# Extended EtherCAT® Network Configuration (EXI)

The EC-Simulator stack has to know about the EtherCAT® bus topology and the cyclic/acyclic frames to exchange with the SubDevices. This configuration is determined in a configuration file which has to be available in the EtherCAT® Network Information Format (ENI). This format is completely independent from EtherCAT® SubDevice vendors, from MainDevice stack vendors and from EtherCAT® configuration tools. Thus inter-operability between those vendors is guaranteed.

Because the ENI file does not include information about the SubDevice hardware, the EXI (EtherCAT® Extended Information) file includes EEPROM content and SubDevice Object Dictionary from ESI and ESC register values from real network is typically needed. The EXI file can be exported using EC-Engineer.

![Diagram showing the relationship between the standard ENI format and the EC-Simulator EXI extended network information format including EEPROM content and object dictionary](../Media/EXI.png)

## HiL Simulation Software architecture

The EC-Simulator software is ready-to-run on various operating systems, e. g. Linux and Windows, and makes use of the Real-time Ethernet Drivers.

The EC-Simulator offers a “C” language API for integration into a Software PLC (LogicLab, logi.cals) or into professional simulation software like ISG Virtuos, etc.

![EC-Simulator HiL software architecture showing the stack running on external hardware connected via Ethernet to the EtherCAT MainDevice](../Media/HiL-architecture.png)