CAE gets ABEL Programmable logic has been brought to computer-aided engineering by Data I/O in the USA. The logic-design language ABEL has been incorporated into CAE workstations made by California- based Valid Logic Systems, so that board-level design is carried out by reducing the engineer's original design equations into the binary fuse maps needed by the device.

ABEL does this, explains Data I/O, by allowing the engineer to use any combination of the three common logic-design formats: Boolean equations, truth tables and state diagrams. ABEL automatically minimizes the design equations and converts the reduced equa- tions into a fuse map for the device.

The language includes an integrated simulator. This lets the engineer test and edit the design at any point in the design phase before proceeding further.

When ABEL is used on a Valid Logic workstation, ABEL'S library of about 95 types of programmable- logic device helps to match circuit design to component. After select- ing a device and processing design equations, the designer can use windows to display more than one phase of the design simultaneously.

After software simulation, he/ she can use the Abelcomm program included with ABEL to make the workstation a host for a logic- device programmer. From the workstation keyboard a fuse map can be downloaded, the selected device programmed and the design tested in hardware as a final design verification.

The ABEL library currently includes programmable array logic devices, IFLs and PROMs. ABEL runs under Berkeley Unix 4.1 c, on Valid Logic's Scald systems I, II and IV and the Scaldstar.

ABEL also runs under MS-DOS on personal computers and on the DEC VAX under VMS or Unix. (Data I/(9, Vondelstraat 50-52, 1054 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Tel: (020) 186855. Telex: 16616 DATIO NL)

PC-DOS emulation on SlO0-based systems

A true 16-bit version of the Turbo- DOS operating system has been announced by Advanced Digital (UK). This version emulates PC- DOS, and so allows S100-based microsystems to run software packages such as Lotus 1-2-3.

The price of a licence for Turbo- DOS version 1.4M-16 is £690, compared with £600 for the 8-bit version of Turbo-DOS. (Advanced Digital (UK) Ltd, 27 Princes Street, Hanover Square, London W1R 8NQ, UK. Te l : 01-409 0077. Telex: 265840 FINEST)

More byte for Sprite High-capacity hard discs have been announced for the Sprite (Unix, 68000) microcomputer by UK

systems house Uniqix. The system now comprises 1 Mbyte of main memory, floppy disc and 10, 20 or 33 Mbyte Winchester disc options.

Previously the Sprite was only available with a 10Mbyte disc. Uniqix felt that this might worry users, since Unix's well known greed for space meant that a full set of functions would take up almost all of the 10Mbyte. Hence the addition of the extra options.

Built in Uniqix or OEM versions, the Sprite has also recently acquired a 68010 processor and a floating point coprocessor, along with a menu-driven command system from UK firm Root Com- puters which runs with the UniPlus+ operating system supplied as standard. (Uniplus+ is the Unisoft-Root version of Unix.)

The price of the Sprite starts at about £5000. (Uniqix Ltd, 109a Connaught Avenue, Frinton, Essex C013 9PS, UK. Tel: (02556) 79414)

Software has been written to turn a digitizer~storage oscilloscope into a fast Fourier transform (FFT) analyser. AMS II (Advanced Mathematics Software) is designed for studying continuous, changing or transient events in vibration, sound or electronics. Written for the Trace Digiscope 8612 oscilloscope, the software enables the instrument to cover both time and frequencydomains, with functions for FFT, integration, differen- tiation, averaging and correlation. AMS II gives a choice of real or complex amplitude spectrum and linear or logarithmic amplitude axes for display. Types of spectrum include phase, amplitude, sine, cosine and power. The software also incorporates weighting functions for analysis in the frequency domain, if required. (UK distributor: Microsystem Services, PO Box 37, Lincoln Road, Cressex Industrial Estate, High Wycombe, Bucks HP12 3XJ, UK. Tel: (0494) 41661. Telex: 837187)

96 microprocessors and microsystems