Configuring the PROFINET system

PROFINET devices are created under the I/O node using CreateChild. The path to the device's GSDML file is passed as the vInfo parameter. The GSDML file describes the modules available on a device. Modules are created later under the API node of the PROFINET box, with the SubType determining their position in the GSDML module list.

Requirements

A TwinCAT solution is open, and a DTE connection is active.
ITcSysManager was initialized as a COM object in an STA thread.
A PROFINET controller is included in the solution.
A GSDML file for the PROFINET device is available.

SubType overview for PROFINET controllers and devices

To create PROFINET I/O devices – that is, controllers and devices – you can use the CreateChild() method. The SubType specifies the actual device type.

Name	SubType
PROFINET controller (RT)	113
PROFINET controller CCAT (RT)	140
PROFINET controller EL6631 (RT, EtherCAT)	119
PROFINET controller EL6632 (RT + IRT, EtherCAT)	126
PROFINET device (RT)	115
PROFINET device CCAT (RT)	142
PROFINET device CCAT (RT + IRT)	143
PROFINET device EL6631 (RT, EtherCAT)	118

SubType overview for PROFINET boxes

Beckhoff's own PROFINET fieldbus couplers require the following SubTypes:

Device	SubType
BK9102	9125
BK9300	9128
BK6631 / EL6631	9130

C# sample

First, the PROFINET controller is created under the I/O node TIID. Below that is the PROFINET box, whose GSDML path – with the DAP ModId suffix #0x3 – is passed as vInfo. The box's API node is created automatically and accessed via LookupChild("API"). The modules are listed below it along with their slot numbers.

ITcSmTreeItem io = sysManager.LookupTreeItem("TIID");

// Create ProfiNET controller (SubType 113)
ITcSmTreeItem profinetCtrl = io.CreateChild("Profinet Controller", 113, null, null);

// Create ProfiNET box: vInfo = path to GSDML file with DAP-ModId suffix (#0x3)
// Note: Since TC 4026 the default TwinCAT installation path has changed.
// Verify the GSDML path on the target system before use.
ITcSmTreeItem profinetEL6631 = profinetCtrl.CreateChild("EL6631", 9130, null,
    @"C:\TwinCAT\3.1\Config\Io\Profinet\GSDML-V2.31-beckhoff-EL6631-20140508.xml#0x3");

// Look up API node (created automatically)
ITcSmTreeItem api = profinetEL6631.LookupChild("API");

// Remove existing modules (optional: reset configuration)
foreach (ITcSmTreeItem module in api)
    api.DeleteChild(module.Name);

// Add modules with slot number
// SubType = index in <ModuleList> of the GSDML file
// vInfo = slot number as string
ITcSmTreeItem module1 = api.CreateChild("Module_1",  2, "", "2");   // SubType 2, Slot 2
ITcSmTreeItem module2 = api.CreateChild("Module_10", 7, "", "10");  // SubType 7, Slot 10

GSDML path format and BoxFlags

The vInfo parameter when creating a PROFINET box supports an extended format with BoxFlags:

GSDML-Pfad#DAP-ModId#BoxFlags#DAP-Nr
Sample:
C:\TwinCAT\Io\Profinet\GSDML-V2.3-beckhoff-TCPNDevice-20130723.xml#0x01#0#0x03

The following BoxFlags are evaluated:

Name	Value	Description
GENERATE_NAME_FROM_PAB	0x0004	The PROFINET name is generated based on the process image.
GET_STATIONNAME	0x0400	The PROFINET name from the TwinCAT configuration is used (Tree Item name).
SET_NOT_IP_TO_OS	0x4000	CE only: PROFINET IP is not registered in the operating system.

Adding PROFINET submodules

PROFINET submodules can be added below a “PROFINET Modular Module”:

ITcSmTreeItem profinetModularModule = profinetEL6631api.CreateChild("", 98, null, null); // SubType 98 = Modular
ITcSmTreeItem modularModule1 = profinetModularModule.CreateChild("", 12, null, null); // SubType 12 = 8 Byte In-Out
ITcSmTreeItem modularModule2 = profinetModularModule.CreateChild("", 14, null, null); // SubType 14 = 16 Byte Out
ITcSmTreeItem modularModule3 = profinetModularModule.CreateChild("", 31, null, null); // SubType 31 = 8 Word In

	GSDML files must not contain any spaces or comments in the ModuleList. Otherwise, parsing will fail.