About Data Tables

You can store data into the Data Table memory section of your controller, then access the data in accordance with program requirements. They are useful in implementing Program Recipes, a collection of ingredients or values that are used to prepare a batch of product or to perform a specific task.

Data Tables can be used to contain parameters for pre-programmed recipes. Vision controllers can contain up to 120K of Data Tables (RAM); Data Tables (that are marked Part of Project) can take up to 192K (Flash) in V230/260/280/290.

You create tables in VisiLogic, define their structure, then download them to the controller. Data within the tables can be copied and pasted to and from third-party tools such as Excel.

Creating a Data Table

Open the Data Tables editor by clicking the PLC Data Tables on the toolbar, or by selecting it from the Data Tables menu.
Create a table by clicking the Add Table icon, then name the table and define the number of columns and rows.

Note ♦

The grid that appears represents only the table's column and row structure. Each column in the table can contain up to 100 elements, such as MIs.

Define a table's columns by selecting the column, then clicking the Edit button , or by right-clicking and selecting Edit from the Column menu.

Data Table Options

Menu Name	Option
File	Import/Export Data Tables can be exported from an application as . upd files, then imported into any VisiLogic program. When you import the file, you can select to: Add individual tables to the structure. If tables of the same name already exist, the tables are automatically renamed. Delete existing tables and import the new structure. Memory Requirements Displays pie charts that show the amount of memory that will be required by the data tables when the project is downloaded.
Connection	All of the Connection commands require that the PLC be connected to the PC. Read Structure from PLC Imports the structure of the data tables within the PLC into the project. Verify: Tables Structure Compares the table structure in the project to the structure of tables within the PLC. The commands below also require that the table structure in the PLC be identical with the table structure in the current project. Read Range Reads the values of the selected cells from within the PLC data table into the project. Write Range Writes the values of the selected cells from the project data table into the PLC. Read Write Table Reads or write the values of an entire Data Table. Verify Cell Value: by Range Compares the values of the cells in the project to the values within the PLC.
Table	Table options have short-cut buttons on the left side of the Tables pane. Right-clicking the pane also opens the Table menu. Add Table Adds a new data table. Edit Table Enables you to change the name of the data table and the number of rows and columns. Delete Table Deletes the entire table, both values and structure. Duplicate Table Creates a new table, including both the values and the structure of the table being duplicated. Select All Selects the entire table.
Row	Edit Number of Rows Enables you to change the name of the data table and the number of rows and columns. Insert Row Enables you to insert a row at any point in the table. Delete Row Enables you to delete a row from any point in the table. Note ♦ Inserting or deleting a row changes the index number of all successive rows; impacting your data operations.
Column	Set Cell Value Enables you to enter values for a cell or range of cells within a column. Insert Column Inserts a column. Edit Column Enables you to name the column, set a data type for the entire column, define the number of elements held by each cell in the column and make other selections based on the data type that has been assigned to the column. Delete Column Deletes a column.

Column Parameters (Part of Project)

The column structure options change according to the data type selected.

Parameter	Function
Description	Assign a unique name.
Type	A column is assigned to the data type selected. Data types may be directly assigned, or linked via address.
Part of Project, Read-only	Select this to burn the data into the PLC's Flash memory at program download. You can use Part of Project to preserve unchanging data, such as lists of names or recipe data. Recommended column order Select this to burn the data into the PLC's Flash memory: At program download. You can use this to preserve unchanging data, such as lists of names or recipe data. During run-time, to preserve real-time data. In Project Properties, under the General tab, select Enable Write to Flash via Data Table elements. This enables you to use Data Table Ladder elements to store real-time data as explained in the topic Data Table, PLC Operands-Read/Write.
Min/Max	Enables you to set limits for the value of an element in the column.
Format View	Choose between decimal and hexadecimal.
Number of elements	A column can contain a maximum of 100 elements.

Note ♦	Data Tables are based on bytes, not on registers.
♦	Data Table sections that are marked Part of Project: the data are downloaded with the project, and burned into the Flash memory. You can use this feature to preserve certain, unchanging data, such as lists of names or recipe data.
♦	A Data Table marked as Part of Project cannot be copied to an SD card.