SP-ICE-3 Software - Change log

Before, executing any "Jump" command after "LaserOn" did turn off the laser given that a jump represents a scanner motion while laser is off. Now, the laser remains on when a jump is encountered.
However, bitmap and "point & shoot" commands still lead to a premature termination of the "LaserOn" state. Please refer to the documentation for further details.

For command lists consisting of an "Append Power Ramp" command then followed by a sequence of "Append Position" commands, the power ramp would be executed simultaneously to the first "Append Position" array, but not for the second and any subsequent position arrays.

As the endless app now supports jumps as well, the delays "Jump Delay", "Poly Delay" and "Mark Delay" need to be applied accordingly.

Now, clients can enqueue multiple endless lists, even while an endless list is already in ongoing. This feature enables the seamless execution of multiple consecutive (endless) lists.

The new commands "WaitPartWithoutTracking" and "WaitDistanceWithoutTracking" pause execution, then wait for the part sensor event and distance traveled, respectively, but without enabling tracking.
This feature is suited for synchronization purposes, but not standard MOTF as the material will not be followed.

The new on-card variable "ErrorCode" is set when list execution fails.
The value depends on the error. Errors, such as Abort, Laser Alarm, Out-of-Field and Scanner Alarm can be distinguished.
The variable can be accessed from a "Command List" by all commands interacting with integer variables. For example, "CommandList.AppendSwitch".

Although, the changes made to these settings were saved and applied, the web interface failed to show the current settings. Instead, the default values were shown.

With this fix, the web interface shows the actual settings again.

The assertion of "Laser Alarm" or "Abort Mark" is immediately registered without any delay, but any changes within the next 16ms are ignored.

The following tools now contain the current file and product version (all other tool not listed already show the correct version):
ScannerConfig, SPICE3FirmwareBatchUpdater, SPICE3IPCalc, SPICE3IPCalcGUI, SPICE3PowerCalibrator.

Power scale was off only for jobs containing mark sequences with non-zero poly delays. If all poly delays were 0, then power scale was correctly computed.
The marking of the geometry was not affected in any way.

Previously, when calling "ResetToDefaults" the GPIO outputs remained unchanged.
This change is relevant only to outputs configured with function 0.

At the time of a list execution failure, the two new properties indicate which list currently runs and its originating caller (bottom of calling stack).
The two list IDs differ if list execution fails in a sublist, sub-sublist or sub-sub-sublist, ...

In order to prevent infinite loops the firmware disallows branches to itself, i.e. "Branch Rel 0".
Previously, the check mistakenly rejected the branch to the previous command, i.e. "Branch Rel -1".
Now, it really is the branch to itself which produces an exception.

If the filter's settings change while a list is still being processed, then the client may receive events that should have been suppressed and vice versa.

Version 3.8.0 introduced two new "ProcessVariables" properties: HeadingScale and SkyWriting.MergedExtensionsMaxCoH.
These two properties could be manipulated only by list commands, but otherwise could neither be set with "SetProcessVariables" nor queried with "GetProcessVariables".

The tool lists all discovered cards in a table. The user can check a box to determine whether or not the corresponding card's firmware should be updated.
However, any check boxes that were scrolled out of view did no longer behave as expected. Instead, the associated card was not included in the list of to-be-updated cards - regardless of what the checkbox indicated.

Previously, the method expected a "List" of "TraceEvents", which requires a conversion if the caller stores its events as a different type, for example in an array.
The generic type "IEnumerable" offers more convenience.

This change facilitates automation.

The "(Try-)Read" methods now completely fill the caller's buffer with all available trace events.
Previously, the methods might return with less trace events even if more data was already available.
Consequently, more invocations were required.

After the change the sequence Mark-Magnification-Mark is translated to Mark-Deceleration-Magnification-Acceleration-Mark.
Previously, the deceleration/acceleration vectors were missing.

Only if "Variable Jump Delay" is enabled, then an extra "Min Jump Delay" was applied.

The decision to insert an extension vector still relies on whether the CoH exceeds "MinCoH".
Situations where a deceleration but no acceleration vector, or vice versa, might be inserted are no longer supported.
Now, both extensions will be inserted if at least one extension is required, or none in case both heading changes are below "MinCoH".

The following changes are now available:
* Command "ERROR?" returns complete exceptions including inner exceptions
* Trajectories are no longer limited to one single (closed) path, but multiple paths are now supported (previously, an error has been reported)
* Improved support of nested loops
* Improved support of "Wait xxx" commands
* Speed limit monitoring is suppressed until belt speed crosses above minimum speed limit (to facilitate process ramp-up)
* In case execution terminates, i.e. due to error or completion, app is immediately ready for next execution (previously, an explicit abort needed to be sent).

A magnification command whose target is identical to the current magnification does no longer incur a jump delay.
This behavior matches "regular" 2D / 3D jumps.

The signature changes as follows:
Before: RL_C_API rlResult rlListAppendTransformation(rlCommandListHandle handle, rlTransform3D* transformation);
After: RL_C_API rlResult rlListAppendTransformation(rlCommandListHandle handle, const rlTransform3D* transformation);.

A new parameter "Heading Scale" is introduced, which represents a matrix with scale factors on its diagonal.
Now, every heading vector is transformed by "Heading Scale" before being used for decision making.
For example, a heading scale of (1 / 1/ 0) results in the headings' Z component being ignored so that only the headings' XY components influence sky-writing or variable poly delay.
A heading scale of (1 / 1 / 1) represents identity and behaves in the same way prior to its introduction.
Please refer to the manual for more details.

Marking two co-linear marks with a gap smaller than twice extension length results in the extension vectors overlapping each other (co-linear M-J-M sequence).
The overlapping deceleration and acceleration vectors cause the scanner to turn around twice. The extra loop can be eliminated by "merging" both extensions.
The tolerance of "co-linearity" can be configured by the newly introduced parameter "MergedExtensionsMaxCoH".
Please refer to the manual for more details.

The modified algorithm greatly improves the inverse computation of the user data points "requested power" vs "measured power". Particularly, non-monotonic curves, which are non-revertible, are better dealt with.

Previously, the tool launched and operated as expected unless the user clicked on the "IO Expander". Now, the "IO Expander" is available, too.

For example, "MarkCounter" with a "counter" value of 123 erroneously resulted in the output 321.

- either no points are output (although, for example, a loop should be produced)
- too many points on the same position are output (equating to an incorrect mark speed potentially leading to a burn-in).

Only elliptic shapes with sky-writing enabled in 3D space (across different Z coordinates) were affected.
All other cases, i.e. no sky-writing or "flat" ellipses (in 2D space), behaved as expected.

Previously, if the "Upload to card" option is checked, then all configurations were sent to the card.
Now, providing this option is checked, not all but only the selected configurations will be uploaded.

The timeout condition is met if the card fails to receive any answers from the scanner, for example due to a broken RX wire or scanner power loss.
Previously, the timeout timer expired after 500ms.
Now, the timeout timer expires after "Period" times "MinConsecutiveErrors" (per "ScanHeadMonitoring" configuration).
This way, regardless of receiving bad answers or no answers at all, the scanner alarm is raised after "period" times "minimum consecutive errors".

The computation time of the inverse field correction is significantly reduced.

The scanner monitor employing a single set of command, mask and "good value" can detect faults with scanners and/or scanner communication (i.e. broken wires) in all but one situation:
If the forward channel (TX) is interrupted, then scanners with an older (scanner) firmware continue to send "good" answers. In this case, the scanner monitor is unable to detect any abnormalities and, consequently, does not raise an alarm.
The "ping-pong" method offers a remedy: By alternating between the two sets, the monitoring logic can indirectly detect problems with the forward channel as the scanner fails to receive the request to switch the data source. The answers sent by the scanner continue to reflect the wrong (the other) command, which ultimately results in an alarm.

The following command line options are now available:
--ip <address>, --connect, --capture, --onlylaser.

The following methods now exist:
Managed: void AppendGeneralEllipse( Point3D u, Point3D v, Point3D w, double sweepTurns )
Native: rlResult rlListAppendGeneralEllipse( rlCommandListHandle handle, double ux, double uy, double uz, double vx, double vy, double vz, double wx, double wy, double wz, double sweepTurns );

The new shape "GeneralEllipse" supersedes shapes "(helix) arc", "(helix) ellipse" and "elliptic curve", and offers unlimited flexibility when creating circular or elliptic paths of any dimension and orientation in 3D space, especially when combined with the process transformation.

- New API to "Create", "Delete", "Set" and "Reset" signals
- New list command AppendWaitForSignal to wait until signal is set
- New list commands AppendSetSignal, AppendResetSignal.

SPICE3Config not only remembers the most recently used card (singular), but all cards the user has connected to.

"Scanner Monitoring" is now performed by on-card hardware modules (previously, by on-card software).
Previously, it has been advised to have polling intervals of at least several 100ms. Now, the polling interval can be as short as 10us (one step period) without adverse effects.
In the event of an alarm, list execution is aborted within several tens of microseconds (i.e. reaction time is greatly reduced).

The marks themselves were not affected, but only the first jump (following the first mark). Consequently, it resulted in an incorrect transition between the two marks.

The time zones are no longer ordered by UTC then region, but alphabetically sorted.

Managed: Replace with "ScannerConfig.Heads[head].Axes[axisIndex]"
Native: Replace with "rlScannerConfig::Heads[head]::Axes[axisIndex]".

Managed: Replace "CorrectionFile.Open" with "CorrectionFile.OpenRead" and "CorrectionFile.OpenWrite", respectively.
Native: Replace "rlCFOpen" with "rlCFOpenRead" and "rlCFOpenWrite", respectively.

For as long as an ADC adapter is present and enabled, the configuration of its corresponding SPI module is under the firmware's exclusive control. Attempts to overwrite the configuration (via SpiAPi.SetConfig) will be ignored.

The new method only updates the bias. All other properties, especially those related to the scanner, remain unchanged.

Individual card-apps can be enabled or disabled via the new "Apps" tab.

This card-app translates a statically defined path into an endless contour for MOTF, and then continuously matches the marking speed of the contour to the measured speed of the target.

This affects the managed client library.
The native client library is not affected since it never offered the "VerifyResponseXXX" but always the "TryVerifyResponseXXX" behavior. To avoid confusion, the native methods "rlSerialPortVerifyResponseXXX" are now correctly named "rlSerialPortTryVerifyReponseXXX".

Previously, the tab does not show any enhanced information for a second scanner unless a scanner is recognized on head 0 (first scanner).

Managed: For backwards compatibility, the properties "Port" and "Config" still exist, and can be used in cases when only a single port configuration needs to be accessed.
Native: The members "Port" and "Config" are removed. Please reference the configuration via the new member "PortConfigCollection".

The XY2-100 signals for the second scanner are available on port D. The XY2-100 signals for the first scanner remained unchanged and are still available on port E.

Previously, adapter boards stored only a single port configuration, rendering the board operable only on the port matching its configuration (for example, configuration is for port D, then board can operate only on port D).
Now, adapter boards can store multiple configurations. Hence, for example, an adapter board containing configurations for ports D and E, will properly work if connected to either port D or E. Naturally, it still wouldn't properly work on port A, for example.

The second power channel now accepts calibration normally.

The default value has been reduced to a much more reasonable 0.5/second.

The new methods allow directly querying and modifying the process transformation without retrieving and setting the entire process variables, respectively.

The API already existed in the managed ClientLib, but was missing in the native ClientLib.

This change also fixes an intermittent "Cannot add delay" exception.
Previously, the phase between LM and "Laser Triggered" pulses could not exceed 32us. Now, a difference of up to 1ms can be measured.

This behaviour has been corrected.

Change in OpticalParameters to add properties UsedAxes, BitPerMicronZ0, BitPerMicronZ1, BitPerMicronE0, BitPerMicronE0
Add new API calls HeadCorrection.Exists(), HeadCorrection.GetHash(), remove API call HeadCorrection.Create()
Remove API support for GCD-Files.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: API Change!
SP-ICE-3 SW v3.0.0 onwards no longer supports control of Stepper-Motors.
Stepper-Motor support is available with the SP-ICE-3 Software v2 series.

In particular, this feature provides support for lasers with ring and core sources.
The power of the core and ring lasers can be individually controlled, including individual power-ramping of both channels.
Power Calibration, and <u>Position</u>-dependent Power Correction, are also available individually for both power channels.
<u>Velocity</u>-dependent Power Correction, however, is applied in common to the power channels.

This was a regression in v2.3.1.
The setting now works as expected.

The race condition, which could be provoked in particular by short CommandLists, has been eliminated.

A file with a single entry is now considered legitimate, and the high CPU load no longer occurs.

The samples now run as expected.

The firmware now automatically normalizes the phase angle to the range (-pi,+pi] for internal use.

For details, please refer to the API documentation for ScanHeadFormat.

The firmware can re-start tracking while the jump to the MOTF_STOP position is still being executed, thus preventing delay due to an otherwise necessary "catch-up" movement.

The polarity of the START_MARK and ABORT_MARK inputs on the XY2-100 Adapter can be set via the RL Adapter Config tool.

In version 2.2.2 backward compatibility was broken when uploading/activating correction files. Both ClientLib and Firmware must have been v2.2.2 to work correctly. With v2.2.3 backwards compatibility is reintroduced. ClientLib v2.2.3 and ClientLib prior to v2.2.2 can be used to upload/enable correction files with firmware v2.2.3 and the other way around. v2.2.2 is not compatible with other versions.

NOTE: To support up to 4 corrections, the single head configuration must not use more than 3 axes.
For a dual head configuration, the number of up to 2 corrections per head remains unchanged.

The number of parallel active pings has been reduced to a safe level.

When FieldSize is updated, the encoder scale will now be recalculated automatically.

This eliminates a potential cause of bad marking results.

The new tool provides not only all of the functionality of the obsolete SS-3-Config, but also the ability to read the scanner's memory.

The new Spice3SampleApps "Tiling" (C#) and "TilingNative" (C++) show you how to use the MOTF Tiling feature.

Added new CommandList command: "AppendMotfTileOffset", and new ProcessVariables member: "TileOffset".

The AppendPosition command now correctly updates the internal Current Position used by subsequent vector commands.

SPICE3LogPlayer can now display additional statistics for command lists.

SPICE3VirtualPointer now provides zooming on the virtual field.

See: Help menu item: "View SP-ICE-3 User's Manual".

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Change of Command Behaviour!
In versions prior to v2.0.0, the value of relPos was incorrectly interpreted as ( value - 1 ).
From v2.0.0 onwards, the parameter' s value is correctly interpreted.
Custom applications may need to be refactored to take account of this change.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Removal of Deprecated Method!
Since v1.43.0, use of the method has been deprecated, with equivalent functionality
being available in CommandList.AppendSkyWritingMode( SkyWritingMode mode) (q.v.)
Starting with v2.0.0, the original method has been completely removed from the ClientLib API.
Custom applications may need to be refactored to take account of this change.

ClientAPI.Connect(CardInfo ci) and rlConnectByCardInfo(rlCardInfo ci) now automatically try to re-discover the card by Serial Number if the IP member of the CardInfo is found to be invalid or out-of-date.
You can optionally force this behaviour by passing IPAddress.Any or IPAddress.IPv6Any (or the native equivalents) for the IP member. Connect will try to make the connection using the specified AddressFamily.

If the connection request cannot be accepted (because a connection is already active), then the request is immediately rejected and the caller receives an error.

When the client calls "Start", then the trace server will produce trace events for all enabled signals with their current value.

The redundant parameter "action" has been removed.

The scanner now executes the necessary "catch-up" jump with "Jump Speed".

The encoder's position and speed are being low-pass filtered to reduce jerky tracking, and to significantly reduce the adverse impact on power if velocity-dependent power correction is enabled.

Occasionally a power value was skipped or zero (0) was output.

Now, when enabling the ADC adapter it will be immediately configured. An explicit card reboot is no longer required.

Native and managed Client CommandList.ToString() format is now identical .

The ClientLib now keeps on re-trying discovery until the ClientAPI.Timeout expires.

Consequently, the positional deviation, which can be observed particularly in high-speed applications, is significantly reduced.

A new list command "AppendSkyWritingMode" has been added, and selects one of the two sky-writing modes, or "Disabled" in order to deactivate sky-writing.
The existing command "AppendEnableSkyWriting" is now obsolete, and will be removed in a future release.

The User's Manual now provides a "Favorites" tab for your convenience.

The .chm file provides the same content in convenient, locally accessible form.

In particular, the Client-Log entries for xxxConfigs generated by native and managed Clients are now identical.

Execution Statistics are now correctly set by STOP_MOTF.

The custom settings are no longer overwritten by the DHCP-Server.

Removal of BranchToLabel command is now correctly handled.

Concurrent transfers on multiple clients are now possible.

We now only display the tail (max 100 lines) of the log, and use a scrollable textarea to display it.
The switch-over from the LOGIN to the STATUS tab is now (almost) instantaneous.

Missing filename no longer causes Http Status 500:
Instead, a warning message appears on the Update page.

Ammended the script in SP-ICE-3-Host-Software to make it copy the binary to the output directory.

If an error occurs during the update process, it is now reported in a highly visible manner.

Added a Default Gateway field to the WebIF Settings page, and made it reference an EEPROM entry called "IPV4DEFAULTGW".

Field is NOT visible when both interfaces are set to DHCP.