Step 2.1: Decide Whether Your Library Should Be Forward Compatible

Overview

When creating your own library, you can decide in the New Project dialog box whether the library should be forward compatible or not (refer to the New Project section of the EcoStruxure Machine Expert online help).

You can also make an existing library forward compatible.

Set the attribute ForwardCompatibleLibrary in the Project Information of your library project to create your own forward compatible library. For further details, refer to the procedure below.

NOTE: Setting the ForwardCompatibleLibrary key means that your library and its subsequent versions meet the following requirements:

The functionality of a previous version is available in a later version.
The POUs of the previous versions are available.
The behavior of the POUs is identical in the previous and the later versions of your library.
The visibility of the POUs of the previous version is equal or greater than in the later version.
Names and data types of your inputs and outputs are unchanged in the different versions.

NOTE: If the library project includes a device that does not meet the version constraints, the Update Project dialog box will be displayed each time the project is opened.

Additionally, an optional attribute (MinimumControllerFirmware) can be set if a device dependency exists. The attribute indicates the necessary minimum firmware version for the supported controllers. It is necessary if a library uses POUs from another library that is referenced as a placeholder and the placeholder resolution is not a forward compatible library.

The MinimumControllerFirmware attribute consists of a manufacturer and device identification number, as well as the necessary minimum firmware version.

Procedure

NOTE: The following procedure describes the steps that are necessary for creating a forward compatible library.

Step	Action
1	In the menu Project > Project Information open the Project Information dialog box, select the Properties tab, and enter or choose the following entries: Key field: ForwardCompatibleLibrary Type field: Boolean Value field: True
2	Click Add for adding the key to the Project Information of your library.
3	If required, also add the optional attribute MinimumControllerFirmware. In the File Project > Project Information enter or choose the following entries: Key field: MinimumControllerFirmware Type field: Text Value field: device category “/” vendor and device id “/” version, for example 4096/1003 0082/1.33.2.0 If several devices shall be considered in the MinimumControllerFirmware attribute, then the identification numbers have to be entered into the Value field together, separated with a \|. For example: 4096/1003 0082/1.33.2.0\|4096/1003 009D/1.35.1.1

Step

Action

In the menu Project > Project Information open the Project Information dialog box, select the Properties tab, and enter or choose the following entries:

Key field: ForwardCompatibleLibrary
Type field: Boolean
Value field: True

Click Add for adding the key to the Project Information of your library.

If required, also add the optional attribute MinimumControllerFirmware.

In the File Project > Project Information enter or choose the following entries:

Key field: MinimumControllerFirmware
Type field: Text
Value field: device category “/” vendor and device id “/” version, for example 4096/1003 0082/1.33.2.0

If several devices shall be considered in the MinimumControllerFirmware attribute, then the identification numbers have to be entered into the Value field together, separated with a |.

For example:

4096/1003 0082/1.33.2.0|4096/1003 009D/1.35.1.1