Installation overview
About this section
This section describes how to install PC SDK. When the installation is complete, you can program, compile and test PC applications for the robot controller.
System requirements
To use PC SDK the following PC operating system requirements, development environment requirements and robotware software requirements must be met.
PC operating system requirements
Windows 10 or later, 64-bit edition, is required.
Development environment requirements
Visual Studio 2019 or 2022 and .NET Framework 4.8 is required.
RobotWare software requirements
In order for a PC SDK application to be able to communicate with an IRC5 or OmniCore controller, the RobotWare option 616-1 PC Interface (IRC5) or 3119-1 RobotStudio Connect (OmniCore) is required on the controller.
Note
PC SDK is developed and tested for the English version of Microsoft Visual Studio. If you are running Visual Studio in another language, you are recommended to switch to the English version.
Requirements for installing and using PC SDK
You must have administrator permissions on the computer that you are using to install PC SDK. To use PC SDK, the following requirements have to be met:
Before... | you must... |
---|---|
debugging using a virtual controller | learn how to run the virtual controller in RobotStudio. |
executing the application targeting a real controller | check that the robot system has the controller option (for PC applications). Set up a connection between your PC and the robot controller. For more information, see How to set up your PC to communicate with robot for details about how this is done. |
Note
The Visual Studio installation installs .NET Framework 4.8.
Installing PC SDK
PC SDK will be installed side by side with any previous major version, while minor versions within a release will update to the latest one.
Note
The default installation path is C:\Program Files (x86)\ABB\SDK\PCSDK version
.
Note
You are also strongly advised to study the Release Notes, for all up-to-date information, including new features and any known limitations of the release.
Installation instructions
- Browse to http://developercenter.robotstudio.com and select PC SDK and then Download.
- Extract the downloaded zip file to a folder on your computer.
- Double-click
PCSDK version.exe
to start the installation procedure.
PC SDK installation for earlier releases
PC SDK was a part of Robot Application Builder (RAB) which also included FlexPendant SDK. RAB 5.12 was the last release of Robot Application Builder.
In 5.13, both PC SDK and FlexPendant SDKs were provided as separate products. Starting from 5.14 to 5.15 RobotStudio installs PC SDK and FlexPendant SDK side by side with previously installed versions of PC SDK. PC SDK assemblies were installed in the Global Assembly Cache (GAC) till 5.15.
RAB 5.11 to 5.12
Installs PC SDK and FlexPendant SDK side by side with any previously installed versions. This makes it easier to work with several versions of the PC SDK on a single computer.
RAB 5.10
RAB 5.10 upgraded any previously installed PC SDK to 5.10 and installed FlexPendant SDK 5.08, 5.09 and 5.10 side-by-side. The reason for the side-by-side installation of several FlexPendant SDK versions was to make it easier for FlexPendant SDK users to work on FlexPendant SDK applications targeting different RobotWare versions. Earlier RAB releases can be downloaded from Robotics Developer Center > Downloads.
What is installed?
The following are installed on your PC:
SDK assemblies and resources
SDK redistributables
Robot Communication Runtime
Documentation
Working with several versions
A PC SDK application normally targets a specific RobotWare release. Assume that you are developing a PC SDK application for a new customer who uses a specific RobotWare version. At the sametime, you are also maintaining an existing PC SDK application for a customer with robot system using a different RobotWare version, then you will need to work with two different PC SDK releases on your PC. For details about releases and compatibility, see Release upgrades and compatibility.
PC applications
Before RobotStudio 5.60, PC SDK installs its assemblies in the Global Assembly Cache (GAC). Old PC SDK applications, prior to 5.60 will continue to run as defined since a version of PC SDK is available in GAC. For PC SDK applications, that is, versions 5.60 and later, you must add references to the new PC SDK assemblies and then rebuild the project.
Use the following steps to add PC SDK references to your application:
Step | Action |
---|---|
1 | Browse to the installation directory that matches the PC SDK version to be added to your Microsoft Visual Studio project. |
2 | Select the PC SDK assemblies you want to add a reference. |
3 | Set the Reference property Specific Version to true to ensure that the correct version of the PC SDK dlls is used in run-time. |
RobotStudio Add-In
A RobotStudio Add-In that uses PC SDK cannot decide which version of the PC SDK assemblies to use during runtime. The reason being an Add-In itself is an assembly that is loaded into the RobotStudio application domain. As RobotStudio also uses PC SDK internally, the PC SDK assemblies are already loaded, and the Add-Ins are forced to use the same version, which is the same version as RobotStudio. For example, an Add-In that is loaded into an earlier version of RobotStudio will be forced to use the newer version of PC SDK assemblies.