Controller and map file conversion device

A map file conversion device, comprising:

• a communication device configured to receive
• a source code of a control program for a drive device to perform drive control of a motor, the source code including a variable of a structure type that has a plurality of members, each member having a symbol name associated thereto and being of a data type,
• a definition file that defines data types used in the source code, including the structure type and the data types of the members thereof, and
• a map file generated together with the control program using the source code and the definition file, the map file including an address of the variable that is an address of a storage area in which the variable is stored in the drive device;
• and
• a controller including
• a processing device;
• and
• a memory having program instructions stored thereon, execution of which by the processing device causes the controller
• to receive through the communication device the source code, the definition file and the map file, and
• upon detecting the variable of the structure type from the source code received through the communication device, to execute map file conversion processing by
• specifying the plurality of members of the variable of the structure type with reference to the received definition file, and
• for each of the members, appending to the received map file an address, obtained by adding an offset corresponding to the data type of an immediately-preceding member to an address of the immediately-preceding member, or to the address of the variable when no preceding member thereof exists, in association with the symbol name of said each member.

A method for a controller to control a drive device of a motor, comprising:

• obtaining a source code of a control program of the drive device, the source code including a plurality of variables each having a symbol name, at least one of the variables being of a structure type that has a plurality of members, each member having a symbol name associated thereto and being of a data type;
• obtaining a map file that including the plurality of symbol names and a plurality of addresses, each symbol name being mapped to one of the addresses, each address indicating a storage area storing data corresponding to one of the symbol names mapped thereto;
• converting the map file by, for each variable of the structure type,
• specifying the plurality of members in said each variable, and
• for each member of said each variable, appending to the map file an address, obtained by adding an offset corresponding to the data type of an immediately-preceding member to an address of the immediately-preceding member, or to the address for the symbol name of the variable when no preceding member thereof exists, in association with the symbol name of said each member;
• receiving a target symbol name indicating an object of reading or updating;
• converting the target symbol name into a target address with reference to the converted map file;
• and
• instructing the drive device to read or update data stored at the target address.