Logging variables in Codesys using CAA_File (or similar)

Question

What I'm after is: logging variables, to a text file or CSV, continuously, while my task (main PRG and some sub-FB's) is running, hopefully in a way which doesn't degrade the task performance. So feel free to suggest a different method entirely, or to troubleshoot the below.

I've looked into OSCAT Network but I couldn't get the libraries to load correctly and more recent Codesys Forge posts suggest CAA File is the more up-to-date, and generic, method for logging. I also tried CmpLog but it was very slow and didn't create an external file.

What I'm currently testing in:

• Codesys V3.5 SP20+.
• Target device is CODESYS_Control_for_Raspberry_Pi_MC_SL, version 4.11.0.0.
• Testing in Simulation mode from a Windows PC, but the instance will eventually run on a Raspberry Pi.
• Using CAA File version 3.5.19.0.
• Single task, Priority 1, Cyclic @ 4 ms. Runs a single PRG.
• The Codesys project is saved under C:\Users\___\Documents to avoid any weirdness with long file names.

The PRG is a (modified for correct function calls) version of CAA's default example:

PROGRAM PLC_PRG
VAR
    xFileStdInit: BOOL:=FALSE;
    uiFileStdState: UINT:=0;
    sFileName: FILE.CAA.FILENAME:= 'TestFile.txt';
    hFile: FILE.CAA.HANDLE;
    sFileTestString: STRING:='Hello caa library user';
    sFileString: STRING:='';
    szFileSize1: FILE.CAA.SIZE := 0;
    szFileSize2: FILE.CAA.SIZE := 0;
    filop: FILE.Open;
    filwr: FILE.Write;
    filrd: FILE.Read;
    filcl: FILE.Close;
END_VAR

IF NOT xFileStdInit THEN
    filop(xExecute:=FALSE);
    filcl(xExecute:=FALSE);
    filwr(xExecute:=FALSE);
    filrd(xExecute:=FALSE);
    xFileStdInit:=TRUE;
    uiFileStdState:=0;
ELSE
    CASE uiFileStdState OF
        0: (* create a new file *)
            filop.sFileName:=sFileName;
            filop.eFileMode:=FILE.MODE.MRDWR;
            filop.xExclusive:=TRUE;
            filop( xExecute:=TRUE);
            IF filop.xDone THEN
                hFile:=filop.hFile;
                uiFileStdState:=1;
            END_IF
            IF filop.xError THEN
                (* error handling*)
            ;
            END_IF
        1:(* write text in the file *)
            filwr.hFile:=hFile;
            filwr.pBuffer:=ADR(sFileTestString);
            szFileSize1:=SIZEOF(sFileTestString);
            filwr.szSize:=szFileSize1;
            filwr.udiTimeOut:=100000; (* 100ms Timeout *)
            filwr( xExecute:=TRUE);
            IF filwr.xDone THEN
                uiFileStdState:=2;
            END_IF
            IF filwr.xError THEN
                (* error handling*)
            ;
            END_IF
        2:(* read file - TestFile.txt*)
            filrd.hFile:=hFile;
            filrd.udiTimeOut:=100000; (* 100ms Timeout *)
            filrd.pBuffer:=ADR(sFileString);
            filrd.szBuffer:=255;
            filrd( xExecute:=TRUE);
            IF filrd.xDone THEN
                szFileSize2:=filrd.szSize;
            IF szFileSize2 = szFileSize1 THEN
                uiFileStdState:=3;
            ELSE
            (* error handling*)
            ;
            END_IF
            END_IF
            IF filrd.xError THEN
                (* error handling*)
            ;
            END_IF
        3: (* close file - TestFile.txt *)
            filcl.hFile:=hFile;
            filcl( xExecute:=TRUE);
            IF filcl.xDone THEN
                uiFileStdState:=4;
            END_IF
            IF filcl.xError THEN
                (* error handling*)
            ;
            END_IF
        4: (* end of example *)
            ;
    END_CASE
END_IF

When I run the above in simulation mode, uiFileStdState begins at 0 and filop xExecute is TRUE but filop.xDone is always False. It looks like filop.eError = ASM_CREATEJOB_FAILED but I can't figure out why. I tried an absolute location instead of a relative one but that didn't solve the issue.

Answer 1

Codesys inbuilt logger can be used with following settings.

In CodesysControl_User.cfg:

[CmpLog] 
Logger.0.Name=Plc.log --> generic logs of the components
Logger.1.Name=Logger.log --> user defined logs

In CodesysControl.cfg:

[CmpLog] 
Logger.0.Filter=0x0000000F
Logger.0.Enable=1
Logger.0.MaxEntries=100000
Logger.0.MaxFileSize=10000000 
Logger.0.MaxFiles=1
Logger.0.Backend.0.ClassId=0x00000104
Logger.0.Type=0x314

Logger.1.Filter=0xFFFFFFFF
Logger.1.Enable=1
Logger.1.MaxEntries=100000
Logger.1.MaxFileSize=10000000 
Logger.1.MaxFiles=1
Logger.1.Backend.0.ClassId=0x00000104
Logger.1.Type=0x314