Introduction
meiConfig and meiConfigGui are similar utilities that allow a user to download/upload configuration data to/from an MEI motion controller. Whereas, meiConfigGui has a graphical user interface, meiConfig, is a command line application.
These utilities provide a means of configuring the controller using text files. The text files contain symbolic configuration data for MPI objects in a format that is independent of the firmware version. You can get configuration data for MPI objects from controller/flash memory and save it to a text file. Similarly, you can load configuration data for MPI objects from a text file and either set controller RAM or flash memory. Command line arguments to the meiConfig utility make it possible to selectively configure MPI objects. |
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MPI Object Configuration
The term “configuration,” in respect to meiConfigGui, refers to the configuration structures of the MPI objects. For example, the configuration structures for the Axis object are MPIAxisConfig and MEIAxisConfig.
The configuration structures for most objects in the MPI are saved in their entirety. Appendix A shows a table of objects that are supported and the configuration structures and access methods associated with them.
NOTE:
The following MPI object is currently NOT supported by meiConfig: Probe
Why save/restore configuration?
There are several reasons why it is helpful to save and/or restore configuration on a motion controller.
Application Initialization
Often, application initialization requires a great deal of code. Since many of the actions performed during initialization can be handled by meiConfig, it can greatly reduce the amount of setup code required for application initialization.
Multiple Configurations
Application initialization becomes even more complex if there are multiple configurations. In this case, it is common to have multiple configuration files.
Configuration Propagation
Controller configuration can be easily copied from one machine to another using the meiConfigGui.
Simple Access to Configuration
Often, it is necessary to make minor changes to configuration while developing an application. If the configuration attributes are not accessible in Motion Console, then meiConfigGui is the only other option for accessing configuration data.
MPI Library Upgrade
When it is necessary to upgrade to a new version of the MPI, it is helfpul to be able to restore the previous controller configuration (as much as possible). In general, configuration files created using one version of the MPI will be compatible with newer versions of the MPI. The details of how this is accomplished are covered in Appendix B.
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