Flex32 is now totally free,

just call Colter for an installation code

Flex32 is a comprehensive software development package for the Colter FMT and BIS range of controllers.

The Project File format has changed to allow long file names to be used for modules names and for the project name itself. Please note that once a project has been updated to this new format you will not be able to read the project with previous versions of Flex32 or DOS Flex2. Projects will be automatically updated when you load them for the first time - don't forget to save the project by clicking the 'Save' button on the 'Project Configuration' form.

A new 'Source Code Storage' feature has been added. When selected, all the source files for the project (i.e. the ladder and instruction files complete with comments, the symbol names, text strings and notes) are compressed and sent to the FMT/BIS as part of the download. The complete project - with symbol names, comments and notes - can be uploaded at a later date even if the original project files are no longer available on the PC. An optional password can be specified to protect you code from unauthorised access. To select source code storage select the tick box on the 'Source Store' section of the 'Project' page of the 'Project Configuration screen.

A Project Notes editor has been added to the 'Project Configuration' form. Project notes are intended to help you document your work and are provided for you to use as you wish.

Symbol names can now be exported to and imported from text files. This allows you to transfer symbol names between projects or import names into other windows packages.

NOTE: We strongly recomend that you upgrade all your FMT and BIS controllers to version 5 or newer firmware before using v1.2.0 of Flex32.

The major change is the addition of features to support the FMT-400 which is now available: The Project form now has a 'Rack' page for setting up the configuration of the hardware The rack layout can be printed out from the 'Print Centre'. The 'Fieldbus' page of the Project form supports 4 fieldbus modules. A new 'On-Line adjustment' screen has been added to set RS485 options and Ethernet IP addresses.

The instruction language now includes a Modbus_Master function to simplify mastering a modbus RTU network.

The 'Module Overview' screen is a new debug tool which provides information on all the projects instruction modules.

It is now possible to download a project without having the source files.

The required files for a 'no-source' download are.... project.prj - the main project file project.sym - the symbol name file project.idx - the symbol name index file project.tsf - the text string file project.alt - the 'Alert' code file project.dld - the main download file *.mcb - the module control block for each instruction module

You can now save and load the set-up of facilities in the 'Monitor' screen; This saves re-typing lists of facilities during repeated debugging.

Ports 2 and 3 on all FMT-200, BIS-100 and FMT-400's now support 57600 baud.

There is a new text formatting option R????Bn (where ???? is the register number and n is a number 1 to 5). This option prints the register value as n digits with leading blanks if required.

NOTE: We strongly recomend that you upgrade all your FMT and BIS controllers to version 5.14 or newer firmware before using v1.3.0 of Flex32.

Flex32 can now be used to download a project to the FMT/BIS controller at a remote location via a modem Flex32 now supports connection to FMT/BIS controllers via a modem for remote programming purposes.

A new 'Forces' page on the Monitor form maintains a record of all Set and Force actions. This record can be re-used and saved to disk.

The whole FMT-400 modular controller range is now fully supported, including multiple racks.

The length of time taken for 'Compile and Download' has been significanlty reduced.

The maximum number of ladder rungs in a module has been changed form 100 to 500.

In the ladder editor, a double click now brings up the 'Change' popup menu.

NOTE: We strongly recommend that you upgrade all your FMT and BIS controllers to version 5.21a or newer firmware before using this release of Flex32.

In addition to a number of minor bug fixes the main changes for this release are:

FMT and BIS controllers now support floating point numbers. A new floating point register and the following floating point functions have been added*:

Add, Subtract, Multiply, and Divide.

Square and Square Root.

Log, Ln, Power, Exp.

Sin, Cos, Tan and Arctan.

Analogue signals can be scaled and filtered automatically by the firmware.

A new Oscilloscope form displays a graphical view of facilities for debugging.

A completely new interpreter processes complex ladder diagrams efficiently.

Several improvements to the ladder editor:

Delete now tidies up the surrounding cell connections.

Deleted rungs can be removed.

Multiple lines and be inserted.

The 'change' pop-up menu includes options to change the linking of a cell to its neighbours.

*You must have upgraded your FMT/BIS controller to firmware version 5.21a or newer to use the floating point functions.

NOTE: We strongly recommend that you upgrade all your FMT and BIS controllers to version 6.00a or newer firmware before using this release of Flex32.

In addition to a number of minor bug fixes the main change for this release is:

Firmware PID (requires version 6.00a firmware or newer).

 

NOTE: We strongly recommend that you upgrade all your FMT and BIS controllers to version 6.00a or newer firmware before using this release of Flex32.

Minor bug fixes.