Using Routine Variables

Variables can be added to routines in a robot program, and then used to add complexity and define conditions for If and While statements. A routine variable is a local variable of a robot program and cannot be used by a statement in a different routine.

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  1. Add Variable
  2. Edit Variable
  3. Assign Value
  4. Define Conditional Statement

Add Variable

Supported types of variables (Boolean, integer, real and string) can be added to any routine in a robot program. Once a variable is added to a routine, you cannot change that variable's type.

  1. Click the PROGRAM tab, and the use the Jog command to select a robot.
  2. In the Program Editor panel, select a routine.
  3. In the Routine Properties panel, Add new variables list, click the type of variable you want to add to the routine.

Edit Variable

The name and value of a variable can be edited directly by accessing the properties of its routine.

  1. Click the PROGRAM tab, and the use the Jog command to select a robot.
  2. In the Program Editor panel, select a routine.
  3. In the Routine Properties panel, Variables table, edit the Name and Value fields of variables you want to update in the routine.

Note: When you reset a simulation, a routine variable will revert to its initial value.

Assign Value

An Assign Variable statement allows you to set the value of a robot variable, which includes routine variables. In some cases, you would assign values to variables at the start of a simulation or when a subroutine is executed in its program. In other cases, you would increment the value of variables used in a loop or subprocess of a routine.

  1. Click the PROGRAM tab, and the use the Jog command to select a robot.
  2. In the Program Editor panel, select the routine containing the variable you want to assign a value, and then add an Assign Variable statement.
  3. In the Statement Properties panel, do all of the following:
    • Set TargetProperty to be name of the variable you want to assign a value.
    • In ValueExpression, define an expression that when evaluated returns a value that can be assigned to the target variable.

Define Conditional Statement

Variables in a routine can be used to define a condition for executing If and While statements.

  1. Click the PROGRAM tab, and the use the Jog command to select a robot.
  2. In the Program Editor panel, select a routine, and then do one of the following:
    • To add a conditional statement for executing one of two branches of statements, add an If statement.
    • To add a conditional statement for repeating the execution of a branch of statements, add a While statement.
  3. In the Statement Properties panel, in Condition, define an expression that when evaluated returns a True or False value. If you need help writing the expression, press CTRL+SPACEBAR to turn on autocomplete.

Tip: The I/O ports of a robot can be used by any conditional statement in a robot program. For example, IN[100] would refer to input port 100 in a robot.