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To use easysimulator – Watlow Silver Series User Manual

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Simulator Mode

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2. Click Online-Simulator. The Open Project dialog box appears.

3. Click on the compiled project file that you wish to simulate.

4. Click Open. The simulation screen appears.

5. To end on-line simulation, right click in the simulation screen and click Exit.

The above method will work with a standard PC serial COM port, regardless of the COM number assigned to

the PC serial port. EasyBuilder supports RS232 communication on ports COM1 – COM9. COM4 and higher are

intended for use with online simulation only, since the HMI itself only supports RS232 communication on

COM1 – COM3.

If simulating with RS422 or RS485 communication, the PC will require some mechanism to support

RS422/485. A communication card can be installed in the PC, a USB communications module can be used, or

an external RS232-to-RS485 converter can be used. In any case, a standard Maple Systems cable may not

work.

If simulating a project using Ethernet communications, an Ethernet cable between the PC and the PLC/controller is

needed. Consult the PLC/controller documentation for details.

To use EasySimulator

Online or offline simulation can be initiated without having to open EasyBuilder-5000 or Project Manager by using

EasySimulator. EasySimulator is located in the same folder as EasyBuilder and Project Manager

(C:\MapleSystems\EZ5000\EasySimulator.exe). If you have installed the EZware-5000 Downloader, it is located at

C:\MapleSystems\EZ5000Util\EasySimulator.exe.

When EasySimulator starts, it reads the file “XOB_POS.def,” which is also located in the same folder as EasySimulator.

This definition file determines whether to run offline or online simulation, the location of the com.exe and gui.exe

files, and the location and name of the *.xob file to simulate. The following are the default settings for the

XOB_POS.def file:

// mode – 0: offline, 1: online

“0”

// directory containing com.exe and gui.exe

“c:\MapleSystems\EZ5000Util

// xob file

“c:\MapleSystems\EZ5000Util\HMI5056TDemo.xob”

Edit the XOB_POS.def file in a text editor such as Notepad. See Technical Note 5053, “Using EasySimulator” for more

information.

Now that you are familiar with using simulation mode, the next chapter guides you through the fundamental

operation of three primary segments of the EZware-5000 configuration software.

1010-1007, Rev. 10