Creating and Editing a Program

Logon in "Program Mode" and select the "Program View" tab. The current program running on the ICON to which you are connected appears in the white space and begins with "Module Loop 1." If you are turning it on for the first time, the default program is called icon.icn and is a program skeleton with the following components: Module Loop 1, Module Loop 2, Module Loop 3, Module Loop 4 and Module End. These modules cannot be deleted, copied or moved. Module Loops 1-4 execute within the time specified under "System Parameter Config". Higher numbered loops cannot execute faster than lower number loops. Loop 1 is the fastest, Loop 2 next, etc. Module End simply marks the end of the program.

Use the up and down arrow keys (one line at a time), shift arrow keys (one module at a time), Ctrl arrow keys (one line at a time making the new line the display top), the Page Up/Down keys (page at a time) and the Home/End keys to navigate through your program. You may also click to select a line in the program. Clicking the "Log off" button in the upper right disconnects the browser from the ICON.

Right Click Functions
Right click anywhere on the program and a menu of the following functions appear. The shortcut keys for each are in parentheses next to each function. Simply press Ctrl plus the key.

Insert (Insert key)
Allows you to place an instruction or module after the line in the program that is highlighted. A dialog box allows you to caption the module or instruction you are about to insert.

NOTE: the program automatically inserts the type of instruction such as "Expression" or the word "Module" if you are inserting a module as the first line of the description. So if you type "Module 1" in the description, you will see "Module Module 1" in your program. So try to be more descriptive in naming. Next, select which type of instruction you want from the drop-down list. Some of the instructions have another blank to fill in such as the number of expressions in an expression instruction.

Copy/Delete/Move (C/Delete key/V)
Allows you to copy/delete/move one or more instructions or modules. First, mark the beginning and end of the section you want to work with. Do this by highlighting the first instruction, pressing Ctrl B (or right click and select "Block Start"). Then highlight the last instruction and hit Ctrl E (or right click and select "Block End"). Notice "Start Block" and "End Block" displayed at the bottom left of the screen. Now position the cursor (highlight) where you want to copy/move to. Remember, the section will be placed after the highlighted line. If delete is the desired function cursor position doesn’t matter.

NOTE: Instructions can be moved or copied from one module to another. But a module may not be moved or copied into another module. To select a module you only need to mark the first module instruction with start and end. All instructions will be copied in the module. You can copy multiple modules by selecting the first and last module instructions.

Extract Module (X)
Allows you to extract a module from a program saved on the ICON flash disk. Click to select the instruction after which you want this new module to be inserted. Select the icon program file name on flash disk and click OK. Click to select the desired module name and click OK.

Recaption (R)
Allows you to change the caption (description) for the instruction or module highlighted.

Load (O)
Allows you to load a saved program onto the ICON.
NOTE: As soon as a program is loaded, it begins executing.

Save (S)
Allows you to name your currently displayed (and executing) program and save it on the ICON. Multiple programs can be stored on the ICON.
NOTE: Program save and load all happen directly on the ICON, not on your interface machine. The ICON loads the default program, icon.icn, upon initial start-up and after a power failure. You should re-name your primary program icon.icn so that it will execute after a power failure.

New Program (N)
Presents you with a new skeleton program with Module Loops 1-4 and Module End.

Loop Position (L)
Enter the number (1-4) of the loop you want to jump to. This function is useful when working with long programs.

Instruction Position (I)
This skips to the next instruction type that you enter. If you enter "Modbus" it will search until it finds the next Modbus instruction.

Variable Position (A)
This skips to the next instruction that contains the variable name you enter. You need not enter the entire name, only enough unique characters to select what you are looking for. You may prefix with – to search backwards.

Caption Position (P)
This skips to the next instruction that contains the caption you enter. You need not enter the entire caption, only enough unique characters to select what you are looking for. You may prefix with – to search backwards.

Transfer HMI Objects (T)
This function allows you to copy the entire HMI for a module into another module. First, select the module you wish to copy from, perform a Block Start on that module (Ctrl B). Then highlight the module you want to copy to and select Transfer HMI Objects (Ctrl T). All HMI objects on the copy to module are deleted before copying from the start module.

Delete HMI Objects (D)
This function deletes all the HMI objects in the selected module. Highlight the desired module or any instruction within that module and perform Delete HMI Objects.

HMI Window Color (H)
This function allows you to select a window color and apply it to all HMI windows.

Refresh (F)
Redraw the program display screen.

How to Print Frames for Documentation
You may capture any frame for printing under windows. Make sure the frame you want to capture is selected (click on the title bar.) Then press the <Alt> and <Print Screen> keys simultaneously to capture the image to the clip board. Now paste into Microsoft Word or Netscape Composer (or other windows program with the ability to process images). From here you can resize and print.