I'm finally getting around to try to start doing some programming and ran into a couple questions right away...
Is it possible to disable a running Process from a State within that process? So basiclly the goto on the exit of the final state would be "Disable Process". Or maybe even have a win input set to "Shut Down"
Next question was asked back in November, not sure if anything has changed...
Is it possible to have one process start the next process?
Thanks
Ed
Programming questions.
Re: Programming questions.
Yes, when you specify your exit condition, instead of going to a new state, select "Proc Off"ohio-ed wrote: Is it possible to disable a running Process from a State within that process? So basiclly the goto on the exit of the final state would be "Disable Process". Or maybe even have a win input set to "Shut Down"
Not currently. But this is something that I would like to add.ohio-ed wrote: Next question was asked back in November, not sure if anything has changed...
Is it possible to have one process start the next process?
Re: Programming questions.
Found the Proc Off... Thanks.ECC wrote:Yes, when you specify your exit condition, instead of going to a new state, select "Proc Off"ohio-ed wrote: Is it possible to disable a running Process from a State within that process? So basiclly the goto on the exit of the final state would be "Disable Process". Or maybe even have a win input set to "Shut Down"
Not currently. But this is something that I would like to add.ohio-ed wrote: Next question was asked back in November, not sure if anything has changed...
Is it possible to have one process start the next process?
How about the ability to hide Timers, Web User Inputs, DINs on the Main Control screen that are NOT enabled?
Also, how about the ability to store a description or instruction with each state. I think most folks have to have some manual intervention during the process... I know you can have the process pause in a state waiting on an input... How about a box that can say.. "Swap hose A to Connector B", Or "Open MLT Output valve", Or "Add Irish Moss" just so you know what the pause is waiting on and you can add more detail than a 16 character button name.
Just realized that timers are setup per state, but the timer labels are fixed for the process. In other words you can reuse the timer value in different states, 32 timers per process but you only have an option to set 4 timer names per process.
Ed
Re: Programming questions.
That is a great suggestion. I once used a process that had the buttons labeled (short hand style) were labeled CHANGE HOSE, etc... Hit the button to continue on to the next state. I think the other buttons were labeled , MASH, MASH IN, MASH OUT
Re: Programming questions.
I'm finally getting around to programming the BCS and working toward getting away from using it in pure "Manual" mode. As a result, I have plenty of question and I'm sure there will be even more as I proceed.
Should I start a thread for each question, or just continue to append to this thread as they come up?
Until I hear otherwise... I'll just add new questions here... so here's the next scenario / question:
Is there a way to adjust a PID setpoint in a Running Process/State?
I brewed this weekend with the BCS and had 3 processes setup and all went very well. One issue I had however is that I expected my RIM's heater temp to be about 3 degrees higher than my MT temp (I have a probe in the RIMS heater controlling a 1500watt element, and a probe in the MT just monitoring Mash temp). As the mash settled in, the RIMs temp was actually only about 1 degree higher. I did not want stop the process to change the setpoint because I had a timer running on the mash state to exit to the next state so I ended up mashing 2 degrees higher than I planned. I suspect the Rims/MT difference could change depending on the size of the grain billl etc, so I'd like to be able to "nudge" the setpoint without having to re-start the process/state.
Thanks,
Ed
Should I start a thread for each question, or just continue to append to this thread as they come up?
Until I hear otherwise... I'll just add new questions here... so here's the next scenario / question:
Is there a way to adjust a PID setpoint in a Running Process/State?
I brewed this weekend with the BCS and had 3 processes setup and all went very well. One issue I had however is that I expected my RIM's heater temp to be about 3 degrees higher than my MT temp (I have a probe in the RIMS heater controlling a 1500watt element, and a probe in the MT just monitoring Mash temp). As the mash settled in, the RIMs temp was actually only about 1 degree higher. I did not want stop the process to change the setpoint because I had a timer running on the mash state to exit to the next state so I ended up mashing 2 degrees higher than I planned. I suspect the Rims/MT difference could change depending on the size of the grain billl etc, so I'd like to be able to "nudge" the setpoint without having to re-start the process/state.
Thanks,
Ed
Re: Programming questions.
Yes, the Temp Setpoint Adjust page is designed for exactly that reason.
http://www.embeddedcontrolconcepts.com/ ... int_Adjust
http://www.embeddedcontrolconcepts.com/ ... int_Adjust
Re: Programming questions.
Perfect. Thanks.ECC wrote:Yes, the Temp Setpoint Adjust page is designed for exactly that reason.
http://www.embeddedcontrolconcepts.com/ ... int_Adjust
A couple questions about programming the BCS-460...
Is there a tool that can document the processes as programmed?
Or are the cool little flowcharts you make manually generated?
Re: Programming questions.
Those are manually generated using Visio.
Re: Programming questions.
I re-programmed my BCS-460 last night.
I created 4 processes: HLT, Mash, Sparge, and Boil.
The processes are fairly involved and were a pain to program. Programming is very easy, but it is very time consuming and tedious. The need to select from drop downs, click radio buttons and scroll up and down makes it difficult to be consistant. I'd REALLY love a way to see the processes in a readable fashion, rather than having to click through each state and visually inspect just to compare.
For example...
I want three of the four WIN Buttons to be identical in every process;
Win0 = Goto Next State
Win1 = - This button will be process/state specific if needed or blank if not.
Win2 = Restart Process
Win3 = End Process
Also, three exit conditions (0,2,3) should support the three buttons in every state of every process.
I dedicated exit condition 2, to being specific to the state/process (time or temp related).
That is a lot of the exact same stuff that I could not copy and had to select/scroll/click/etc. Then go back multiple times just to confirm consistancy.
I think maybe all the process setup is in the config file? I'm wondering about reading it with excel or something, if it could be broken it into columns just for comparison?
I created 4 processes: HLT, Mash, Sparge, and Boil.
The processes are fairly involved and were a pain to program. Programming is very easy, but it is very time consuming and tedious. The need to select from drop downs, click radio buttons and scroll up and down makes it difficult to be consistant. I'd REALLY love a way to see the processes in a readable fashion, rather than having to click through each state and visually inspect just to compare.
For example...
I want three of the four WIN Buttons to be identical in every process;
Win0 = Goto Next State
Win1 = - This button will be process/state specific if needed or blank if not.
Win2 = Restart Process
Win3 = End Process
Also, three exit conditions (0,2,3) should support the three buttons in every state of every process.
I dedicated exit condition 2, to being specific to the state/process (time or temp related).
That is a lot of the exact same stuff that I could not copy and had to select/scroll/click/etc. Then go back multiple times just to confirm consistancy.
I think maybe all the process setup is in the config file? I'm wondering about reading it with excel or something, if it could be broken it into columns just for comparison?
Re: Programming questions.
Yes, all of the processes are in the config file. Its documented here. Its read out as a comma separated list, so you can read with excel, etc.
One of the features that we're working on is the ability to save/restore a single process, so when that's complete would would be able to create a base process, and then load it into the other process slots and update from there.
Having too much stuff on the screen in the state machine setup page is unfortunately only going to get worse. As new features are added, the page gets bigger. Might be able to hide sections, similar to the Expansion Card Settings on the System Settings page.
One of the features that we're working on is the ability to save/restore a single process, so when that's complete would would be able to create a base process, and then load it into the other process slots and update from there.
Having too much stuff on the screen in the state machine setup page is unfortunately only going to get worse. As new features are added, the page gets bigger. Might be able to hide sections, similar to the Expansion Card Settings on the System Settings page.