Creating a new Visual Basic (.NET) project for Windows using Visual Studio 2005

Learn how to set up a simple VS2005 project which runs on the BoschRexroth VEP WinCE6.0 platform and how to access the MLP firmware using MLPI function calls.

Setting Up the Project

Start Visual Studio 2005 and create a new project: ( From Menu: File->New->Project ).

Select 'Console Application' and finish the project wizard by clicking 'Finish'. You have now an empty WinCE project and may want to start developing with the MLPI-API library.

Add the MLPI-COM reference to the VB Project ( From Menu: Project->Add Reference...)

Rexroth MotionLogicProgrammingInterface 1.x Type Library

Setting Build Configuration for x86 platform ( From Menu: Build->Configuration Manager->Active Solution Platform )

You have to include the MLPI library to the project properties (Right click: Project->Properties->References) by activating it.

You are now able to use MLPI functions. Here is some example code showing how to connect to a MLC/MLP/XLC control and to read the current control firmware version. Don't forget to replace the IP address of your control in the example code.

Module Module1

   Sub Main()

     ' create MotionLogicControl
     Dim connection As MlpiConnection
     connection = New MlpiConnection

     ' connect to control
     connection.Connect("192.168.0.161 -user=mlpiTest -password=mlpiTest")

     ' read the firmware version
     System.Console.WriteLine("Firmwareversion: " + connection.System.GetVersionInfo("VERSION_FIRMWARE"))

     ' read and display some control information
     System.Console.WriteLine("Diagnosis Text: " + connection.System.GetDisplayedDiagnosis().text)

     ' set a new control name
     System.Console.Write("new control name: ")
     connection.System.SetName(System.Console.ReadLine())

     ' read the new control name
     System.Console.WriteLine("control name: " + connection.System.GetName())

     ' disconnect from control
     connection.Disconnect()

     System.Console.WriteLine("press enter to quit")
     System.Console.ReadLine()

   End Sub

End Module

Starting the Project

Build your project by selecting Build->Build Solution from the Visual Studio menu.