The following describes various scenarios that could occur when handling modules subject to license. Actions are presented that you must complete to purchase or use license points.
Using License Points Already Available
This description assumes that you already have a sufficient number of license points to use the modules subject to license. In this case, you can use the modules with no restrictions and without completing any other actions. In the PLC configuration of the toolkit, the user can get an overview of the available and used licenses at any time. For this purpose, in parameters License_1 ... License_10 information on the modules currently used that use licenses.
Insufficient License Points or No License Points
If there are insufficient or no points available in the PacDriveTM system, you have the possibility of evaluating the POUs subject to license for six hours.
As soon as a POU requests more points that are available in the system at this time, the evaluation phase is started, and a six-hour timer is started. The user is notified by an entry in the message logger and an error that can be acknowledged (diagnostic message 8331 “Licensing”: “Timeout start”).
The PLC configuration of shows that the timeout has been activated and how long the actual remaining time is before the Sercos bus is shut down. The function blocks that have attempted to request license points without success is marked in the controller configuration with (parameter License_1...License_10) with the prefix "Eval.". The top module is the timeout trigger.
When you develop a project, you can work with fully functional modules in six-hour segments as many times as you like. If the timer is started, the entire controller must be reset after six hours at the latest. Once the timer is started, only resetting the system can stop it. After restarting, the remaining time starts over again. You can use the display in to calculate how many points are required to use your project without restrictions. There are two possibilities to obtain the required license points.
