Command: Scan for Devices
Function: The command establishes a temporary connection to the hardware and detects the devices in the network. Then you can apply the scanned devices into the device tree of your project.
Call: menu; context menu of a device object in the device tree
Requirement: The communication settings to the controller are correct. The gateway and the PLC are started. The device supports the scan function.
The following devices provide the scan function: EtherCAT Master, EtherNet/IP Scanner (IEC), Sercos Master, CANopen Manager, CANopen Manager SIL2, Profinet Controller, and Profibus DP Master.
Tip
You can perform the device scan immediately if the scan function is permanently implemented in the PLC. When the scan function is implemented in a library, you have to log in only one time to download the library to the controller.
The command applies to the master controller selected in the device tree. For example, a PROFINET IO Controller which is already inserted can be selected, and the command used to detect the I/O devices and I/O modules assigned to it.
After performing the scan operation, the Scan Devices dialog opens and displays the scanned devices.
The dialogs for the scan differ depending on the type of device. See the help pages for the respective device editor.
Device name, Device type, Address, Station name, etc. | Data about the scanned device depending on network type When you change a value in the list of scanned devices, the value is displayed in italics. This indicates that the new value has been changed in the editor in CODESYS, but not in the device. When you download the value to the device, it is displayed normally. Values which indicate differences between the project and the scanned device are displayed in orange. If multiple device descriptions are available for the scanned device, then the name is displayed in bold. The selection of the matching device description is resolved differently for different fieldbuses. For more detailed information, see the corresponding fieldbus chapters. If a device description cannot be found, then the following message is shown: "Attention! The device was not found in the repository." Depending on the bus system, additional information is displayed, such as vendor number and product number. The device cannot be inserted into the project without the installed device description. |
Show differences to project |
|
Scan for Devices | Starts a new scan |
Copy All Devices to Project | The device which is selected in the table is inserted into the device tree in the project. If nothing is selected, then all scanned devices are shown. |
Important
If you use Copy All Devices to Project to insert devices, which are available in the device tree, to the device tree, then the following should be noted: The data of the Process Data and <...> I/O Mapping tabs of the existing devices may be overwritten with the data of the recently inserted devices.
This part of the dialog is visible only when you select the Show differences to project option. Differences between the scanned and configured devices are color-coded. Devices displayed in green are identical on both sides. Devices displayed in red are available only in the view of the scanned or configured devices. | |
![]() | If you have selected a device in both views, then the scanned devices are inserted above the selected configured device. |
![]() | If you have selected a device in both views, then the scanned devices are inserted below the selected configured device. |
![]() | If you have selected a device in both views, then the configured devices are replaced by the selected scanned device. |
![]() | All scanned devices are copied to the project. |
![]() | The selected configured device is deleted. |
For more information, see: Mapping a Hardware Structure in the Device Tree