PLCnext Engineer and git - using uncompressed *.pcwef-Format

PLCnext Engineer
1

Hi there,
for quite a while, we are using the *.pcwef-Format in combination with git source control to work together as a team on a common code base.
This works quite well for us (In fact, I think it’s the only way to maintain common code within a team).
However, we experience some difficulties caused by the file structure of the *pcwef-format.
Examples:

                                          * FileNames of POES are shortened by PLCnext Engineer, that makes it very difficult to assign POEs to the files that they are stored in and to find the code of a POE in the files.
                                          * Some files have a very "central" function within the structure of the project since they contain e.g. references to each POE that exists in the project. That leads to many conflicts when 2 or more people changed something in different branches and try to merge their changes.

Are there any other users who manage their IEC-code in *pcwef-format with git?
I’d be interested in an exchange with other users that might experience similar issues (and may have found solutions for it).
Thanks and Regards
Fabian

2

Hi,
we have this exact same issue. We have agreed to not change the project structure in multiple GIT branches. So when for example adding or deleting POU’s we have to agree to bring those changes to all working branches so we avoid conflicts.
Hopefully this issue will be addressed by Phoenix contact since it’s quite big issue when working as a team on a project.
br,
Markus

3

Here are some comments from the PLCnext Engineer support team:
In principle, working with GIT and the flat file format of the PnE is possible, but it is not recommended to work on a project at the same time.For this reason, changes must be adapted in all branches in order to provide consistent data. Within the structure.xml file in flat file format, an automatic structure is generated via the compiler.The file ID of the POU is shortened in this format, but not the name of the POU.image.pngIt is important to take the respective index of the POUs within the structure.xml file.Some optimizations will be made to the file formats in the future, but there is no timepoint and schedule for this available yet.