Modules
Description
Adding modules allows users to represent specific modules on their N9 platform in their projects.
Adding a Module
To add a module to a project, press the Add modules button at the bottom of the Project View. This will open the Add Module dialog, from which available resources may be added to the project as modules.
The list of available modules in the Resource Library listbox represents the union of all module resources detected in the NorthIDE installation (...NorthIDE\Lib\site-packages\northIDE\res\north\modules), the user created modules directory (...NorthIDE\Lib\site-packages\northIDE\res\user\modules), and in the project directory (...proj_dir\res\modules).
Selecting an item in the list and clicking the Add selected button will stage the item under the righthand side heading “Adding these modules”. Users can create multiple modules at once by defining the number of each item to be added to the project. Click Confirm to finish adding modules.
Modules will appear in the Project View with default names and in their default positions. If the position of a newly added module overlaps with an existing module, it may not be visible in the simulator viewport until one of the modules is moved to a new position.
NOTE: Controllers are not rendered in the Simulator.
Module Configuration Parameters
Depending on which module is selected in the Project View, a subset of the following configuration parameters will be available:
Name
Visible
Position Options
Channels
Fill With
Pump Options
Name
Allows the user to rename the module. Modules are given default names upon creation, but users are encouraged to provide clear and unique names for each module to distinguish them from copies and make them easy to identify across the IDE. Changing the name of the module will automatically change the names of the module location or any grid associated with that module in the Locator.
Visible
Toggles whether the module is displayed in the Simulator and Locator using a checkbox interface. When the checkbox is enabled (checked), the module is visible. When the checkbox is disabled (unchecked), the module is not visible. Visibility can also be toggled by right-clicking on a module’s entry in the Project View list. Disabling the visibility of a module does not remove it from the project. All preset module configuration parameters are preserved.
Position Options
Coordinate System: Choose a Deck module, or the global coordinate system, from the drop-down list to act as a reference origin for the following positioning options.
X, Y, Z: The position of the module’s origin relative to the coordinate system selected above, in millimeters. For North Robotics modules, the origin is typically its deck faster hole with the smallest x, y, and z coordinate when in its default rotation. This may not be the case for user created modules.
Angle: The angle in degrees that the module is rotated about its local z-axis.
Channels
For actuated (non-static type) modules, this parameter allows the user to set the controller and channel number for each axis. For example, a Carousel with a rotary axis and a z-axis might have its Rotation channel set to Axis_6 and Height channel set to Axis_7. Channel names beginning with "Axis" are motor control channels on the C9 Controller. Channel names beginning with "DO" are digital output channels on the C9. They are used to control relays, valves, or signal other devices. Note that some rack or other static modules, such as the Tool Mount may provide a channel configuration option when they have an associated pneumatic connection or other interaction with a vial, slide, or tool.
Fill With
Fill With: For rack-type modules, the Fill With field specifies the moveable resource with which it is to be populated in the Simulator. This drop-down list provides only options of the proper moveable type (vial, pipette, slide, or tool), based on the design of the rack.
Range: For rack-type modules, the Range field takes a list of indices in which to populate the selected moveable resource (above). The indices are zero-indexed and should be formatted like a “page range” from a print dialog. For example, if a user wanted to populate vials in the first five slots, skip the next three, the populate the next eight, they would enter: 0-4, 8-15.
Pump Options
Options for configuring TriContinent C-3000 syringe pumps.
Volume (mL): Set the volume parameter to the pump’s syringe volume in mL. This information is saved in the Project and enables the aspirate_ml(...) and dispense_ml(...) methods.
Address: The address as physically selected on the back of pump by rotating the address switch between 0 and 14 (note that address 15 or F is for self-test).
Controller: Set the controller to which the pump is connected.
Controller Info
C9 Address: The address of the controller on the C9 Network as an integer. For example, address ‘A’ would be 65 (the default). ‘B’ would be 66, and so on.
Channel Connections: A table of the controller’s channel connections is displayed here. Channel connections are configured by other modules on their respective Properties tab and simply displayed here for reference.
IDE Guides