Hudson Robotics SoftLinx 5.0 User Manual
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SoftLinx V Protocol
10 Stern Avenue, Springfield, NJ 07081
Tel: 973-376-7400 Fax: 973-376-8265
Builder
User Manual V 5.0.48
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SoftLinx V Protocol Builder - Introduction ........................................................................ 3
Main Menu .......................................................................................................................... 4
Instrument Manager ............................................................................................................ 5
Adding Interfaces ................................................................................................................ 7
Protocol Editor Screen ......................................................................................................... 9
Menu Bar: .................................................................................................................................. 10
Protocol Frame .......................................................................................................................... 12
Running the Protocol ................................................................................................................. 14
Protocol Variables ...................................................................................................................... 16
Time Constraints ........................................................................................................................ 17
Protocol Steps .................................................................................................................... 19
Instrument Steps ........................................................................................................................ 21
Run VBA Script .......................................................................................................................... 22
Run Program.............................................................................................................................. 24
Send E-Mail ............................................................................................................................... 25
Modify Variable .......................................................................................................................... 26
End Protocol .............................................................................................................................. 27
Region ........................................................................................................................................ 28
Conditional Statement ............................................................................................................... 29
Loop Process ............................................................................................................................. 30
Parallel process ......................................................................................................................... 32
Protocol Tutorial ................................................................................................................ 34
Protocol Tutorial - Advanced ............................................................................................ 37
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SoftLinx V Protocol Builder - Introduction
SoftLinx V is a multitasking laboratory control application, designed to program and operate laboratory
workcells. Users build protocols which will define processes that instruments will execute, in some type of
order.
What is a protocol?
Protocols are sets of instructions which the computer will send to instruments to execute. Protocols in this
program are presented in a sequential flowchart format.
One simple example of a protocol is shown above. This particular protocol, when started, will move a plate
using an instrument, named Crane, to the Micro10. Once that step is complete, the Micro10 will run a
dispensing program on a plate. Once complete, the protocol will move the plate from the Micro10 to
another location, again using the Crane.
Protocols can be very simple to extremely complex. There is no limit as to how many steps are in a single
protocol.
Additional help can be found at http://www.HudsonRobotics.com, or by contacting Hudson at 973-376-
7400.
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Main Menu
Upon starting SoftLinx, or whenever no protocols are open, the main window will display the screen above.
Users may do one of the following:
New Protocol - Creates a new protocol. Opens a new tab with an empty protocol.
Open Protocol - Opens a previously-saved protocol. Loads the protocol into a new tab.
Manage Instruments - Opens the Instrument Manager.
In addition, when a user clicks new protocol, or opens an existing protocol, the program will begin starting
and initializing the default set of instruments, defined by Instrument Manager, to be used in protocols.
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Instrument Manager
The instrument manager hosts a variety of options to set up the user's workcell in preparation for protocol
development. The above list shows all instruments available to the user. Each instrument will list its unique
name, an identification icon, its instrument type, its current interface status, and whether or not SoftLinx will
open it up to be available in protocols. Although each interface's name must be unique, SoftLinx can
simultaneously control multiple instruments of a single type.
If this window is opened at start up, it will set the instruments used for all new protocols to the specified
configuration. If this manager is opened when a protocol is open, it will modify the available instruments for
that specific protocol. The name of the modified protocol, or "All Protocols", will be specified in the title bar
of this screen. Only instruments which are marked "Include in Protocol" will show up in the toolbox for that
specific protocol. This allows SoftLinx to only open specific instruments when opening a protocol, and
prevent unnecessary interfaces from loading to save computer memory.
Interfaces can have one of four statuses:
Configured - Connection settings have been established, but the interface has not been initialized.
Initialization requires that the instrument must test its connection settings, to see if it is to be considered
Initialized or Simulated.
Initialized - The interface has been connected to an active instrument, and can be used.
Simulated - The interface is active and can be used, but it does not have a connection to the instrument.
Not Configured - This instrument requires the use of the Connection Settings button.
Instruments which have been checked will be available for protocols to access.
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In addition to the list of instruments, the following commands are available on this screen:
Add New Instrument - Installs instrument interfaces and identifies instruments which can be used in
protocols. See the Adding Interfaces section.
Remove Selected Instrument - Remove the selected instrument from the list. In addition, if the instrument
to be removed is the last instance of its instrument class within the list, the user also has the option to
uninstall its associated interface. Protocols which require this removed instrument will prompt the user to
reinstall the interface. In addition, all protocol steps which call this interface will be treated as inactive until
the instrument is reinstalled.
Check/Uncheck All Instruments - All instruments in the list will be checked/unchecked. Instruments that
are checked will be initialized by protocols, unchecked ones will not.
The following buttons will aid in instrument manipulation:
Connection Settings - Allows the user to modify communication parameters between the instrument and
the computer.
Initialize Instrument - Applies the configuration settings to the instrument, and activates it for use. If
successful, the instrument will be placed in an "Initialized" state. Instruments may also be put in a
"Simulated" state if the instrument is unavailable.
Instrument Setup - Calls the "Setup" command, opening the selected instrument's setup window to
manipulate runtime settings, such as position setup, operation speed, and other runtime modifications.
View Selected Interface Code - Opens the VBA script for the selected instrument within its own VBA IDE
(Integrated Development Environment). Users have the ability to debug and edit code of each interface.
Clicking cancel will undo all changes. However, it will not uninstall interfaces which have been recently
installed.
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Adding Interfaces
Clicking on the Add New Instrument button on the Instrument Setup list will activate the following window:
To add a new instrument, select an instrument type from the "Available Instrument Types" list. This is a list
of all installed instrument interfaces, as well as pre-loaded SoftLinx Interface Packages (SIP), located in
the Installed Directory\Interfaces folder. When clicking on an instrument in the list, its name will appear in
the Instrument Name box. Users may customize names by typing in the Instrument Name box after
selecting an instrument. Instrument Names can only be composed of alphanumeric characters and the
underscore "_" character.
Interfaces which are already installed on the machine have their proper icon listed with their name.
Interfaces which are not currently installed, but have an existing SIP on the system, are noted by the
icon.
In addition to installing interfaces, users may do the following:
Create Custom Interface - Allows the user to create a new instrument interface, based off of an available
interface template. Clicking on the button will open the following:
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Users name the interface by instrument type - not by instance name. Templates are also available to use
as starting points for interface development. Once named, the newly created interface will immediately
open and be available for development. In addition, the new interface is installed onto the machine, so
users may access the instrument they are creating immediately. The interface is then added to the list.
Note that if the user uninstalls the interface without packaging it to a SIP, the interface cannot be
recovered.
Unpack Interface from SIP - Installs an interface from a SIP, from a location defined by the user.
Reload Existing interface - Reinstalls an interface, and overwrites all installed files of an interface with
those from the current associated SIP file.
Package folder to SIP file - Packages an Instrument folder to an SIP file, and saves it to a location
defined by the user.
Clicking OK will install the selected instrument files to the computer, if that instrument's files are not
installed. This will also add the custom-named instance of the selected instrument to the list of all
instruments in the Instrument Setup screen. In addition, the interface will be activated to allow the user to
set communication settings.
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Protocol Editor Screen
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The protocol editor window is the main SoftLinx V window. Protocols can be viewed, modified, and
executed here. Multiple protocols can be opened and run simultaneously.
All available protocol steps are found in the toolbar on the left, and SoftLinx V system messages are
reported in the Messages window.
Menu Bar:
The menu bar is located at the top of the window. This provides basic functions of the protocol editor
window.
The following commands, with keyboard shortcuts, are accessible to users:
New Protocol - Opens a new tab with an empty protocol. (Ctrl + N)
Open Protocol - Opens a tab with a previously saved protocol. (Ctrl + O)
Save Protocol - Saves the currently viewed protocol to a .SLVP file. If it is a new protocol, the user
must specify a save file name. (Ctrl + S)
Save Protocol As - Saves the currently viewed protocol to a new .SLVP file. The user must specify a
save name. (Ctrl + Shift + S)
Export Protocol - Protocols can be exported as a text file or an image file for documentation purposes.
Protocols exported as a text file (.txt) are saved in an outline format. For example, the protocol above is
saved as the following file:
• Protocol: Prepare Plate Part 1
• Loop steps 15 times.
• Crane.MovePlate - Move Plate from 'Stack1' to 'Micro10x.Nest'
• Micro10x.Dispense - Dispense 50uL to Plate.
• Crane.MovePlate - Move Plate from 'Micro10x.Nest' to 'StackLink.Pos1'
• StackLink.ReturnPlate - Return plate from 'StackLink.Pos1' to StackLink.Stack2
• End Loop
• End Protocol
Protocols that are exported as an image can be saved under the following formats: BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG,
TIF, and WPD.
Print to Image - Specify a printer and print the current protocol as an image.
Print to Text - Specify a printer and print the current protocol to a text file. The protocol will be printed
in an outline format, just like the Export Protocol Function. (Ctrl + P)
Copy - Copies the selected steps to the clipboard. Does not remove the steps. (Ctrl + C)
Cut - Copies the selected steps to the clipboard. Removes the selected steps from the protocol, if such
steps can be removed. (Ctrl + X)
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Paste - Places the copied steps onto a selected location. (Ctrl + V)
Delete - Removes the selected steps from the protocol. (Delete key)
Manage Instruments - Opens the Instrument Manager. (Alt + F10)
Access VBA Code Script - Open the script of the VBA step in its own IDE.
(Alt + F11)
Manage Protocol Variables - Opens the Protocol Variable Manager.
Time Constraints - Opens the Time Constraint manager for a specific step.
Run Protocol - Starts execution of the currently visible protocol. (F5)
Pause Protocol - Pauses the currently visible protocol only. Pausing does not pause all protocols.
Pressing Play resumes the protocol. (Space Bar)
Stop protocol - Stops and terminates the currently visible protocol, if it is running.
Show/Hide Protocol Comments - Expands/Hides all steps' comment boxes, which are located on
all steps. Comment boxes allow users to add additional notes to each step.
About - Shows information about this program, including version numbers of SoftLinx and all installed
interfaces.
Help - Opens this help file. (F1)
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Protocol Frame
The protocol designer frame shows the protocol currently being edited. Multiple protocols can be opened,
but only one protocol can be shown at a time. Protocols are managed by a tab system, located at the top
of the frame. Tabs can be selected to bring focus to that protocol. In addition, users can close protocols, or
hover over tabs to see a preview of the underlying protocol.
When two or more protocols are active, an additional management tab is displayed to the left of all tabs.
Users can click the tab to get a thumbnail view of all current protocols. Users can then select a protocol to
focus on, or close other protocols.
The designer can also expand all or condense all protocol steps, by clicking on the Expand All or Collapse
All links in the upper right corner of the frame. To restore protocol steps and allow for custom expand and
collapse actions, click on the Restore link, which will replace the Expand or Collapse links when clicked.
In the lower right corner of the frame are the protocol navigation tools. These are used to change the
viewing area of the protocol.
The zoom value is customizable by the user, ranging from 25% to 400%.
The magnifying glass will restore the zoom value to a default of 100%.
The fit all button will attempt to fit the entire protocol into the view window.
The mini map button will create an overview window, or a mini map, of the entire protocol in a separate
window. Users can drag the yellow box in the overview window to change the visible area of the protocol,
as shown below.
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Running the Protocol
Protocol execution is controlled by using the three buttons in the taskbar:
These buttons will only control the currently visible protocol. Any other protocols running from other
unselected tabs, or from other programs, will not be affected by these buttons.
The play button will only be active when the current protocol is stopped or paused. The pause button will
only be active when the current protocol is running. The stop button will be active when the current
protocol is running or paused. SoftLinx V protocols may run simultaneously.
Protocol Execution:
Once a protocol is saved and verified, users may execute the protocol. Users may either click Play on the
taskbar or press F5.
Hitting the Run command will do the following, in order:
- Ask the user to save the protocol before execution, if the protocol has not been saved since the last
change. If it has, it will confirm execution of this protocol. This is the only confirmation before execution.
- Causes all active instruments, when not currently engaged in a protocol, to activate their startup
procedures. Instruments do this one at a time, not simultaneously. Status messages will be displayed in
the "Messages" box, located at the bottom of the main SoftLinx V window.
- The protocol will then begin execution. Steps will execute sequentially, from top to bottom.
Runtime Options:
While a protocol is running, the user is able to monitor the runtime status of the overall protocol. Protocols
can not be changed while executing. In addition, all protocol messages will be posted to the message log,
located below the protocol frame. Execution of protocols can be interrupted with the pause or stop buttons.
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Steps that are currently executing will be marked with a green aura. Expanded steps with children steps
that are executing will be marked with a light green aura.
In addition, if a user manually stops a protocol run by SoftLinx, the last running steps which was executing
will be marked with a red aura. Red auras will remain until the user restarts the protocol.
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