Fast Edit Mode: One-click Switching between Debugging and Editing

When debugging the application, online worksheets are always instance-related. To modify the project or correct an error while debugging, several steps are required: Exiting the debug mode and opening the POU type to be corrected. After the modification: writing the modified project, switching to debug mode and opening the respective instance-related worksheet again.

The Fast Edit Mode in PLCnext Engineer considerably simplifies this process as it provides a one-click solution for switching between debugging and editing without losing the context.

Preconditions for Fast Edit mode

Your project is running on the controller.
Debug mode is active in PLCnext Engineer.
At least one online worksheet is open in the editors area.
An online worksheet is the active window.

How to use the Fast Edit Mode

Step Description

Step 1: start the Fast Edit mode. If the preconditions described above are fulfilled, click the following icon on the main toolbar:

Result:

The debug mode is exited, editing is now possible.

All open instance-related online worksheets are closed.
For each closed instance worksheet, the related type editor group is opened (if not already opened).

You can open any further type editors from the COMPONENTS area and you can switch as usual between the different editors of a group (e.g., variables, code, version information, etc.)

You can open any other editors (Data List, GDS Port List, properties editor, etc.) from the PLANT.

Step 2: edit the project. Edit the desired modifications in the project in any editor.

Step 3: leave the Fast Edit mode. The main toolbar provides a drop-down menu with several commands for leaving the Fast Edit mode and switching back to debug mode:

Result for any of the 'Leave ...' commands:

The modified project is written to the controller and the controller finally executes the modified project.
Whether the controller is stopped or switches to the modified project without stopping the project execution, depends on the executed Leave command (see table below).

Debug mode is automatically activated again.

Type editor groups which have been opened after starting the Fast Edit mode, are now closed.

All instance-related online worksheets which have been closed before are now opened again, showing the modified data.

Step	Description
Step 1: start the Fast Edit mode.	If the preconditions described above are fulfilled, click the following icon on the main toolbar: Result: The debug mode is exited, editing is now possible. All open instance-related online worksheets are closed. For each closed instance worksheet, the related type editor group is opened (if not already opened). You can open any further type editors from the COMPONENTS area and you can switch as usual between the different editors of a group (e.g., variables, code, version information, etc.) You can open any other editors (Data List, GDS Port List, properties editor, etc.) from the PLANT.
Step 2: edit the project.	Edit the desired modifications in the project in any editor.
Step 3: leave the Fast Edit mode.	The main toolbar provides a drop-down menu with several commands for leaving the Fast Edit mode and switching back to debug mode: Result for any of the 'Leave ...' commands: The modified project is written to the controller and the controller finally executes the modified project. Whether the controller is stopped or switches to the modified project without stopping the project execution, depends on the executed Leave command (see table below). Debug mode is automatically activated again. Type editor groups which have been opened after starting the Fast Edit mode, are now closed. All instance-related online worksheets which have been closed before are now opened again, showing the modified data.

Leave command Meaning

Writes the modified project to the controller.
The controller is automatically stopped, the project image is written to the controller (see the following item) and the controller is started again. The project image (binaries) is stored as Boot Project in the Flash memory and in the RAM.

Writes the modified project to the controller as described in the preceding table row, including the modified project sources.

Writes only the project changes to the controller.
The controller switches from the old to the new project version without stopping or a controller reset (like the 'Write and Start Project Changes' command in the controller Cockpit).

Writes the project changes to the controller as described in the preceding table row, including the modified project sources.

Leave command	Meaning
	Writes the modified project to the controller. The controller is automatically stopped, the project image is written to the controller (see the following item) and the controller is started again. The project image (binaries) is stored as Boot Project in the Flash memory and in the RAM.
	Writes the modified project to the controller as described in the preceding table row, including the modified project sources.
	Writes only the project changes to the controller. The controller switches from the old to the new project version without stopping or a controller reset (like the 'Write and Start Project Changes' command in the controller Cockpit).
	Writes the project changes to the controller as described in the preceding table row, including the modified project sources.

Note
If the editor area is in split mode (), the selected split mode may be left under particular circumstances when starting the Fast Edit mode. It is, however, restored when leaving the Fast Edit mode.

Further Info
Refer to the topic "Debug mode: Monitoring the Application Execution" for more information.