BatchUnitClass Object

Sepasoft MES Module Suite

BatchUnitClass Object

A BatchUnitClass is an MES object that defines which batch phases are available to equipment assigned to that class. Unit classes form a hierarchy under the root BatchRootUnitClass (Unit Classes). Child classes inherit phases from their parent chain and can add phases of their own. Recipes reference a unit class to constrain which phases can appear in unit-procedure steps, and MESUnit equipment objects are assigned to a unit class so the Batch Unit Manager and runtime know which phase UDTs to expose.

Obtain BatchUnitClass instances from system.mes.batch.unitclass helpers or by loading from an MESObjectLink.

Persist changes with system.mes.batch.unitclass.save() — not system.mes.saveMESObject().

Obtaining a BatchUnitClass

Copy Code

Python

# By name (returns MESObjectLink; call getMESObject() for the full object)
link = system.mes.batch.unitclass.getLink('Mixer Class')
unitClass = link.getMESObject()

# List child unit classes under the root
unitClasses = system.mes.batch.unitclass.getList(None, 0, 100, '')

# Create a new unsaved unit class (parent defaults to BatchRootUnitClass)
unitClass = system.mes.batch.unitclass.create('New Mixer Class', None)

# Copy configuration from an existing class
sourceLink = system.mes.batch.unitclass.getLink('Mixer Class')
unitClass = system.mes.batch.unitclass.copy(sourceLink, 'Mixer Class Copy')

Object Hierarchy

Relationship	Allowed type	Notes
Parent	BatchRootUnitClass or BatchUnitClass	Single parent only (SINGLE_PARENT). If none is set at save time, the root unit class is assigned automatically.
Children	BatchUnitClass	Nested unit classes; child names must still be globally unique across all unit classes.

Phases are not copied into a new child at creation time. Instead, phases defined on ancestors are visible through getParentPhaseLinks() and getAllPhaseLinks(). Phases added directly on the class are returned by getPhaseLinks().

Core Properties

These properties are inherited from AbstractMESObject and apply to every BatchUnitClass.

Property	Access	Type	Description
Name	getName() / setName(name)	String	Globally unique unit class name.
Description	getDescription() / setDescription(description)	String	Optional description.
UUID	getUUID()	String	Stable object identifier.
Enabled	isEnabled() / setEnabled(value)	Boolean	Whether the object is active. Removal disables the object rather than deleting it.
Unit Icon Path	getPropertyValue('UnitIconPath') / setPropertyValue('UnitIconPath', path)	String	Path to an Ignition icon representing this unit class in the UI. Defaults to empty.

BatchUnitClass Methods

Method	Return type	Description
getMESObjectTypeName()	String	Returns BatchUnitClass.
asLink()	MESObjectLink	Lightweight link to this object (UUID, name, type).
getPhaseCount()	int	Number of phases assigned directly on this class (not including inherited parent phases).
getPhaseLinks()	List of MESObjectLink	Phase links assigned directly on this class.
getParentPhaseLinks()	List of MESObjectLink	Phases inherited from the parent unit class hierarchy. Returns an empty list when the parent is BatchRootUnitClass.
getAllPhaseLinks()	List of MESObjectLink	Union of inherited and directly assigned phases. Use this when determining which phases a class (and its equipment) can run.
addPhase(phaseLink)	None	Assign a BatchPhase to this class. phaseLink must reference a BatchPhase. Raises an exception if the phase is already on this class or already inherited from a parent.
removePhase(phaseLink)	None	Remove a directly assigned phase. Raises NoSuchElementException if the phase is not on this class.
removeAllPhases()	None	Remove every phase assigned directly on this class.
hasPhase(phaseLink)	Boolean	Returns True if the phase is assigned directly on this class (not inherited).
getChildLinks()	List of MESObjectLink	Child unit class links, sorted by name.
getPrimaryParentLink()	MESObjectLink	Link to the parent unit class or root.
getParentCollection()	MESObjectCollection	Parent links for this object.
getChildCollection()	MESObjectCollection	Child unit class links.
getLinksToRelatedObjects(includeOutgoingReferences)	List of MESObjectLink	Related master recipe logic and all phase links (direct and inherited).
isModified()	Boolean	Whether in-memory changes have not been saved.

Change-tracking helpers (phase edits)

Used internally during save validation; rarely needed in scripts.

Method	Return type	Description
isPhaseAdded()	Boolean	Whether a phase was added since load.
getAddedPhases()	Set of MESObjectLink	Phases marked as newly added.
isPhaseRemoved()	Boolean	Whether a phase was removed since load.
getRemovedPhases()	Set of MESObjectLink	Phases marked as removed.

Scope / Availability

Context	How to access
Gateway scripts	system.mes.batch.unitclass.* and methods on objects returned by those calls
Batch Designer / client scripts	Same module via RPC (BatchClientUnitClassScript)
Perspective / engineering	system.mes.batch.unitclass for CRUD; BatchUnitClassManager component for UI editing

Unit class names must be globally unique across the entire hierarchy, not just among siblings.

Events

Event	Name	Description
New	BatchUnitClass - New	Fires when a new unit class instance is created. Use to initialize defaults (for example, set UnitIconPath or assign standard phases).

Exceptions and Constraints

Situation	Behavior
addPhase(None) or non-BatchPhase link	Exception: "A link to a batch phase was not provided."
Duplicate phase on same class	Exception: phase name already added.
Phase already on a parent class	Exception: phase already added to a parent (prevents redundant assignment).
removePhase for a phase not on this class	NoSuchElementException
remove on a class with assigned units	Exception: units are still assigned.
Duplicate phase name across class and inheritance at save	Save validation fails via checkDuplicatePhases.
Save with duplicate global name	Exception: "A batch unit class named (…) already exists."

Removing a unit class disables it, clears its direct phases, and requires that no MESUnit objects remain assigned to it and that no master recipe logic still references it.

Example Usage

Minimal example — look up a class and list available phases

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Python

link = system.mes.batch.unitclass.getLink('Mixer Class')
unitClass = link.getMESObject()

for phaseLink in unitClass.getAllPhaseLinks():
    print(phaseLink.getName())

Complex example — create a child class, assign phases, and save

Copy Code

Python

# Resolve parent and phase links
parentLink = system.mes.batch.unitclass.getLink('Generic Vessel')
chargePhaseLink = system.mes.batch.phase.getPhaseLink('Charge')
mixPhaseLink = system.mes.batch.phase.getPhaseLink('Mix')

# Create and configure the new class
unitClass = system.mes.batch.unitclass.create('Reactor A Class', parentLink)
unitClass.setDescription('Phases for Reactor A vessels')
unitClass.setPropertyValue('UnitIconPath', 'material/factory')

# Inherited phases from parent are available via getAllPhaseLinks() without addPhase
# Add phases specific to this class
unitClass.addPhase(chargePhaseLink)
unitClass.addPhase(mixPhaseLink)

# Persist (required after create/modify)
savedClass = system.mes.batch.unitclass.save(unitClass)
print('Saved %s with %d direct phases' % (
    savedClass.getName(),
    savedClass.getPhaseCount()
))

List equipment assigned to a unit class

Copy Code

Python

classLink = system.mes.batch.unitclass.getLink('Reactor A Class')
assignedUnits = system.mes.batch.unitclass.getAssignedUnitLinks(classLink)

for unitLink in assignedUnits:
    print(unitLink.getName())

Copy an existing class and adjust phases

Copy Code

Python

sourceLink = system.mes.batch.unitclass.getLink('Reactor A Class')
copy = system.mes.batch.unitclass.copy(sourceLink, 'Reactor B Class')

# Remove a direct phase inherited from the copy source
phaseToRemove = system.mes.batch.phase.getPhaseLink('Mix')
if copy.hasPhase(phaseToRemove):
    copy.removePhase(phaseToRemove)

system.mes.batch.unitclass.save(copy)

Related Functions

Module: system.mes.batch.unitclass

getRootLink() — Returns the root BatchRootUnitClass link (Unit Classes).
getLink(name) — Look up a unit class by globally unique name.
getLinks(parentLink, pageNumber, pageSize, searchPattern) — Paginated list of child class links.
getList(parentLink, pageNumber, pageSize, searchPattern) — Paginated list of BatchUnitClass objects.
getCount(parentLink, searchPattern) — Count of child classes matching the filter.
create(name, parentLink) — Create a new unsaved unit class.
copy(copyFromLink, newUnitClassName) — Copy configuration into a new unsaved class.
save(unitClass) — Persist a created or modified unit class.
remove(unitClassLink) — Disable and remove a unit class (when unused and unassigned).
getAssignedUnitList(unitClassLink) — Units assigned to the class.
getAssignedUnitLinks(unitClassLink) — Links to assigned MESUnit objects.

Related modules:

system.mes.batch.phase — Create and manage BatchPhase objects assigned to unit classes.
system.mes.batch.unit — Assign unit classes to MESUnit equipment.
system.mes.batch.recipe — Reference a unit class on master recipe logic (setUnitClassRef).

Sepasoft MES Module Suite