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Mastering PLC Programming

You're reading from   Mastering PLC Programming The software engineering survival guide to automation programming

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Product type Paperback
Published in Mar 2023
Publisher Packt
ISBN-13 9781804612880
Length 386 pages
Edition 1st Edition
Tools
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Author (1):
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M. T. White M. T. White
Author Profile Icon M. T. White
M. T. White
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Toc

Table of Contents (25) Chapters Close

Preface 1. Part 1 – An Introduction to Advanced PLC Programming
2. Chapter 1: Software Engineering for PLCs FREE CHAPTER 3. Chapter 2: Advanced Structured Text — Programming a PLC in Easy-to-Read English 4. Chapter 3: Debugging — Making Your Code Work 5. Chapter 4: Complex Variable Declaration — Using Variables to Their Fullest 6. Part 2 – Modularity and Objects
7. Chapter 5: Functions — Making Code Modular and Maintainable 8. Chapter 6: Object-Oriented Programming — Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling Code 9. Chapter 7: OOP — The Power of Objects 10. Part 3 – Software Engineering for PLCs
11. Chapter 8: Libraries — Write Once, Use Anywhere 12. Chapter 9: The SDLC — Navigating the SDLC to Create Great Code 13. Chapter 10: Advanced Coding — Using SOLID to Make Solid Code 14. Part 4 – HMIs and Alarms
15. Chapter 11: HMIs — UIs for PLCs 16. Chapter 12: Industrial Controls — User Inputs and Outputs 17. Chapter 13: Layouts — Making HMIs User-Friendly 18. Chapter 14: Alarms — Avoiding Catastrophic Issues with Alarms 19. Part 5 – Final Project and Thoughts
20. Chapter 15: Putting It All Together — The Final Project 21. Chapter 16: Distributed Control Systems, PLCs, and Networking 22. Assessments 23. Index 24. Other Books You May Enjoy

Exploring functions

The most fundamental module of any program in any programming language is the function. We’ve thrown around the term quite a bit, but what is a function? In the most basic sense, a function is a named, callable block of code that performs a task. Essentially, a well-written program will be a collection of functions.

With that being said, it is common for entry-level students and non-formally trained professionals to assume that a function is merely allocating functionality to separate files. This, however, is a major fallacy that can lead to a poorly written program that will not last. Though it is very common to split functions into separate files in PLC programming, a separate file is not a function. As such, it is important to remember that there is a major difference between code in separate files and functions.

What goes into a function?

Before we start writing functions, we need to determine what goes into a function and when a function needs...

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