Transfer files and backups

This article shows how to transfer files between a PC and a Yaskawa Motoman controller, in C# or Python. It gives a complete program that saves every job of the controller, sends a new job and downloads the CMOS backup.

Prerequisites

• The SDK is connected to the controller: see Connect to your robot. With the High Speed Ethernet Server, the file transfers use the UDP port 10041.
• To replace a file, RS029 and RS214 are 1. For the CMOS backup, the automatic backup uses the RAM disk. See Files and backup.

Which protocol to choose

The SDK transfers files with three protocols of the controller:

Use FTP for large files and for backups of many files, the High Speed Ethernet Server for the CMOS backup, and HTTP to read a file without an account. The program below uses the High Speed Ethernet Server.

Which method to choose

Example

using UnderAutomation.Yaskawa;
using UnderAutomation.Yaskawa.HighSpeedEServer;

public class HowToTransferFiles
{
    static void Main()
    {
        
        var robot = new YaskawaRobot();
        robot.Connect("192.168.0.1");

        string folder = Directory.CreateDirectory("JobsBackup").FullName;

        // 1. Download every job of the controller
        foreach (string name in robot.HighSpeedEServer.GetFileList("*.JBI").Files)
        {
            RobotFileContentData file = robot.HighSpeedEServer.GetFile(name);
            File.WriteAllText(Path.Combine(folder, name), file.Content);
            Console.WriteLine($"Saved {name}");
        }

        // 2. Send a job written on the PC. RS029 and RS214 must allow the overwrite
        string job = File.ReadAllText("NEWJOB.JBI");
        robot.HighSpeedEServer.LoadFile("NEWJOB.JBI", job);

        // 3. Save the CMOS backup of the controller
        robot.HighSpeedEServer.BatchDataBackup();
        File.WriteAllBytes(Path.Combine(folder, "CMOSBK.BIN"), robot.HighSpeedEServer.GetFile("/SPDRV/CMOSBK.BIN").ContentRaw);

        robot.Disconnect();
        
    }
}

The program:

1. downloads each job to the folder JobsBackup of the PC;
2. sends the job NEWJOB.JBI of the PC to the controller;
3. makes the CMOS backup on the controller and downloads it.

Version the jobs

The jobs are text files. Save them in a version control system (Git...) after each download: you see what changed on the controller between two backups, and you can send an older version back.

With FTP

The same backup with FTP is shorter: DownloadFilesToLocal saves several files in a folder of the PC in one call. To send a job that exists on the controller, delete it first: the controller does not overwrite a job by FTP.

var robot = new YaskawaRobot();
robot.Connect(parameters);
// Text of a file: the folder is deduced from the extension
string job = robot.Ftp.GetFile("TEST.JBI");

// Bytes of a file, with its full path
byte[] variables = robot.Ftp.DownloadFile("/DAT/VAR.DAT");

// To a file of the PC
robot.Ftp.DownloadFileToLocal("/PRM/ALL.PRM", @"C:\Backup\ALL.PRM");

// Several files into a folder of the PC: returns the local paths
string[] saved = robot.Ftp.DownloadFilesToLocal(new[] { "/JOB/TEST.JBI", "/DAT/VAR.DAT" }, @"C:\Backup");
robot.Disconnect();
}

var robot = new YaskawaRobot();
robot.Connect(parameters);
// A job must be deleted before it is sent again: the controller does not overwrite a job by FTP
if (robot.Ftp.FileExists("/JOB/NEWJOB.JBI"))
    robot.Ftp.DeleteFile("NEWJOB.JBI");

robot.Ftp.LoadFile("NEWJOB.JBI", File.ReadAllText("NEWJOB.JBI"));
robot.Disconnect();
}

Troubleshooting

• Cannot over write the target file: set RS029 and RS214 to 1.
• The upload of a job is refused with a syntax error: the controller checks the job when it receives it. Open the job in MotoSim or on the pendant to find the line.
• The CMOS download fails just after BatchDataBackup(): the backup is still running. Wait a few seconds and download again.
• A large file fails on a slow network: increase FileTimeoutMilliseconds.

What to read next

• Files and backup: the reference of the file methods.
• FTP and HTTP: the accounts, the folders and the errors.
• Run a job.