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. 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 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.

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.
• Run a job.