QuickTeach

User’s Guide
Version 4.0

ABB Flexible Automation

©1998 ABB Flexible Automation
All rights reserved.
Printed in Sweden Feb-01
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a
commitment by ABB Flexible Automation Inc. ABB Flexible Automation Inc. assumes no
responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document.

In no event shall ABB Flexible Automation Inc. be liable for incidental or consequential damages
arising from use of this document or of the software and hardware described in this document.

This document and parts thereof must not be reproduced or copied without ABB Flexible Automation
Inc.’s permission, and contents thereof must not be imparted to a third party nor be used for any
unauthorized purpose. Contravention will be prosecuted.

© 1998 ABB Flexible Automation Inc.

All rights reserved.
Printed in Sweden Feb-01
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................1-1
INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................................1-1
What is QuickTeach? ...........................................................................................................................1-1
INSTALLATION ..........................................................................................................................................1-1
RUNNING QUICKTEACH............................................................................................................................1-1
Configuring QuickTeach......................................................................................................................1-2
CHAPTER 2 THE TEACH PENDANT ..................................................................................................2-3
OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................2-3
USING THE TEACH PENDANT ....................................................................................................................2-5
CHAPTER 3 THE I/O SIMULATOR .....................................................................................................3-1
OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................3-1
STARTING THE I/O SIMULATOR................................................................................................................3-2
Board List ............................................................................................................................................3-2
S4 Operation State ...............................................................................................................................3-2
I/O Range.............................................................................................................................................3-3
SIZING THE DISPLAY ................................................................................................................................3-3
Size = 100%.........................................................................................................................................3-3
Size = 50%...........................................................................................................................................3-3
Size = 25%...........................................................................................................................................3-4
VIEWING INPUTS OR OUTPUTS ..................................................................................................................3-4
CHAPTER 4 THE ROBOT VIEWER.....................................................................................................4-1
OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................4-1
RUNNING THE ROBOT VIEWER .................................................................................................................4-3
Selecting the Robot Model ...................................................................................................................4-3
Quitting the Robot Viewer ...................................................................................................................4-3
Robot Viewer Help...............................................................................................................................4-3
THE CONTENTS OF THE ROBOT VIEWER WINDOW....................................................................................4-4
THE CYCLE TIME CLOCK ..........................................................................................................................4-5
THE FILE MENU ........................................................................................................................................4-6
Printing ................................................................................................................................................4-6
Exit Command......................................................................................................................................4-6
THE SETTINGS MENU................................................................................................................................4-7
Motion Settings ....................................................................................................................................4-8
Rendering Style ..................................................................................................................................4-10
Display Properties .............................................................................................................................4-11
Defaults..............................................................................................................................................4-16
THE VIEW MENU ....................................................................................................................................4-16
Status Bar...........................................................................................................................................4-16
Always On Top...................................................................................................................................4-16
THE HELP MENU ....................................................................................................................................4-17
MANIPULATING THE SCENE ....................................................................................................................4-18
Using the Thumbwheels to Manipulate the Scene..............................................................................4-18
Using the Mouse to Move the Scene ..................................................................................................4-20
The Viewer Decoration Buttons.........................................................................................................4-20
APPENDIX A USING QUICKTEACH WITH FACTORYWARE..........................................................A-1
WHAT IS FACTORYWARE? ...................................................................................................................... A-1
ENABLING THE QUICKTEACH COMMUNICATION INTERFACE................................................................... A-1
TCP/IP INTERFACE INSTALLATION AND SETUP ....................................................................................... A-2
Installing TCP/IP under Windows 95 ................................................................................................. A-2
Installing TCP/IP under Windows NT 4.0 .......................................................................................... A-4
APPENDIX B: SETTING QUICKTEACH PREFERENCES WITH THE VIRTUAL ROBOT
BROWSER ................................................................................................................................................ B-1
OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................... B-1
THE VIRTUAL ROBOT BROWSER.............................................................................................................. B-1
The Virtual Robot Browser Main Functions....................................................................................... B-3
THE ROBINSTALL DIALOG ....................................................................................................................... B-9
THE ROBOT PROPERTIES DIALOG .......................................................................................................... B-13
General Page .................................................................................................................................... B-13
Pendant Page.................................................................................................................................... B-15
Startup Page ..................................................................................................................................... B-16
VIRTUAL ROBOT BROWSER ONLINE HELP............................................................................................. B-20
APPENDIX C: TROUBLESHOOTING: IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS….........................................C-1
SYSTEM INFORMATION DIALOG............................................................................................................... C-1
APPENDIX D: INSTALLING ONLINE DOCUMENTATION TO A HARD DISK DRIVE...........D-1
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ D-1
SETUP THE ONLINE DOCUMENTATION ...................................................................................................... D-1
INSTALLING THE ONLINE DOCUMENTATION ON YOUR HARD DRIVE MANUALLY....................................... D-1
APPENDIX E: ACROBAT READER-THE ONLINE DOCUMENTATION VIEWER................... E-1
OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................... 1
Chapter 1
Introduction

INTRODUCTION
Welcome to QuickTeach™. This guide will familiarize you with QuickTeach and its
user interface elements: the Teach Pendant, the I/O Simulator, and the Robot View.

WHAT IS QUICKTEACH?
QuickTeach, simulates selected ABB S4 robots on desktop computers running
Windows 95 or Windows NT. QuickTeach can be used to test robot programs and as
a teaching tool for learning how to operate and program the S4 controller without
occupying a real robot system.
The QuickTeach application consists of three user interface elements, the Teach
Pendant, the I/O Simulator, and the Robot View. The Teach Pendant simulates the
S4 Controller Teach Pendant; the I/O Simulator window permits user viewing and
manipulation of digital I/O signals; and the Robot Viewer allows you to observe the
Robot’s motion as it executes RAPID application programs. The Teach Pendant is
displayed automatically when QuickTeach is started. The I/O Simulator and the
Robot Viewer windows are optional.
Also available are a set of related on-line reference manuals, including i.a. the
RAPID language reference manuals, including V2.1, V3.0 S4c, V3.1, V3.2 and
V4.0.

INSTALLATION
Information on how to install QuickTeach is found in QuickTeach 4.0 Getting
Started provided in your QuickTeach 4.0 software package.

RUNNING QUICKTEACH
You can start QuickTeach from the Start/Programs menu, or by double clicking the
QuickTeach icon.

Before QuickTeach is launched a dialog is displayed which contains check boxes

which you can use to select which components you want to run. Optional

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

components are the Robot Viewer and the I/O Simulator. When the <Continue>
button is pressed the QuickTeach Dialog starts the virtual controller and the virtual
teach pendant and the selected optional components. The QuickTeach Dialog is
shown in Figure 1-1.

Figure 1-1: QuickTeach Dialog

IO Simulator Check this box if you want the IO Simulator to start.

Robot Viewer Check this box if you want the Robot Viewer to start.

Continue Press this button to launch the QuickTeach application.

If you have selected any of the IO Simulator or Robot
Viewer check boxes those applications will be launched
as well.

Cancel Press this button if you do not wish to start the QuickTeach.

Once you start VirtualRobot, the Teach Pendant window appears along with a
control panel window and joystick window. In addition, the I/O Simulator and Robot
Viewer windows appear. A Virtual Controller icon also appears in the task bar. The
Virtual Controller icon represents the S4 kernel running on your PC.

CONFIGURING QUICKTEACH
The QuickTeach application relies on the Virtual Controller, the S4 kernel running
as a backgound process. The Virtual Controller can be configured with various

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

memory and software options just like an actual S4 controller using the Virtual
Robot Browser. In Appendix B, Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual
Robot Browser, you will find detailed information on using the Virtual Robot
Browser dialog to create and modify Virtual Controller configurations.
A configuration includes, for example, the specific model year (V2.1, V3.0,
V3.1,etc.) of the controller, the options available to that controller (ArcWare,
SpotWare, Serial RAP, etc.), the robot model (IRB1400H CEILING/DCLinkB,
IRB6400C/B-150, etc.), the amount of memory installed on that controller (4MB,
6MB, etc.), and several other parameters. The Virtual Robot Browser dialog is used
to select, or activate, a specific configuration from one of the existing configurations,
to modify an existing configuration, or to create an entirely new configuration.
Keep in mind that specific features differ between different controller options, so it
is important to select the options that contain the features you want. Consequently,
you will not be able to program ArcWare statements using the Teach Pendant
application unless you create a new configuration or modify an existing
configuration to include the ArcWare option. Similarly, you must create a new
configuration or modify an existing configuration containing the SpotWare option if
you intend to program SpotWare instructions.
The following chapters contain more information on how to use QuickTeach.

Chapter 2
The Teach Pendant

OVERVIEW
The Teach Pendant window is a QuickTeach component that simulates the ABB S4
robot controller teach pendant. This chapter covers how to use the Teach Pendant
interface, not Teach Pendant functionality nor the RAPID programming language.
The Teach Pendant window starts automatically when QuickTeach is started.
Accompanying the Teach Pendant are the Control Panel and Joystick windows.
The Teach Pendant assumes the appearance of either of two teach pendant versions,
according to the selection made in the Virtual Robot Browser (see Appendix B,
Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual Robot Browser, for more
information). The two pendants are compatible; however, the Version 2 pendant
contains additional buttons that invoke special functions. If you use a Version 1
pendant, you will lose access to these special functions. The Version 2 pendant also
supports three window sizes, small, medium, and large.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

The Version 1 Teach Pendant, Joystick, and Control Panel appear as follows:

Figure 2-1: Version 1 Teach Pendant (upper), Joystick (lower left), and Control
Panel (lower right)

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 Chapter 3: I/O Simulator

The Version 2 Teach Pendant, Joystick, and Control Panel appear as follows:

Figure 2-2: Version 2 Teach Pendant (upper), Joystick (lower right), and
Control Panel (lower left).

You may want to minimize the Joystick and Control Panel windows to permit better
access to the Teach Pendant window.

USING THE TEACH PENDANT

The Teach Pendant appears as a fixed-size window on the Windows desktop with a
title bar, control-menu box, and minimize button, but no menu or maximize button.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

You exit the QuickTeach application by pressing the close button in the title bar.
This causes all QuickTeach components to terminate and shuts down the Virtual
Controller background process.
The Teach Pendant keys are represented by command buttons arranged and labeled
as on the real S4 Teach Pendant. You execute pendant keystrokes by clicking the
corresponding buttons with the mouse. Unlike common Windows applications, you
cannot select menu items in Teach Pendant by clicking on them directly with the
mouse; instead, you must click on the pendant buttons just as you would if you were
using the real pendant. The cursor changes to a hand symbol whenever you are over
a selectable button.
The Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) on the real pendant are represented by radio
buttons on the Version 1 Teach Pendant. An LED in the “on” state appears as a
selected radio button, that is, the circle is filled. An LED in the “off” state appears as
an unselected radio button, or an unfilled circle. You cannot change the radio
buttons’ state by clicking on them with the mouse.
Sound effects emitted by the real pendant are reproduced through the PC speaker.
The joystick on the real pendant is represented by three scrollbars in the joystick
window. Any one of the scrollbar thumbwheels can be dragged with the mouse from
its neutral mid-position to emulate various deflections of the real joystick. When the
mouse-button is released, the thumbwheel returns to its neutral position. If you want
to emulate incremental jogging, click the desired scroll arrow. Since you can only
interact with one scrollbar at a time, it is not possible to emulate jogging in several
directions simultaneously. The safety pad on the real pendant is emulated by a
checkbox in the joystick window. You “press” and “release” the safety pad by
clicking the checkbox with the mouse. A “pressed” safety pad appears as an “X” in
the checkbox; no “X” in the checkbox means the safety pad is “released”.
The push-buttons and keyswitch of the control panel on the real S4 cabinet are
represented by radio buttons in the control panel window. At system startup, the
push-buttons’ state appears as shown in the earlier figure. You “press” the push-
buttons by clicking on the corresponding radio buttons with the mouse. A push-
button in the “on” state appears as a selected radio button, that is, a filled circle. A
push-button in the “off” state appears as an unselected radio button, that is, an
unfilled circle.

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Chapter 3
The I/O Simulator

OVERVIEW
The I/O Simulator is a QuickTeach component that displays the current state of
digital input and output signals. It allows you to set and reset both digital inputs and
outputs. This makes it an ideal tool for testing a robot program’s logic flow based on
various digital input and output settings.
A yellow light indicates the input or output is on while a black light indicates it is
off. A panel is light gray if the input or output is defined, while a dark gray panel
indicates it is undefined.
Figure 3-1 depicts a typical I/O Simulator view. In Figure 3-1 the input signal
ContctrlsOpen is set and the output signal Control_Stop is also set. The
corresponding Teach Pendant I/O Window is shown in Figure 3-2.

Figure 3-1: Typical I/O Simulator

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Figure 3-2: Teach Pendant I/O Window

STARTING THE I/O SIMULATOR

The I/O Simulator is automatically started if the I/O Simulator check box is checked,
and the <Continue> button is pressed on QuickTeach Dialog.
The I/O Simulator starts up with the same size, desktop position, and view (i.e.,
inputs or outputs) as in the previous session.

BOARD LIST
The board list is a drop down list of all the defined I/O boards within the robot
controller. When an I/O board is selected from the board list, its defined inputs’ and
outputs’ current states are displayed. A panel is light gray if the input or output is
defined, while a dark gray panel indicates it is undefined. A yellow light indicates
the input or output is on, while a black light indicates it is off.

S4 OPERATION STATE
The S4 Operation text box displays the Virtual Controller’s current operational state.
The possible states are:
• Manual Reduced Speed
• Going to Manual Full Speed

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 Chapter 3: I/O Simulator

• Manual Full Speed

• Going to Auto Mode
• Auto Mode

I/O RANGE
The I/O Range selects the range of inputs and outputs to be displayed. In 100% or
50% size mode this will typically be 1 to 16. If the board selected has 32 inputs or
outputs, it is possible to select 17 to 32 from the I/O Range drop-down list to display
the state of the remaining I/O.

SIZING THE DISPLAY

For lower resolution monitors (e.g., VGA) it may be desirable to reduce the footprint
of the I/O Simulator window. This is done by clicking on the Size menu item. Three
sizes are available:
• 100%
• 50%
• 25%
The I/O Simulator saves its size and position on close.

SIZE = 100%
This is the default setting when the I/O Simulator is first started. The first 16 inputs
and outputs are displayed. The remainder of the inputs and outputs (if any) can be
displayed by selecting the desired range from the I/O Range drop-down list. Notice
that the View menu is grayed out when the 100% size is selected.

SIZE = 50%
This setting reduces the window footprint by half. The first 16 inputs or outputs
(depending on whether inputs or outputs were selected in the View menu) are
displayed. Notice that the View menu is no longer grayed out when the 50% size is
selected. The remainder of the inputs and outputs (if any) can be displayed by
selecting the desired range from the I/O Range drop-down list.
Figure 3-3 depicts a typical I/O Simulator viewed at 50%.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Figure 3-3: Typical I/O Simulator at 50%

SIZE = 25%
This setting reduces the window footprint by three quarters. The first eight inputs or
outputs (depending on whether inputs or outputs were selected in the View menu)
are displayed. Notice that the View menu is no longer grayed out when the 25% size
is selected. The remainder of the inputs or outputs can be displayed by selecting the
desired range from the I/O Range drop-down list.
Figure 3-4 depicts a typical I/O Simulator viewed at 25%.

Figure 3-4: Typical I/O Simulator at 25%

VIEWING INPUTS OR OUTPUTS

When the selected size is 50% or 25%, the View menu item is visible. The View
menu has two selections:
• Inputs Ctrl+I
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 Chapter 3: I/O Simulator

• Outputs Ctrl+O
In the reduced display mode (i.e., 50% or 25%), this menu is used to select whether
inputs or outputs are displayed. It is possible to select inputs or outputs by using hot
keys. Ctrl+O will display outputs, while Ctrl+I will display inputs.
The I/O Simulator will start up with the same view settings used in the previous
session.

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Chapter 4
The Robot Viewer

OVERVIEW

The Robot Viewer allows you to observe the motion of the virtual controller as it
executes RAPID application programs. The Robot Viewer’s main features include
the View Area and the Cycle Time Clock. The View Area displays the selected IRB
robot model and animates it in accordance with the positions generated by the virtual
control system. The Cycle Time Clock displays the time, using time computed
internally by the virtual control system.

Figure 4-1: Robot Viewer Window

The apparent speed of the displayed robot may not be the same as the speed of the
actual robot, depending on the speed of your PC. However, the time displayed by the
Cycle Time Clock reflects the planned motion time for the real robot. For this
reason, the times displayed by the clock can, in many cases, be used to estimate the
cycle times for real robot paths. Figure 4-1 shows the Robot Viewer with the
IRB6400/3.0-75 as the selected robot.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

It is also possible to display a tool, a tool path, coordinate systems, and a tool tip
position in the Robot Viewer. It should be noted that this tool is fictitious and always
tool flange mounted. It is defined by giving the tool tip position compared to the tool
flange coordinate system using the Display Dialog. It should also be noted that the
tool tip positions are given in the base frame coordinate system. This is illustrated in
Figure 4-2.

Figure 4-2: Robot with fictitious tool and tool path

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 Chapter 4: The Robot Viewer

RUNNING THE ROBOT VIEWER

The Robot Viewer is started together with the Teach Pendant and I/O Simulator
when the <Continue> button on the QuickTeach dialog is pressed. The Robot Model
displayed in the Robot Viewer is selected in the Virtual Robot Browser dialog (see
Appendix B, Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual Robot Browser, for
further details). It should be noted that selections in the Settings menu are saved
when the Robot Viewer is closed.

SELECTING THE ROBOT MODEL

The Virtual Robot Browser dialog is used to select the robot type. Selecting the
correct robot ensures the correct visual representation of the robot, as well as the
correct robot specific configuration, will be loaded. This must be done before
starting QuickTeach.

QUITTING THE ROBOT VIEWER

To exit the Robot Viewer, select Exit from the File menu or choose Close from the
Application pop-up menu, displayed by pressing the right mouse button at the top of
the window. This does not terminate the Virtual Controller, only the Robot Viewer
window.

ROBOT VIEWER HELP

The Robot Viewer has an on-line help system that includes most of the information
contained in this User’s Guide, with indexing and search features. Context-sensitive
help is invoked by pressing <F1> with the dialog box, menu, or window of interest
selected. Context-sensitive help can also be invoked by first putting the Robot
Viewer in Help Mode by pressing <SHIFT+F1>. When in Help Mode, the cursor
changes to a pointer with a question mark. Help is then obtained by selecting the
dialog box, menu, or window of interest. For more information regarding Help see
The Help Menu section below.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

THE CONTENTS OF THE ROBOT VIEWER WINDOW

The Robot Viewer window contains the Cycle Time Clock, the View Area, a status
bar, and four menus: File, Settings, View, and Help. The Cycle Time Clock is
located along the left side of the Robot Viewer window, the status bar is located at
the bottom of the Robot Viewer window, and the menus are at the top of the
window. The View Area displays the selected robot and floor with an optional grid.
In addition, the View Area contains various viewer decoration buttons located along
the right side of the Robot Viewer window and three thumbwheels used to
manipulate the View Area.

Robot

Floor and Grid

Viewer decoration buttons
Thumb
Wheels

Status Bar

Figure 4-3: Anatomy of the Robot Viewer Window

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 Chapter 4: The Robot Viewer

THE CYCLE TIME CLOCK

Cycle Time Clock

Start the Cycle Time Clock

Stop the Cycle Time Clock

Reset the Cycle Time Clock

Figure 4-4: Cycle Time Clock

The Cycle Time Clock is based on the planned motion time. The planned motion
time is calculated and used internally by the Virtual Controller for robot path
generation. Thus, the Cycle Time Clock can be used to form an estimate of how
much time an arbitrary segment of a robot path will take. The Cycle Time clock
reflects the time it takes to execute motion related RAPID instructions, but does not
reflect the time required to execute other RAPID instructions.
Under some circumstances, the internally calculated time estimates are not accurate.
Two examples of such circumstances are:
• The robot model is incorrect. An IRB1400H will, for example, have different
cycle times than a hanging IRB1400, even running identical RAPID programs.
• The wrong payload has been selected resulting in incorrect motion control
calculations.
The Cycle Time Clock in the Control Bar functions like a stop watch. When the

Start Clock button is pressed, the Cycle Time Clock will start.

The Clock is stopped by pressing the Stop Clock button,

and reset by pressing the Reset Clock button.

The Cycle Time Clock is particularly useful for measuring the time intervals
between fine points in Controlled mode.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

THE FILE MENU

PRINTING
Use the Print command to print the contents of the view area. This command
presents a Print dialog box in which you may specify the number of copies, the
destination printer, and other setup options. Shortcut: <CTRL+P>.

Note: You must have a printer defined and connected to your system. This is done from within the
Windows Control Panel. See your Windows documentation for details.

Figure 4-5: Print Dialog

To preview the result before it is sent to the printer, select File/Print Preview. The
File/Print Setup command can be used to set printer options.

Note: The larger the display, the larger the printed result will be.

EXIT COMMAND
Use this command to end your session. You can also use the Close command in the
application control menu (press right mouse button at top of window). Shortcut:
<ALT+F4>.

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The Exit command terminates the Robot Viewer. However, the other windows of
QuickTeach application (I/O Simulator and Teach Pendant) remain. Only when you
exit the Teach Pendant window does QuickTeach shutdown.

THE SETTINGS MENU

The properties of the Robot Viewer (background, rendering, motion properties, etc.)
can be set using the Settings menu (Figure 4-6). These properties include the
background color, the size and color of the floor and grid, tool definitions, tool tip
path settings, the rendering style, and motion-related properties. When QuickTeach
is run for the first time, the Settings use installation defaults, otherwise settings from
the previous session are used. It is possible to revert to default settings or previous
session settings at any time selecting Defaults… from the Settings menu.

Figure 4-6: The Settings Menu

The Settings menu contains the following selections: Motion, Rendering Style,
Display, and Defaults.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

MOTION SETTINGS
This menu item brings up a dialog used to set motion-related properties. The Robot
Viewer operates in one of two different modes. In Automatic mode, the default
mode, the Virtual Controller continuously updates the position of the Virtual
Controller. In this mode, the Robot Viewer will display the last position generated
by the Virtual Controller at the time drawing begins. In Automatic mode the Motion
step resolution slider is used to adjust the execution speed of the Virtual Controller.
The main purpose of the Motion step resolution slider in this mode is to provide user
control over CPU loading.
In Controlled mode, the user controls which points on the robot path are selected for
display. In this mode, the Virtual Controller and the Robot Viewer are synchronized.
The check box and the Motion step resolution slider are used to specify which robot
positions are displayed. The Settings/Motion menu item is checked when the
Controlled option is selected.
If the Controlled mode is selected, the Display Fine Points Only check box is
enabled and provides additional control over rendering. If the Render Fine Points
Only check box is selected, the Robot Viewer will display only those robot positions
that are fine points. If the Display Fine Points Only check box is not selected, the
Robot Viewer will render all fine points plus all points at a set time interval
subsequent to fine points. The time interval is set using the Motion step resolution
slider.
The Motion Settings dialog is shown in Figure 4-7.

Figure 4-7: The Motion Settings Dialog

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Figure 4-8 illustrates which points along a robot path are rendered in Controlled
mode with a 0.480 second interval setting.

1.44
Rendered Points

0.96

0.48

0.0

4.32

3.84

Fine Points 3.36

0.0

2.88 2.40
1.92
1.44 0.96 0.48

Figure 4-8: Controlled Display with Fine Points

The slider cannot be used to set the time intervals directly, however, the Cycle Time
Clock can be used to check the effect of a slider setting.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

If you select Automatic mode, the Display Fine Points Only check box is disabled as
illustrated in Figure 4-9. If you check Display Fine Points Only the Motion step
resolution slider will be disabled.

Figure 4-9: Motion Settings Dialog

The Robot Viewer Speed slider is used to control the rendering rate of the Robot
Viewer, thereby adjusting the CPU load. If the Robot Viewer Speed slider is set to
Fast all points the Robot Viewer gets will be displayed. If the Robot Viewer slider is
set to something else, for example slow, the Robot Viewer is only allowed to render
at a certain maximum speed which means that only some of the point the Robot
Viewer receives will be displayed.
The Motion step resolution slider and the Robot Viewer Speed slider can also be
used to tune the speed of the virtual controller and the Robot Viewer such that the
Robot Viewer display visually resembles the speed of the real robot. This is
accomplished by adjusting the sliders until the Cycle Time Clock runs at roughly the
same rate as a real clock. It should be noted that the Fast slider setting may have
little effect on slow PC hardware.
The speed of rendering is heavily dependent on the PC and video hardware. Some
video display adapters provide significant hardware acceleration of certain rendering
operations. Rendering time is also dependent on window size.

RENDERING STYLE
This menu selection contains a sub-menu with the following two selections: Full
Shading and Wire Frame. Full Shading displays the shaded robot surface. The Wire
Frame option displays the robot outline as a wire frame.

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DISPLAY PROPERTIES
The Display Properties dialog contains four tabbed pages, one page for setting the
background, and three more pages for settings related to the path, tool tip position
text, and the tool definition.

Background Page
The background page allows the user to set the floor and floor-grid display options
as well as the background color. The background page is shown in Figure 4-10.

Figure 4-10: Display Properties Dialog

Selecting any of the Color Settings buttons displays the system color dialog shown
in Figure 4-11.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Figure 4-11: Color Selection Dialog

Note: The number of colors that can be generated depends on your monitor and driver settings.

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Tool Path Page

If you wish to display the path of the tool flange or the tool tip of a fictitious tool,
you select that in the Tool Path page of the Display Properties Dialog. The tool path
consists of line segments drawn between the tool tip positions of each rendered
robot pose. In addition you can select the maximum number of points (segments) in
the displayed path, the thickness of the path and the color of the path. If no tool has
been selected the path drawn is that of the tool flange.

Figure 4-12: Tool Path Page

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Tool Position Page

If you wish to display the Tool Tip position of the fictitious path you select that in
the Tool Position Text page. The position is given in millimeters and with respect to
the base frame of the robot (fixed with respect to the robot). You also define the font,
the color, and the position of the text on this page. See Figure 4-13 shows the Tool
Position Text page.

Figure 4-13: Tool Position Text Page

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Tool Definition Page

On the Tool Definition page you can define a fictitious tool. You give the tool tip
position compared to the tool flange coordinate system, and the thickness and color
of the tool. The fictitious tools are simple and symmetrical and are used only for
visualization. It is not possible to define a tool orientation.
You can also choose to display a tool tip coordinate system (using a predefined
orientation), the base coordinate system, and a set of joint coordinate systems.

Figure 4-14: Tool Definition Page

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DEFAULTS
The Defaults dialog opens that allows the user to reset any or all of the Settings to
the installation defaults or the previous session settings (the settings the last time the
Robot Viewer was closed) as shown in Figure 4-15.

Figure 4-15: Defaults Dialog

THE VIEW MENU

STATUS BAR
The Status Bar command is used to display and hide the Status Bar located at the
bottom of the Robot Viewer window. A check mark appears next to the menu item
when the Status Bar is displayed.
Information displayed in the Status Bar includes a description of individual toolbar
buttons and menu items, the keyboard latch state, and the currently selected robot.

ALWAYS ON TOP
If the Always On Top menu item is checked, the Robot Viewer window will remain
on top of all other windows, independent of which window is active. If the Always
On Top item is not checked, the Robot Viewer behaves like other windows.

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 Chapter 4: The Robot Viewer

THE HELP MENU

The Robot Viewer Help contains two commands: About and Help Topics. About
displays the version number of the QuickTeach application. Help Topics provides
access to the Robot Viewer on-line help as shown in Figure 4-16.

Figure 4-16: Robot Viewer Help

The Contents tab displays a list of topics in the help system organized by category.
The Contents tab is most useful when the subject category is known. The Index tab
presents a list of keywords from which to choose, and the Find tab provides
functionality for a full-text search for any word or phrase in the Help System.
The Robot Viewer also provides context-sensitive help in the form of a pop-up
window that displays concise information regarding a specific feature of a dialog
box, menu, or window. Context-sensitive help is invoked by pressing <F1> with the
dialog box, menu, or window of interest selected or by pressing <SHIFT+F1> to put
the Robot Viewer into help mode. In Help mode, the cursor changes to a pointer
with a question mark. Help is then invoked by selecting the dialog box, menu, or
window of interest.

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MANIPULATING THE SCENE

The Robot Viewer can be translated and rotated around a point of that is at the center
of the scene by default. The Robot Viewer also supports zoom, dolly (move forward
and backward), and seek, which quickly moves the point of view to a desired point.
These operations can be accomplished using the thumbwheels, mouse, keyboard, and
viewer decoration buttons (along the right side of the window).
The scene can be put in Seek mode by pressing (and releasing) the <s> key or the
Seek viewer decoration button. In Seek mode the cursor changes to a “target.” Click
on the desired seek point with the left mouse button, and the view point will be
automatically changed to the selected point.

USING THE THUMBWHEELS TO MANIPULATE THE SCENE

The effect of the thumbwheels Dolly, Rotx, and Roty are shown in Figures 4-17, 4-
18, and 4-19. It should be noted that, unlike Dolly, Zoom does not alter the view
point.

Figure 4-17: Using Dolly to Change the View Point

The Dolly thumbwheel can be used to move the robot closer or further away from
the view point.

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Figure 4-18: Using Rotx to Rotate the Scene

The Rotx thumbwheel is used to rotate the scene around the X-axis.

Figure 4-19: Using Roty to Rotate the Scene

The Roty thumbwheel is used to rotate the scene around the Y-axis.

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USING THE MOUSE TO MOVE THE SCENE

To use the mouse to manipulate the scene, the scene must be in Viewing mode. In
Viewing mode the cursor looks like a hand. To set the scene in Viewing mode press
the “hand” viewer decoration button.
The left mouse button is used to rotate the scene in the same way the thumbwheels
can be used to rotate the scene. By pressing the <SHIFT> key together with the left
mouse button, the scene can be translated. By pressing the <CTRL> key and the
<SHIFT> key together with the left mouse button, the scene can be moved closer or
further away (same as Dolly). If the mouse has three buttons, the middle button can
be used for translation, and the left and middle buttons can be used together for
Dolly.

THE VIEWER DECORATION BUTTONS

The viewer decoration buttons are located along the right side of the Robot Viewer.
If the window is small, not all of these buttons will be visible. The various viewer
decoration buttons are indicated in Figure 4-20. The functionality of these buttons is
described in the following list.

Pick Button

View Button
Help Button
Home

Set Home Button

View All Button

Seek Button

Projection

Figure 4-20: Viewer Decoration Buttons

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 Chapter 4: The Robot Viewer

Pick Button
Selects Pick mode. In Pick mode, the cursor shape will change to an arrow. The
QuickTeach version 2.1 and 3.0 does not support Pick mode.

View Button
Selects Viewing mode (and deselects Pick mode). In Viewing mode, the cursor
shape will change to a hand icon. In this mode the scene can be manipulated.

Help
This menu provides a short introduction of the Robot Viewer and the decoration
buttons.
Note: To get detailed help concerning the Robot Viewer, use the Help Menu at the top of the Robot
Viewer. Refer to the previous section on Help.

Home Button
Sets the view point to the “home” position.

Set Home Button

Defines the “home” position as the current view point.

View All Button

Brings everything into the scene, including the entire floor and grid.

Seek Button
Allows the user to select a new center of rotation. When selected in Viewing mode,
the cursor changes to a crosshair. The next left mouse button action causes whatever
is underneath the cursor to be selected as the new center of rotation.

Projection Button
Sets the projection type, toggling between the two available camera types --
perspective and orthographic. Perspective is used by default.

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Appendix A
Using QuickTeach with FactoryWare

WHAT IS FACTORYWARE?
In addition to QuickTeach, ABB Flexible Automation offers PC-based software
products known as FactoryWare. Designed to speed the integration of PCs and ABB
robots, FactoryWare products simplify the creation Windows-based user interfaces
for monitoring and supervision of work cells and control of production processes.
When creating and testing Windows-based operator stations, the designer can
employ QuickTeach instead of occupying a real robot. By enabling the designer to
test user interfaces and train operators on the desktop, QuickTeach provides an
unparalleled test environment for FactoryWare applications.
To use QuickTeach with FactoryWare, a network interface card (ethernet card) is
required, the Windows operating system must be configured to communicate with
the TCP/IP protocol, and the QuickTeach communication interface must be enabled.
The following sections explain how to accomplish the software configuration. After
concluding these tasks, QuickTeach will boot with the same communication
interface used in the real S4 robot controller, thereby enabling FactoryWare
applications to communicate with the QuickTeach application.

ENABLING THE QUICKTEACH COMMUNICATION INTERFACE

To enable the QuickTeach communication interface, run the QuickTeach
configuration utility, Virtual Robot Browser (see Appendix B, Setting QuickTeach
Preferences with the Virtual Robot Browser, for further details). Select the robot you
will be using and edit the robot configuration.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

For a controller version 3.2 or earlier, use the “Startup” tab shown below, and check
the “Serial RAP” option to enable the communication interface. Then, save your
selections with the OK button.

Figure A-1: Configuring Startup Options

TCP/IP INTERFACE INSTALLATION AND SETUP

This section discusses how to set up and configure the Microsoft TCP/IP stack for
both the Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems. If you already have
TCP/IP on your PC, you are ready to use the QuickTeach communication interface
for FactoryWare development.

INSTALLING TCP/IP UNDER WINDOWS 95

Microsoft has included their TCP/IP protocol stack as part of Windows 95.
However, you need to install and configure the TCP/IP protocol on your machine if
you have not already done this.
To add the TCP/IP protocol under Windows 95, select the Network icon in the
Control Panel. Now, select your network adapter and Add..., Protocol, Add...

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 Appendix A: Using QuickTeach with FactoryWare

Figure A-2: Select Network Protocol Dialog

Select Microsoft and TCP/IP. Now click on OK. Now choose the new TCP/IP
binding in the list and select Properties. Configure the network interface IP address
and subnet mask.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Figure A-3: TCP/IP Properties Dialog

Select OK twice and wait until the file copy from your Windows 95 CD is complete.

INSTALLING TCP/IP UNDER WINDOWS NT 4.0

Microsoft has included their TCP/IP protocol stack as part of Windows NT 4.0.
However, you need to install and configure the TCP/IP protocol on your machine if
you have not already done this.
To add the TCP/IP protocol under Windows NT 4.0, select the Network icon in the
Control Panel. Now, select the protocols tab, and Add...

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 Appendix A: Using QuickTeach with FactoryWare

Figure A-4: Select Network Protocol Dialog

Select Microsoft and TCP/IP. Now click on OK. The system asks if you are using
DHCP to assign your IP address. If you are not using DHCP or do not know what
DHCP is, click on No. The system then asks you to insert your Windows NT 4.0 CD
in the drive and then installs the driver files. After the drivers have been installed,
click on the Close button. NT then presents the following TCP/IP Protocol
properties dialog:

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Figure A-5: TCP/IP Properties Dialog

Configure the network interface IP address and subnet mask. Select OK. The system
then prompts to be restarted.

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Appendix B: Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual
Robot Browser

OVERVIEW

The Virtual Controller

QuickTeach can assume the characteristics of different types of robots and robot
controllers. QuickTeach uses the functions of the Virtual Controller; that is, the S4
controller running on your PC. The Virtual Controller can be configured with
various memory and software options just like an actual S4 controller.
For example, to program ArcWare statements in QuickTeach, you must select or
create a configuration that includes the ArcWare option. Similarly, you must select
or create a configuration containing the SpotWare option if you intend to program
SpotWare instructions.
Configuration includes the specific model year (V2.1, V3.0, etc.) of the robot
controller, the options available to that controller (ArcWare, SpotWare, Serial RAP,
etc.), and the amount of memory installed (8MB, 16MB, etc.). You use the Virtual
Robot Browser to select a specific configuration from predefined configurations or
use it to create entirely new configurations as described in the following sections.

THE VIRTUAL ROBOT BROWSER

The Virtual Robot Browser allows you to change various parameters affecting the
way that QuickTeach work. The Virtual Robot Browser allows you to enter your
passwords and configure QuickTeach to operate in a manner most convenient for
you.
When you start the Virtual Robot Browser, the following window appears:

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

This is the Virtual Robot Browser dialog. Starting from here, you can create a new
robot system, edit an existing system or simply check out the details concerning an
existing system.
In the Current Directory, the currently selected SystemPool is viewed. The
SystemPool is equal to a directory where robot system configurations are saved. The
path tells you which directory the current robot systems are picked from.
In the tree structure to the left, the available robot systems in the current directory
are viewed. The robot that is set to being the current active robot is marked green
(rsGlue in the example above).
In the window to the right, the configuration for the robot currently selected in the
left window is viewed (e.g. Virtual Controller versions, external axes, included
software packages etc.).

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 Appendix B: Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual Robot Browser

THE VIRTUAL ROBOT BROWSER MAIN FUNCTIONS

QuickTeach includes basic robot configurations for the v2.1, v3.0 S4C, v3.1, v3.2
and v4.0 controllers. Using the Virtual Robot Browser dialog, you can modify one of
the pre-defined configurations, create a new configuration by copying one of the
existing configurations, create a new configuration from default settings, import a
configuration from a Key ID file, rename or remove a system.
A robot configuration must be selected in the Virtual Robot Browser main window
designating it as the current robot configuration for use with QuickTeach. This
selection remains in effect for QuickTeach, and all other applications that use the
Virtual Controller until a different configuration is selected. It is important to note
that following the installation of QuickTeach, there is no robot configuration
automatically selected as the current robot . This selection must be made before
using QuickTeach.
The left window of the Virtual Robot Browser dialog contains a list displaying the
robots installed and available for use in the current directory (System Pool). The
current robot icon is displayed with a green background rather than the default
background color. When you select a different robot as the current robot, the color of
the icons changes to indicate which robot is the current one.
As you select various robots, the window to the right updates with information
concerning the highlighted robot in the left window.
Although only one robot can be set as the Current Robot, you can select or highlight
any robot in the tree for modification. With the buttons for Set Current Robot,
Create a robot, Create from Key, Create Copy, Rename, Delete or displaying a
robot’s Properties, your action is initiated within the context of the selected robot.

Remember: The current robot is not necessarily the same robot as the selected robot. The current robot is
used when starting applications. The selected robot is only used when making changes in the Virtual
Robot Browser dialog.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Select System Pool

To change the System Pool from where you get the robot systems viewed in the left
window, you use the Go to SystemPool button. By pressing this, you are able to
change the current directory to access other robot system configurations.

In the Go To SystemPool dialog, you are able to select from which directory you
should get the robot system configurations to view in the Virtual Robot Browser
dialog. The directories for v2.1, v3.0, v3.1 and v3.2 robots are predefined and are set
up automatically when you install QuickTeach. The directories where you store v4.0
robot systems are optional; you can store a v4.0 system wherever you like.
With the Browse button, you can browse to other directories than the ones viewed in
the Go To SystemPool dialog. When you have chose the System Pool you wish to
use, click OK. By clicking Cancel, you abort the selection and return to the Virtual
Robot Browser dialog with the original SystemPool.

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 Appendix B: Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual Robot Browser

Setting the Current Robot

To use a robot other than the one currently active, select a robot from the list and
press the Set Current Robot button. The robot you set as the Current Robot will
turn green (IRB2400L_M2000 in the example below).
Alternatively, you can double-click on the robot icon to select it as the current robot.
The color of the robot icon changes to indicate that this is now the current robot.

After exiting the Virtual Robot Browser, QuickTeach will use the newly selected
configuration.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Creating a Robot Configuration

You can use the Create button to create a new robot system. When clicking the
button the following dialog appears:

In the System Name box the name of your new system is entered. In the Program
Revision box, you select from the list which program revision your Virtual
Controller should have.
If you select a revision of a version later than 3.2, you have to create a Virtual Key
by clicking the Insert Virtual Key button. The key is randomly created.
If you selected a revision of version 3.2 or earlier, a Virtual Key is not needed (the
Key String box is then turned off).
When you are finished, click OK to enter the next step in the process of creating a
new system. Depending of which program revision you selected you will enter
different dialogs:
• If you selected a revision of v3.2 or earlier, you will see the Robot Properties dialog. See the section
Robot Properties for further details.
• If you selected a revision later than 3.2, you will see the Start – RobInstall – [Your System Name]
dialog. See the section The RobInstall Dialog for further details.

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 Appendix B: Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual Robot Browser

Creating a Robot Configuration from Key (revision 3.2 or earlier)

By using the Create from Key button you create a robot system by importing a
configuration from a KeyID file.
When pressing the Create from Key button, you have to browse in the Import Key
ID file dialog to the location where you have stored your keyID file. Click OK to
import the KeyID file.
In the Robot Initialization dialog, you are asked to enter a name for the robot you
are about to create:

Enter a name for the new system and click OK. You now enter the next step in the
process of creating the new system, the Robot Properties dialog. See the section
Robot Properties for information on how to proceed.

Create a Copy of a Robot System

With the Create Copy button, a new robot with the same configuration as the
selected robot is created. The name of the new robot is generated by appending the
string “Copy of “ to the beginning of the original robot’s name.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Rename a Robot System

Pressing the Rename button, you are able to rename the selected robot system.

Delete a Robot System

The Delete button deletes the selected robot from the list after posting a small
message box asking you if it is really OK to delete it. You are not allowed to delete
the Current Robot.

Modify the Properties of a Robot System

The Properties button is used to modify the robot configuration of the currently
selected robot in the robot tree in the Virtual Robot Browser. Pressing the
Properties button displays one of the following dialogs, depending on which
program revision of the Virtual Controller that the currently selected robot system
has:
• With a revision of v3.2 or earlier, you will see the Robot Properties dialog. See the section Robot
Properties for further details.
• With a revision later than 3.2, you will see the Start – RobInstall – [Your System Name] dialog. See
the section The RobInstall Dialog for further details.

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 Appendix B: Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual Robot Browser

THE ROBINSTALL DIALOG

If you created a robot system with a Virtual Controller of a version later than 3.2, or
looked up the Properties for a robot system with a Virtual Controller of a version
later than 3.2, you end up in the RobInstall dialog.

In the Current configuration box, you see the current configuration of your system.
In this dialog, you will be guided through the configuration of your new system by
clicking the Next button. The configuration will follow the tree in the window to the
left.
Click Next to proceed.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Additional Keys
In the Additional Keys dialog, you are able to add additional keys to your system,
e.g. to include additional software (add-ins etc.).

You can type in the keys directly, paste from the clipboard or import from a file.
In the Type in Additional Key box, you type in or paste a key from the clipboard.
Click the Add Key to List to include the new key.
If you wish to include a key from a file, press Add Key from file. You can now
browse to the location where you have stored the key. Click Open to import the key.
If you want to remove an existing key, select the key in the Included Additional
Keys box and click Remove Key.
When you are finished, click Next to proceed.

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 Appendix B: Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual Robot Browser

Parameter Data
In the Parameter Data dialog you are able to add additional equipment, such as
configuration of I/O cards for external equipment etc (.cfg files are included).

To add calibration data, click the Add button in the Calibration Data box. Browse
to the location where you have stored the calibration data file (calib.cfg). Click Open
to import the calibration data file.
To remove the calibration data, click Remove.
To add additional parameters, click Add in the Additional parameters box. Browse
to the location where you have stored the parameter data file (.cfg). Click Open to
import the paramter data.
To remove additional parameters, select the paramter you wish to remove by in the
Loaded Additional Parameters box and click Remove.
Click Next to proceed.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Options
The Options dialog lets you set further options, e.g. teach pendant languages,
manipulator type and variant, external axes, hardware options, Ethernet
communication, generic software options, conveyor options, ArcWare, SpotWare
and ProcessWare options.
In the Selected Options box, you see the currently selected options. To change the
options, click Options…. A wizard starts and you are able to change all options by
checking or clearing the boxes for each option. Proceed through the wizard with the
Next button. At any time, you can click Finish. This will apply the changes you
have made. If you click Cancel your changes are discarded.
When you reach the end of the the wizard, click Finish. You see a complete list of
all your options and you are asked to confirm the options:

Click OK to finish the options selection.

Click Next in the Robinstall dialog. You see a list displaying your current
configuration. To finish your system configuration, click Finish. The Robinstall
dialog is closed, a keyID for your configuration is generated and you return to the
Virtual Robot Browser dialog.
To start using your new system configuration, select the system and click Set
Current Robot.

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 Appendix B: Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual Robot Browser

THE ROBOT PROPERTIES DIALOG

The Robot Properties dialog allows you to modify robot configurations. Robot
characteristics are grouped into three different pages in the Robot Properties dialog:
the General page, the Pendant page, and the Startup page. These pages are
presented below as they appear for a V3.1 robot. It should be noted that the pages
differ from robot version to robot version. However, V3.1 is a super-set of all
previous versions, and as such, fairly represents the Robot Properties dialogs for the
previous versions.

GENERAL PAGE

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Robot Name
The first field on this page contains the robot’s Name. You can rename the robot by
typing in a new name in this field. Note that the robot name is also the name of the
file directory in which the configuration files for this robot are stored. Changing the
robot name, therefore, also changes the name of the file directory.

Robot Model
The Model field allows you to select the particular physical robot arm model used to
represent this robot in QuickTeach.

External Axis
The External Axis selection box allows you to select the type of external axis you
wish to be included in the robot configuration.

File Path
The File Path is the path on the local machine to the robot’s configuration files.
This field is not modifiable; it simply presents information on the directory used to
store the robot’s configuration files.

Robot Description
The Description field can be used to store any additional text used for identifying
this robot.

Robot Memory
The Robot Memory field indicates the amount of memory for which the robot is
configured. Robot memory is totally unrelated to the amount of memory you may
have installed on your computer.

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 Appendix B: Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual Robot Browser

PENDANT PAGE

The QuickTeach application can assume the appearance of either the Version 1or
Version 2 pendants. You use the controls in the Pendant group to select which
pendant appearance you want to use. The two pendants are totally compatible with
one another. The selected pendant is used the next time you launch an application
that uses the pendant.

Version 1 Pendant
The Version 1 pendant is the pendant that originally shipped with the first ABB S4
robots.

Version 2 Pendant
The Version 2 pendant started shipping with the V2.0 S4 robots.
The Version 2 pendant contains additional buttons that invoke special functions; if
you use a Version 1 pendant, you will lose the ability to access the special functions.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

In addition, you may select the Size of the display of a Version 2 Pendant.

Pendant Interface Language

The Pendant Interface Language can be selected from a list of language options.
The selected language is the one that appears on the pendant when you run the
QuickTeach application.

STARTUP PAGE
The Startup page lets you configure the robot properties that determine the robot’s
configuration upon startup.
The Start Mode indicates and allows you to select the mode in which the Virtual
Controller will start then next time it is executed. If a Cold Start is indicated, the
controller will Cold start the next time it is executed and change its indicator back to
Warm start for subsequent executions. (Applications that do not make use of the
different start modes are unaffected by the start mode.)

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 Appendix B: Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual Robot Browser

Warm Start
Warm Start instructs QuickTeach to boot the Virtual Controller with the same
parameters in contained the last time the Virtual Controller was running. This
emulates the RAM-based warm boot of the real robot controller.

Cold Start
Cold Start instructs the Virtual Controller to emulate a cold boot of the real robot
controller, loading the S4 software options you select from the Installed Software
list.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Installed Software
The Installed Software tabs allow you to configure the BaseWare Options,
ProcessWare modules, and External Options installed for this robot configuration.
The tabs for BaseWare, SpotWare, ArcWare, GlueWare, PalletWare, and PaintWare
present check boxes that can be used to select various options. Some options are
interdependent or mutually exclusive. The dialog will dynamically enable or disable
selections to reflect these conditions where they exist.

The Options tab allows you to specify any External Options that should be part of
the configuration. Its interface is different than the other tabs. The Options tab
presents a list of External Options installed on the system with check boxes next to
them.

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 Appendix B: Setting QuickTeach Preferences with the Virtual Robot Browser

When you select an item from the list, the box adjacent to the item is checked. For
some of the more complex external options, a Wizard may be invoked that prompts
you to set up the option. The wizard must be completed before returning to
Preferences to make additional selections. You should also be aware that the wizard
may specify additional installed software selections that must be made for the option
to work properly.

Loading Additional Parameters

During Cold Start, the Virtual Controller can also load modified system parameters
stored in the EIO.CFG, PROC.CFG, SYS.CFG, SIO.CFG, and MMC.CFG files.
The location of these files is specified in the Load additional parameter files
from… section.
The \SYSPAR Directory is the default file directory where system parameters are
usually stored for a particular robot.

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

You can specify an alternate directory; for example “A:\”, if you want to load the
parameter files from a floppy or other location.
Pressing the OK button saves your configuration. If you press Cancel, the changes
are disregarded. The changes that are saved do not affect currently running
applications, but the next time you start QuickTeach it will use the new parameters.

Importing Configuration Files

Using the Import Configuration Files… button, you can also import new files for
use during a robot’s cold start. The dialog that is shown below allows you to import
files to the robot’s System Parameter directory or the configured Additional
Parameter directory. Files can be imported by selection them in the file list box on
the left and clicking the Import button or by simply double-clicking the file in the
file list box.

VIRTUAL ROBOT BROWSER ONLINE HELP

The Virtual Robot Browser has an on-line help system that provides additional
information about how to use the Virtual Robot Browser. Help is available by
pressing F1 in the Virtual Robot Browser dialog.

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Appendix C: Troubleshooting: If you have problems…
If you need to obtain technical support for problems you encounter while running
QuickTeach, you should contact your local ABB customer support representative. It
is helpful to know as much as possible about your particular installation in
diagnosing problems you may be having. To assist in this, we have provided the
System Information Dialog to gather information about your PC.

SYSTEM INFORMATION DIALOG

The System Information Dialog contains several pages of information about your
system parameters, access key information and installed ABB Robotics applications.
You can export the information to a file that can be mailed, faxed, or sent
electronically to the support personnel.

The System Information Dialog is available from the Windows Start menu. In the
Start menu, choose Programs>ABB Flexible Automation
>System Information. The dialog appears as shown below:

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

There are five pages of information. To view each page, simply click on the tab
containing the name of the information you wish to see. The pages cover the
following topics:

Products contains information about the ABB Robotics products and components
installed on your computer.
Licenses contains information about registred applications and licenses.
System contains information about the installed operating system and system
memory.
Disk contains information about the size and available space on your PC system
disk.
Report allows you to print the system information to a file.

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Appendix D: Installing Online Documentation to a hard disk
drive

INTRODUCTION
The Online Documentation is typically accessed via a CD-ROM drive. You can
install the documentation by using the QuickTeach installation program, or manually
copy the documentation to your hard drive.

SETUP THE ONLINE DOCUMENTATION

When you are installing QuickTeach, you can choose to install the online
documentation when you select which components to include in the installation.
You can also add the online documentation later by starting the setup program again.
Place the QuickTeach CD-ROM in your CD-Rom drive. If the setup program does
not start automatically, use the Windows Explorer to locate the setup file and start it
by double-clicking the file. Pass the Welcome dialog and you will see a dialog where
you can select to add or remove components. Select this option and click Next. You
are now able to check the component box for the online documentation. The
documentation language will be the same as the language you selected for the
software.

INSTALLING THE ONLINE DOCUMENTATION ON YOUR HARD DRIVE MANUALLY

You can also install the online documentation manually on your hard drive. In order
to do this, follow these steps:

1. Create a subdirectory called ONLINDOC at the root directory of your hard

drive. (e.g. C:\ )

2. Place the QuickTeach product CD in your CD-ROM drive.

3. Using File Manager, locate the documentation files on the CD-ROM. They are
in the directory labeled “ONLINDOC”.

4. Copy the entire language directory to the desired destination (we recommend
that you place the documentation in C:\ONLINDOC\XXXXXX, where XXXXXX
is the language. For instance, C:\ONLINDOC\GERMAN ). You must retain the
directory structure from the XXXXXX language down to the document files
themselves for the online reader to work. You can copy the files by:

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QuickTeach User’s Guide

Using the drag and drop functionality of Windows to drag the XXXXXX
directory to the C:\ONLINDOC directory. Your language directory will now be
a subdirectory of ONLINDOC.

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Appendix E: Acrobat Reader-The Online Documentation Viewer

OVERVIEW
Acrobat Reader is the application you use to view online documentation.
QuickTeach automatically launches Acrobat Reader when you open any of the
online documentation files. To install Acrobat Reader into your computer, browse
for the file ar40eng, located on the QuickTeach CD-ROM/Software/Acrobat Reader
folder. To start the installation, double-click on the ar40eng-file. You can find out
how to use Acrobat Reader through the online help it provides.
Acrobat Reader is produced by Adobe Systems Incorporated.
To open the online documentation, go to the Windows Start menu, choose
Programs > ABB Flexible Automation> On-line Documentation.

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