twincat-automationinterface

name	TwinCAT-AutomationInterface
description	Control TwinCAT 3 IDE, manage PLC projects, build and deploy programs, read/write PLC variables via ADS, modify Structured Text code, and run automated PLC tests. Requires Windows with TwinCAT 3 XAE installed.

TwinCAT Automation Skill

Control TwinCAT 3 IDE and PLC runtime using the TwinCATAutomation PowerShell module.

Setup

Before any operation, import the module:

Import-Module "<module-path>" -Force

Full Lifecycle (Zero Dialogs)

# 1. Connect (one-step with -SolutionPath)
$r = Connect-TcIde -SolutionPath "C:\Projects\MyProject.sln"
$amsNetId = $r.data.amsNetId

# 2. Build
Build-TcProject

# 3. Activate (Config -> Run via ADS, no dialogs)
Enable-TcConfig -Force

# 4. Wait for TwinCAT restart
Start-Sleep -Seconds 5

# 5. Login + Download (Login(3), no dialogs)
Enter-TcPlcOnline

# 6. Connect ADS (AFTER Login — port 851 needs program downloaded first)
Connect-TcAds -AmsNetId $amsNetId

# 7. Start PLC
Set-TcPlcState -State Run

# 8. Read/Write
Read-TcVariable -Path "MAIN.nCounter"
Write-TcVariable -Path "MAIN.bEnable" -Value $true

All Commands (34)

IDE Connection

• Connect-TcIde [-SolutionPath <path>] [-ProgId <com>] — Connect to IDE. With -SolutionPath: finds/launches IDE, opens solution, returns amsNetId
• Disconnect-TcIde — Disconnect from IDE
• Get-TcIdeInfo — Get IDE version, solution path, connection status

Project Management

• New-TcProject -Name <name> [-Path <dir>] — Create new project with PLC and MAIN
• Open-TcProject -Path <sln> — Open existing solution
• Get-TcProjectTree — Get project tree as JSON
• Add-TcPou -Name <name> -Type <Program|FunctionBlock|Function> [-ReturnType <t>] — Add POU
• Add-TcGvl -Name <name> [-Variables @{var=type}] — Add GVL
• Add-TcDut -Name <name> -DutType <Struct|Enum|Alias|Union> — Add DUT
• Add-TcLibrary -Name <lib> — Add library reference

PLC Code

• Get-TcPouCode -PouName <name> [-PouPath <treePath>] — Read declaration + implementation
• Write-TcPouCode -PouName <name> [-PouPath <treePath>] [-Declaration <text>] [-Implementation <text>] — Write code to POU

Build & Deploy

• Build-TcProject — Build (auto-retry on RPC_E_CALL_REJECTED)
• Enable-TcConfig [-Force] — Activate config. -Force = ADS WriteControl (no dialogs)
• Enter-TcPlcOnline [-PlcProjectPath <path>] — Login + Download via Login(3) (no dialogs)
• Exit-TcPlcOnline — Logout from PLC
• Send-TcPlcProgram — Upload program to PLC
• Set-TcTarget -AmsNetId <id> — Set target system

ADS Communication

• Connect-TcAds [-AmsNetId <id>] [-Port <851>] — Connect ADS. AmsNetId auto-detected if omitted
• Disconnect-TcAds — Disconnect ADS
• Read-TcVariable -Path <varPath> — Read variable by symbol path
• Write-TcVariable -Path <varPath> -Value <val> — Write variable (BOOL, INT, UINT, DINT, REAL, LREAL, STRING)
• Watch-TcVariable -Path <varPath> -IntervalMs <ms> [-Condition <script>] [-TimeoutMs <ms>] — Monitor with condition
• Get-TcSymbols [-Filter <wildcard>] — List symbols (e.g. "MAIN.*")

Runtime Control

• Set-TcPlcState -State <Run|Stop|Reset> — Set PLC state via ADS
• Get-TcPlcState — Read PLC state
• Set-TcSystemState -State <Run|Config> [-AmsNetId <id>] — Set system state (no dialogs)
• Get-TcSystemState [-AmsNetId <id>] — Read system state

I/O Configuration

• Invoke-TcIoScan — Scan for EtherCAT devices
• Get-TcIoTree — Read I/O device tree
• Set-TcVariableLink -Variable <v> -Channel <c> — Link PLC variable to I/O channel

Testing

• New-TcTestCase -Name <name> [-Setup @(...)] [-WaitMs <ms>] -Assertions @(...) [-Teardown @(...)] — Define test case
• Invoke-TcTest -TestCase <tc> — Run single test
• Invoke-TcTestCycle -TestCases @(...) [-SkipBuild] [-KeepRunning] — Full Build->Deploy->Test->Stop cycle

Testing Example

$test1 = New-TcTestCase -Name "Initial state" -Assertions @(
    @{ Path = "MAIN.bReady"; Operator = "IsTrue"; Expected = $null }
    @{ Path = "MAIN.nCount"; Operator = "Equal"; Expected = [uint16]0 }
)

$test2 = New-TcTestCase -Name "Trigger and verify" `
    -Setup @( @{ Path = "MAIN.bStart"; Value = $true } ) `
    -WaitMs 2000 `
    -Assertions @(
        @{ Path = "MAIN.bDone"; Operator = "IsTrue"; Expected = $null }
    ) `
    -Teardown @( @{ Path = "MAIN.bStart"; Value = $false } )

Invoke-TcTestCycle -TestCases @($test1, $test2)

Assertion operators: Equal, GreaterThan, LessThan, IsTrue, IsFalse

Output Format

All commands return JSON:

{"success": true, "data": {"path": "MAIN.nCounter", "value": 42, "type": "UDINT"}}
{"success": false, "error": {"message": "Build failed", "code": "BUILD_FAILED"}}

Critical Rules

1. AmsNetId is dynamic — never hardcode. Auto-detected from IDE target.
2. Lifecycle order matters: Build -> Activate -> Login -> ADS Connect -> Start (ADS port 851 only exists after Login+Download)
3. Don't reconnect IDE after Activate — original COM reference survives TwinCAT XAR restart.
4. Write MAIN-level vars for FB testing — PLC overwrites FB VAR_INPUT every scan cycle.
5. Use -PouPath for Get/Write-TcPouCode — format: TIPC^<PlcName>^<PlcName> Project^POUs^<PouName>