System folder versioning and coexistence

[J0hann]

Dear insiders,

Could you guide me on the right way to manage the new (IDE4) System Folder files when I have a single versioned project built on different hardware architectures ?

I explain myself: I have been using DT controllers for a while now (since firmware 1.6, and IDE 2.xxxx). Our company project is versioned using svn and we are trying to stick on one single trunk, avoiding branches at maximum.

Currently, my trunk is built for IDE 3, and we manage the controller and ECAT configuration during the controller boot (we are using UMAC racks, PowerBricks and Etherlites). When IDE 4 came out, I created a branch as this IDE was dedicated to CK3E. The problem is that, with ACONTIS stack, I cannot configure the EtherCAT configuration at boot anymore, directly filling the ECAT[] structure: it must be done using an .xml file and some IDE interactions. Because of this, each of my project having a different EtherCAT drives and/or IO configuration requires a new branch...

The last IDE version, 2.4.1.2 is supposed to deal with all these controllers. Which is great ! I would like to fuse all my projects in a single one. How can I do that ? Is it even possible ?

Thanks in advance !

[J0hann]

Hello all !

I won't detail everything here, because it may be of no interest for most, but I managed to configure one single project compiling and working successfully on UMAC, PowerBrickAC, CK3E (Acontis stack) and Etherlite (Etherlab stack).

Up to IDE3, I used to configure all my controllers using .pmc files at startup. Basically, the new "System" folder of IDE4 can be completely ignore as long as some .pmc files keep configuring the sys, motor and enctable structures, EXCEPT for the EtherCAT folder in Acontis stack. For Etherlab stack, the ECAT structure can still be configured using a .pmc file, but you must go through the new EtherCAT folder/tool of IDE4 if you want to have your EtherCAT network working on a CK3E.

In the end, only the endianess and mounting points defers from UMAC/PowerBrickAC/Etherlite and CK3E, which is quite easy to manage.