List of unsupported and restricted elements

The documentation " Safety instructions on working with the IDE " is valid forNeuron Power Engineer version 3.23.2 incl. possibly existing patch versions.

This article contains information about the possible usage of Neuron Power Engineer elements as described in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Reference documentation") when Neuron Power Engineer is used to develop safety-relevant applications. Those Neuron Power Engineer elements might be:

• a feature (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "→Feature"),

• a →data type as specified in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Supported data types (in ST)"),

• a functionality of a feature or

• a system block or a system data type of the system libraries Standard, System, Arduino or PLCopen Safety as specified in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "System blocks for the application")

Warning 1 Observe the following: Only use elements that are described in the reference documentation of Neuron Power Engineer. Do not use any undocumented elements. When a documented feature is listed as unsupported in this article, do not use any functionality of this feature when developing safety-relevant applications. When the documented functionality of a feature is listed as unsupported in this article, do not use this functionality when developing safety-relevant applications. When other functionalities of the same feature are not listed as unsupported in this article, these other functionalities are allowed to be used. When a documented system block or a documented system data type is listed as unsupported in this article, do not use this block or data type when developing safety-relevant applications. Therefore, the following is valid: When an element is documented and not listed in this article, its usage when developing safety-relevant applications is allowed.

Warning 2 It is imperative to consider the warnings included within the Neuron Power Engineer user documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "User documentation of the development environment"), when using the supported elements for developing safety-relevant applications. Above all but not only observe the warnings about recursions, invalid connections, and conflicts. In particular, the descriptions of the system blocks must be examined and considered accordingly (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "System blocks for the application"). Moreover when using any supported system block that is providing an internal error diagnostic, it is imperative that the application ensures that error conditions do not lead to any loss of the safety function. This is possible as follows: either by processing the output ENO of the supported system block or by ensuring that the described default output behavior does not affect the safety function See the Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Execution control: EN, ENO" for details on the output ENO and for a list of blocks providing an internal error diagnostic. Observe that this list contains all system blocks of Neuron Power Engineer – hence, the unsupported system blocks are also included in this list. See the reference documentation of the system block, sub-section "Internal error diagnostic for block" for details when an error is detected while executing this block with internal error diagnostic.

In this article:

List of unsupported and restricted elements Unsupported features Unsupported features when applying the LVL-workflow Restricted usage of C-blocks and vendor blocks Restricted usage of global function block instances Unsupported data types Unsupported/restricted functionalities of ST Unsupported/restricted functionalities of FBD Unsupported/restricted functionalities of FBD when applying the LVL-workflow Unsupported/restricted system blocks and system data types String blocks Enhanced blocks Enhanced 2D array blocks Enhanced control blocks Enhanced memory blocks Enhanced util blocks Blocks providing platform or runtime-system specific functionality Blocks for mathematical operations Standard convert blocks Safe convert blocks ANY_REAL blocks PLCopen block Other blocks System data types Unsupported/restricted functionalities when creating custom libraries with user blocks Unsupported/restricted functionalities for PLC-specifications

Unsupported features

The following features of  Neuron Power Engineer are not supported. Subsequently, do not use any functionality of this feature (as described/listed in the appropriate section describing this feature).

• Creating application in LD-editor

• Accessing hardware IOs via EC-Master and EC-Engineer of Acontis

• Device configuration to address target systems

• Modifying IO-configuration for Revolution Pi from within the development environment

• Command line interfaces

• Local variants or copies for library elements

• Importing a Simulink model into a project

When using the feature "Hardware configuration", observe that a hardware parameterization in Neuron Power Engineer is only supported when using the safety parameter editor (see "Warnings/notes for hardware configuration" for the relevant warnings in the context of a hardware configuration). All other possibilities for a hardware configuration in Neuron Power Engineer are not supported.

Moreover, the following of the →debugging/testing/→tracing features as specified in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Testing, debugging and tracing the application") are not qualified to be used for verification/validation of the safety-relevant application. 

• Debugging application in perspective "Debug"

• Testing the application or debugging the data

• Force marker related information and actions

• Control flow debugging: Debugging the application by setting breakpoints

• Viewing traces and alarms of the runtime system in PLC Logging view

• Setting breakpoints within code

• Variable-related information and actions in Values of Variables view

• Monitoring and changing values in viewer or editor

Warning 3 However, you are able to use those features and their functionalities (as described/listed in the appropriate section describing the feature) as supporting measures for bug analysis purposes. For instance, the Values of Variables view can be used as a supporting measure to display selected →variables and monitor their values on the safety system in Neuron Power Engineer.

Warning 4 From the available debugging/testing/tracing features, only the test framework feature is supported as a test tool (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Testing single POUs by using the test framework").

Unsupported features when applying the LVL-workflow

The following features of  Neuron Power Engineer are not supported, when applying the LVL-workflow (see "Recommendations for LVL-workflow"). 

• Migration

• Importing projects from a TC6 XML file

If you want to use these features, you must apply the full →FVL workflow as illustrated under "Workflow: Creating a safety-relevant application or library for this application" so that the created project elements are verified.

Restricted usage of C-blocks and vendor blocks

Function blocks implemented in →C (so-called "C-blocks") must be used on the condition that they are only used in →libraries. This condition applies to the following descriptions of the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation:

• Creating application in C or C++

• Entering code within the C-block or C++-block (deprecated)

• Integrating external libraries for the C-blocks or C++-blocks

• Integrating external libraries for the vendor blocks

• Integrating C-code and/or C++-code into the application (deprecated)

• Creating the interface for a C-block or C++-block (deprecated)

External libraries for the →vendor blocks must only be used and integrated, if the system integrator has approved the usage of such libraries.  This restriction applies to the following chapter as specified in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation:

• Integrating external libraries for the vendor blocks

Subsequently, contact the system integrator for information on whether vendor blocks are supported or not supported.

Restricted usage of global function block instances

→Function block instances that are declared as →global variables must only be used in 1 task at most. This condition applies to all editors in Neuron Power Engineer in which the global variables can be declared and a →function block type can be use as type of this global variable. Hence, the following descriptions of the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation are affected by this restriction:

• Declaring variables in FBD

• Deklaration von Funktionsbaustein-Instanzen in ST

• Declaration of global variables in global-object and its usage in ST

• Declaring and editing the global variables within the global-variables-editor

• Declaring global variables for resource or configuration and using them

• Declaring variables in LD and assigning a variable to contact/coil

Unsupported data types

The following data types as specified in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Supported data types (in ST)") are not supported:

• STRING

• CHAR

The following data types as specified in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Supported data types (in ST)") are only supported, if the system integrator has integrated them for developing safety-relevant applications:

• REAL

• LREAL

Subsequently, contact the system integrator for information on whether the data types REAL and LREAL are supported or not supported.

Warning 5 If the data types REAL and LREAL are indeed supported, observe that the result of system blocks processing these data types REAL and LREAL is integration-dependent and may therefore differ between different integrations – in particular, if the result of the system block is located within the threshold of REAL and LREAL data types. Subsequently, contact the system integrator for the appropriate threshold information.

Unsupported/restricted functionalities of ST

The following functionalities for the →ST-editor as specified in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Creating application in ST-editor") are not supported:

• Actions in ST

• Action qualifiers for SFC elements

• Statements for labeling safe logic

• Call of method in ST

• Declaration of a class in ST

• Declaration of a method

• Declaration of an interface incl. method prototypes

• Declaration of a language element with partial address in ST

• Declaration of a structured data type with partial address in ST

• Declaration of STRING variables (incl. access)

• Initial step in ST

• Steps in ST

• Transitions in ST

• Assignment attempt in ST

Observe that the following pragmas as specified in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Declaration of internal variables in ST") are not supported (the declaration of internal variables is supported, as long as supported elements are used) :

• { instanceParam }

• { noCodeGeneration }

• { @RELATES_TO := ...;}

Also, when using the pragma { SIZE := ...}, observe the restrictions on this pragma that are specified under "Warnings/notes for accessing IOs".

Observe that the following functionalities of the ST-editor might change other →POUs besides the currently edited POU:

• Refactoring of ST-code

• Quick fixes to quickly resolve errors in the ST-editor

In case of any doubts about which POUs will be changed, do not use these functionalities.

Unsupported/restricted functionalities of FBD

The following functionalities for the →FBD-editor as specified in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Creating application in FBD-editor") are not supported:

• Creating or editing action blocks in FBD

• Action blocks in FBD

• SFC elements in drawing field

• Evaluating SFC elements

• Creating or editing initial steps or steps in FBD

• Initial steps and steps in FBD

• Creating step sequences in FBD

• Creating or editing transitions in FBD

• Transitions in FBD

• Behavior of the action qualifiers for SFC elements

Observe that the following functionalities of the FBD-editor might change other POUs besides the currently edited POU:

• Refactoring in FBD-editor

In case of any doubts about which POUs will be changed, do not use these functionalities.

Moreover, observe the following particularities when using the FBD-editor:

• The list of used namespaces (within the FBD-editor) does not contain the used namespaces that have been created in the application navigator.

• The following particularity applies especially when designing FBD-elements that are non-safe: Neuron recommends that you and/or your system integrator do not use yellow shades when designing FBD-elements because the color "Yellow" is used for tracking safe signals when developing safety-related applications. This recommendation applies in particular when you are using the legacy styling. Neuron Power Engineer does not check if colors are already used elsewhere. So the use of the yellow shades by you and/or your system integrator could have the consequence that "yellow" might also identify a non-safe logic as well.
  

• The automatic update of existing calls for changed interfaces is not provided in Neuron Power Engineer, when developing safety-relevant applications.

See Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation, if you need details on the affected functionalities:

• Updating existing calls for changed interfaces

• Color and style for FBD-elements determined by data type

• Using the list of the used namespaces

Unsupported/restricted functionalities of FBD when applying the LVL-workflow

Note 1 When you are applying the LVL-workflow, observe that there are additional restrictions/recommendations for using the FBD-editor. See "Recommendations for LVL-workflow" for details.

Unsupported/restricted system blocks and system data types

The system blocks and system data types are specified in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "System blocks for the application" and "System data types for the application" respectively).
 The unsupported system blocks are grouped into types "string blocks", "enhanced blocks" etc. to make this section more comprehensive.

String blocks

String blocks require Neuron Power Engineer string support runtime and/or functions from the file string.h. These blocks have one or more parameters of data type STRING.

The following string blocks are not supported:

• CONCAT block

• DELETE block

• FIND block

• GET_CURRENT_PI_NAME block

• GET_NAMED_MEMORY block

• GET_NAMED_MEMORY_RETAIN block

• INSERT block

• LEFT block

• LEN block

• MID block

• REPLACE block

• RIGHT block

• SEL_CHAR block

• SEL_STRING block

• TO_STRING-Baustein

Enhanced blocks

Enhanced blocks are enhancements to the blocks defined in the standard IEC 61131-3. These blocks are included in a sublibrary with the suffix Enh, for instance in the sublibrary BitstableEnh.

The following of the enhanced blocks are not supported:

• BIT_CLR block

• BIT_SET block

• BIT_TGL block

• BIT_TST block

• CHS block

• FORCEMRK block

• MAX_HOLD block

• MIN_HOLD block

• PACK block

• RTC block

• SAR block

• SEMA block

• SIGN block

• TO_DATE block

• TO_DT block

• TO_TOD block

• UNPACK2 block

• UNPACK4 block

• UNPACK8 block

• uTOF block

• uTON block

• uTP block

Enhanced 2D array blocks

Enhanced 2D array blocks are enhanced blocks for bulk operations on variable-sized 2D arrays.

The following enhanced 2D array blocks are not supported:

• ADD_2D_ARRAY block

• DIV_2D_ARRAY block

• MAX_2D_ARRAY block

• MEAN_2D_ARRAY_LREAL block

• MIN_2D_ARRAY block

• MOVE_2D_ARRAY block

• MUL_2D_ARRAY block

• SEL_2D_ARRAY block

• SUB_2D_ARRAY block

Enhanced control blocks

Enhanced control blocks are enhanced blocks providing controller functionality.

The following enhanced control blocks are not supported:

• INTEGRATOR block

• LIMITER_O block

• LIMITER_U block

Enhanced memory blocks

Enhanced memory blocks are enhanced blocks for memory manipulation.

The following enhanced memory blocks are not supported:

• ARRAY_LENGTH block

• GET_BYTE_REF block

• GET_CURRENT_PI_NAME block

• GET_NAMED_MEMORY block

• GET_NAMED_MEMORY_RETAIN block

• GET_REF_FROM_VARNAME block

• GET_TYPE_FROM_VARNAME block

• MEMCMP block

• MEMCPY block

• MEMSET block

• SAVE_ALL_NAMED_MEMORY_RETAIN block

• SAVE_NAMED_MEMORY_RETAIN block

Enhanced util blocks

Enhanced util blocks are enhanced blocks for testing, debugging and logging purposes.

The following enhanced util blocks are not supported:

• Assert block

• BLOCKING_WAIT block

• CALL_PROGRAM_SYNC block

• GET_EP_TICKS block

• GET_PROGRAM_HANDLE block

• GET_TICKS_FROM_TIME block

• SET_EP_TICKS block

• Trace block

Blocks providing platform or runtime-system specific functionality

These blocks are included in the system libraries System or Arduino.

The following blocks providing platform or runtime-system specific functionality are not supported:

• Arduino functions

• ArduinoDigitalRead block

• ArduinoDigitalWrite block

• ArduinoPinMode block

• CAN_close block

• CAN_getState-Baustein

• CAN_init block

• CAN_open block

• CAN_recv block

• CAN_release block

• CAN_send block

• CAN_setBitrate block

• CAN_setTripleSampling block

• ECM_ACONTIS_CONFIGURED_SLAVES block

• ECM_ACONTIS_CONNECTED_SLAVES block

• ECM_ACONTIS_ISCONNECTED block

• GPIOReadPin block

• GPIOSetPinConfig block

• GPIOWritePin block

• I2C_open block

• I2C_PCF8574_read block

• I2C_PCF8574_write block

• I2C_PCF8591_read block

• I2C_PCF8591_write block

• INET_ATON block

• INET_NTOA block

• LoadRetainData block

• LoadRetainDataFast block

• MB_Close block

• MB_GetState block

• MB_InitRTU block

• MB_InitTCP block

• MB_ReadBits block

• MB_ReadInputBits block

• MB_ReadInputRegisters block

• MB_ReadRegisters block

• MB_SetDebug block

• MB_SetSlave block

• MB_WriteAndReadRegisters block

• MB_WriteBit block

• MB_WriteBits block

• MB_WriteRegister block

• MB_WriteRegisters block

• MQTT_Connect block

• MQTT_Disconnect block

• MQTT_GetState block

• MQTT_Publish block

• MQTT_Receive block

• MQTT_Subscribe block

• MQTT_Unsubscribe block

• RTSAppLoadReason block

• RTSCycleInfo block

• SaveRetainData block

• SaveRetainDataFast block

• SysTaskActualCycleTime block

• SysTaskCycleCount block

• SysTaskCycleTime block

• System_close block

• System_delete block

• System_ioctl block

• System_open block

• System_read block

• System_shutdown block

• System_write block

• TCP_Close block

• TCP_Connect block

• TCP_Receive block

• TCP_Send block

• TCP_ServerAcceptConnection

• TCP_ServerClose block

• TCP_ServerOpen block

• UDP_Close block

• UDP_Open block

• UDP_Receive block

• UDP_Send block

Blocks for mathematical operations

Such blocks require mathematical functions defined in the file math.h.

The following blocks for mathematical operations are only supported, if the system integrator has integrated a math library that is qualified for developing safety-related applications:

• ACOS block

• ASIN block

• ATAN block

• ATAN2 block

• CEIL block

• COS block

• COSH block

• EXP block

• EXPT block

• FLOOR block

• LN block

• LOG block

• ROUND block

• SIN block

• SINH block

• SQRT block

• TANH block

• TRUNC block

• TRUNC_DINT block

• TRUNC_INT block

• TRUNC_LINT block

• TRUNC_SINT block

• TRUNC_UDINT block

• TRUNC_UINT block

• TRUNC_ULINT block

• TRUNC_USINT block

Subsequently, contact the system integrator for information on whether these blocks for mathematical operations are supported or not supported.

Standard convert blocks

Such blocks convert a data type into another data type. They are included in the sublibrary Convert.

If the input of the following standard convert block is connected with REAL or LREAL, this connection variant for the standard convert block is only supported, if the system integrator has integrated a math library that is qualified for developing safety-related applications. The other connection variants are supported independently of the fact of whether a qualified math library is available or not.
Example: The connection variant LREAL_TO_INT for the standard convert block TO_INT is only supported, if a qualified math library has been integrated by the system integrator. The connection variant WORD_TO_INT for the convert block TO_INT is supported regardless.

The standard convert blocks with the possible connection of REAL/LREAL that requires a qualified math library are:

• TO_BYTE block

• TO_DINT block

• TO_DWORD block

• TO_INT block

• TO_LINT-Baustein

• TO_LWORD block

• TO_SINT block

• TO_UDINT block

• TO_UINT block

• TO_ULINT block

• TO_USINT block

• TO_WORD block

Subsequently, contact the system integrator for information on whether these standard convert blocks are supported or not supported.

Safe convert blocks

Such blocks convert a data type into an equivalent safe data type. They are included in the sublibrary Safe - Convert.

These blocks are supported under the following condition:

Warning 6 When using a safe convert block, you must make sure that the input signal to the safe convert block is suitable to be used as safe signal. Neuron Power Engineer does not ensure that a signal status is safe but only highlights safe logic in the FBD-editor so that you are able to differentiate beween safety-relevant and standard signals.

The safe convert blocks are:

• TO_SAFEBOOL block

• TO_SAFEBYTE

• TO_SAFEDATE block

• TO_SAFEDINT block

• TO_SAFEDT block

• TO_SAFEDWORD block

• TO_SAFEINT block

• TO_SAFELINT block

• TO_SAFELREAL block

• TO_SAFELWORD block

• TO_SAFEREAL block

• TO_SAFESINT block

• TO_SAFETIME block

• TO_SAFETOD block

• TO_SAFEUDINT block

• TO_SAFEUINT block

• TO_SAFEULINT block

• TO_SAFEUSINT block

• TO_SAFEWORD block

ANY_REAL blocks

Such blocks have one or more parameters of data type REAL. and/or LREAL.

The following blocks ANY_REAL blocks are only supported, if the system integrator has integrated the data types REAL. and LREAL. for developing safety-relevant applications:

• SEL_LREAL block

• SEL_REAL block

• TO_LREAL block

• TO_REAL block

Subsequently, contact the system integrator for information on whether the data types REAL and LREAL as well as the ANY_REAL blocks are supported or not supported.

PLCopen block

These blocks are included in the system libraries PLCopen Safety.

The blocks are supported under the condition that you comply with the warnings and notes as specified under "Notes on implemented behavior for PLCOpen function blocks".

Other blocks

In addition to the categories mentioned above, the following blocks are not supported:

• BCD_TO_DINT block

• BCD_TO_INT block

• BCD_TO_LINT block

• BCD_TO_SINT block

• BCD_TO_UDINT block

• BCD_TO_UINT block

• BCD_TO_ULINT block

• BCD_TO_USINT block

• CONCAT_DT block

• DT_TO_DATE block

• FROM_BIG_ENDIAN block

• FROM_LITTLE_ENDIAN block

• IS_VALID block

• TO_BCD_BYTE block

• TO_BCD_DWORD block

• TO_BCD_LWORD block

• TO_BCD_WORD block

• TO_BIG_ENDIAN block

• TO_LITTLE_ENDIAN block

System data types

In Neuron Power Engineer, these system data types are usually used in blocks providing platform or runtime-system specific functionality.

The following system data types are not supported:

• ArduinoDigitalPinValue data type

• ArduinoPinDirection data tye

• CAN_RETURN_CODE data type

• CAN_TRIPLESAMPLING_VALUE data type

• Controllino data types

• Data types for TCP blocks

• GPIOPinFlags data type

• MB_PARITY data type

• MQTT_RC data type

• MQTT_SUBSCRIBER_STATE data type

• PROGRAM_HANDLE data type

• RTS_APP_LOAD_REASON data type

Unsupported/restricted functionalities when creating custom libraries with user blocks

The following functionalities when creating custom libraries with user blocks (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Creating custom library with user blocks") are not supported:

• Referencing libraries

• Deploying sources in a password-protected library

Observe that the creation of a logi.SAFE library or logi.WEB library is not supported. Hence, the following functionalities/descriptions in the context of a logi.SAFE/logi.WEB libraries are also not supported:

• Peculiarities for logi.SAFE/logi.WEB libraries

• Loading and testing the library on the target system (= PiL-test)

• Releasing the library

• Loading the released and deployed library on the target system

Warning 7 From the available library types as specified in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Declaration of information on creation and references for the library"), only LIBRARYTYPE := LOGICAD; is supported.

Moveover, observe that the following statements/values as specified in the Neuron Power Engineer reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Declaration of information on creation and references for the library" and "Declaration of the contents of the library" respectively) are not supported:

• statement USES -- its purpose: referencing a library (see also in the above list of unsupported functionalities)

• values INTERFACE and OBJECT for keyword DEPLOY 
  As a consequence, only the value SOURCE is supported for DEPLOY.

• value PRIVATE for keyword VISIBILITY
  As a consequence, only the value PUBLIC is supported for VISIBILITY.

• section INCLUDES ... END_INCLUDES

• section BINARY_OBJECTS ... END_BINARY_OBJECTS

• section BINARY_LIBRARIES ... END_BINARY_LIBRARIES

• section SOURCES ... END_SOURCES

In addition, observe the following, when creating/using a custom library with user blocks for developing safety-relevant applications:

Warning 8 Before a custom library is installed in a project to be used for developing safety-relevant applications, this custom library must be released – in particular, by a qualified person.  The release process is an organizational measure that needs to be done by qualified persons as specified under the article "Requirements for use".

Warning 9 If a custom library should not be used any longer, delete this custom library from the library provider (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Library provider and library cache") and clean the library cache as described in the reference documentation (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "Cleaning the library cache") so that obsolete libraries cannot be installed from the library cache by mistake.

Unsupported/restricted functionalities for PLC-specifications

The following functionalities for →PLC-specifications (see Neuron Power Engineer user documentation, "PLC-specifications within editor for PLC-object") are not supported:

• Declaring VAR_CONFIG sections within PLC-object

• Declaring VAR_CONFIG section within a VarCfg-object

When using the pragma { IO }, comply with the warnings that are specified under "Warnings/notes for accessing IOs".