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| 2019 Johannes Kepler University Linz |
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| This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the |
| terms of the Eclipse Public License 2.0 which is available at |
| http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0. |
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| SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0 |
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| Contributors: |
| Jose Cabral |
| - initial API and implementation and/or initial documentation |
| Bianca Wiesmayr |
| - text corrections |
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| <title>START HERE</title> |
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| <body> |
| |
| <h1 id="topOfPage">Where to start</h1> |
| |
| <p>This page is intended to work as an overall index of the documentation about Eclipse 4diac. |
| Whenever you have doubts about anything, come here and you might find the right page to visit. |
| Depending on your background's area (automation, mechanics, informatics, or just curiosity), you will need different information to understand what Eclipse 4diac is and its strengths. |
| But since this might be the first page you arrived to, there's a quick <a href="#quickIntro">intro</a> below the link list.</p> |
| |
| <p>Here's a list of the main topics in the documentation:</p> |
| |
| <ul id="startHereMainList"> |
| |
| <li><a href="../../html/before4DIAC/iec61499.html">Learn about IEC 61499</a>: |
| To use Eclipse 4diac, you need to understand the terms of the IEC 61499 standard and how the Function Blocks work. |
| At first, take therefore a look at this explanation about the standards and technology related to Eclipse 4diac.</li> |
| |
| <li><a href="../../html/before4DIAC/4diacFramework.html">Understand the 4diac framework</a>: |
| If you know about IEC 61499 and what PLCs are, but you don't understand what 4diac IDE is, or what's the relation with 4diac FORTE, then you should take a look at this topic about the 4diac IDE framework.</li> |
| |
| <li><a href="../../html/installation/install.html">Install Eclipse 4diac</a>: |
| If you understand all of the above, and you want to start using Eclipse 4diac, you will need to first install it.</li> |
| |
| <li><a href="../../html/4diacIDE/overview.html">Step by step tutorial</a>: |
| To understand the basics of 4diac IDE, it is best to start using it.</li> |
| |
| <li><a href="../../html/examples/examplesIndex.html">4diac IDE examples</a>: |
| If you want to see some examples using 4diac IDE, this link is your friend.</li> |
| |
| <li><a href="../../html/parameters/parameters.html">Parameters for different platforms</a>: |
| If you have a specific platform with input and outputs that is supported by 4diac FORTE, for example a Raspberry Pi or a PLC, and you want to use them, use this topic.</li> |
| |
| <li><a href="../../html/communication/communicationIndex.html">Communication Protocols</a>: |
| If you want to use a specific communication protocol supported by 4diac FORTE, for example MQTT, OPC UA, Modbus and so on, follow the link.</li> |
| |
| <li><a href="../../html/development/developmentIndex.html">Development of 4diac FORTE and 4diac IDE</a>: |
| If you are a developer or you want to know more deep stuff about 4diac FORTE or 4diac IDE, you'll have fun here.</li> |
| |
| <li><a href="https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/buglist.cgi?list_id=16469727&product=4DIAC&query_format=advanced" target="_blank">File a bug for 4diac FORTE or 4diac IDE</a>: |
| You found a bug? |
| File it here.</li> |
| |
| <li><a href="../../html/faq/faq.html">FAQ</a>: If you have troubles with something, visit the FAQ page.</li> |
| |
| <li><a href="https://www.eclipse.org/forums/index.php?t=thread&frm_id=308" target="_blank">4diac Forum</a>: |
| And if you still have a question or something you want to share, don't forget to participate in the forum.</li> |
| |
| </ul> |
| |
| <h1 id="quickIntro">Quick Intro</h1> |
| |
| <p>4diac IDE is an open source IDE intended for distributed industrial systems. |
| It is also applicable in other areas such as home automation, electrical networks, or wherever you think some automated system is needed. |
| You can "program" an application using Function Blocks and your program will look like the one in image below.</p> |
| |
| <img src="../../html/before4DIAC/img/genericApplication.png" alt="A generic application in IEC61499"/> |
| |
| <p>The same application can run on different devices such as a Raspberry Pi, a PLC or your computer, since the application is independent of the device on which it's running.</p> |
| |
| <p>Note that you can run this application not only in one device, but you can distribute it to many devices, as shown in the picture below.</p> |
| |
| <img src="../../html/before4DIAC/img/iec61499Disitribution.png" alt="Distributing an application"/> |
| |
| <p>Quick reference: each Function Block (FB) is like a normal function that is executed when an event (red incoming line on the left of the FB) arrives. |
| The incoming blue lines are the data inputs (parameters to the function) and the outgoing blue lines are the parameters sent to other FBs |
| (similar to return values, yet they don't always "return" but go forward).</p> |
| |
| <p>This application might not be intended for only one device, but for a whole system with many devices. |
| In that case, some FBs will need to run on one device, and some on others - a distributed system is created. |
| With 4diac IDE you can design your distributed application and deploy it.</p> |
| |
| <p class="goToTop"><a href="#topOfPage">Go to top</a></p> |
| |
| </body> |
| </html> |