Release notes PLC-Lab

1.8.0.0 (02.12.2020)

  • New device "Debug": The new device called "Debug" can be used to test the systems without a PLC program or GRAFCET. With this device the outputs can be changed directly via e.g. switches. See also: The "Debug" device

1.7.1.0 (25.11.2020)

1.7.0.0 (18.11.2020)

  • New object Multiple rotary switch: Implementation of a rotary switch with max. 8 positions (three left, four right and zero position).
  • New object horizontal multiple switch: Implementation of a horizontal switch with max. 8 positions (three left, four right and zero position).
  • Negated query of bit operands: For properties which have read access to a bit operand, a negated query of the bit operand can be achieved with the character '!'.
  • Improved error handling when creating solid joints and body groups.
  • Improved error handling when creating joints.
  • Improved error handling when using magnets or magnetic objects.
  • Improved behaviour with PLCSIM S7-300, when accessing operands outside the process image of the CPU.
  • Improved behaviour for cloud licenses when projects are loaded directly at startup.
  • Error in the On/Off rotary switch eliminated if it was configured as an opener.
  • Error in horizontal On/Off switch eliminated if it was configured as opener.

1.6.3.0 (15.09.2020)

  • PLC-Lab can use 4GB RAM on a 64-Bit OS.
  • Symbolic import: Duplicate operands will detected and not imported twice.
  • Communication to S7-300/400 plc: Improved behavior when communication is aborted.
  • Windows-button: Bug fixed when text with underscores are displayed.
  • Optimizations made when switching to RUN mode. This accelerates the switchover significantly.

1.6.0.0 (2020-07-13)

1.5.4.0 (2020-04-27)

1.5.3.2

  • Bug fix when text-labels used a gradient color.
  • The centroid circle of some objects was not correct, if the width/height was directly changed in the property table.
  • The centroid-circle was not correct if an object was placed with a size-template.
  • Intellisense was not possible in the editor of the velocity-property of the cylinder-object.

1.5.3.1

  • Cloud license: the project could not be opened if a double-click was executed on the file in the Explorer.
  • The starting position (after creation) of a revolute-joint is now always at the center of the object.
  • Improvement in the language file

1.5.3.0

  • New device PLCSIM Advanced: A new device of the type PLCSIM Advanced can be created and connected with a instance of PLCSIM Advanced. The inputs can be read and the outputs will be written. Flags can be read or write.It is possible to communicate with more than one instance of PLCSIM Advanced inside one PLC-Lab project. PLCSIM Advanced V2.0 SP1 or higher is supported.
  • New info object "Text" implemented: This object shows a text with a transparent background and without a frame.
  • The symbol of an operand will show in the cross reference list, if existing.
  • Fixed a issue in the cross reference list: The sorting of the operands is now working correctly.

1.5.2.1

  • Fixed a problem with the calculator-object: Editing the inputs and the output of the object was not possible.

1.5.2.0

  • New conveying element "conveyer belt with guide rail" implemented. This element can be used for realizing conveying elements with curves.
  • Cylinder: The max. position of the piston rod is shown in the draw mode.
  • In draw-mode the center of geometry-, lamp-, switch-, limit-switch- and tube-objects is shown.
  • In draw-mode many objects are shown in a transparent view while moving the objects with the mouse. This feature makes it easier to place the objects.
  • The object types switch, lamp, geometry, limit-switch, label, slider, digital gauge and speedometer can be directly provided with operands via drag-and-drop from the symbol-table. To do that, you can drop the symbol directly on the object. If the object is a switch or a lamp, the symbol will also used for the text-label of the object.
  • The view of the symbol of the weld-joint is transparent, so the anchor-points are easier to place.

1.5.1.1

  • New properties "Limit switch changes collision group" and "New collision-group when collide" implemented. With these new properties the collision group of a object or a whole body can be changed, if a collision with a limit-switch is happened. The new collision group can be given as a constant or a variable value inside a operand.

1.5.0.9

  • New Conveying element "Conveyor belt" with special settings for realizing conveyor belts in the view from above or from the side. The conveyed objects act more realistic, for example if the conveyor belt stops. This new behavior is possible because of the new properties "Damping of the linear movement of the transported objects" and "Damping of the rotation movement of the transported objects".
  • New Conveying element "Airstream" with settings for accelerating or deflecting objects.
  • New property "Speed divisor" for conveying elements.
  • New properties "Damping of the linear movement" and "Damping of the rotation movement" for physics objects. With this properties, braking actions compareable with friction are possible. They are helpful for objects without gravity which were moved for example with cylinders.
  • Sliders can be set to an init value. This value is the first value when switching into the run mode.
  • New slider-property "Use last value in run for init value".
  • Increasing the tolerance when import symbols with not allowed chars from the TIA-Portal from Siemens.
  • New feature "smart guides" implemented. They will shown while moving an object with the mouse. They helping arranging the object relative to another object. They can be switched on and off inside the actions.
  • The window-button can also be configured as an physic object.

1.5.0.8

  • New alignment functions "Align center", "Align middle", "Distribute horizontally" and "Distribute vertically" implemented.
  • Issue fixed, when a operand with write access is changed to a constant.

1.5.0.7

  • Intellisense: Improved behavior if the item in the list is selected via the mouse.
  • Inserting of operands via drag-and-drop from the symbol-table: Now the editor is also a possible drop-target.
  • Inserting of new symbols: Is there a predecessor-symbol and the string ends with a number, this number will increase and used for the new symbol.

1.5.0.6

  • New object "digital gauge with push-wheel button" gives the possibility of writing BCD-, HEX or decimal values into operands.
  • New object "digital gauge" gives the possibility of showing BCD-, HEX or decimal values from operands.
  • Setting a password for a project: Without the password the project is read-only.

1.5.0.5

  • Import of symbols from TIA-XML file.
  • Import of symbols from ASC-file (Simatic-Manager).
  • Export of symbols to XML-File (TIA-Portal) or ASC-file (Simatic-Manager).
  • New sensor "Force (N)" for prismatic-joints.
  • New sensor "Torque (Nm)" for revolute-joints.
  • The overview-window of the drawing-area can be switched on or off.
  • New property "Do not influence limit switches" for physic-objects.
  • New modes for the calculate-object: Decimal to BCD for word-operands, BCD to decimal for word.operands.
  • Symbole table: If a new symbol is inserted, the symbol of the operand before it, will use as the new symbol (with extension).
  • Symbole table: The symbol-string can include umlauts.
  • Symboltabelle: The length of the symbols is increased to 80 chars.

1.5.0.4

  • New property "Direction depends on sign of velocity" for prismatic-joint, revolute-joint and wheel-joint.

1.5.0.3

  • The open icon could no longer be used to open a directory for searching a file. This has been fixed.

1.5.0.2

  • Bug fixed when language setting was changed.
  • PLCSim S7-300 (TIA and Simatic-Manager): Sometimes the reading of DB-data were not correct. This issue is fixed.

1.5.0.1

  • Undo function added.