Variable Areas

In Movicon the variables can be mapped in two different data areas, the data area defined 'Shared' and the other defined 'NOT Shared. The 'Shared' data area, to be managed as it was in the previous Movicon version, is subdivides into three variable areas: Input data Area, Output data Area and Internal data Area (Flag). The 'Shared' data area provides each variable with an absolute memory address associated by the programmer. The 'NOT Shared' data area does not provide any such address for variables which is done by Movicon by allocating the variable to an area unaccessible to absolute addresses.

All the Movicon variables can be managed in the program in bit, byte (8 bit), a word (16 bit), doubleword (32 bit), float (32 bit in floating comma), long (64 bit), string or array. Particular variables, called "Structure Variables", are added to these which are real data structures.

All the variables, Input Area, Output Area, Flag Area and Non Shared Area can be exchanged with the field. The only reason that distinction is still made between the three areas for Shared variables is so they can be compatible with old and previous versions.

To avoid overlapping errors of unwanted variables it is advised to always use the 'Not Shared' areas. By doing this you can access to the variable bit using the "VariableName.NumberBit" (for instance typing a text for the '0' bit of the "VAR0001" just type 'VAR0001.0").

When using the "Shared" area, you can create more mapped variables in the same area. This is very handy for setting Word variables used for communicating with the field and 16 bit variables to be used as single items in objects in screens. In this case the Word variable and the Bit variable should be mapped in the same area (ie. Address Word = 0, AddressBit1 = 0.0, AddressBit2 = 0.1, etc). When using this technique you will need to keep in mind that each one of the variables in the mapped shared area (partly or completely) will be put into use in the same area of another variable already in use (therefore, if a Bit variable is put into use, the Word variable will be put into use as well) This behaviiour is valid for standard and array variables but not for structure variable members.