How to use IOComponent with EtherCAT

Submitted by fuchsc on Wed, 2009-02-18 09:30

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<FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=031565208-18022009>Hi,<SPAN><FONT>

<FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=031565208-18022009><SPAN><FONT> 

<FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=031565208-18022009>I'd like to extend
our control system prototype implemened in OROCOS with EtherCAT communication
ability. I studied the OCL EtherCAT demo example and the IOComponent API
reference. Before starting the implementation I want to make sure, wether I
understood everthing correctly.<SPAN><FONT>

<FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=031565208-18022009><SPAN><FONT> 

<FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=031565208-18022009>Here is a rough
draft of my design:<SPAN><FONT>

<FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=031565208-18022009>- a TastContext,
which handles EtherCAT communication (configuring master,
receive/transmit)<SPAN><FONT>

<FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=031565208-18022009>- <SPAN
class=031565208-18022009>implementations of
Analog/DigitalOutput/InputDevices writing/reading to buffer(s) provided
by the EtherCAT task<SPAN><SPAN><FONT>

<FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=031565208-18022009><SPAN
class=031565208-18022009>- other tasks write/read IOs via ports/methods provided
by the IOComponenet.<SPAN><SPAN><FONT>

<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN> 

<SPAN class=031565208-18022009><FONT face=Arial size=2>Am I on the rigtht
track?<FONT><SPAN>

<SPAN class=031565208-18022009><FONT face=Arial
size=2><FONT><SPAN> 

<SPAN class=031565208-18022009><FONT face=Arial size=2>best
regards,<FONT><SPAN>

<SPAN class=031565208-18022009><FONT face=Arial
size=2>Clemens<FONT><SPAN>
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How to use IOComponent with EtherCAT

Submitted by sspr on Sat, 2009-02-21 22:20.

On Wednesday 18 February 2009 10:25:05 Fuchs Clemens wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'd like to extend our control system prototype implemened in OROCOS
> with EtherCAT communication ability. I studied the OCL EtherCAT demo
> example and the IOComponent API reference. Before starting the
> implementation I want to make sure, wether I understood everthing
> correctly.

We should seriously consider removing the EtherCat demo, because the EtherCat
Master Library (EML) it requires is no longer available due to license/patent
issues. There's an alternative library available on Berlios:
http://developer.berlios.de/projects/soem
but no Orocos component bindings are available.

>
> Here is a rough draft of my design:
> - a TastContext, which handles EtherCAT communication (configuring
> master, receive/transmit)
> - implementations of Analog/DigitalOutput/InputDevices writing/reading
> to buffer(s) provided by the EtherCAT task
> - other tasks write/read IOs via ports/methods provided by the
> IOComponenet.
>
> Am I on the rigtht track?

>From what I can see, that's ok. The IOComponent can benefit from some
improvements/rework (also discussed not so long ago) so you might have to
improve it (or skip it). There's nothing wrong with an application specific IO
Adaptor component.

Peter

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