Creating vendor blocks for the application or a library

Neuron Power Engineer provides the possibility to create vendor blocks in →C and integrate them in your custom →library. This section contains the best practice how to do this.

Information on vendor block

The interface for a vendor block (= vendor →function block or vendor →function) is created in an ST-object whereas the implementation for a vendor block is created in →C.
Usually, a vendor block will be integrated in a custom library. But it is also possible to solely use a vendor block within the project in which the vendor block has been created.

(warning) Restrictions: The following variables are not supported in the interface of vendor blocks:

  • →temporary variables (VAR_TEMP...END)
    If you need temporary variables without storing behavior, create them within the implementation functionality.

  • →external variables (VAR_EXTERNAL...END)

    Moreover, →methods are not supported for implementing a vendor block.

  • Knowledge about C-code is essential so that you are able to create the actual content of the vendor blocks. 

  • You might already know the ST-interfaces (= objects with the file extension .iecif) by which you are able to integrate C-code and/or C++-code into the application. Please note that these ST-interfaces are deprecated and not suited for integration within a custom library.For integration within a library, create the vendor blocks as described in this section.
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