Help with scripting automatic conversion to .ZEF format for Unity/Control Expert

[PeterC]

Hello I'm looking into writing a script/tool that automates conversion from different Unity/Control Expert format such as STA, STU to the ZEF file format. 

I've looked into the Unity Developer's Edition, with which you're supposed to be able to build clients that interface with the Unity Pro Server. The documentation seems a little outdated and I'm having trouble understanding where I can find the installer for the Unity Pro Server. It doesn't look like it's available as a download on the Schneider site. 

Would this be the right approach for writing a conversion script, and if so, where can I get the Unity Pro Server installer?

If not, I would like to hear your thoughts on writing such an automated conversion tool. 

[PLC-Easy]

Hello Peter,

From memory, the ZEF format is a ZIP file based on either the STA or STU format.

I am not sure if that is helpful....

Martyn

[BevanWeiss]

The ZEF format is just a zipped set of XML documents I believe.

I've manually hacked at them a bit, and it's a pretty annoying format, just due to configurations for M340 and M580 being so drastically different.  Like two entirely different XML schemas really.

I did have a look at the UDE and didn't make much progress either.  My expectation is that the Unity Pro Server requires a running instance of Unity Pro / ControlExpert.  There's not much knowledge of this UDE platform within Schneider Tech Support however, so trying to get support for it is almost impossible.

I wasn't able to find them myself, but the UDE documentation seems to suggest that the XML schema definitions are included with it somewhere... which might make manipulating the ControlExpert files programmatically possible (although this would only be offline, you'd need to import it back through ControlExpert prior to downloading to a PLC).

If you can get the XSD for the XML files within the ZEF package, then you could use something like XSD (or xsd2) to generate a set of .NET class definitions which you could then use to build up a custom C# or similar application to do the project modifications.

If you make more headway on the pure UDE approach, it would be great if you'd provide some more information on it.  It seemed like a good opportunity as a System Integrator to get standardisation and quality assurance within our developments... but I gave up pretty quickly when I couldn't get their example stuff working.

[Christophe]

Hi,

I have been working with the UDE toolkit many many years ago, so the following indications may not be more valid or accurate.

First, you did not need a separate installation of a special ECE version (EcoStruxure Control Expert) to use the server mode and I don't think that it has changed throughout the years and all the subsequent versions released. As soon as you had the software installed, you were able to use the server mode which is a way to programmatically use the ECE software without using its user interface. So with these toolkit you were capable to create a new project or modify an existing one. Mostly, it was used to populate a project with variable tags or program sections from an external tool.

This toolkit has never been officially distributed "as a product", you could not order it and there was no support, so don't expect to find anyone familiar with this toolkit in the regular tech support services. I remember that it was given for free to partners who were  mostly industrial software vendors who wanted to interoperate with ECE (the name was UnityPro at that time). Eventually, many years ago, it was decided to stop this UDE toolkit that has not been updated for a very loooooong time 🙂

[BevanWeiss]

Do you have a more modern way to automate modifications to ControlExpert project files?

Rockwell Automation provide a document which details the .L5X schema, this allows for a Logix5000 project to be exported as L5X, modified programmatically, and then Imported back in.

I haven't seen any similar documentation around the ControlExpert XML schemas.

[Christophe]

The XML schemas were docummented in the UDE toolkit documentation 

[Benjamin11]

我正在做施耐德PLC的管理程序，可以利用UnityPro的自动化接口

在Excel的VBA环境里，先引用 PSBroker.PServerBroker 对象

Function test()

Dim interfaceVersion As Long

Set oApp = Nothing
Set oPSB = CreateObject("PSBroker.PServerBroker.1")

interfaceVersion = oPSB.interfaceVersion

'开打一个文件
Set oApp = oPSB.OpenApplication("c:\testSTU\lcu5+pc5_20210227.stu")

'oApp.DisplayStart psrHmiReadWrite, sCmdLine
'True是可写参数
Set oProject = oApp.Project(True)
'oProject.Variables.Item(1).

'输出特定格式
Dim ExportOption As Long
ExportOption = psrExportWithConf
oProject.Export "C:\222myExport.zef", ExportOption
oApp.ProjectClose

有其它技术问题可以联系我。

wanpeng8011@gmail.com