Command ASCII contains a multi-line header and additional fields that are not present in the Raw ASCII file. Command ASCII is compared with Raw ASCII for a one-board domain in the table Comparing Raw and Command ASCII Files for One Board. The Command ASCII format has a header and comma delimited fields that extend some Channel Data lines. The Channel Data field is the same in content and organization as in the Raw ASCII file.
The Command ASCII file can be edited with any text editor (for example, Notepad). Interpretation of a Command ASCII vector file is case insensitive, so upper and lower case can be mixed. Data and Command fields are always converted to upper case. All other fields print as edited. Channel Data may only be “1”, “0” or “X”. Direction Field characters may only be “I” or “O”. Letters may be either upper or lower case. Illegal characters generate an error.
The Header (see the table Comparing Raw and Command ASCII Files for One Board, last column) is divided into sections whose tags are [General], [Company Information] and [Setup]. Section tags are contained in brackets and followed by section data. Section data can often be entered in the tabbed DIOEasy Property function under the File menu, or by calling DIO Driver functions.
The [General] section contains the ASCII file version (2.0), the number of boards programmed (1), type of DIO domain board (GX5050) and the number of steps provided (16384).
The [Company Information] section contains Company, Author and Notes. This information is optional and presented as entered.
The [Setup] section holds parameters that affect domain operation. The last parameter, NumChannelsBoard0, is enumerated on following lines if more boards exist. See “Multi-Board Files” below.
The [Data] section tag follows the last line of the Header field.
The Channel Data field starts after the [Data] tag at the left of the next line, which is line 0. Channel Data is at the beginning of every new line until the end of file.
The Channel Data field is the same for Command ASCII and Raw ASCII. See “Raw ASCII File Organization” above for details.
The Channel Data field can be followed by up to three more comma delimited fields: Direction, Label and Command. These fields are appended to lines when steps are characterized as follows:
It is the first step (step 0). A Direction field is required.
A change in I/O direction occurs.
A label exists.
A command exists.
Data fields are described in the table below.
Field |
Description |
Channel Data |
Leftmost field. Contains one character per channel: 0, 1 or X. Lowest domain channel appears at line right, the highest at line left. |
Direction |
Second field. Contains “I” or “O” for each 8-channel group. Ordered left to right, opposite of Channel Data. If a following field exists but there is no direction change, this is a null (empty) field denoted by two commas. |
Label |
Program label. If there is none and a Command exists, this is a null field. |
Command |
Program instruction. Last field on the line if it exists, otherwise not written. |
Command Parameter List |
Part of the command field. Space-delimited list of parameters for the command. The number of parameters depends on the specific command. |
Command File Data Fields
Data fields are identified in the order shown in the figure below:
Example Data Fields in Command ASCII Files