Recipe management

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The variables in the <recipe> worksheet (MyRecipe.TXT file) define the process variables required for a recipe in the form of name, type and value. The default recipe MyRecipe.TXT contains the default values for the specified variables (value=default value). The recipe variables are normally created as global objects (see also global objects) and initialized with the default values. Any change in a recipe variable is monitored, and the modified values are stored retentively in the ACTUAL.XMLA file. The next time that EPAM is started, the current variable values are therefore reloaded and also transferred to the PLC (default). This procedure can be modified using the different options.

 

Several recipe objects with different recipe types (Type) can be defined. For example, recipes for product-specific settings and machine-specific configurations can be managed separately.

 

Creating the recipe directories

Recipes are stored in directories for specific recipe types. The specific directories for MyRecipe recipe types are automatically created in the EPAM recipe directory PATH_REC.

Example

Recipe type MyType1 in directory PATH_REC\MyType1\

Recipe type MyType2 in directory PATH_REC\MyType2\

 

Loading a recipe

Recipes are stored with the file extension *.XML. The /S/APP/Recipe[<type>].file system variable can be used for entering the file name of an existing recipe file (*.XML) (without file extension). The Recipe:[<type>].load action is used to load the variable values of the recipe file defined by /S/APP/Recipe[<type>].file.

 

The #RecipeList object offers a more user-friendly option. This enables a recipe to be selected and loaded from a list of existing recipe files using the RecipeList:load action

 

 

Saving a recipe

Specifying a file name in the system variable /S/APP/Recipe[<type>].file and an optional recipe type (system variable /S/APP/Recipe[<type>].name), as well as using the Recipe:[<type>].save action enables the current values of the recipe variables to be stored in a new recipe file (*.XML). Existing files are overwritten.

 

Recipes can also be saved using the #RecipeList object. The Recipe:[<type>].csave action initiates a prompt whether the file already exists. In this case, the screen page that is defined in the recipe object concerned is called.

 

Creating a recipe in EXCEL

The Recipe worksheet enables user-specific recipes to be defined in EXCEL starting from column D and automatically generated with Build. The following entries can be made for this from column D:

Cell D1: Name of the recipe file without extension

Cell D2: Comment

Cell D3: Recipe name #Recipe=myName

From cell D4: Recipe values corresponding to the defined recipe variables (same as for Value column)

 

Displaying recipe files with a XML Viewer

Since recipe files are saved as XML files, recipe files may be displayed with a common XML viewer or editor. The formatting  of the recipe file may be controlled by a XSL stylesheet. The name of the XSL stylesheet must match the name of the recipe type.

 

See also

#RecipeListobject
Recipe actions
RecipeList actions