2 Visual Components Manuals

Introduction to Visual Components 2.3
4.2.3 Getting Started with the VISAPI Programming Interface
This section contains an introduction to the Visual Components programming interface. Using this interface,
many interesting additions can be created which cannot be configured using the Visual Components editor (i.e.
trend).
Interface functions are called using either functions or function blocks. Calling methods depend on which
programming language is used. Our examples, which are written in C and Automation Basic, use functions.
This section is for new users of the Visual Components programming interface and contains basic steps for
interface "start−up", including simple function calls which execute character functions.
Knowledge of Automation Basic or the C programming language is necessary in this section. If you do not
possess this knowledge, please refer to the corresponding section of the Automation Studio documentation.
These are the individual steps of the application example:
1. Inserting a Visapi Library
2. Inserting a Cyclic Task
3a. C Example Part 1
3a. C Example Part 2
3b. Automation Basic Example
4.2.3.1 Visapi − Tutorial − Inserting the Visapi Library
The Visapi interface is integrated as a library in the Automation Software. The Library Manager must therefore
be opened first to insert the Visapi library into your project.
To do this, click on Open in the menu bar and select Library Manager from the menu.
The Library Manager window appears on the screen. The 'runtime' library is already visible in the library tree.
This is the standard library inserted in each Automation Studio project. Now the necessary Visapi library must be
inserted into the existing library list.
To do this, click on the Insert menu and select the Library entry.
4.2.3 Getting Started with the VISAPI Programming Interface 263