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

Product type Paperback

Published in Mar 2023

Publisher Packt

ISBN-13 9781804612880

Length 386 pages

Edition 1st Edition

Languages

PLC programming

Tools

PLC

Concepts

PLC Programming

Author (1):

M. T. White

View More author details

Table of Contents (25) Chapters

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

Why subscribe?

24. Other Books You May Enjoy

What is debugging?

Debugging a program starts with understanding what a bug is. A bug is best thought of as a software defect. Bugs range in severity—some bugs might produce minor inconveniences in a program, such as producing the wrong text, while severe bugs will prevent a program from compiling. When a bug is detected, it is important to find the bug and repair it; this act is what is known as debugging.

Debugging is as much an art as it is a science. Debugging is the act of finding and eliminating defects in software. As was discussed earlier, defects are a given for a program of any significant size and functionality. As such, it is important for you, as a developer, to be able to troubleshoot defects. The following section is dedicated to understanding bugs and the debugging process.

Types of bugs

Depending on who you ask and what article you read, there are many types of bugs. However, the following types of bugs are arguably the most common types you will run...