Online Debugging Mode

Use the Online Debugging mode to debug the output points of Functional Blocks, software input points (NVIs and NCIs in LonSpyder, Network Inputs and Network Setpoints in BacnetSpyder, and physical input points such as binary inputs and modulating inputs) in the online mode. You can force write points to NVs or Objects and observe field values. You can also select the points (in an application) you want to debug. The prerequisites to work in this mode include, creation of an application logic and downloading it to the controller.

To be able to debug function blocks, they must be linked to other function blocks or output points or configured as Out_Save, Out_Byte, Out_float, or constant. An exception, however, is the Alarm function block. If you have an Alarm function block with only its input linked, you can still perform debugging.

To be able to debug input points (NVIs or Network Inputs, NCIs or Network Setpoints, analog inputs, and binary inputs), they must be linked to function blocks or other output points.

The points you select for debugging and with the view in the watch window option enabled appear in the watch window at the bottom of the wiresheet. Use the watch window if the points you want to watch are scattered between macros and sub-application logic. In such a situation, you do not have to view the container containing the point. You can use the Watch Window feature to watch the values of all the points you selected, irrespective of where they are or are not on the wire sheet.

In the Debug mode you can:

Working in Online Debugging Mode

You can access the Online Debugging Mode from either the Engineering or Simulation mode with the click of a button. To move to Online Debugging Mode from any mode:
Click the Debug button on the Tool bar.
or
Right-click anywhere on the wiresheet and select Debug.

Note: Device icon under Nav palette will be modified. It will have an orange background indicating the device is in Online Debugging mode.

The Debug button on the tool bar becomes unselectable and you have the following options available:

Download Application Logic to Controller

To download an application logic to a controller:

  1. Right-click the device and select Actions > Download.
  2. The Download dialog box appears. Click OK to download the logic to the controller.

Note: A Quick Download only downloads the modified items from a previous download where as with a Full Download the entire configuration is downloaded to the controller replacing the existing configuration. However, if changes have been made to the SBus wall module by an operator or tenant locally from the display on the wall module, and a full download is performed, Spyder tool downloads the entire configuration to the controller except the SBus wall module configuration. This is done to avoid losing any changes made locally on the SBus wall module during the download. Make sure that if you are using the SBus wall module, the models selected are LonSpyder II, Spyder Micro, or BacnetSpyder. When using the LonSpyder and BacnetSpyder models, if you modify SBus wall module settings from the display in the wall module, you can also upload the same configuration into the Spyder tool. 

SBus wall module cannot be downloaded to the LonSpyder I models.

  1. If setpoint values in the wiresheet are different from the values in the controller, a message appears stating, "A network setpoint or schedule change has occurred since the last download". You are given options to cancel the download or proceed and over-write wiresheet values to the controller. So that setpoints modified from wall module or graphics are not lost due to an over-write of wiresheet values during a download, use the Sync From Field Device to Wiresheet option (Right-click controller > Sync From Field Device to Wiresheet). This option makes sure that values in the controller are not over-written by wiresheet values when the two values are not in sync.

Modify Application During Debugging

You can modify the application logic even when debugging of points is going on. The following table summarizes the actions and their effects on points in the debugging mode.

Action Result
Add/remove a block Not allowed
Add/remove a link Not allowed
Rename/Reorder a component ( function block, physical/software points, composite slots, macros, applications, controlprograms, device) Not allowed
Point Conversion Not allowed
All configuration changes for function blocks except Property description change and Output property type change Not allowed
Change Constant value through Config properties and NOT through Force values/Actions screen Not allowed
Change NCI/Network Input value through Config Properties dialog and not through Force values/Actions screen Not allowed
Change Schedule configuration Not allowed
Change Property description of function block Allowed
Change Simulation settings Allowed
Change Model Not allowed
Reassign/Unassign IO terminals in Terminal Assignment View Not allowed
Change Daylight settings in Controller Summary View Not allowed
Import XML Not allowed
Change IO configuration Not allowed

Changing Modes

On changing the mode from Engineering/Online Debugging to Simulation the message,  "Do you want to remove the overridden input values?" appears only if points are overridden previously.

Selecting Yes may take several minutes depending on the number of wiresheet objects.

Note: Whenever you restart a Station, by default, the actions described on selecting No, is performed.

Related Topics

Force Values

Select Points to Debug