Selecting and attaching a controller, 2 selecting and attaching a controller – Nematron Pointe Controller User Manual

Page 187

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Pointe Controller User Guide

Chapter 6: Downloading to the Controller

185

6.2

Selecting and Attaching a Controller

PCM can interact with any Pointe Controller unit on the local Ethernet network.
However, PCM launches in a blank state and must establish an exclusive
connection with a specific controller in order for this interaction to occur.
Establishing this connection is called “attaching to the controller.

To select and attach a controller:

1. Click the Controller drop-down menu. The menu will list all of the Pointe

Controller units that are available on your network. If no controllers are
listed, make sure both your target controller and your PC are attached to
the same Ethernet network.

2. Select your target controller from the menu. PCM will immediately

attempt to attach the controller.

It may take several moments for PCM to successfully attach the controller. This
delay occurs as PCM checks to see if a project is already loaded on the controller
and, if there is, to secure the corresponding source code for debugging. (For more
information, see “

Viewing and debugging charts

” on page 205.)

NOTE: If PCM cannot attach the target controller, because of either
communication problems or extreme load, then you will be alerted to the failure
and an error message will be logged in the

Console tab

. If the problem persists,

you should reset the controller as described on page 230.

Once PCM has attached to the target controller, the control panel will be
updated to reflect the current state of the controller:

If no project is loaded on the controller, then the Current project field
will remain empty and the Project to (re)load menu will become
enabled. The Start, Stop, and Reset buttons will be disabled. From here,
you can proceed with

loading

a project onto the controller.

If a project is loaded but not running, then project will be displayed in the
Current project field and the Start and Reset buttons will become
enabled. From here, you can proceed with either

starting

the loaded

project or

loading

a different one.

If a project is loaded and running, then the project will be displayed in
the Current project field and the Stop button will become enabled.
Also, the tabbed displays at the bottom of the window will show the
status of the project. From here, you can proceed with either

monitoring

the running project or

stopping

it.

NOTE: If a password has been set on a Pointe Controller unit, then you must
match that password in PCM before you can attach the controller. If you do not,
you will receive an error message when you attempt to attach. For more
information, see “

Assigning a password to the controller

” on page 190.

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