Terminology
About terms and acronyms
Some terms used in this manual are product specific and crucial for understanding. Moreover, acronyms, words formed from initial letters, are sometimes used instead of long terms. To avoid confusion, important terminology is clarified below.
Definitions
Term |
Definition |
C# and Visual Basic.NET |
.NET programming languages. |
Common Language Runtime |
The core runtime engine in the .NET Framework for execution of managed code. Provides services such as cross-language integration, code access security, object lifetime management, and debugging and profiling support. |
Controller Application Programming Interface |
The public class libraries of PC SDK, which offer robot controller functionality. Also referred to as Controller API. |
Device |
The FlexPendant is a “smart device” in the .NET vocabulary, that is, a complete computer in itself with its own processor, operating system and so on. |
FlexPendant |
ABB’s hand held device, used with the robot controller. The IRC5 FlexPendant is developed with Microsoft’s technology for embedded systems, Windows CE and .NET Compact Framework. The OmniCore FlexPendant is based on Windows 10. |
IRC5 |
ABB’s previous generation robot controller. |
OmniCore |
ABB’s latest generation robot controller. |
JIT compiler |
When compiling managed code, the compiler translates the source code into Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL), which is a CPU-independent set of instructions. Before code can be executed, MSIL must be converted to CPU-specific code, usually by a just-in-time (JIT) compiler. |
managed code |
Code that is executed and managed by the Microsoft .NET Framework’s common language runtime. All code produced by Visual Studio executes as managed code. |
Microsoft Visual Studio |
The integrated development environment that developers work inside when using the .NET Framework. |
Microsoft .NET Framework |
An integral Windows component supporting the building and running of applications. |
Network socket |
A communication end-point unique to a machine communicating on an Internet Protocol-based network. |
PC SDK programmer |
A programmer who uses PC SDK to develop custom applications. |
PC SDK application |
A custom application developed with PC SDK. |
Robot Application Builder |
ABB software tool, which enabled the development of custom operator interfaces for IRC5. Often referred to as RAB. The RAB is split to FlexPendant SDK and PC SDK. Robot Application Builder (RAB) was a software tool, which enabled programmers to develop customized FlexPendant or PC interfaces for the IRC5 robot controller. |
Robot Communication Runtime |
The communication layer used by Controller API to communicate over the network with an IRC5 or OmniCore controller. |
unmanaged code |
Code that is executed directly by the operating system, outside the .NET Framework. Unmanaged code must provide its own memory management, type checking, and security support, unlike managed code, which receives these services from the common language runtime. All code executing in the robot controller, as well as part of the code executing in the FlexPendant is unmanaged. |
Virtual Controller |
Virtual robot technology makes it possible to run a virtual IRC5 or OmniCore controller, virtual mechanical units and a virtual FlexPendant on the desktop. Included as freeware in ABB’s RobotStudio. |
Windows CE |
The embedded operating system running on the IRC5 FlexPendant device. |
Acronym |
Definition |
Controller API |
Controller Application Programming Interface |
CLR |
Common Language Runtime |
GUI |
Graphical User Interface |
PC SDK |
Personal Computer Software Development Kit |
SDK |
Software Development Kit |
TCP/IP |
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) |
VB |
Visual Basic |
VS |
Visual Studio |