VWorks software calls the
GetMetaData method for the following reasons:
When the plugin is first loaded, VWorks software calls the
GetMetaData method, where
iDataType is
METADATA_ALL, to get all XML metadata for the plugin. The plugin returns a MetaData XML block in the
MetaData parameter. This XML block identifies the device, provides version information, and describes all the tasks that the device can perform. See
“Metadata XML block” .
Subsequent calls to the GetMetaData method return device, command (task), or version XML metadata, depending on the value of the
iDataType parameter. See
“Device XML block” ,
“Versions XML block” , and
“Command XML block” .
HRESULT GetMetaData( [in] enum MetaDataType iDataType, [in] BSTR current_metadata, [out,retval] BSTR *MetaData );
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All XML metadata used in the GetMetaData method contains the
Velocity11 element. The
Velocity11 element is defined in
“Velocity11 element” .
IMPORTANT The GetMetaData method is the only method that uses the Metadata XML block. All device driver plugins must implement this method and provide the Metadata XML block to
VWorks software.
When the plugin is first loaded and VWorks software calls the
GetMetaData method, the plugin returns the Metadata XML block to
VWorks software in the
MetaData parameter.
The Metadata XML block contains the MetaData element and all its children. This XML block identifies the device, provides version information, and describes all the tasks that the device can perform.
The MetaData element has three children:
Device,
Versions, and
Commands. The
MetaData element has no attributes. See
“Velocity11 element” .
The Device element is defined in
“Device element” .
The Versions element is defined in
“Versions XML block” .
The Commands element contains one
Command element for every task that the device can perform. The
Commands element has no attributes. The
Command element is defined in
“Command XML block” .
<Device Description='Velocity11 PlateLoc sealer' MiscAttributes='0'
→Name='PlateLoc' PreferredTab='Plate Handling'
<Parameter Name='Profile' Style='0' Type='2' />
<Location Group='0' Name='Stage' Offset='0' Type='1' />
<StorageDimensions DirectStorageAccess='0' />
<Version Author='Joe Smith' Company='ABC Company' Date='April 3, 2006'
→Name='PlateLoc' Version='3.0.0' />
<Command Compiler='0' Description='Seal a plate' Editor='2' Name='Seal'>
<Parameter Name='Seal time' Style='0' Type='12' Units='s' Value='1.2'>
<Parameter Name='Seal temperature' Style='0' Type='8' Units='°C'
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When VWorks software calls the
GetMetaData method and passes the value
METADATA_DEVICE into the
iDataType parameter:
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VWorks software passes a Device XML block into the current_metadata parameter.
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Note: When VWorks software first calls the
GetMetaData method (
iDataType is
METADATA_ALL), the plugin returns the MetaData XML block, which contains the
Device element and all its children. See
“Metadata XML block” .
The Device XML block contains the Device element and all its children.
The value of the file attribute for the
Velocity11 element is
MetaData. See
“Velocity11 element” .
The Device element has four children:
Parameters,
Locations,
StorageDimensions, and
RobotMetaData. The
Device element is defined in
“Device element” .
The Parameters element contains one or more
Parameter elements.
The Parameter element can contain one
Ranges element and has the following attributes:
If the plugin has one or more profiles, the Ranges element and its child
Range elements are specified in the Device XML block. The
Ranges element contains one or more
Range elements.
The Range element has the following attribute:
The Locations element contains one or more
Location elements.
Each Location element contains the name of a location on the device where labware can be placed. The
Location element is defined in
“Location element” .
The StorageDimensions XML block is used for storage devices only. VWorks software ignores the
StorageDimensions element for all non-storage devices.
The StorageDimensions element has the following attributes:
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Indicates whether a robot accesses labware in a device’s storage area or on an external staging area. For example, a robot accesses labware on a multi-sided storage carousel by reaching into the device. However, a robot accesses labware on the external staging area of an STX incubator or a Cytomat storage device.
0 = The robot accesses labware on an external staging area
1 = The robot accesses labware directly in the device
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The contents of the StorageDimensions element are different for storage devices and non-storage devices, as shown in the following table:
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One StorageDimensions element, where the Name0, Name1, and DirectStorageAccess attributes are specified.
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One empty StorageDimensions element. The Name0 and Name1 attributes are not specified, and the value of the DirectStorageAccess attribute is 0, as shown in the following sample code:
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The Dimensions element contains one or more
StorageDimension elements.
Each StorageDimension element contains the capacity of one cassette, which is the number of slots per cassette. This element has the following attribute:
The RobotMetaData element contains information about the robot. If the device is not a robot, this element is ignored. The
RobotMetaData element has the following attribute:
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0 = The robot cannot reach external locations
1 = The robot can reach external locations
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For the StorageDimensions element’s attributes:
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The Name0 and Name1 attributes are not specified
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<Device Description='Lid Hotel Station' DynamicLocations='0'
→HardwareManufacturer='Agilent Technologies' HasBarcodeReader='0' MiscAttributes='0'
→Name='Lid Hotel Station' PreferredTab='Other'
→RegistryName='Lid Hotel Plugin\Profiles'
<Parameter Name='Profile' Scriptable='1' Style='0' Type='2' >
<Range Value='ActiveX_LidHotel' />
<Location Group='0' MaxStackHeight='460' Name='Location' Offset='0'
<StorageDimensions DirectStorageAccess='0' />
<RobotMetaData ReachesExternalLocations='1' />
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The Versions XML block contains the Versions element and all its children. This XML block describes the plugin version information to
VWorks software.
When VWorks software calls the
GetMetaData method and the value of the
iDataType parameter is
METADATA_VERSION:
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VWorks software passes a Versions XML block into the current_metadata parameter.
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Note: When VWorks software first calls the
GetMetaData method (
iDataType is
METADATA_ALL), the plugin returns the MetaData XML block, which contains the
Versions element and all its children. See
“Metadata XML block” .
The value of the file attribute for the
Velocity11 element is
MetaData. See
“Velocity11 element” .
The Versions element contains one or more
Version elements.
The Version element describes the version information for the plugin. Multiple
Version elements can be used to keep a revision history for the plugin. However, only the information for the first
Version element is displayed in the About
VWorks dialog box. The
Version element has the following attributes:
<Version Author='Agilent Technologies' Company='Agilent Technologies'
→Date='Mar 19th, 2010' Name='Lid Hotel Station' Version='5.0.1' />
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The Command XML block contains the Command element and all its children. This XML block describes a single task that the device can perform.
When VWorks software calls the
GetMetaData method and the value of the
iDataType parameter is
METADATA_COMMAND:
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VWorks software passes a Command XML block into the current_metadata parameter
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Note: When VWorks software first calls the
GetMetaData method (
iDataType is
METADATA_ALL), the plugin returns the MetaData XML block, which contains the
Commands element and one or more child
Command elements and all their children. See
“Metadata XML block” .
The value of the file attribute for the
Velocity11 element is
MetaData. See
“Velocity11 element” .
The Command element has the following attributes:
The Parameters element contains one or more
Parameter elements.
The Parameter element describes device parameters and task parameters. Each
Parameter element contains three required attributes (
Description,
Name, and
Type) and might contain one or more of the optional attributes that are listed in the following table. A
Parameter element can also contain one
Ranges element.
The Ranges element contains one or more
Range elements.
The Range element has the following attribute:
The Locations element contains one of more
Value elements.
Each Value element contains the name of a location used by the task. The
Value element has the following attribute:
<Command Compiler='20' Description='Seal a plate' Editor='2' Name='Seal'
→NextTaskToExecute='1' ProtocolName='Protocol File - 1' RequiresRefresh='0'
→TaskRequiresLocation='1' VisibleAvailability='1' >
<Parameter Name='Seal time' Scriptable='1' Style='0' Type='12' Units='s'
<Parameter Name='Seal temperature' Scriptable='1' Style='0' Type='8'
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