oCounter Object

Description
Operation
Properties

Examples
Related
Version History & Bug list

A Processing Object that performs counting operations by increasing or decreasing another Object's Value for each "Clock-Tick"

The following table lists the size and availability of the oCounter Object.

	Object	Size	Description	A1	A2	B1	B2	C1
	oCounter	5 Bytes	Provides counting functions.	x	x	x	x	x

Operation:

The oCounter Object will increment or decrement the value of the object that the output property points to for each "Clock-Tick".

A Mode property specifies how the oCounter Object determines when a "Clock-Tick" has occurred.

If the Mode property is set to cvCount (0), each cycle of the oLogic Object pointed to by the ClockIn1 property is considered to be a "Clock-Tick" and the value of the Output Object is incremented or decremented in the direction specified by the Direction Property.

If the Mode property is set to cvPhase (1), the oLogic Object pointed to by the ClockIn1 and Clockin2 properties are Quadrant-Encoded and the value of the Output Object is incremented or decremented in the direction specified by Quadrant change. The Direction Property is then updated to reflect the direction of the change.

Each time a "Clock-Tick" increments the Output object's value, that value is tested against the value of the Object pointed to by the Input property. If it is greater, the value of the Output object is cleared to 0. Likewise, each time a "Clock-Tick" decrements the Output object's value, it is tested against 0. If it is lower, the value of the Output object is set to the value of the Object pointed to by the Input property.

Properties:

The following table lists the properties of the oCounter Object:

Property
Description

Operate

A value that selects whether or not the count is updated.

Object Class: oOperate Value Range: 0 - 1

Data Type: Numeric Default Value: 0

Operate Constant Description

0 cvOff
The count is not updated.

1 cvOn
The count is updated.

ClockIn1

A pointer to an oLogic Object whose value is used as a clocking signal to determine when to increment or decrement the value of the object pointed to by the Output property.

Object Class: oLogicPtrI Value Range: Any oLogic Object

Data Type: Pointer Default Value: Null

ClockIn2

A pointer to an oLogic Object whose value is used as the ClockIn1's complement when the Mode property is set to cvPhase.

Object Class: oLogicPtrI Value Range: Any oLogic Object

Data Type: Pointer Default Value: Null

Input

A pointer to an object whose value is used as a count limit value.

Object Class: oValuePtrI Value Range: Any oValue Object

Data Type: Pointer Default Value: Null

Each time a "Clock-Tick" Increments the Output Object's Value, the new Value is tested against the Input Object's Value. If it is greater, then the Value of the Output Object is cleared to 0.

Each time a "Clock-Tick" decrements the Output Object's Value, the new Value is tested against 0. If it is lower, then the Value of the Output Object is set to the Input Object's Value.

Output

A pointer to an object whose value is incremented or decremented for each "Clock-Tick".

Object Class: oValuePtrO Value Range: Any oValue Object

Data Type: Pointer Default Value: Null

Mode

A value that selects how the counter evaluates the ClockIn1 and ClockIn2 properties.

Object Class: oSelect0to1 Value Range: 0 - 1

Data Type: Numeric Default Value: 0

Mode Constant Description

0 cvCount
Each cycle of the oLogic Object pointed to by the ClockIn1 property is considered to be a "Clock-Tick" and the Value of the Output Object is incremented or decremented in the direction specified by the Direction Property.

1 cvPhase
If the Mode property is set to cvPhase or 1, the oLogic Objects pointed to by the ClockIn1 and Clockin2 properties are Quadrant-Encoded and the Value of the Output Object is incremented or decremented in the direction specified by Quadrant change. The Direction Property is then updated to reflect the direction of the change.

Tick

A value that selects how the oCounter object values each Clock-Tick.

Object Class: oSelect0to1L Value Range: 0 - 1

Data Type: Numeric Default Value: 0

The Tick property is similar to a clear or reset function with the difference being that the Tick property is only evaluated when a "Clock-Tick" has occurred.

Tick Description

0
The Value of the Output object is incremented or decremented by a value of 1.

1
The Value of the Output object is cleared.

Direction

A value that selects the direction of the count.

Object Class: oSelect0to1L Value Range: 0 - 1

Data Type: Numeric Default Value: 0

Direction Mode Constant Description

0 0 cvPositive
Count positively (Increment)

0 1 cvPositive
Output was incremented

1 0 cvNegative
Count negatively (Decrement)

1 1 cvNegative
Output was decremented

Address

Returns a pointer to the address of the oCounter Object instance.

Object Class: oAddress Value Range: 0 - 127

Data Type: Pointer (Read Only) Default Value: Address of Object

Examples:

In the following examples, the oCounter Object is used

'This program creates a Virtual 
'Circuit that will increase the 
'value of a oDio8 60 times per 
'second.

Dim A As New oCounter
Dim B As New oDIO8

Sub Main()
  A.Output.Link(B)
  A.ClockIn1.Link(ooPIC.Hz60)
  A.Operate = 1
  B.IOGroup = 3
  B.Direction = cvOutput
End Sub

'This program creates a 
'Virtual Circuit that will 
'read a Quandrant Encoder 
'and will limit the count 
'value to 10.

Dim A As New oCounter
Dim B As New oDIO8
Dim G As New oByte
Dim Q1 As New oDIO1
Dim Q2 As New oDIO1

Sub Main()
  ooPIC.PullUp = cvTrue
  A.Output.Link(B)
  A.ClockIn1.Link(Q1)
  A.ClockIn2.Link(Q2)
  A.Mode = 1
  A.Input.Link(G)
  A.Operate = 1  
  G.Value = 10
  Q1.IOLine = 8
  Q1.Direction = cvInput
  Q2.IOLine = 10
  Q2.Direction = cvInput
  B.IOGroup = 3
  B.Direction = cvOutput
End Sub