Flash Objects

Introduction

A Flash object manages nonvolatile flash memory on the XMP/ZMP motion controllers. To optimize flash memory, a host-resident flash memory cache is used to provide faster writing performance.

After your application creates a Flash object (using meiFlashCreate), the Flash object then creates a host-resident flash memory cache. meiFlashCreate will create the flash object and initialize an internal (host-resident) cache with a copy of the flash on the board. All Flash functions (with the exception of meiFlashMemoryFromFile) will modify the host resident cache. When you have finished modifying the host resident cache, use meiFlasheMemoriyFromFile(fileName=NULL) to write the host cache data to the board's flash memory. meiFlashMemoryToFile can be used to copy the board's flash to a user specified file. (If the filename is NULL, the data is copied to the host resident cache.) Host resident cache is deleted when meiFlashDelete is called.

Use the meiFlashDataGet/Set methods to move data between your application and the flash cache. Use the meiFlashMemoryToFile and meiFlashMemoryFromFile methods to move data between the flash cache (or file) and the actual flash memory. Typically, your application would:

Create a Flash object [using meiFlashCreate(...)].
Pass the MEIFlash handle to the FlashConfig[Get/Set](...) methods of the objects to be configured (which in turn call the meiFlashData[Get/Set](...) methods).
Write the flash cache to actual flash memory [using meiFlashMemoryFromFile(...)].
Delete the Flash object.

| Error Messages |

Methods

Create, Delete, Validate Methods
	meiFlashCreate	Create Flash object
	meiFlashDelete	Delete Flash object
	meiFlashValidate	Validate Flash object

Configuration and Information Methods
	meiFlashConfigGet	Copy flash config from cache to application memory
	meiFlashConfigSet	Copy flash config from application memory to cache
	meiFlashDataGet	Get count bytes of flash data memory and write them in application memory
	meiFlashDataSet	Set count bytes of flash data memory using application memory

Memory Methods
	meiFlashMemoryFromFileImage
	meiFlashMemoryFromFileType	Write actual flash memory using the binary image contained in filename
	meiFlashMemoryGet	Copy count bytes of flash memory to application memory
	meiFlashMemoryModified	Determine if flash cache has been modified
	meiFlashMemorySet	Copy count bytes of application memory to flash memory
	meiFlashMemoryFromFile	Write actual flash memory to cache or to file
	meiFlashMemoryToFile	Save actual flash memory to cache or to file
	meiFlashMemoryVerify

Relational Methods
	meiFlashControl	Return handle of Control that is associated with Flash

Data Types

	MEIFlashConfig
	MEIFlashFileMaxNameChars
	MEIFlashFileMaxChars
	MEIFlashFileMaxPathChars
	MEIFlashFiles
	MEIFlashFileType
	MEIFlashMessage
	MEIFlashSection