A tool for the development of CANopen applications (devices). The object dictionary source code can be generated along with the device EDS file using prepared Device Profiles. Standard CiA DS-301 and DS-302 network communication profiles are included.

Description

With the CANopen Design Tool a powerful tool is available, which frees the developer from error-prone and repetitive tasks. It guarantees the consistency of the implemented functionality, device documentation and Electronic Data Sheet (EDS). By default the CANopen communication profiles CiA 301 and CiA 302 are delivered with the tool.

In addition to the CiA 301 database databases are provided for a large number of CANopen device profiles and for the CANopen communication profile CiA 304. The object dictionary produced by the CANopen Design Tool supports numerous options of the CANopen Library from port, e.g. several CAN lines and segmented structuring. A tree representation of all implemented parameters and data facilitates the maintenance of the device software. The CANopen Design Tool eases the first step into the CANopen protocol and device development is accelerated.

It is a tool with which device databases can be produced and processed. These databases contain information, which describe the interface for the CANopen network of the device. These are all parameters, control and status information that are accessible over CAN. The CANopen protocol stores these values in the so-called object dictionary of CANopen devices.

The major task of the CANopen Design Tool is to administer and create these data in an object database and to create code for the CANopen Library from it. Furthermore the CAN- open Design Tool is used to configure the CANopen Driver Packages. Within one project several hardware configurations can be managed. This allows a quick change between different targets during development.

CANopen Object dictionary

The generated file, which contains the object dictionary is included into the user modules. This ensures that each user variable can be accessed directly via its variable name as well as with its index and sub index. The produced object dictionary represents the data interface between library and user application.

CANopen Library Configuration

To configure the CANopen Library a header file is created which contains the hardware settings and the configuration of the used CANopen services. These services are derived automatically from the object dictionary. By including this file into the project only the necessary parts of the CAN- open Library are compiled in order to save RAM and ROM resources.

CANopen Initialization

Likewise, the generated initialization file with initialization functions for the CANopen services is included into the application, too. So the individual services defined in the object dictionary are initialized in the application.

EDS File

A fourth result of the tool is the Electronic Data Sheet. The EDS belongs to the standard documents supplied with a CANopen device. It is an ASCII text file, which contains all relevant information about the application (device). These files are used by configuration tools and control devices, in order to install CANopen devices into networks and configure them. In the future these files will be replaced by XML device descriptions according to ISO 15745. The CANopen Design Tool generates XML device description files already.

Device Documentation

The fifth output is a documentation of the implemented objects and of the device parameters. Each device parameter is tabular listed in html-format or as a text file. This documentation can serve as specification at the beginning of development and be brought into the user documentation, as well as into the marketing documents. Therefore writing twice is not necessary and the contents are always up to date.

Easy to Use

The objects of the application can be created by a few clicks. For the communication parameters input masks facilitate the creation of the CANopen service objects and the configuration of partially bit-coded values like e.g. PDO settings. Standardized objects based on CANopen device profiles can be added from pre-defined profile data bases. Additionally, object descriptions can be imported from external sources via CSV files.

Profile Databases

 The profile databases contain the objects of the corresponding profile. Each object is configured according to the standard and is explained in detail. For every kind of object in a profile a prototype is included and this object can be cloned by copying or duplicating.

By importing these objects into the own project the development time can be reduced and the risks of a manual implementation are minimized.

The following profile databases currently available: 

• CiA 304 – Framework for Safety-Relevant Communication
• CiA 401 – Device Profile for Generic I/O Devices
• CiA 402 – Device Profile for Drives and Motion Control
• CiA 404 – Device Profile for Measuring Devices and Closed- Loop Controllers
• CiA 405 – Device Profile for IEC1131-3 Programmable Devices
• CiA 406 – Device Profile for Encoders
• CiA 410 – Device Profile for Incliometer
• CiA 415 – Device Profile for Road construction machinery
• CiA 418 – Device Profile for Battery Modules
• CiA 419 – Device Profile for Battery Charger
• CiA 417 – Application Profile for Lift Control Systems

Ordering Information

DT Light is restricted in the size of the object dictionary when it comes to generating valuable output files. It can be used for defining the object dictionary and creating from this the CANopen Library configuration header file. But does not generate the C-files for the object dictionary nor the EDS, nor the HTML documentation. Download and try it !