iTNC 530 Klartext Macros & Q-Parameters

If you know Fanuc Macro B, the Heidenhain iTNC 530 does everything #-variables and G65 do — it just calls variables Q parameters and macros subprograms (LBL/CALL LBL) or called programs (PGM CALL). Instead of cryptic variable numbers, Klartext gives you typed parameter families (Q, QL, QR, QS), plain-infix formulas, and named labels. This reference covers the iTNC 530 (final 606 42x firmware) — numbers and syntax differ on newer TNC controls, so verify against your series.

Klartext Program Structure

A conversational program is a .H file (DIN/ISO programs are .I). Every program is bracketed by BEGIN PGM and END PGM blocks carrying the program name and unit of measure, and usually opens with a BLK FORM workpiece-blank definition for graphics:

0 BEGIN PGM ELLIPSE MM
1 BLK FORM 0.1 Z X+0 Y+0 Z-20      ; blank: min corner
2 BLK FORM 0.2 X+100 Y+100 Z+0     ; blank: max corner
...
47 END PGM ELLIPSE MM

Reusable blocks of code are marked with labels and called like macros:

Write subprograms after the M2/M30 block — anything before it executes at least once even uncalled. Nesting depth: 8 levels for subprograms, 30 for program calls (a CYCL CALL counts as a program call). Two collision-relevant warnings straight from the manual: Q parameters are global across PGM CALL, so a called program can change your Q values; and coordinate transformations defined in a called program stay active in the caller unless you reset them.

Q-Parameter Types and Ranges

The iTNC 530 has four parameter families: Q (numeric, global to all programs in TNC memory), QL (numeric, local to one program), QR (numeric, nonvolatile — survives power-off, like Fanuc #500s), and QS (string). Numeric values may be ±999 999 999 (nine digits plus sign, decimal point anywhere); QS parameters hold up to 254 characters.

Two machine parameters change macro behavior between machines: MP7300 decides whether Q parameters reset at program end or persist, and MP7251 scopes Q60–Q99 for OEM cycles. The manual also warns that values are stored IEEE 754 binary — some decimals have round-off error, so be careful comparing calculated Q values in jump conditions.

Assignments & Arithmetic — FN 0–5 and Formulas

Press the Q key to reach the function soft keys. The classic single-operation functions:

The FORMULA soft key lets you skip FN numbers entirely and write whole expressions with normal precedence and parentheses. Available operators/functions: + - * /, ( ), SQ, SQRT, SIN, COS, TAN, ASIN, ACOS, ATAN, ^ (power), PI, LN, LOG, EXP, NEG, INT (truncate decimals), ABS, FRAC, SGN, and % (modulo):

16 FN 0: Q5 = +10               ; classic single-step style
17 FN 3: Q12 = +Q5 * +7

37 Q25 = ATAN (Q12/Q13)         ; formula style - one block
12 Q1 = 5 * 3 + 2 * 10          ; = 35 (normal precedence)
13 Q2 = SQ 10 - 3^3             ; = 73
14 Q12 = 400 % 360              ; = 40 (modulo)

You can mix Q parameters and fixed numbers anywhere — L X+Q10 in a positioning block behaves exactly like L X+25 when Q10 = 25. Check or edit live values any time with the Q INFO soft key (all four families via SHOW PARAMETERS Q QL QR QS).

Jumps & Conditions — FN 9–12 (IF/GOTO)

If-then decisions compare a Q parameter with another parameter or a number; when true, execution jumps to a label. The jump target can be a label number, a label name in quotes, or a QS string parameter holding the name:

There is no dedicated unconditional jump — the manual’s idiom is a condition that is always true: FN 9: IF+10 EQU+10 GOTO LBL1. Note there is no GE/LE on this control; restructure the comparison instead.

String Processing with QS Parameters

QS parameters feed variable text into FN 16 logs and label jumps. Assign with DECLARE STRING; process with the STRING FORMULA functions (result is a string) or inside FORMULA (result is a number):

Error Output & the Other FN Functions

FN 14: ERROR interrupts program run and displays a predefined message — the Klartext equivalent of Fanuc #3000 alarms, except the texts are canned: error numbers 0–299 show “FN 14: Error code n”, 300–999 are machine-builder dialogs, and 1000–1099 are Heidenhain-defined texts (1000 “Spindle?”, 1002 “Tool radius too small”, 1014 “Touch point inaccessible”, 1025 “Excessive nesting”…). For free-form operator messages use FN 16 output to SCREEN: instead.

180 FN 14: ERROR = 254          ; display text stored under error 254

Preassigned Q Parameters (Q100–Q199)

The TNC fills these for you — read them, never write them:

Worked Example — Parametric Ellipse (from the manual)

The manual’s ellipse program shows the whole toolkit at once: a header of named Q assignments (part-family style), a subprogram for the machining, trig in formulas, a loop counter, and an FN 12 conditional jump:

0  BEGIN PGM ELLIPSE MM
1  Q1 = +50                          ; center X
2  Q2 = +50                          ; center Y
3  Q3 = +50                          ; semiaxis X
4  Q4 = +30                          ; semiaxis Y
5  Q5 = +0                           ; start angle
6  Q6 = +360                         ; end angle
7  Q7 = +40                          ; number of calculation steps
...
17 CALL LBL 10                       ; call machining
18 L Z+100 R0 FMAX M2
19 LBL 10                            ; subprogram: machining
20 CYCL DEF 7.0 DATUM SHIFT          ; shift datum to ellipse center
21 CYCL DEF 7.1 X+Q1
22 CYCL DEF 7.2 Y+Q2
25 Q35 = (Q6 - Q5) / Q7              ; angle increment
26 Q36 = Q5                          ; copy start angle
27 Q37 = 0                           ; loop counter
28 Q21 = Q3 * COS Q36                ; X of start point
29 Q22 = Q4 * SIN Q36                ; Y of start point
30 L X+Q21 Y+Q22 R0 FMAX M3
33 LBL 1                             ; --- loop ---
34 Q36 = Q36 + Q35                   ; update angle
35 Q37 = Q37 + 1                     ; update counter
36 Q21 = Q3 * COS Q36
37 Q22 = Q4 * SIN Q36
38 L X+Q21 Y+Q22 R0 FQ11
39 FN 12: IF +Q37 LT +Q7 GOTO LBL 1  ; not done? loop
...
46 LBL 0                             ; end of subprogram
47 END PGM ELLIPSE MM

DIN/ISO Equivalents — the D Functions

In a .I DIN/ISO program on the same control, every FN function becomes a D function with positional P01/P02/P03 operands: D00–D05 arithmetic, D09–D12 jumps (P03 = label), D14 error. Same numbers, different dress:

; Klartext                              ; DIN/ISO
FN 0: Q10 = +25                         N150 D00 Q10 P01 +25 *
FN 1: Q1 = -Q2 + -5                     D01 Q1 P01 -Q2 P02 -5 *
FN 9: IF +Q1 EQU +Q3 GOTO LBL "SPCAN25" D09 P01 +Q1 P02 +Q3 P03 "SPCAN25" *
FN 14: ERROR = 254                      N180 D14 P01 254 *

References

• HEIDENHAIN, iTNC 530 Conversational Programming User's Manual, NC software 606 42x-04, 737759-24.
• HEIDENHAIN, iTNC 530 DIN/ISO Programming User's Manual, NC software 606 42x-04, 737760-24.