How to store large amounts of data

[motionusa]

I have an application where I'm using a recipe system. With this recipe system, there are 5,000 recipes with 2 values for each recipe (10,000 total) I'm interested in storing on the Turbo Geobrick. Is there a way to store values like this besides just storing them in individual variables? I know with the Power series I could use a C program to dump the information into a file and just parse that file when I need to. Not sure if I have any options for Turbo though.

[steve.milici]

Setup an array in the PMAC User Buffer. Use the “SIZE” command to determine if you have enough available memory.

 

If your values are in the range of a 24 bit integer you could set aside 5000 words in the user buffer and put each pair in the respective X and Y addresses:

DEFINE UBUFFER 5000

 

Or, if you need floating point range then set aside 10000 words as this type in PMAC uses all 48 bits:

DEFINE UBUFFER 10000

 

You can then use the technique of M-variable indirect addressing to load and access the array. See the section “Use for Indirect Addressing” in the “Turbo PMAC User Manual” starting on page 247

[motionusa]

Thanks Steve. Can there only be one user buffer? I ask because I'm already using one for modbus communication. If I define a new UBuffer, would it write over my current one or would it append to it? If I were to use one UBuffer for both modbus and recipes (presumably by just defining the UBuffer to be 10000 words larger than it currently is), would that necessarily mess up my current modbus configuration? Certain motion programs I am using reference specific m-variables within the modbus UBuffer already.

[steve.milici]

There is only one user buffer. When you make it bigger your original modbus setting will remain in the same locations at the end of the buffer. The Modbus configuration and I/O buffer is in the last 256 words of the defined PMAC UBUF. You will start using the new buffer after the modbus area. You can save just your current modbus settings with the modbus setup screen’s “Save to File” button.