CannyLab User Interface

• First time setup
• Main window
• Menu bar
  • File menu
  • Edit menu
  • View menu
  • Device menu
  • Simulator menu
  • Tools menu
  • Help menu
• Toolbars
• Workspace
• Status bar
• Function block panel
• Diagram properties
• Function block search by ordinal number
• Text search
• Application settings
• Controller selection
• Hotkeys
• Error and Warning messages
  • Error messages
    • Save file errors
  • Warning messages

First time setup

When you first launch CannyLab 2.0 or newer, you are presented with a language selection dialog:

If an earlier version of CannyLab was used, you will instead see a settings import dialog:

After the main window is launched, you will see a “Release notes” modal window (a window that needs to be closed in order to access the rest of the program), containing information about changes and additions in this version of CannyLab:

Note: You can also call this window by selecting Help -> Release notes in the menu bar.

Finally, you will see a controller selection window. Different controllers have different registers and overall capabilities, so this is important if you want your diagrams to work correctly. New file.

Main window

The main window is divided into the following sections:

• title bar;
• menu bar;
• toolbars;
• function block panel;
• workspace;
• status bar.

Depending on the current operating mode of the editor, some menu items and panels may be hidden or unavailable.

Menu bar

File menu

File menu contains options for working with CannyLab files.

Edit menu

Edit menu contains options for editing and searching function diagram elements.

View menu

View menu contains options for customizing the appearance of the toolbars, the function block panel and the workspace.

Toggle checkboxes in the «Editor toolbar visibility» window to enable/disable various editor toolbars or their elements.

Note: Lock Toolbar and Customize toolbars options are also available via the context menu when right clicking the toolbar.

Note: Function block panel appearance options are also available via the context menu when right clicking the function block panel.

Device menu

Device menu contains options for working with hardware.

You can set the default option for writing/erasing both the firmware and the function diagram in the respective dialogs. Tick the “Do not ask” checkbox and select the desired option.

Note: This works for other windows with the «Do not ask me again» checkbox.

Simulator menu

Simulator menu contains options used in the software simulation mode.

Tools menu

Tools menu contains service options and CannyLab settings

Set the preferred display language in the Tools -> Language sub-menu.

Note: The checkmark denotes the currently selected language.

To reset CannyLab settings to default select the Restore default settings option in the Tools menu, then confirm your selection in the new dialog box:

Help menu

Help menu contains links to this documentation, as well as information about the program.

Toolbars

Toolbars are used for quick access to the most frequently used CannyLab options.

Desktop Control Panel allows scaling the area of the workspace and changing its dimensions in pixels. To quickly zoom in/out, rotate the mouse wheel while holding down the «Ctrl» button on your keyboard.

Workspace

The workspace is designed to display, edit, and debug function diagrams. The background of the workspace is a grid that facilitates positioning of function diagram elements. To move around the diagram displayed in the workspace, use the vertical and horizontal scroll bars, mouse wheel or arrow keys.

Status bar

The status bar displays:

• the controller for which the current function diagram is designed;
• the status of communication with the controller;
• the presence of system software and function diagram in the connected controller;
• information about controller resources used by the diagram (simulator mode only).

If you hover your mouse cursor over the status bar, you will see a tooltip.

In simulator mode the status bar displays information about the controller resources used by the diagram.

Function block panel

Function block panel contains all block types available for constructing the function diagram. Function blocks in this panel are grouped by their purpose and, depending on display setting, may be presented as either icons or a list. Scroll the function block panel by using the vertical scroll bar or your mouse wheel.

Function block panel display modes:

Diagram properties dialog

Read the properties of the current function diagram by selecting the File -> Properties menu option.

The newly open dialog will display the controller the diagram was developed for, along with the number of function blocks present on the diagram.

Function block search by ordinal number

Access the dialog for searching function blocks by their ordinal number by selecting the Edit → Find block option in the CannyLab menu bar.

Text search dialog

Access the dialog that allows searching by the specified text fragment by choosing “Edit” → “Find…” in the menu bar or by using the Ctrl + F key combination.

If you’ve already used text search in the current session, you can continue searching for the currently entered text fragment by choosing “Edit” → “Find next”/pressing “F3” to find the next occurrence or by choosing “Edit” → “Find previous”/pressing “Shift+F3” to find the previous occurrence.

Beginning with version 2.0 of CannyLab, the text search dialog window has search history, accessible by clicking the drop-down.

You will see the following message if no object matches the entered text fragment:

Application settings

Access the CannyLab settings window by selecting “Tools” → “Settings” in the menu bar.

Settings.

Option	Description
Checking for updates	Select how frequently CannyLab should check for new version releases
Selected Net color	Define the color of a selected network
Associate a *.cfd file type with CannyLab	Associate the .cfd Function diagram file type with this particular install of CannyLab
Default diagram width	Default workspace width (in pixels) for a new file
Default diagram height	Default workspace height(in pixels) for a new file
Default diagram zoom	Default diagram zoom percentage for a new file
Auto adjust zoom on diagram	When enabled attempt to adjust zoom in such a way as to display the entire opening diagram in the workspace every time you open a .cfd file
Port to connect device	Select a COM port for connecting devices that use the RS-232 interface for downloading software. (CANNY 5, CANNY 5 nano, CANNY 5.2, CANNY 5  Duo, CANNY 5.2 Duo)
Default device type	Default device type used when creating a new diagram. Select a specific controller to use it for all new diagrams or select “Ask me every time” to show the “New file” dialog that allows you to select a controller type for new diagrams individually
Diagram optimization when writing to a device	Toggle optimization of diagram code upon uploading it to the device
Prompt for confirmation when overwriting firmware	Display a confirmation dialog when attempting to write firmware to a controller that already has firmware installed
Prompt for confirmation when overwriting diagram	Display a confirmation dialog when attempting to upload a diagram to a controller that already has firmware installed
Prompt for confirmation when erasing firmware	Display a confirmation dialog when attempting to erase firmware from the controller
Prompt for confirmation when erasing diagram	Display a confirmation dialog when attempting to erase a diagram from the controller

Note: You might need to run CannyLab as administrator for the settings to properly save.

Controller selection window

When you first launch CannyLab version 2 or later, or when the setting Default Device Type is set to Ask me every time, you will be presented with a New file window. You will then be able to select the device type you will be developing for.

If you tick the Remember my choice checkbox and then select a device, this window will no longer appear, the Default Device Type option will be set to the selected device and all new diagrams will be made for this device by default.

You can change the Default Device Type option in the settings.

Hotkeys

Error and warning messages

Error messages

The diagram is checked for errors and warnings in the following cases: - manually by selecting the menu bar option Tools -> Diagram Check; - automatically when simulator mode is activated; - automatically when attempting to upload the diagram to the controller via Device -> Diagram -> Write; - automatically whenever the function diagram is saved.

If any errors are detected in the diagram, you are presented with an error message.

The status bar will also contain a notification about the presence of an error:

If you hover your mouse cursor over the error notification, you will get a tooltip containing the last error message received.

In case certain common errors are detected, you will be presented with a special tool to aid you in resolving those errors. For example, if two Composite Blocks have the same name, but different internal diagram contents, you will be shown a “Block conflict” window, containing highlighted differences between the internal function diagrams:

When all errors are resolved and the diagram successfully passes the diagram check without encountering an error, the status bar notification is hidden.

Error message when saving a file

If an error is found when you are saving a function diagram, you will be presented with a modified error message that allows you to cancel the saving process:

Warnings

Unlike errors, warnings let you simulate the diagram or upload it to the controller. They exist to instill best practices for diagram development. You should resolve the warning even though it lets you simulate/upload the diagram, as it could cause problems down the line.

The status bar will also contain a notification about the presence of a warning:

If you hover your mouse cursor over the warning notification, you will get a tooltip containing the last warning message received.

When all errors are resolved and the diagram successfully passes the diagram check without encountering a warning, the status bar notification is hidden.