Book Image

Mastering PLC Programming

By : Mason White
Book Image

Mastering PLC Programming

By: Mason White

Overview of this book

Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a new feature of PLC programming that has taken the automation world by storm. This book provides you with the necessary skills to succeed in the modern automation programming environment. The book is designed in a way to take you through advanced topics such as OOP design, SOLID programming, the software development lifecycle (SDLC), library design, HMI development, general software engineering practices, and more. To hone your programming skills, each chapter has a simulated real-world project that’ll enable you to apply the skills you’ve learned. In all, this book not only covers complex PLC programming topics, but it also removes the financial barrier that comes with most books as all examples utilize free software. This means that to follow along, you DO NOT need to purchase any PLC hardware or software. By the end of this PLC book, you will have what it takes to create long-lasting codebases for any modern automation project.
Table of Contents (25 chapters)
1
Part 1 – An Introduction to Advanced PLC Programming
6
Part 2 – Modularity and Objects
10
Part 3 – Software Engineering for PLCs
14
Part 4 – HMIs and Alarms
19
Part 5 – Final Project and Thoughts

Getting to know properties

Properties are extensions of the IEC 61131-3 standard. Properties are special methods that are used to manipulate encapsulated data. When you create a property, you will get two files named get and set. These are your getter and setter methods. The getter method will be used to read data, while the setter method is used to write data to an attribute. The true value of properties will be explored in the next chapter; however, for now, we’re going to explore them to a limited degree.

Adding a property

Adding a property is a lot like adding a method. You will essentially follow the same flow of clicks that can be found in Figure 6.4, with the only exception being that you will select Property… instead of Method…. When you click Property…, you should be met with a wizard similar to the one shown in Figure 6.8. The wizard is very similar to the wizard that is used to create methods. To follow along, add the property in Figure...