The SFC editor is graphical editor. A new SFC POU contains an Initial step and a subsequent transition.

In the SFC editor, you can insert individual elements into the chart by means of commands in the “SFC” menu, the context menu, or the “Toolbox” view.

When inserting by means of a menu command, the elements that can be inserted at the currently selected position are available.

Before inserting branches parallel to multiple actions and transitions, you must highlight these actions and transitions in a multiple selection.

You can also drag SFC elements from the “Toolbox” view to the chart. When you drag an element over the editor, CODESYS marks all possible insertion points with gray boxes. If you move the mouse over a gray box, then the color of the box changes to green. When you release the mouse button, the object is inserted at that location.

If you drag a branch into the chart, then you have to use the mouse pointer to set the beginning and the end of the branch. You set the beginning of the branch by releasing the mouse button at an insertion point. The color of the box then changes to red. You set the end of the branch by clicking the second insertion point. Then CODESYS inserts a branch around the objects between the beginning and end markers.

For copying step and transition elements that call action objects or transition objects, two different duplication modes can be set. Either the references are copied at the same time, or the referenced objects are "embedded" and duplicated when copying.

For concrete instructions for working in the SFC editor, see: ⮫ “Programming in SFC ”, ⮫ “Creating a POU in SFC ”, ⮫ “Adding a step-transition ”, ⮫ “Adding an entry action ”, ⮫ “Adding an exit action ”, ⮫ “Adding an action ”, ⮫ “Adding an alternative branch ”, ⮫ “Adding a jump ”, ⮫ “Adding a macro ”, ⮫ “Adding an association ”

You define the behavior and appearance of the editor in the CODESYS options in the ⮫ “Dialog: Options – SFC editor ”.

For more information, see: ⮫ General Functionalities in Graphical Editors