Backup & Restore

The Backup and Restore feature in Zeugwerk Creator provides a fast and efficient way to back up and restore PLC variables. This functionality ensures that your PLC variables are saved and can be restored even if there are changes in the datatype of the variables, making it a robust and flexible tool for managing your PLC data.

Key Features

Recursive Backup: Back up all variables of a specific item with a single right-click.
Text File Output: The backup is saved in a simple text file, ensuring compatibility with all variable types.
Datatype Conversion: When restoring data, even if the variable type has changed, Zeugwerk Creator will attempt to convert the stored value to the new datatype. If conversion fails, a warning is shown, but the value remains unchanged.
Efficient and Fast: Backup and restore operations are optimized for quick execution, even with very large datasets.

Access the Backup and Restore Panel

In the TwinCAT XAE Shell go to the Tools menubar and find the item Zeugwerk Creator > Backup and Restore

Backing Up Data

In the panel, you will see a tree structure that represents the variables of your PLC. Right-click on any item in the tree to open a context menu.
Select Backup from the context menu.
Backup and Restore will automatically back up all data associated with the selected item and its sub-items. This includes all variables, even if they are nested deeply within the tree structure.

The output is a text file, which looks like

ZGlobal.Data.Config.Machine.Simulated=1
ZGlobal.Data.Machine.Machine.Slowspeed=60
ZGlobal.Data.Machine.Machine.Highspeed=150
ZGlobal.Data.Recipe.RecipeParam1=0
ZGlobal.Data.Recipe.RecipeParam2=0
ZGlobal.Data.Recipe.RecipeParam3=0

Restoring Data

To restore the data, click the Restore button located in the panel.
You will be prompted to select the backup text file you want to restore from.
Once selected, Zeugwerk Creator will attempt to restore the values for the corresponding variables.
If the datatype of a variable has changed since the backup was taken, the system will try to convert the saved value to the new datatype.
- If conversion is successful, the value will be restored as expected.
- If conversion is not possible, a warning will appear, and the value will not be altered.
Datatype Changes and Conversion: One of the key benefits of the Backup and Restore feature is its robustness against datatype changes. For example:
- If a variable's datatype is changed from a REAL to an INT after a backup, during restore, Zeugwerk Creator will attempt to convert the stored value from REAL to INT.
- If this conversion is not possible (e.g., if the stored value is a non-integer floating-point number), a warning will inform you that the value remains unchanged.

Benefits