Highlighted features

Signal generator

It is now possible to control the value of a simulation item using a signal generator. The signal generator contains a table with time/value pairs.

Import of measure file creates simulation items for each channel in the measure file that can be simulated (inputs). Values from the measure file are also imported so that you can play back a measured scenario.

Interface to other simulation software

ActiveX support implemented. Makes it possible to read and set values from external software, e.g. Microsoft Excel. There is an example file for this under the examples folder.

Remember input values and settings between simulations without having to save

Simulations can be manually saved as .isa4 files. There is also an automatically saved simulation, that stores the input values and all the settings between the simulations. When launching IQANsimulate, there is an option to select whether to use a saved simulation file or create a new one.

Keyboard shortcut for small input changes

In the simulation group view the arrows are used to select channel. Ctrl+arrows are used to change the value of the selected track bar. Added shift+ctrl+arrows to change values in raw value steps of 1 (smallest step available).

Possible to add channels to simulation group while simulating

"Set value" function more accessible

For more details, see release notes.

It would be fantastic to have a script to import .DBC files that would generate automatically the GFIN/JFIN GFOUT/JFOUT as well as the associated JPIN/GPIN JPOUT/GPOUT. That would literally save be weeks of typing and may mistakes!

Updates for cyber security

This version introduces important updates preparing for IEC 62443 cyber security compliance on target modules.

Secure boot and secure update

IQAN-MD5, -MC4xFS, -MC4x, -XC4 firmware’s are now signed. 

Signed firmware is required for installing on modules produced with secure boot.

IQAN-MD5 displays, -MC4xFS-M24 and -MC4x-M24 controllers, and -XC4x-M24 expansions will be produced with secure boot starting in 2026. Modules produced with secure boot will thus have 7.06 as minimum version (changing from 7.02 on MD5 and 7.03 on C4x-M24)

IQAN-MD4 and original version of MC4xFS/MC4x/XC4x will continue to be produced with bootloaders supporting old versions. 

Major update of IQAN-MD5 firmware

MD5 firmware is restructured to strengthen cyber security and prepare for future improvements. When updating in the field, there are key points to be aware of.

• Upgrade of MD5 to 7.06 requires 7.05 in module.
• During update, all logs in the MD5 will be erased.
• After updating MD5 to 7.06, downgrade is not possible.

Message when attempting to send 7.06 to  MD5 with version 7.02-7.04. 

Message about major upgrade of MD5 module , before sending 7.06

Project file size (.idax) increased to ~75 MB, to handle the update from 7.05 to 7.06. Clone files are smaller, ~30 MB.

Clones taken from MD5 7.06 or newer can only be sent to module with 7.06 or newer.

Message when trying to use clone to upgrade to 7.06 

Other changes

IQAN-MD5 performance enhancements

• Reduced start-up time, time to show first display page reduced with ~1 second. 
• Minimum application cycle time is reduced from 50 to 20 ms. The recommendation to use locate machine control functions on MC4 controllers remain. 

Always send firmware before application

If an update is interrupted while sending firmware, the module is now able to restart with the old application, matching the old firmware. This reduces the risk of not having a working application if a version update is interrupted. As before the firmware is double stored, an IQAN module will always have a working firmware. 

More details in Release notes
Release notes - IQANdesign 7
Release notes - IQANsimulate 7
Release notes - IQANrun 7
Release notes - IQANscript 7

Hi,

I'm looking to make a script to help our customer to make some adjsutement,backup ... on there machine.

Because they are not happy with computer, I want to simplify them lot of thing.

For exemple, I try to create an output folder on the Desktop to find it easily.

If I put my computer user profil it works

C:\Users\MyName\Desktop\Script

But the tehcnicien doesn't have the same name than me,

and if I put a link with a Windows generic link like this, it doesn't work :

C:\Users\%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\Script...

So, How can I create a folder on the desktop of any computer that will run the script ?

And is it posssible to get a path and work on it in the script ?

for exemple to get the path of the defaut output folder defined in IQANrun option ? 

And to change the path of this defaut folder for example ?

Hello, 

We are experiencing a user interface issue in Iqan Design 7.05.19.10562.

When editing a page on the display and scrolling in the Layers panel (for example towards the bottom), the main screen keeps scrolling along with it.
Even though the mouse cursor is positioned in the layer navigator, the display view continues to move.

This makes working quite difficult. Ideally, the scroll action should only affect the area where the mouse cursor is located, and the display view should remain in its current position.

Has anyone encountered this behavior before, or is there a setting to prevent the screen from scrolling together with the layer panel?

Thanks.

On modules which have two VREFs, can VREF error logs be updated so that they indicate which VREF has an issue? We've had instances where one of the two VREFs has an issue but you can't tell which one from the system logs. See below for an example of what the logs look like. 

This was from IQANrun 4, but it looks similar in newer versions of IQANrun.

We're adding separate event logs that record the voltage of the VREFs when an error is detected, but it could still be helpful if the system log indicated which VREF has an issue. 

Application Migration From MD-4(7) to MD5(8).

1. How do I migrate a chunky application without having to lose connections to my I/O's that are present on separate Expansion modules but controlled by the head master MD4-(7) when I need to migrate the application from MD4-(7) to MD5-(8)?

2. How do I keep connections between adjustment groups, adjustment parameters, logs and Monitoring channels under the same transition?

3. Basically how can I completely migrate an application contained in an MD4-(7) screen to an MD5-(8) screen without loosing connections to other hardware in the System Layout if I am using a Variance file. 

The purpose is to have 2 selectable headmasters with complete application available on both.

Hello,

I have a file that I made in 7.5 (not from from scratch but it has been updated to 7.5) and my customer keeps getting this error when trying to upload. Only timeout warnings in the software. Anyone else have any experience with this? Seems to only happen on one Md4

Hello,

I am currently using IQANdesign 6.08. The system I am working on is a multi-master system, and I am sending information over CAN E (J1939) to a third-party PLC.

I am using CAN routing to add certain frames from other modules onto CAN E. When I create a DBC file for this bus, none of the CAN routing frames are included in the DBC file. Can you advise if there is a way to include these frames?

Thank you,

Jordan