You can also save a copy of the
data to a file which can be used to archive data, restore, or copy the configuration settings to
another robot.

Function When to use

Apply Button Periodically during the configuration process to avoid losing data.
When you click Apply, the Apply Changes dialog displays with options
on how to save the configuration changes to the MicroV+ system. If
you try to close the Configuration Utility without saving your
changes, you will be prompted to Apply your changes.

This button is also used to write configuration data to the MicroV+

system (NVRAM) after loading configuration data from a disk file. The
configuration data saved to the controller is used to configure the
mechanism when MicroV+ boots.

Save Configuration To create a backup copy of the configuration data for the currently
File Menu Option selected device. The backup file can be used to restore the
configuration on your system or to copy the configuration to another
system.

Load Configuration To copy the configuration data from another device to the currently
File Menu Option selected device. The configuration data must have been previously
saved to a configuration (.cfg) file using the Save Configuration
option.

After the configuration data is loaded, use the Apply button to save
the data to the currently connected device.

Related Topics
Save Configuration Data to a File
Load Configuration Data from a File

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Working with Configuration Files
The Configuration Manager utility allows you to save your system configuration (all of the
parameters) to a disk file, and to load a configuration from a disk file. These disk files are called
"configuration" files and use the.cfg extension.

Configuration files allow you to:

• Make a backup copy of your configuration. After you have configured your mechanism
with the correct parameter settings, save the configuration to a configuration file so
you have a backup copy. The configuration file can then be used to restore the
configuration in the event that the parameters or configuration are inadvertently
changed, or if the hardware needs to be re-installed because of technical issues.

• Configure a system once, and then reuse that information for other mechanisms
which require the same settings. In this case, you configure the first mechanism and
save the configuration to a file. After that, you connect to the other modules and load
the configuration file you just created.

Note:It is important that you use configuration files that are configured for the type of
mechanism you are connected to. If you load a configuration file created for one type of
mechanism to a different type, the operation will fail.

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Apply Changes to the Controller
Changes to the configuration data are stored in the Configuration Manager Utility program until
they are written to the controller using the Apply button.

When you apply the changes, you have two options:

• Save the changes temporarily on the controller by writing them to the RAM.
Choose this option to test the new settings before saving them permanently. When
you select this option, the changes are lost when the controller is rebooted.

• Save the changes permanently to the controller's NVRAM (non-volatile) memory.

Choose this option to write the changes permanently. The updated settings will be
loaded when the controller is rebooted.

Note:The Apply Changes to Controller function is different than saving data to a local file (on
your PC). Data is saved to a file to back up the configuration or to move the same configuration
from one system to another. (See Working with Configuration Files for more details.)

Writing Data to the Controller

To write data to the controller:

1. After making changes to the configuration parameters, click the Apply button to display
the Apply Changes dialog.

2. Choose the appropriate options to write the changes. For details on user interface
elements, click on the area in the figure below for which you want detailed information, or
see Option Descriptions.

3. If you close the Configuration Manager Utility program without saving the configuration
changes to the controller, a message box will prompt you to save your configuration.

4. Click Yes to launch the Apply Changes to dialog.

5. Choose the appropriate options. See Option Descriptions for more details.

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 Option Descriptions

Scope
Scope options determine whether to save all configuration changes made or only made on the
current configuration page.

Write changes from current page

Select this option to save only changes from the current configuration page. The name of the
current page is displayed in parentheses.

Write all changes

Select this option to save all changes on the current configuration page along with any other
parameter changes you have made on other pages.

Destination
Destination options determine whether the configuration data is committed to the non-volatile
memory on the controller.

Write changes to temporary memory only

Writes the changes to the RAM on the controller. When the controller is rebooted, the changes
will be lost.

Write changes to permanent memory

Saves the configuration data to the non-volatile memory (NVRAM). When the controller is
rebooted the updated configuration data is loaded.

Servo Reset
Servo Reset options determine whether the servos are reset when the configuration data is
written to the controller.

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 Reset Servos for changes to take effect immediately
When you select this option, the Apply Changes operation issues a SRV.RESET command to
restart the servos. This ensures that all configuration changes are immediately in effect.

Do not reset Servos. I will reboot the controller later

When you select this option, the Apply Changes operation will execute without restarting the
servos.

Related Topics
Save Configuration Data to a File
Restore Configuration

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Load Configuration Data from a File
Use this option to:

• Restore configuration data for the current device from a backup file created using the
Save Configuration option.

• Copy the configuration data from another device to the currently selected device.

After you have loaded a configuration file, use the Apply button to write the changes to the
controller.

To load configuration parameters from a file:

1. From the Configuration Manager menu, select File > Load configuration (or use
shortcut: Ctrl+O) to display the file selection dialog.

2. Choose the desired .cfg file, then click OK. The configuration file information dialog is
displayed:

3. Click Continue to load the file.

The values in the configuration file will be loaded into the Configuration Manager. After
the file is loaded, use the Apply option to save the changes to the controller.

If you don't have full access to modify the configuration parameters, the Configuration Manager
Utility generates a Load File Report listing the values that were not loaded. For details on access
levels, see Change Access Level.

Related Topics
Change Access Level
Apply Changes to the Controller
Load File Report

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Load File Report
If the Configuration Manager Utility program encounters problems during the load process, a
Load File report is generated with a list of warnings detailing the problems. Warnings may occur
because you do not have full access to change the configuration data values, or if the file has
been manually edited and has missing or extra information.

The following figure illustrates a Load File report generated when the user did not have the
access level required to edit the configuration data.

Related Topics
Load Configuration Data from a File

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Save Configuration Data to a File
Use this option to save the configuration data for the current device to a disk file. The
configuration file can be used later to load the configuration data to another system or to restore
the configuration in the event of a system problem.

When the Save is performed, the configuration data currently stored in the Configuration
Manager Utility program is written to a file.

To save configuration parameters:

1. Before saving, make sure that you have written all of your current configuration changes
to the controller.

2. From the Configuration Manager menu, select File > Save configuration (or use shortcut
Ctrl+S) to display the File Save dialog.
If you have not applied the changes to the controller, you will receive a warning message
and an opportunity to apply the changes to the controller before saving the configuration
data to a file.

3. Choose the directory for the file; enter the file name. Then, click Save.

4. On the Configuration File Information dialog, enter a comment to describe the contents of
the configuration file. Choose OK.
The values in the current configuration will be saved to the specified configuration file,
with a .cfg extension.

Related Topics
Load Configuration Data from a File

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Restore Configuration
Restore allows you to reset the configuration parameters to either the values currently stored on
the controller, or to the values read when the Configuration Manager utility program was
launched.

This option is only available after you have edited the configuration parameters. For details on
user interface elements, click on the area in the figure below for which you want detailed
information, or see the OPtion Descriptions descriptions.

Option Descriptions

Restore only on current node

Restores the values on the currently displayed configuration page using the selected data
source. The current page name is displayed in parentheses.

Restore all settings

Restores all values in the configuration data using the selected data source.

Re-synchronize with values in controller

Specifies the controller RAM as the data source to be used when restoring the data specified in
the Scope group.

Restore values read when this program was started

Specifies the configuration data loaded when the Configuration Manager Utility was started as
the data source to be used when restoring the data specified in the Scope group.

Choosing this option allows you to reverse any Apply actions that you may have performed
during your current editing session.

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Password-Protect Configuration Data
Password protection prevents end users from modifying the default configuration parameters
such as the minimum joint travel. By default, the access level is restricted, providing view-only
access to the protected parameters. Depending on the version you have, restricted parameters
may editable only by Adept personnel. Contact Adept Technical Support for details and for a
password, if applicable.

Change Access Level

To change the access level:

1. Contact Adept Technical Support to verify if your version allows end-user access to
restricted parameters. If so Adept can provide you with the required password.

2. From the Controller menu, select Change access level to display the following dialog:

3. Enter the correct password to change the access level.

4. Click OK to save the changes.

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Edit Configuration Data: Overview
The Configuration Manager Utility program allows you to change the following system operating
parameters:

Travel Limits Change the individual robot joint travel limits from their standard
settings to limit robot joint travel. These software-defined joint limits
(soft stops) are intended to protect the robot joints from colliding with
custom workcell hardware and to provide a safety buffer so that the
joint does not travel to a physical hardstop.

To access the travel limits configuration page, select a joint node in the
system tree view.

Hand Control View and/or modify the digital output signals used to control the
Signals opening and closing of the robot hand. The available signals include
both the digital output signals and software signals.

To access the hand control signals configuration page, select a robot

node in the system tree view. Then, choose the Hand Control tab in the
Configuration view.

Workcell Obstacles Define workcell obstacles to avoid, or areas in which the robot tooltip
must work. You can define up to six of these obstacles or areas.

To access the workcell obstacles configuration page, select a robot node

in the system tree view. Then, choose the Workcell Obstacles tab in the
Configuration view.

Related Topics
Edit Joint Limitss
Specify Hand Control Signals
Manage Obstacles in the Workcell

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Manage Obstacles in the Workcell
You can define travel constraints for a robot within the workcell from the Workcell Obstacles
page. The constraints may be obstacles to avoid, or areas in which the robot tool tip must work.
You can define up to six of these obstacles or areas.

During operation, the path of the robot tool tip is automatically tested to ensure that it does not
collide with these objects under the following circumstances: when the robot is being moved in
WORLD or TOOL manual control mode; when the destination of each motion is being planned;
and while straight-line motions are being performed.

From the Workcell Obstacles page, you can perform the following tasks:

• Add Obstacles

• Delete Obstacles

• Edit Obstacles

• Edit Obstacles

Add Obstacles
To add an obstacle

1. In the tree view, select the robot you want to configure.

2. If the Workcell Obstacles page is not visible, click the Workcell Obstacles tab on the left
side of the Configuration View.

3. Click Add Obstacle to display a list of available obstacles.

4. Click the type of obstacle or area that most closely matches the motion limitations you
need to accommodate in your workcell. For example, if you want the robot to avoid a box-
shaped obstacle, click Avoid Box. If you want the robot to work within a box-shaped area,
click Inside Box.
After you click the obstacle, the Defined Obstacle list to the left is updated. You can define
up to six obstacles for the current workcell.

5. Specify the parameters for the obstacle dimensions, position, and orientation in the
corresponding fields. The location of the obstacle is defined with respect to the base
reference frame of the robot.

6. Click Apply to save your changes.

Delete Obstacles
To delete an obstacle:

1. Select the obstacle name in the Defined Obstacle list.

2. Click Delete.

3. Click Apply to save your changes.

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Edit Obstacles
To edit the an obstacle:

1. Select the obstacle name in the Defined Obstacle list.

2. Enter the new values in the dimension, position, and orientation fields as needed.

3. Click Apply to save your changes.

Display Obstacles
When you create an obstacle, the Obstacle display area automatically updates to show the
obstacle as it is positioned with respect to the base reference frame of the robot. Use the view
buttons at the top of the obstacle display area to change the point of view. For details, see the
Workcell Obstacles Page.

Note:If the Obstacle Display is not present or does not display properly, the DirectX9 software
used to run the Obstacle Display may not be installed, or may have a problem. To troubleshoot
the problem, you can run the DirectX diagnostic utility as explained below.

To run the DirectX Diagnostic Utility:

1. On the Windows Start menu, select Run.

2. To execute the diagnostic program, enter dxdiag in the Open field:

Related Topics
Robot Configuration Page
Apply Changes to the Controller
Restore Configuration

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Select Advanced Configuration Options
The Advanced Configuration page provides options to control ESTOP and calibration behavior.

To specify the Advanced Options:

1. Click on the robot node in the tree view:

2. Click the Advanced tab to view the Advanced Configuration page.

3. Use the check box for each option to enable or disable the option. In the following figure
the Retract Z on CALIBRATE option is enabled.

For details on each option, see Advanced Robot Configuration.

4. After your changes are complete, use Apply to save the changes.

Related Topics
Apply Changes to the Controller
Advanced Robot Configuration

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Specify Hand Control Signals
The numbers of the digital signals accessed by MicroV+ for controlling the end-effector are
stored on the MicroV+ system disk. The Hand Control Configuration page provides fields to
change these specifications. Choosing the Off option for a specified signal has the effect of
setting a negative signal number which indicates that the gripper will be activated when the
signal is deasserted.

For additional information on the digital signal configuration, see the MicroV+ help topic,
Understanding Digital I/O Signal Mapping.

When the robot is running, you can monitor the digital signals using the DIO Tool available in
Adept DeskTop. For details, see the Digital IO Tool topic in the Adept DeskTop help.

To specify the Hand Control Signals:

1. Click on the robot node in the tree view:

2. For details on each option, see Advanced Robot Configuration.

3. Click the Hand Control tab to view the Hand Control Configuration page.

4. For each signal field, click the arrow to view a drop-down list of the available signals:

5. Select the desired signal.

6. Choose On to indicate that the hand will open when the specified signal is turned on.
Choose Off to indicate that the hand will open when the specified signal is turned off.

7. After your changes are complete, click Apply to save the changes.

Related Topics
Apply Changes to the Controller
Hand Control Signals

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Edit Joint Limits
The motion limits for the individual robot joints can be changed from their standard settings to
limit robot joint travel. These software-defined joint limits (soft stops) are intended to protect
the robot joints from colliding with custom workcell hardware. After the robot is calibrated, it is
not possible to exceed the limits under program or pendant control. These limits are often set
just inside of the hardware limit switches. Although MicroV+ should prevent the robot from
moving beyond the soft stops during normal operation, safety considerations require that
hardware limit switches also be used.

On a password-protected robot, the maximum and minimum joint limits can only be changed
after entering the correct password. See Change Access Level for details.

Warning: Be sure to properly set the software joint limits before attempting to
move the robot with a MicroV+ program.

Specify Joint Limits

1. Click the joint to configure in the tree view. The fields on the configuration page will
update to display the current settings for the joints.

2. To change a limit, position the cursor in the field and enter a value, or use the arrow
buttons on the left of the field to adjust the value up or down.

3. After making changes, click Apply to save your changes.

Field Descriptions

Minimum Travel Read only.

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 Upper Limit In degrees.

Minimum Travel Read only.

Lower Limit In degrees.

Minimum Travel Read only.

Related Topics
Joint View
Apply Changes to the Controller
Change Access Level

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AdeptSight V+ and MicroV+ Keywords

AdeptSight V+ and MicroV+ Keywords

The following keywords are required for programming AdeptSight applications in MicroV+ or V+.

Click on links below to go to the keyword descriptions.

VLOCATION transformation function

VPARAMETER program instruction

VPARAMETER real-valued function

VRESULT real-valued function

VRUN program instruction

VSTATE real-valued function

VTIMEOUT system parameter

VWAITI program instruction

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VLOCATION
transformation function

Syntax

MicroV+ VLOCATION (sequence, tool, instance, result, index, frame)

V+ VLOCATION ($ip, sequence, tool, instance, result, index, frame)

Description
Returns a Cartesian transform result of the execution of the specified vision sequence. The returned
value is a transform result: x, y, z, yaw, pitch, roll.

Parameters

$ip IP address of the vision server.

Standard IP address format. For example 255.255.255.255.
This parameter applies to V+ syntax only.
sequence Index of the vision sequence. 1-based.
tool Index of the tool in the sequence. 1-based.
instance Index of the instance for which you want the transform. 1-based.
result Identifier of the result. Typically this value = 1311.
For gripper offset location this value can be set to 1400 and incremented by 1
for each additional gripper offset. The maximum value is 1499. See Example
2.
index Reserved for internal use. Value is always '1'.
frame Index of the frame that contains the specified instance.

Details

Parameters sequence, tool, instance, index, and frame are optional. These parameters are 1-based. If
no value is provided for these parameters, they default to 1.

In V+ the vision server is the PC on which the AdeptSight vision software is running.

To retrieve specific values

• To retrieve global values : sequence = -1, tool = -1

• To retrieve camera values : sequence = -1, tool = cameraIndex

• To retrieve camera-relative-to robot values: sequence = -1, tool = cameraIndex, index =

robotIndex

• To retrieve sequence values: sequence = sequenceIndex, tool = -1

To retrieve Belt Calibration related values (read only)

Property sequence tool instance result ID index frame

Frame -1 cameraIndex n/a 10000 robotIndex n/a

UpstreamLimit -1 cameraIndex n/a 10001 robotIndex n/a

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 Property sequence tool instance result ID index frame
DownstreamLimit -1 cameraIndex n/a 10002 robotIndex n/a

VisionOrigin -1 cameraIndex n/a 10050 robotIndex n/a

Examples
Example 1

In this example, the 1311 result ID indicates using the first gripper offset. This is equivalent to using
the 1400 result ID.
; Retrieve the location of a found instance
; instance location = 1311
SET location = VLOCATION(1, 2, 1, 1311)

Example 2
; set 1st gripper offset location
; 1st gripper offset location = 1400
SET location = VLOCATION (1,2,1,1400)
;set 2nd gripper offset location
SET location = VLOCATION (1,2,1,1401)
...
;set 6th gripper offset location
SET location = VLOCATION (1,2,1,1405)

Example 3
; Retrieve the location of the Belt frame
; BeltCalibrationFrame index is 10000
VLOCATION ($ip, -1, cameraIndex, ,10000, robotIndex)
; Retrieve the location of the Vision origin
; VisionOrigin index is 10050
VLOCATOIN ($ip, -1, cameraIndex, ,10050, robotIndex )

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VPARAMETER
program instruction

Syntax

MicroV+ VPARAMETER (sequence, tool, parameter, index, object) = value

V+ VPARAMETER (sequence, tool, parameter, index, object) $ip = value

Description
Sets the current value of a vision tool parameter.

Parameters

sequence Index of the vision sequence. First sequence is '1'

tool Index of the tool in the sequence.
parameter Identifier (ID) of the parameter. Refer to the AdeptSight Quick Reference
tables to find the ID for the required parameter.
index Some parameters require an index. For example, the index of a model, of an
edge pair, or of a blob.
object Some parameters require an object index to access specific values in an array.
$ip IP address of the vision server.
Standard IP address format. For example 255.255.255.255.
This parameter applies to V+ syntax only.

Details

Parameters sequence, tool, parameter, index, and object are optional. These parameters are 1-based.
If no value is provided for these parameters, they default to 1.

In V+ the vision server is the PC on which the AdeptSight vision software is running.

Example
; Set a Locator to find
; a maximum of 4 object instances
; MaximumInstanceCount = 519
VPARAMETER(1,2,519) = 4

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VPARAMETER
real-valued function

Syntax

MicroV+ value = VPARAMETER (sequence, tool, parameter, index, object)

V+ value = VPARAMETER ($ip, sequence, tool, parameter, index, object)

Description
Gets the current value of a vision tool parameter.

Parameters

$ip IP address of the vision server.

Standard IP address format. For example 255.255.255.255.
This parameter applies to V+ syntax only.
sequence Index of the vision sequence. First sequence is '1'
tool Index of the tool in the sequence.
parameter Identifier (ID) of the parameter. Refer to the AdeptSight Quick Reference
tables to find the ID for the required parameter.
index Some parameters require an index. For example, the index of a model, of an
edge pair, or of a blob.
object Some parameters require an object index to access specific values in an array.

Details

Parameters sequence, tool, parameter, index, and object are optional. These parameters are 1-based.
If no value is provided for these parameters, they default to 1.

To retrieve specific values

• To retrieve global values: sequence = -1, tool = -1

• To retrieve camera values: sequence = -1, tool = cameraIndex

• To retrieve sequence values: sequence = sequenceIndex, tool = -1

To retrieve Belt-Calibration-related values ( read only )

• Scale (10004): sequence = -1, tool = cameraIndex, index = robotIndex, object = n/a

To retrieve sequence-related values -

• Mode (10200): sequence = sequenceIndex, tool = -1, index = n/a, object = n/a

Example
; Get the Scale value for the Belt Calibration
VPARAMETER ($ip, -1, cameraIndex, 10004, robotIndex )

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VRESULT
real-valued function

Syntax

MicroV+ VRESULT (sequence, tool, instance, result, index, frame)

V+ VRESULT ($ip, sequence, tool, instance, result, index, frame)

Description
Returns a result of the execution of a vision sequence.

Parameters

$ip IP address of the vision server.

Standard IP address format. For example 255.255.255.255.
This parameter applies to V+ syntax only.
sequence Index of the vision sequence.
tool Index of the tool in the sequence.
instance Index of the instance for which you want the transform.
result Identifier (ID) of the result. Refer to the AdeptSight Quick Reference tables
to find the ID for the required result.
index Reserved for internal use. Value is always '1'.
frame Index of the frame that contains the specified instance.

Details

Parameters sequence, tool, instance, index, and frame are optional. These parameters are 1-based. If
no value is provided for these parameters, they default to 1.

In V+ the vision server is the PC on which the AdeptSight vision software is running.

Example
; Get the number of instances found a Locator
; instance count = 1310
instance_count = VRESULT(1, 2, 1, 1310)

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VRUN
program instruction

Syntax

Micro V+ VRUN sequence

V+ VRUN $ip, sequence

Description
Initiates the execution of a vision sequence.

Parameters

$ip IP address of the vision server.

Standard IP address format. For example 255.255.255.255.
This parameter applies to V+ syntax only.
sequence Index of the vision sequence. Optional. 1-based; if unspecified defaults to '1'.

Details

In V+ the vision server is the PC on which the AdeptSight vision software is running.

Example
; Execute the first sequence
VRUN 1

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VSTATE
real-valued function

Syntax

MicroV+ VSTATE (sequence)

V+ VSTATE ($ip, sequence)

Description
Returns the state of the execution of a sequence.

Parameters

$ip IP address of the vision server.

Standard IP address format. For example 255.255.255.255.
This parameter applies to V+ syntax only.
sequence Index of the vision sequence. Optional. 1-based; if unspecified defaults to '1'.
Details
In V+ the vision server is the PC on which the AdeptSight vision software is running.

Return
Return values are different for V+ and MicroV+:

MicroV+

Value Description
0 Running
1 This value is currently unused.
2 Completed
3 Error

V+

Value Description
0 Idle
1 Running
2 Paused
3 Done
4 Error
5 Starting

Example
; Get the state of the first sequence
VSTATE(1)

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VTIMEOUT
system parameter

Syntax

MicroV+ PARAMETER VTIMEOUT = value

V+ PARAMETER VTIMEOUT = value

Description
Sets a timeout value so that an error message is returned if no answer is received following an vision
command. The timeout value is expressed in seconds; i.e value = 0.15 = 150 ms.

The default value is 0, which is an infinite timeout.

Details

It is important to set a value other than the default value of 0.

TIMEOUT = 0 sets the timeout value to 'infinite'. In this case the operation will wait indefinitely for an
error message.

Example
; Get error message if no answer after 200ms
PARAMETER VTIMEOUT = .20

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VWAITI
program instruction

Syntax

MicroV+ VWAITI (sequence) type

V+ VWAITI (sequence) $ip, type

Description
Waits efficiently until the specified vision sequence reaches the state specified by the type parameter.
Use VWAITI call after VRUN. In a V+ conveyor-tracking application, the absence of a specific VWAITI
instruction can interfere with Acquire Images tool and the Communication tool, and cause a delay in the
execution of the application.

Parameters

sequence Index of the vision sequence. 1-based; if unspecified defaults to '1'

$ip IP address of the vision server.
Standard IP address format. For example 255.255.255.255.
This parameter applies to V+ syntax only.
type 0 Wait for full completion (default)
1 Wait for partial completion

Details

Parameters sequence and type are optional.

In V+, the vision server is the PC on which the AdeptSight vision software is running.

Example
; Execute the first sequence
VRUN 1
; Wait for completion of first sequence
VWAIT (1) 0

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Legal Notices
Copyright
Copyright© 2004-2007 by Adept Technology, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of Adept Technology, Inc.

Notice
Adept Technology, Inc.. shall not be responsible for any errors that may appear in this document and shall not
be liable for any damages arising out of or related to this document or the information contained in it, even if
Adept Technology, Inc. has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Trademark Information
Copyright © 2003-2007 by Adept Technology, Inc. All rights reserved.

Adept, AdeptSight, Adept DeskTop, Adept SmartController, AdeptWindows, MicroV+, V+, are trademarks of
Adept Technology, Inc.

HexSight is a registered trademark of Adept Technology, Inc.

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