Topic: P340

UDI (User Defined Instruction) Management

Purpose

UDI (User Defined Instruction) Management panel is where users can copy, import, export, and configure security for UDI Definitions that can later be instantiated in ladder using the User Defined Instruction.

Accessing UDI Management

The UDI Management panel can be accessed by selecting UDI Management Panel from the Tools Menu of the Main Menu or using shortcut “Alt+T then U

User Defined Instruction Management Panel

Note: In the image above, if the icons are grayed out, it indicates that Structures are currently disabled in the project properties.

Create New UDI: Creates a new UDI definition. Once selected the Add UDI Definition window is displayed.
1. Name: Name of the UDI definition. Maximum of 32 characters allowed.
2. Comment: Comments that are pertinent to or helpful in describing a UDI’s definition. Maximum of 1024 characters allowed.
3. Revision: The revision is not automatically managed by the software. The user is responsible for defining how it is used and when it is updated. A maximum of 32 characters are allowed for Suffix.
  Example: The Revision will read as “1.0revA” when the user enters a 1 in Major, leaves the Minor as 0, and types “revA” into the Suffix field.”
4. Revision Note: Information that is pertinent to changes made in the revision. Maximum of 1024 characters allowed.
5. Author: Name or initials to identify the author of this definition. Maximum of 64 characters allowed.
6. Security Key: Lists of the available security keys that are configured in the UDI Security Management setup.
Copy UDI: A copy of the UDI definition will be generated and _1 will be appended to the new definition.
Delete UDI: Deletes the selected UDI definition.
Manage UDI Security: Opens the UDI Security Management dialog so that users may create, edit, and delete Security Keys as well as Assign the keys to single or multiple UDI Definitions.

Note: To remove an assigned security key from a definition, select the definition and the (No Security) option and move the (No Security) option to the definition by clicking the button, enter the password, and then the security key will be removed from that definition.

Add UDI Security Key:

Key name: Must have a unique name for the UDI Security Key. A maximum of 32 characters are allowed.
Password: The password for the security key.
Confirm Password: The text entered in the Password and Confirm Password fields must match exactly. Passwords must be between 8 and 128 characters in length and there are no restrictions on the types of characters used.

Assigning security key to definition

To assign a key to an existing UDI definition select a definition from the available list (multiples can be selected) and

Then select a security key. Move the security key to the chosen definition(s) by selecting the button.

Edit allows a user to modify the key name or update the password. When changing key name, the current password must be entered to allow the changes.

Delete will delete the security key and remove it from any assigned definitions. A valid password for that key is required prior to deletion.

Import UDI(s): Allows the user to import a .udi file that contains a UDI Definition. Once imported, the UDI will be in the list of available definitions.

Note: If a UDI that has security enabled will allow a user to instantiate the UDI and assign parameters but will not allow access or editing of the definition without the end user entering the proper password.

Export UDI(s): Exports selected UDI instances from the project. Saved as filename.udi. Definitions can be selected individually or in multiples. They do not need to be contiguous, and could have other UDI’s nested within the UDI definition that is being exported

Note: If Security is enabled on an exported UDI, then a password will be required to edit the UDI Definition if it is imported into another project.

Note: When exporting a UDI Definition that contains one or more nested UDI Definitions, all definitions must be selected for export, or an error will occur.

Note: If a task fro the library is moved into a task folder that contains a task with the same name, then a copy will be generated and _1 will be appended to the task name.

Note: When moving a task from the library, any tags with names that already exist in the tag DB will not inherit any attributes.

Creating groups in the Definition Library

Create Group: This creates a new sub folder within the main definition library folder.

Import Group: Allows a user to import a definition group .udi.

Refresh All: Will refresh the list with any .udi files that have been recently added to folder.

Creating groups in the Definition Library

When creating a new group to add associated definitions, follow these steps:

1. Right click on Definition Library.

2. Select Create Group.

3. Enter a name for the group.

Note:The group name and the .udi file name can be different.

4. Select File location and enter file name.

Note: The file location will be used by the software to update.

5. Select OK.

6. The new group should now be shown and updates can be added as needed.

Import a group

Allows importing of .udi files into the definition library.

1. Right click on Definition Library folder.

2. Select Import Group.

3. Select the .udi file to be imported and select Open.

4. The newly imported group along with any associated definitions will now be listed in the Definition Library.

Editing Groups in Library

Right clicking on any group or definition name will open the context menu:

Export Group: Allows a user to export the definition to a storage location.
Rename: Edit a definition name.
Delete: Delete a definition from the library.

Note: Deleting a definition from the library removes it from the list of available definitions but does not remove it from file location.

Refresh: Update the definitions within the group.
Properties: Access the definition properties to edit the definition name, the storage location of the .udi file, and add a comment.

Adding UDI definitions to the UDI Library

To add definitions to the library, follow the steps below, either right clicking or dragging and dropping:

1. Drag a definition from any of the definitions folder to an existing Definition Library folder(s)

2. Right Click: Right click a definition in any of the UDI Management Folders, then select Add to Definition Library and select new group or one of the Definition Library folders:

3. The definition is added to the folder in the UDI Library.

Note: The default location for .udi files is documents/automationdirect/productivity.

Editing Definitions in Library

Right click on any definition to view the options in the context menu:

Open: Examine a definition that is stored in the UDI library by right clicking on the definition name and selecting open.
Rename: Select Rename to change the name of the definition.
Delete: Select Delete to remove the selected definition from the library group and it's associated .udi file.
Add Definition to Project: Adds definition into project definition folder.

Add library definition to UDI Management folder

To move a definition from the UDI library into a UDI definition folder, there are two methods available for completing this action.

1. Drag a definition from the library and drop it into the designated UDI definition folder. You can drop the definition directly on the definition folder name or anywhere in that folder indicated by gray line.

Note: If a definition from the library is moved into a definition folder that contains a definition with the same name, then a copy will be generated and _1 will be appended to the definition name.

2. Right click on the definition and select Add definition to project’.

Once a definition is added to a UDI definition folder then a UDI Group Properties window will appear.

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