Overview

The TwinCAT PLC library COMlibV2 supplies function blocks and data structures for serial data communication. The library supports the serial Beckhoff KL6xxx bus terminals, EL60xx EtherCAT terminals, the standard PC COMx interfaces and virtual COM ports.

The library offers blocks for the following functions:

• Sending and receiving byte by byte
• Sending and receiving strings
• Sending and receiving transparent data
• Configuration of the KL6xxx serial bus terminals (baud rate, handshake etc.)
• Operation of the KL6xxx serial bus terminals
• Operation of the EL60xx EtherCAT terminals

All blocks support multiple instances, so that, depending on the processing capacity of the PC, any number of serial interfaces can be operated in parallel.

Note: The pre-product of the TwinCAT PLC library COMlibV2 was the TwinCAT PLC library COMlib.

System requirements for usage with virtual COM ports

with installation >= v2.2.4 available

The installation of the TwinCAT PLC Serial Communication product gives the optional possibility to install an Ads server. This is only needed if virtual COM ports should be used. Otherwise the server should not be installed.

Special system requirements for the usage of the PLC library with virtual COM ports in windows:

• Programming environment:
• XP, XPe, WES, Win7, WES7, Win10
• TwinCAT installation level: TwinCAT PLC or higher
• TwinCAT system version 2.11 Build 1544 or higher
• COMlibV2.lib This PLC library must be integrated in the PLC project.
  (The libraries Standard.lib; TcBase.lib; TcSystem.lib are integrated automatically.)
  Note: Up to version < v2.3.0 of the library COMlibV2.lib only the library Standard.lib was necessary. Now you have to ensure that all three libraries are available !
• Target platform:
• PC or CX (x86, x64): XP, XPe, WES, Win7, WES7, Win10, CE 6.0
• TwinCAT runtime system version 2.10 Build 1340 or higher
• Installation:
• The product installation gives the optional possibility to install the TcAdsSerialCommServer.
• The Ads server has to be installed on the system where the virtual COM port is located.
• If you have CE version, please do the following steps:

Documentation last updated: 11.04.2012