In order to start Library building in CoDeSys we need to create a Library project
Project Creation
To create project Open CoDeSys IDE and got to
Step1: File-->New Project
Step2: Select Type of Library you want to create
Step3:Add Project Information by going to Project-->Project Information
Step4:Fill the details in the Summary Tab of Project Information
Summary Tab: will have all the details of Project Information
Mandatory Items are Highlighted in Bold without which it will not allow to install the library
Properties Tab : This tab is used to add any new custom properties in Project Information
Statistics Tab: it will provide details of data of project i.e. Number of folder , POU Project information etc.
Licensing Tab: In this Tab we set Licensing rule for the library, which means The compiled library is licensed and can not be used without License dongle
we need to perform below steps
Contacting 3S (store@codesys.com) in order to get firm-code, product code and a license for those
Entering these values in the form “Licensing” in the Project Information of the library
Saving the library as “compiled-library” (only possible, if the CODESYS Security Key with the above mentioned license is available on the computer on which the library gets created)
detailed description can be found in Link
Note: This features works only with Compiled Libraries
Step5: Once all the details of project information is filled we can generate Library in two ways
1.Non Compiled Library
By Clicking on the icon
by going to File-->Save Project and Install into Library Repository
Note: In above option Library will get Installed automatically in Local repository
2.Compiled Library : This library needs to be installed and can be distributed
going to File-->Save Project as Compiled Library
Once the Compiled Library is generated we need to install it into the project Library local Repository
Step6: Install Library in the Library repository
Open an Existing Project or Create a new project
Open Library Manager by double clicking it
Click on the Library Repository a new popup will open
Click on install
Browse for Compiled Library-->Select the Library--> click on Open
Library will get installed
Installed Library Tree Structure
with above steps Library will get installed into Local Library Repository
based on the library categories it will go into Tree structure otherwise it will go in Miscellaneous tree structure
To Uninstall any library
Select the version and click on Uninstall
Adding Library in Project
Select Library to Add and Click OK
Getting Details of Library : Released vs UnReleased
Select Library & Click on Details
Click on More to get Release Details
If Library is Released the Property Released =True
How to Use Library Categories
In order to put the Library in custom defined structure we need to define Library categories which will create a defined structure and put the library into same
Below steps needs to be followed to define Library Categories
Step1: CoDeSys provide default Example when we install CoDeSys IDE which can be found at location
"C:\Program Files\CODESYS 3.5.xx.xx\CODESYS\Templates\Library_Template\LibraryCategoryBase.libcat"
xx=Codesys Version
With help of this file we can create our own custom libcat
Below is an example
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<LibraryCategories xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="LibraryCategories.xsd">
<!-- Jugaadtech -->
<LibraryCategory>
<Id>799BFEAA-109B-4CC5-A5E6-7A4D552CEEA4</Id>
<Version>1.0.0.0</Version>
<DefaultName>Jugaadtech</DefaultName>
</LibraryCategory>
</LibraryCategories>
For Sub Categories in existing library example
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<LibraryCategories xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="LibraryCategories.xsd">
<!-- Jugaadtech -->
<LibraryCategory>
<Id>799BFEAA-109B-4CC5-A5E6-7A4D552CEEA4</Id>
<Version>1.0.0.0</Version>
<DefaultName>Jugaadtech</DefaultName>
</LibraryCategory>
<!-- Jugaadtech/TestLib -->
<LibraryCategory>
<Id>883D5913-7DF7-4910-A50D-574E2EAF815C</Id>
<Version>1.0.0.0</Version>
<ParentCategory>
<!-- Jugaadtech -->
<Id>799BFEAA-109B-4CC5-A5E6-7A4D552CEEA4</Id>
</ParentCategory>
<DefaultName>TestLib</DefaultName>
</LibraryCategory>
</LibraryCategories><Id></Id> --> This is GUID which we need to create using GUID tool Generator
search in google any GUID tool generator is ok to use example GUID TOOL LINK
Step2: After creating the file add it into Project Information
Double click on Project Information
Project Information pop up will open click on the three dots (...) button
Once three dots button is clicked Library Categories Pop up will open click on the Add button
To add from Librarycategories file select "From Description File"
Browse the file with extension of *.libcat and click on Open
Based on the definition in the file options with check box checked will be shown Select the option and click OK
Library categories will get added in Project Information once OK is Clicked
Click on Ok to close the pop up and save the project and generate the Library
in this way we can generate the Library categories for custom Library
Automate Generation of Library Categories using Python
Getting GUID of existing Library some time is tricky in that case we can use Python Automation to get all the GUID and then Library categories can also be generated automatically using Python Script
below are python the Scripts i have created for above manual example. copy and save it in .py file and run using
To get GUID of Libraries:
from System import Guid
for library in librarymanager.categories:
print("Library: {} V{} Guid {}".format(library.name, library.version, library.guid))To add the Library "change the GUID based on library guid number"
from System import Guid
Jugaadtech = librarymanager.get_category(Guid("799bfeaa-109b-4cc5-a5e6-7a4d552ceea4"))
assert(Jugaadtech is not None, 'category does not exist')
print("Guid of Jugaadtech library category: " + str(Jugaadtech.guid))
info = projects.primary.get_project_info()
assert(info is not None, 'No project info')
libcat = info.categories
print(str(libcat))
if Jugaadtech not in libcat:
libcat.Add(Jugaadtech)
print('Added library category')
print("Found lib categories:")
for lib in libcat:
print(lib.name)Documentation in Codesys Library
Basic Text Documentation:
Library can be documented in CoDeSys by writing the text at different level
Project Information: All the details filled in the Project information will be treated as a documentation for Library Information ,
POU/DUT/STRUCT : Any Comment defined before the declaration of POU,DUT,Struct etc. will be shown in Documentation , Any Comment made for Variable will be shown in documentation of Variable
While checking Documentation it will appear as shown below
Folder Documentation: Description defined in the Documentation tab of the "Properties" of folder will be shown as Folder documentation
As shown below
Using reStructureText
Step1: LibDoc Tool needs to installed
Step2: Add Custom variable in Project Information
Click on Add to get it added
Save the project and Compile the library
The Project where library is getting installed user needs to restart the CoDeSys IDE
Same Documentation will be shown with more advance options of link of objects used and navigation will be enabled automatically
