MachineApps Workspace

Use the MachineApps workspace in Automation1 Studio to design and manage MachineApps on an Automation1 controller.

Optional Purchase Necessary: To use the MachineApps workspace in Automation1 Studio, you must purchase the MachineApps license as part of the Automation1-MDK. To launch MachineApps from an Automation1 PC-based or drive-based controller, you must purchase the MachineApps license as part of the Automation1-iSMC. Contact your Aerotech sales representative to speak about your licensing needs.

The MachineApps workspace includes the MachineApp Builder module. The Manage view of the module shows information about the MachineApps and Custom Modules on your controller.

MachineApps

You can launch active MachineApps from the MachineApps Launchpad in the Automation1 MachineApps application. MachineApps are only active and available to users when you activate them in the MachineApps workspace. The active or inactive state of a MachineApp does not change when you edit and save a MachineApp.

To create or edit a MachineApp, use the layout area in the MachineApp Builder module. Drag modules from the Design drawer and drop them onto the layout to add them to the MachineApp. After you add a module, you can edit its configurations. For example, you can specify which axes the Jog Pad module shows, or you can specify what buttons are included in the Buttons & Indicators module. You can also give the MachineApp a name, specify an icon for that MachineApp, and change other settings. You can also specify if the MachineApp should register for Application Message and Application Frequency Response callbacks.

Tip: By default, Automation1 Studio and Automation1 MachineApps try to register for Application Message and Application Frequency Response callbacks. The first application that registers will get the callbacks. The next application that tries to register will get an error. You can change the default behavior of Automation1 Studio in Settings. You can change the default behavior of a MachineApp in the MachineApps workspace in Automation1 Studio.

To close the MachineApp and return to the Manage screen, save the MachineApp (if desired) and click the X in the toolbar next to the name of the MachineApp.

Custom Modules

In addition to the provided modules, you can also create Custom Modules to use in your MachineApps. Custom Modules are written in the C# programming language and uploaded to your controller so you can use them in MachineApps.

After you select a Custom Modules working directory, the MachineApp Builder module will monitor that directory. You can create modules and make changes to them in the working directory. Then you can upload the full directory contents as your Custom Modules configuration. Studio does not make changes to the files in your working directory.

After your Custom Modules configuration is uploaded to the controller, you can drag and drop your Custom Modules into a MachineApp just like the provided modules. See the Custom Modules page for more information.

Use the MachineApp Builder module to:

  • Create a new MachineApp
  • Edit a MachineApp
  • Activate a MachineApp
  • Deactivate a MachineApp
  • Delete a MachineApp
  • Configure MachineApp Launchpad branding
  • Manage your Custom Modules working directory
  • Upload a Custom Modules configuration
  • Clear a Custom Modules configuration
  1. Open Automation1 Studio and select the MachineApps workspace tab.
  2. In the MachineApp Builder module, select the MachineApps tab.
  3. Click the New MachineApp button. The New MachineApp dialog comes into view.
  4. Select a Layout for the MachineApp. There are eight layouts that you can choose from that have one to four primary modules.
  5. Select the Secondary module regions (Left, Right, Top, and Bottom) that you want to include.
  6. Click OK to close the dialog and create the MachineApp.
  1. Open Automation1 Studio and select the MachineApps workspace tab.
  2. In the MachineApp Builder module, select the MachineApps tab.
  3. In the Active or Inactive table, click the … menu for the MachineApp you want to edit and select Edit.
  4. Select the Modules tab in the Design drawer. Click and drag modules into regions. You can only put Primary modules into Primary module regions, and you can only put Secondary modules into Secondary module regions.
  5. Click the pencil icon to edit the configuration of a module. The Edit Module Configuration dialog comes into view and shows what you can configure for that module. After you configure the module, click OK to close the dialog.
  6. (Optional) If you want to replace a module you added to the layout with a different module, do the steps that follow:
    1. Click the trashcan icon on the module that you want to replace. This clears that region on the layout.
    2. Click and drag the new module from the Modules tab in the Design drawer.
  7. Use the Properties tab in the Design drawer to give the MachineApp a name, specify an icon for the MachineApp, and change other display, application, and controller settings. You can also change the layout of the MachineApp.
  8. Click Save to save the MachineApp to the Automation1 controller.
  9. Click the X next to the MachineApp name in the toolbar to close the MachineApp and go back to the Manage screen.
  1. Open Automation1 Studio and select the MachineApps workspace tab.
  2. In the MachineApp Builder module, select the MachineApps tab.
  3. Do one of the steps that follow:
    1. In the Inactive table on the Manage screen of the MachineApp Builder module, click the … menu for the MachineApp you want to activate and choose Activate.
    2. When you edit a MachineApp, click the Activate button after you click the Save button.
  4. In the Manage screen of the MachineApp Builder module, the MachineApp moves from the Inactive table to the Active table. The MachineApp is now available to launch from the MachineApps Launchpad in the Automation1 MachineApps application.
  1. Open Automation1 Studio and select the MachineApps workspace tab.
  2. In the MachineApp Builder module, select the MachineApps tab.
  3. In the Active table on the Manage screen of the MachineApp Builder module, click the … menu for the MachineApp that you want to deactivate and select Deactivate.
  4. The MachineApp moves from the Active table to the Inactive table. The MachineApp is no longer available to launch from the MachineApps Launchpad in the Automation1 MachineApps application.
  1. Open Automation1 Studio and select the MachineApps workspace tab.
  2. In the MachineApp Builder module, select the MachineApps tab.
  3. In the Active or Inactive table, click the … menu for the MachineApp you want to delete and select Delete. The MachineApp is now deleted from the Automation1 controller.
  1. Open Automation1 Studio and select the MachineApps workspace tab.
  2. In the MachineApp Builder module, select the MachineApps tab.
  3. Click Launchpad Branding in the upper-right part of the application. The Launchpad Branding dialog comes into view.
  4. Enter a Title for the Launchpad.
  5. Select an Icon for the Launchpad. You can choose the default icon or you can upload an icon (.ico format) from your PC by clicking ... next to the current icon.
  6. Select a Background for the Launchpad. You can choose a solid color or a background image from your PC.
  7. Click Save to save the Launchpad branding to the Automation1 controller.

IMPORTANT: When you customize the branding of the Launchpad, the name and icon of the Windows shortcut to the MachineApps application does not automatically update. You must manually create a new shortcut to the MachineApps application with the custom name and icon.

  1. Open Automation1Studio and select the MachineApps workspace tab.
  2. In the MachineApp Builder module, select the Custom Modules tab.
  3. On the bottom-right part of the application, click the pencil icon. A dialog where you can open a directory comes into view.
  4. Select the directory where you put your Custom Modules configuration.
  5. Click Open.
  1. Open Automation1Studio and select the MachineApps workspace tab.
  2. In the MachineApp Builder module, select the Custom Modules tab.
  3. On the bottom-right part of the application, click the trash can icon. At this time, you do not have a Custom Modules working directory selected. This operation does not make changes to the directory.
  1. Open Automation1Studio and select the MachineApps workspace tab.
  2. In the MachineApp Builder module, select the Custom Modules tab.
  3. To look at the changes that will be applied to the Custom Modules configuration after you upload it, click View Pending Changes. These changes will make the Custom Modules configuration that is loaded on the controller the same as the Custom Modules configuration that is in your Custom Modules working directory.
  4. Click Upload. If there are warnings about the configuration that you are uploading, the Confirm Upload dialog comes into view. Click Cancel to cancel the upload or click Upload to continue.
  5. If you clicked Upload, your Custom Modules configuration is uploaded and available for you to use.
  1. Open Automation1Studio and select the MachineApps workspace tab.
  2. In the MachineApp Builder module, select the Custom Modules tab.
  3. Click Clear Configuration. A Clear Custom Modules Configuration dialog comes into view. Click Yes to clear your configuration. At this time, your Custom Modules configuration is cleared. This operation removes the full Custom Modules configuration from the controller, but it does not have an effect on your Custom Modules working directory.