Skip to content

Block Types

CONTROL I/O blocks are organized by the following categories:

Block Category Description
Sources Blocks used to generate data.
You will find a different block for each data type supported and also blocks providing system time and cycle time.
Tags I/O points available in FACTORY I/O (sensor and actuator tags).
These are automatically detected by CONTROL I/O.
Memories Used to story values during the execution of the program.
Function Blocks Function blocks describing a function between inputs and outputs.
Can be logical, arithmetic, timers, counters...
Utils Provides a Note and Reset block.
The reset block can be used by the diagram to reset itself.

block types

Names and Addresses

Reserved Addresses

Note that the last 15 addresses are reserved for internal use. Do not use them in your diagrams.

Input (green), output (red) and memory (purple) blocks have an address and name. The address defines the position of that block in the internal memory of CONTROL I/O (similar to a real PLC), while the name helps to identify the block without having to keep track of the address. This memory is shared with FACTORY I/O, meaning that a block with the same address as a scene tag has the same value. By using addresses, you can easily map a generic diagram to scene tags by setting the correct addresses for inputs and outputs.

  Bool Int Float DateTime TimeSpan
Address Range 512 256 256 256 256

memory addresses

Data Types

Supported data types, range, and IEC61131-3 equivalence.

Data Type Range Equivalent IEC61131-3 Data Type Notes
Bool True or False BOOL -
Int -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647 INT -
Float -3.4 × 1038 + 3.4 × 1038 REAL -
DateTime 00:00:00, January 1, 0001 through 23:59:59, December 31, 9999 DATE_AND_TIME Represent an instant in time, typically expressed as a date and time of day.
TimeSpan -10675199.02:48:05.4775808 to 10675199.02:48:05.4775807 N/A Represents a time interval that is measured as a positive or a negative number of days, hours, minutes, seconds, and fractions of a second.