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FALCOM Workbench

Configuration & Evaluation Software

REVISION 2.0.0.RC7 AND LATER

User’s Guide

Version 1.01, Updated 03/04/2007 - Software Revision 2.2.0 -

http://www.falcom.de/

WORKBENCH SOFTWARE USER'S GUIDE VERSION 1.01

Table Of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... 6 1.1 SCOPE OF THE DOCUMENT ........................................................................................... 6 1.2 RELATED DOCUMENTS ................................................................................................. 6 1.3 FEATURES OF FALCOM WORKBENCH SOFTWARE ........................................................... 6

2 FALCOM WORKBENCH SOFTWARE .................................... 8 2.1 INSTALLATION ON MICROSOFT WINDOWS SYSTEMS ............................................................8 2.1.1 Uninstall the Workbench ................................................................................................ 8 2.2 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS .............................................................................................. 8 2.3 RUNNING THE FALCOM WORKBENCH SOFTWARE .......................................................... 9

3 QUICK START ....................................................................... 13

4 DETAILED DESCRIPTION .................................................... 17 4.1 MENU .................................................................................................................. 17 4.2 TOOLBAR .............................................................................................................. 18 4.2.1 COM Port – view .......................................................................................................... 19 4.2.2 Console – view ............................................................................................................ 20 4.2.2.1 Console color chooser ............................................................................................................... 23 4.2.2.2 Console settings .........................................................................................................................23 4.2.3 Editor – view ................................................................................................................ 25 4.2.4 History – view .............................................................................................................. 30 4.2.5 Firmware uploader – view ............................................................................................ 32 4.2.6 GPS Detail – view ........................................................................................................ 33 4.2.7 GSM Detail – view ....................................................................................................... 34 4.2.8 Logger – view .............................................................................................................. 35 4.2.9 I/O Details – view ......................................................................................................... 35 4.2.10 Help – view ................................................................................................................ 36 4.3 CONNECTIONS – VIEW .............................................................................................. 37 4.4 VIRTUALDESK-VIEW ..................................................................................................38

This confidential document is the property of FALCOM and may not be copied or circulated without permission.


Figure of ContentsFigure 1: FALCOM workbench’s profiles manager dialog box.....................................................................7Figure 2: FALCOM workbench’s initialization window................................................................................. 8Figure 3: First workbench’s layout............................................................................................................... 8Figure 4: Workbench views and how they look like..................................................................................... 9Figure 5: Workbench’s first layout.............................................................................................................. 10Figure 6: Port icon – click it to open the Port-view..................................................................................... 10Figure 7: Port-view select port setting........................................................................................................ 11Figure 8: Console-icon – click it to open the console-view........................................................................ 11Figure 9: Console-view connected to the port COM 1............................................................................... 11Figure 10: Connection-view....................................................................................................................... 12Figure 11: GPS Details – icon Editor- Icon............................................... 12Figure 12: GPS Details – connected to the Port/COM1 & Editor – connected to the Console................... 12Figure 13: Workbench views filled with data.............................................................................................. 13Figure 14: Tool-bar.....................................................................................................................................14Figure 15: Toolbar...................................................................................................................................... 15Figure 16: COM Port – Icon and view........................................................................................................ 16Figure 17: Console – view..........................................................................................................................17Figure 17.1: Console – description............................................................................................................ 18Figure 17.2: Console color chooser and Color dialog box......................................................................... 20Figure 17.3 Console settings..................................................................................................................... 21Figure 17.4 Layouts of the console in the normal mode and simple mode................................................21Figure 18: Editor – view............................................................................................................................. 22Figure 18.1: Write configuration settings in an editor ................................................................................ 24Figure 19: History – view............................................................................................................................ 26Figure 19.1 Download either in binary or NMEA format..............................................................................26Figure 19.2 Download timestamp history.................................................................................................... 26Figure 19.3: Translate binary files into the NMEA......................................................................................27Figure 20: GPS Detail – view..................................................................................................................... 28Figure 21: GSM Detail – view.................................................................................................................... 29Figure 22: Logger – view............................................................................................................................30Figure 23: I/O Details – view...................................................................................................................... 30Figure 24: Help – view............................................................................................................................... 31Figure 25: Interaction between views.........................................................................................................32Figure 26: View all parts at once................................................................................................................ 33



Version history:

Version number Author Changes Release date1.00 Fadil Beqiri Initial version 27.10.2006

1.01 Fadil Beqiri

- Released new software revision 2.2.0. See chapter 1.3, page 6 about the changes made.

- Added new chapter 2.1.1 - How to uninstall the Workbench.- Added new chapter 4.2.5, page 31 - how to upload a new firmware

into the target device.

03.04.2007



Cautions

Information furnished herein by FALCOM is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, no responsibility is assumed for its use. Also the information contained herein is subject to change without notice.

Please, read carefully the safety precautions.If you have any technical questions regarding this document or the product described in it, please, contact your vendor.General information about FALCOM and its range of products is available at the following Internet address: http://www.falcom.de/

Trademarks

Some mentioned products are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Copyright

This description is copyrighted by FALCOM Wireless Communications GmbH with all rights reserved. No part of this user’s guide may be produced in any form without the prior written permission of FALCOM Wireless Communications GmbH.

FALCOM Wireless Communications GmbH.

No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein.


http://www.falcom.de/


1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Scope of the document

This document provides a quick reference how to install the FALCOM Workbench software and brief instructions how to configure FALCOM devices with serial interface ports. It also explains how to use it and communicate with FALCOM devices for collection, evaluation, and analysis the received data from the device. The FALCOM Workbench software enables end-users and system integrators a communication interface between your PC and target device via a serial port to test performances and develop a wide range of applications in a quick and simply way. FALCOM Workbench supports the following FALCOM devices:

STEPPII, MAMBO, BOLERO All FALCOM GPS units

Before using one of the above-mentioned devices or upgrading one of them to a new firmware version, please, read the latest product information - see related documents 1.2.How to connect the device to the PC is not mentioned in this document, but such a description can be found in the user’s manual of the used device.

1.2 Related documents[1] Mambo_hardware_description.pdf[2] Mambo_firmware_2.3.19_user_manual.pdf[3] Mambo_getting_started.pdf[4] STEPPII_hardware_description.pdf[5] STEPPII_getting_started.pdf[6] STEPPII_firmware_2.3.xx_user_manual.pdf[7] JP7(10,13,14,15)_family_hardware_manual_ver_1xx.pdf

1.3 Features of FALCOM Workbench software

FALCOM Workbench software offers the following features:

Software Revision 2.2.0 all known bugs are fixed, allows highlighting of incoming/outgoing messages in different color (see

chapters 4.2.2 and 4.2.2.1), and changing of the font in the console, components in a console can be hidden/shown (see chapter 4.2.2.2), the console name can now be defined for easy identification by user (see

chapter 4.2.2.2), the console contents can now be limited either by the number of lines or

characters (see chapter 4.2.2.2), enables to switch between main and simple console mode (see chapter

4.2.2.2), enables to execute a command from the Editor or the contents of the Editor

repeatedly (Loop- function – used for our test purposes only) (see chapter 4.2.3).



Enables to upload a new firmware to the target device - see chapter

Software Revision 2.0.0-RC1

Serial communication with FALCOM devices, Allows simultaneous connections to multiple devices, Powerful, fast, and easy to work with, Displays GPS protocols received from the target device, Produce text and graphical information for all connected devices, Captures message received from the connected device in a text file, Gets current configuration settings from the connected device, Upgrades the target device to the new configuration settings, Tracks down the initialization/execution of firmware, displays the specified

values, settings and runtime errors, Gets all or a part of logged records from the device and stores them in a text

file either in binary or NMEA format (implemented binary to NMEA converter),

and many others ….



2 FALCOM WORKBENCH SOFTWAREFALCOM Workbench software can be installed from the software CD. The software can be installed on Microsoft Windows systems.During the installation of the FALCOM Workbench software, please, follow the on-screen instructions.

2.1 Installation on Microsoft Windows Systems

Insert the software CD in the CD-ROM drive. The setup program should start automatically. If the setup program does not start, execute the Falcom_Workbench_2.x.x_setup.exe program in the software CD root directory. Follow the directions given.

2.1.1 Uninstall the Workbench

Before installing a new Wokbench software version, always remove the prior one. 1. Close the Workbench software. 2. If you have created profiles and want to keep them, then:

✔ go to the "Falcom Workbench/prof" folder, ✔ copy and paste the contents of the “/prof” folder onto your

computer (in a new folder you want to keep them in). ✔ when the installation of the Workbench software is completed, copy

and past that contents back into the "Falcom Workbench/prof" folder then delete the new folder.

3. Go to "My Computer ->Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs", select 'Falcom Workbench 2.x.xx' by clicking on it, and choose 'remove'.

4. Delete the "Falcom Workbench" folder from the directory that contains it.

2.2 System requirements

PC with 700 megahertz or higher processor Intel Pentium II or compatible processor recommended

512 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher recommended (512MB minimum supported; may limit performance and some features)

90 megabytes (MB) of available hard disk space (recommanded 2 gigabytes) CD-ROM drive Keyboard and Mouse or compatible pointing device.



2.3 Running the FALCOM Workbench Software

Before continuing the installation of the software, close all running applications on the PC. Connect the target device to a free available communication port via a serial cable or Bluetooth (such as FALCOM MAMBO).Once the software has been successfully installed, to run it, choose “FALCOM Workbench”, from the windows Start menu.

When the Workbench is launched, the first thing you see is a dialog box that allows you to select a profile the workspace should load. For now, just click on Load button to select the default profile called “default.xml”. If there are already saved profile on your system, you may use this option to select and load one of them.

* Select last used/saved – both options enable you to load the last used or saved profile respectively.

Figure 1: FALCOM workbench’s profiles manager dialog box.

In few seconds the initialization window appears.

Figure 2: FALCOM workbench’s initialization window.

Based on the default profile, the screen should look similar to the figure 3. From this window all important program parts can be accessed. The FALCOM Workbench is divided in three main parts:

• Workbench Menu (drop down menu) • Workbench Toolbar (set of icons with property fly-by hints that the user can

chose at runtime.)• Workbench backpane (container for views and manages)



Figure 3: First workbench’s layout.

General information about software operation:Help file

The workbench software uses an on-line help that can be accessed from the Help-icon, after the software has been installed.

Mouse activities

Use the left mouse button to open any view from the Toolbar at the top of workbench’s screen. Each view can independently be moved using drag and drop functions. To close the workbench or any view, use the ×-icon at the top-right of each view.

VirtualDesk Manager

Use VirtualDesk view to organize a busy desk of the Workbench. If you usually have many views opened at a time, you can now organize them on four different desks. Using keys F1, F2, F3 and F4 you can switch between the workbench desks. For example, press the F1 key from anywhere in the Workbench to view the upper-left desk or press the F4 key to view the lower-right desk.



Connection Manager

Use Connection-view to establish connection between views and show their incoming or outgoing data.

Figure 4: Workbench views and how they look like.



3 QUICK STARTBefore any data can be received from or sent to the target device a communication channel must be established. Connect the target device to your PC either via a serial cable or Bluetooth depending on interface the device supports. For more information, how to made a serial or Bluetooth connection, refer to the corresponding manual “Getting_started.pdf” of the used device.

Figure 5: Workbench’s first layout.

There are a few things the program needs to know before the program can begin normal operation (as reference use figure 5).

1. Go to Toolbar and open Port-View, click on the icon with hint “Open a new serial port view” that appears when the user moves the mouse pointer over the Toolbar.

Figure 6: Port icon – click it to open a Port-view.

2. From the Port-View select (see figure 7) chose the following settings:Port: COM port (e.g. COM1) where the target device is

connected. Baud: Baud rate that the target device supports (for example, by

default, the STEPPII communicates with 57600 bps). Data bits: 8, Parity: No, Stop bit: 1, Flow control: None



Figure 7: Port-view select port setting.

3. If the port settings are correctly set corresponding to the settings the target device supports, create a serial connection by clicking on the - icon shown at the top of Port-view. Its color will change from red to grey.

4. Later on, open a Console-view from the workbench toolbar with hint “Console”.

Figure 8: Console-icon – click it to open the console-view.

5. To display the incoming data on the Console-view, use the right-mouse button anywhere in the Connection-view (see figure 9) to zoom out and then click on the circle (currently red) labelled “Port COM1”. Its color will change from red to green, showing that the connection between Console & Port/COM1 is done. The console displays the data sent from the control- device.

Figure 9: Console-view connected to the port COM 1.

The Connection-view provides schematically connections for setting up relationships among views. It illustrates schematically these relationships



and lets you perform connection and display the data per mouse click. For more information – see section 4.3 page 36.

Figure 10: Connection-view.

6. Later on, open a GPS Details-view and an Editor-view from the workbench’s toolbar with hints “GPS Details” and “Editor” respectively.

Figure 11: GPS Details – icon Editor- Icon

7. Click on the GPS Details-view, then go to Connection-view and connect it to the “Port COM1”. Click on the Editor-view, then go to Connection-view and connect it to the “Console”. Both circles change their color to green. The Editor-view is used to edit, request and transmit device configuration settings. The connection of the Editor to the Console allows the user to view all the data the Editor sends together with device responses. If Editor is connected to the “Port COM1”, the data will be sent directly to the COM port.

Figure 12: GPS Details – connected to the Port/COM1 & Editor – connected to the Console

If the target device is operating correctly, the GPS Details – view will show all information about satellites in view, position in the sky, signal to noise ratio, time, speed and latitude, longitude and altitude etc. (depending on the enabled GPS protocols).



Figure 13: Workbench views filled with data.

A more detailed information about each view can be found in chapter 4 page 16.

How to save profilesYou can save multiple layouts (profiles) with settings that you load in the dialog box that first opens when you start the Workbench. Workbench enables this option on start-up.To save a profile

➢ Choose File-menu and start “Save profile as”.

➢ Enter the name of the profile in the “Save Profile” dialog box (the profile name can be saved with .xml or without any extension, other files could be load from the software).

➢ Click on Save Profile.To overwrite a profile

Choose File-menu and start “Save profile”.



4 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

4.1 Menu

It provides an easy way to access the functions of the software. Icons at the top-right corner are used to minimize/maximize/close the workbench software:

Figure 14: Tool-bar.

Menu Description

File

Save profile Overwrites current profile settings.

Save profile as Saves a new profile.

Save profile and exit Overwrites current profile settings and closes the Workbench

Exit Closes the Workbench

Plugins (see also next section “Toolbar”)

Port Opens a new Port - view.

Console Opens a new Console - view.

Editor Opens a new Editor - view.

History Opens a new History - view.

GPS Detail Opens a new GPS Detail - view.

GSM Detail Opens a new GSM Detail - view.

Logger Opens a new Logger - view.

IO Detail Opens an new IO Detail - view.

Window

View manager -

Hide/Show Backpane Hides/shows the Worksbench’s backpane

Help

Help Opens the workbench user guide.



4.2 Toolbar

Toolbar consists of a group of icons representing the views you can use to evaluate and configure your target device.

Figure 15: Toolbar.

Icons Description

Opens a new Port -view.

Opens a new Console -view.

Opens a new Editor-view.

Opens a new History - view.

Opens an Firmware uploader -view.

Opens a new GPS Detail -view.

Opens a new GSM Detail -view.

Opens a new Logger - view.

Opens an new IO Detail -view.

Opens an online Help -view.



4.2.1 COM Port – view

It specifies a desired connection to a serial port or to a TCP/IP server. The Connect/Disconnect-icon at the top of the Port-view will show the current connection state. Click this icon to open/close the selected connection.

– Icon – View

Figure 16: COM Port – Icon and view.

You can open more than one COM port and use them at the same time without need to start the program twice or more. All ports are listed in the List of Ports.

List of PortsThe List of Ports represents a set of COM/TCP ports. You can add a port to the List of Ports when you click on the Port-view icon on the Toolbar.

The description of each element available in this part of view is given in the table below.

Icons Description

Closes that COM Port.

- Hides/shows the COM port Settings.

Connect/Disconnect opens/closes the selected connection.

Icon Color State

RED Disconnected

GREY Connected

- Creates an endpoint for communication (TCP/COM-based connection). TCP option just sets up a connection to the given port of the server address., select COM for locally communication.



COM propertiesIt represents the serial port properties. It appears when you chose COM on the List of ports.

COM Port Setting Description

Port Specifies the COM Port to be connected (e.g. COM1)

Baud Specifies the communication speed to the device. No communication is performed if the target device and software have different baud rate. (by default STEPPII communicates with 57600 bps)

Data bits Set it to 8

Parity Set it to NONE.

Stop bit Set it to 1;

Flow Control Set it to None.

TCP propertiesIt represents the TCP connection properties. It appears when you chose TCP from the List of ports. This option just sets up a connection to the given port of the server address (no other functions implemented).

COM Port Setting Description

Server Specifies the address of the remote server for exchanging data between software and server over TCP.

Port Specifies the port number that identifies the server connection.

4.2.2 Console – view

After the device is turned on, it sends periodically each second its GPS data to its serial port. To monitor this data, choose Console-view and connect it to a port COMx using the Connection-view. By default the Console-View displays all data being sent by the device in a textual form and in a regular weight font – see figure below.

– Icon – View

Figure 17: Console – view.



The console allows you to send any kind of messages to the device (serial port). To send a message/command to the device, click on Details-button, type the command you want to send, enter any necessary parameters and settings, and then press the Enter key. All messages sent to the target device will be shown in a bold font – see figures 17.1. When sending any command to the device, the check boxes - PFAL, CRC, CR and LF on the bottom of the Console-view can be checked or unchecked, depending on which format the command should be sent to the device. These check boxes effect only outgoing data and not for incoming data. PFAL commands are available in a separate manual - see related documents 1.2.

Figure 17.1: Console – description.

Console contains many components enabling you to lock, clear and filter the console contents – the description of each component is given in table below. When filtering is enabled, only the data that meets the filter criteria is available. To create a filter for incoming data, enter a string that contains your filter conditions and click Filter incoming-button to enable filtering. For example, specifying $GPRMC filters out only RMC protocols being received. You can turn off filtering by leaving either the Filter input field empty or clicking on the same button that has activated filtering. Filtering is useful when, you want to restrict the console to show only messages that contain the specified text. For example, entering $GPEVENT displays all events generated by the connected device. So, to easily identify massages in a console, open three new Console views, one console should have filtering disabled; second console should filter out only events and third console should filter out only alarms – in this way you can track them separately. The table below lists the icons with their explanations:

Tool Bar components Description

Add Adds a new console.

Close All Closes all opened consoles.

Clear All Clears the contents of all opened consoles (available in the revision 2.1.0-RC2).

Stop All Stops all opened consoles (available in the revision 2.1.0-RC2).

Timestamp Adds a time tamp before each received protocol.



Colors

Displays the Console color chooser dialog box (available in the revision 2.1.0-RC2) enabling you to set the text color inside all consoles using the Color dialog box, making it easier to quickly identify parts of the displayed messages. For more details, see chapter 4.2.2.1, page 22.

Settings

Displays the Console settings dialog box (available in the version 2.1.0-RC4) enabling you to make the components in the console visible/hidden, to change the mode and name of the console as well as to define the number of lines or characters in the console.

Icon bar components

Shows/Hides the buttons and filter options

Changes the format of the console form NMEA (default) to Binary. Incomming protocols/ messages are shown in binary format.

Appends a Carriage Return to each incoming protocol.

Appends a Line Feed to each incoming protocol.

- Maximizes/Restores a console

Closes the current console.

Filters components

- Locks and restarts the display of incoming data.

Clears the contents of the current console.

Enables filtering for incoming data

Enables filtering for outgoing data (for example commands that are sent from the Editor to the COM port)

Specifies the text to filter either incoming or outgoing data.

Details components

Allows entering of commands/messages in the text format that will be sent to the target device. Use Up/Down arrow keys to recall previous/next commands respectively.

Shows/Hides the Command in HEX value and Command options

Converts automatically the typed text into hex value.

Command options (for outgoing messages)

Enables/disables adding the text “PFAL,” at the beginning of each sent command (typed on the Input command field)

Enables/disables adding of the checksum at the end of each sent command (text typed on the Input command field is followed by checksum)

Enables/disables a Carriage Return to each sent command (text typed on the Input command field is terminated by CR).

Enables/disables a Line Feed to each sent command (breaks the line and starts the next one).



4.2.2.1 Console color chooser

This dialog box prompts when the Colors-button on the Console Toolbar is clicked. It allows you to change the color of the text in a console using the Color dialog box. When the user selects a color in the color dialog box and clicks OK, the selected color is assigned to the messages in the console which have been defined in the "Console color chooser" window.For example, if the Events-button is clicked, and a red color selected, than all incoming $GPEVENT messages in the console are highlighted in red.

-Console color chooser - Color dialog box

Figure 17.2: Console color chooser and Color dialog box.

Buttons Description

Events Highlights $GPEVENT messages in the console with the user-selected color.

Actions Highlights $GPACTION messages in the console with the user-selected color.

States Highlights $GPSTATE messages in the console with the user-selected color.

Errors Highlights $GPERROR messages in the console with the user-selected color.

Debug Highlights the debug messages ($GPDEBUG) in the console with the user-selected color.

Color Highlights the defined text in the console with the user-selected color. The given text is found in a line then the complete line highlights in the selected color.

Close Closes that dialog box.



4.2.2.2 Console settings

This dialog box appears when the Settings-button on the Console Toolbar is clicked. It allows you to manage the size of the contents in a console. The actual size of console depends on the amount of data you define to that by using the number of lines and/or the number of chars. Whenever one of these settings responds true, the contents of the console is cleared. The console contents is limited only by the amount of available disk space.

Figure 17.3 Console settings and dialog box for selecting fonts.

Settings Description

Number of Lines Specifies the maximum of lines allowed in a console before the console contents is cleared.

Number of Chars Specifies the maximum of characters allowed in a console before the console contents is cleared.

Console name Allows the rename of the consoles to identify which console to which device is connected in case the user has connected more than one device.

Simple mode Controls the layout of the Console view. Allows switching between normal mode and simple mode.

Fonts Displays a Windows dialog box for selecting fonts. When the user selects a font and clicks OK, the dialog closes and the selected font is applied in the console.

Set Filters visible Shows/hides the Filter components.

Set icon bar visible Shows/hides the Icon bar components.

Set Details visible Shows/hides the Details components.

Set Tool bar visible Shows/hides the Tool bar components.

Users can easily switch between core tabs, contextual normal and simple modes. The simple mode offers a set of icons displayed on the bottom of the console providing the same function as the console toolbar, but with smaller form. To know the function of these icons, just point the mouse cursor over an icon and read the hint text displayed. The function of each icon can be found in the tables above.



Figure 17.4 Layouts of the console in the normal mode and simple mode

4.2.3 Editor – view

Editor enables you to directly change, overwrite, configure, read and save the current configuration settings on the target device. Choose new Editor to add a new Editor. If there is more than one editor opened, the user selects each Editor by selecting the page tab that appears at the top of the Editor. While performing any read process the page tab shows the name of the firmware running on the target device. To send PFAL commands separately, just double-click that command. To send just a command repeatedly, click the Loop+PFAL commad that appears when the user clicks on a PFAL command with the right mouse button. To stop the Loop, click

Stop–icon that appears on the Editor-toolbar when Loop function is executed.All successfully accepted command sent from the Editor to the device highlight in green; all refused commands highlight in red; and for non PFAL commands highlight in blue (see also table Color).



– Icon – View

Figure 18: Editor – view.

The table below lists the function of the icons:

Toolbar

Icons Description

Adds a new page to the Editor.

Opens a windows dialog box for selecting and opening *conf│.txt - configuration files. The dialog box includes a drop-down list of file types under the edit box. When the user picks a file type from the list, only files of the selected type are displayed in the dialog.Hint: The selected file must contain PFAL commands and not simply text. However, the workbench is delivered with different configuration files which are available in the /Falcom Workbench/data/device configuration/*.config. These files can be changed and used for further configuration purposes.

Transmits the current selected file to the target device (load user-configuration settings in to the target device). Each line is read and sent as a separate command. When the first command is successfully transmitted and responses are received, it skips to the next line of the file. If no file has been selected, an error message box will be displayed. If no connection between Editor and serial port where the configuration has to be transmitted then an Error message prompts.

Shows user configuration setting including all configuration settings changed and executed by the user, excluding factory preloaded configuration settings.

Displays the current configuration settings.

Clears the contents of the current editor

Overwrites the contents of the current editor.



Saves the contents of the current editor to a file. Displays a windows dialog box for entering file name and saving configuration file.

Cuts and copies the selected text to the clipboard.

Copies the selected text to the clipboard.

Copies all text currently on the clipboard back to the location of the insertion point on the editor.

Cancel all changes made to the Text since the last call to the ClearUndo method.

Reverse the effects of your most recent Undo. It has an effect only immediately after an Undo command.

Configuration options

Options Description

Sent Shows the number of commands that are being sent to the device.

Success Shows the number of commands that are successfully sent to the device.

CRC Enables/disables adding the checksum at the end of each sent command -optional

RetryNumber of times to retry if a command does not respond – optional. (it sets a retry schedule for each command that does not respond, and not for commands that respond ERROR or OK).

DelayIt specifies the amount of time (in milliseconds) to wait for a response from the device and number of milliseconds between delivery attempts – optional. (This process continues until the number of retries has been reached.)

Loop

Enables to execute the contents of the Editor line-wise repeatedly, based on the value assigned to Delay option. (Loop- function is available in the revision 2.1.0-RC2- used for our test purposes only). To send just a command repeatedly, click the Loop+PFAL commad that appears when the user clicks on a PFAL command with the right mouse button. To stop it click Stop–icon that appears on the Editor-toolbar when Loop function is executed.



How to display the default/present configuration settings

To display the current configuration settings of the target device, click on the – icon. More information about each configuration setting can be found in the User’s guide of the target device (for STEPPII use “steppII_firmware_2.3.16_user_manual.pdf”).

How to change/modify the default configuration settings5. Open a new Editor (e.g. “Editor1”).6. Write the configuration settings to be changed, new added, modified as

usually, thereto refer to the corresponding User’s guide of the used device (for STEPPII use “steppII_firmware_2.x.xx_user_manual.pdf”).

To prevent any interference to the configuration changes (between old and new alarms) to get everything working properly, it is strongly recommended to enable the configuration update mode using $PFAL,Sys.Device.CfgUpdateMode command, then write line by line the configuration settings and at the end reset the target system using $PFAL,Sys.Device.Reset.

The editor can also contain user-comments, which will be skipped during the transfer process. The color of the user-comments is given in grey. There are two ways to construct comments in a file: Block comments - multiple line comments - are rectangular areas that

contain text - see figure 18.1./* Text between a slash-plus-asterisk and an asterisk-plus-slash also constitutes a block comment. */

Single comments - single line comments - see figure 18.1:// Any text between a double-slash and the end of the line constitutes a single comment.

Figure 18.1: Write configuration settings in an editor



7. To transmit the user-written configuration to the connected device, firstly connect this view to the COM port–view or Console–view (that is already connected to a COM port–view) and then click on – icon. Editor reads each line and sends it as a (PFAL) command to the target device. After the target device responds within the specified delay time, it skips to the next line of the Editor, otherwise it retries to send that command based on the configuration options on the bottom of the editor.

The Editor integrates up to five different colours, which may be appeared during sending any configuration to the target device.

Color Meaning

Grey Standard text color for block or single comments.

Black Standard text color for commands still not transmitted.

Green PFAL Command has been sent successfully. Device has acknowledged that command with OK.

RedPFAL Command has responded with error or it has not responded within the specified delay-time. To get more details, move the mouse pointer over the red-marked command and pause it momentarily.

Blue Non PFAL Commands. Text has been sent to the device but no responses returned with the specified delay time.

8. Once the configuration file has been successfully transmitted, the target device will automatically be started with new configuration settings (if the last sent command has been $PFAL,Sys.Device.Reset).

9. To save the configuration to a file, just click on -icon and assign the file name (e.g. testconfig.conf).

10.The Workbench is delivered with two configuration files which are available on the Workbench installation directory under (…/data/device_configuration):

• The “default_mambo_2_3_xx_final.conf” file includes the default settings for MAMBO device.

• The “default_stepp2_2_x_xx_final.conf” file includes the default settings for STEPPII device.

To load default configuration settings to the MAMBO or STEPPII device, just click on –icon, and then browse the above-mentioned directory and select the corresponding file. To transmit the selected file to the target device, just click on - icon.

How to delete parameter settings:To delete settings assigned to a configuration parameter, follow the steps below:

✔ Click on the -icon “read current device configuration”, ✔ select the parameter you want to delete,✔ delete all values after equal “=”,✔ finally, double-click that parameter.

Please note that the factory-preloaded configuration settings cannot be deleted, but only overwritten.



4.2.4 History – view

The History–view enables you to get all or a part of GPS data that has been logged by the target device. How often data is logged by the device depends on the user defined configuration parameters. It also offers converting the GPS binary data stored in a file into NMEA format. The downloaded history is saved in the chosen file.To display this view, click on the History icon on the Toolbar.

– Icon – View

Figure 19: History – view.

Options:Download complete history data from the device:

Choosing this option the software requests all GPS data that has been logged by the device and saves them either as binary or NMEA format in your selected file.

Figure 19.1 Download either in binary or NMEA format.

Download time stamp history data from device:Choosing this option the software requests a part of GPS data that has been logged by the device and saves them either as Binary or NMEA format in your selected file.

→

Figure 19.2 Download timestamp history.

When you choose this option you have also to specify a certain time period (from date/time to date/time) the history data will be downloaded.


Options Description

Fills the From input field with the date and time of the history first stored record.

From Gives the date and time for the first history record.



Displays a calendar for the user to select a date

Fills the To input field with the current date and time.

To Gives the date and time for the last history record to be downloaded.

• Records could not be selected, if the start date and end time are greater than the date or time of the latest stored record or smaller than the date or time of the first stored record. In such cases the entered data and time result invalid and target device responds an ERROR.

• If the user specified end date is found, but the start date is not found in the history data, then all records stored earlier than the end date, will be downloaded.

Calendar

Options Description

< Prior year

<< Prior month

>> Next month

> Next year

Specifies the time

Translate history binary files from the hard disk:It transforms binary files into the NMEA format. After you select the binary file to be converted, click on the SaveAs button, select Save as NMEA button, and then type the file name and choose the directory where to be saved. The progress bar on the bottom of the History-view shows the state of completion.

Figure 19.3: Translate binary files into the NMEA.


Options Description

Opens an existing binary file for converting to NMEA.




Options Description

Attempts to cancel the execution of the currently running process.

Allows you to save the acquired history data in binary or NMEA format to a file name. When the command is successfully completed it responds with a confirmation message that the process was completed, otherwise Error.

Clears all stored history records from the target device memory.

4.2.5 Firmware uploader – view

The Firmware uploader – view allows to upgrate your target device to a new firmware version via a serial connection.To display this view, click on the Firmware uploader icon on the Toolbar.

– Icon – View


Options Description

File Indicates the name and directory path of the firmware file selected using Browse button.

Timeout [ms]It specifies the period of time (in milliseconds) in which the software waits for a command response from the target device before aborting the update process.

Compress If checked, the firmware file to be selected must be copressed one. For more detailed information refer to the Application Note “AppNote_Remote_update.pdf”- chapter 5.3.

Choose Browse to select a compressed (*.bin.gz) or an uncompressed (*.bin) firmware file (binary data format)

Starts the firmware update process.

Provide you with visual feedback about the progress of a firmware update.



4.2.6 GPS Detail – view

The GPS Detail – view graphically displays the location of each of the tracked, used, and available satellites as well as shows a visual representation of the elevation, azimuth and signal quality for each visible satellite.To display this view, click on the GPS Detail icon on the Toolbar.

– Icon – View

Figure 20: GPS Detail – view.

GPS Detail – view uses four different colours. The color depends on the state of the satellite.

Color Description

RED The satellite location is known from almanac information; however, the satellite is not being tracked.

BLUE The satellite is being tracked; however, not used in navigation.

CYAN The satellite is tracked and available for use in navigation.

GREEN The satellite is being tracked and is being used in navigation.

Satellite StatusThe Satellite Status is a combined graphical and text display of satellite tracking. It includes the satellite number, Signal Level (in dB-Hz) and status represented in color.

Measured NavigationThe Measured Navigation is used to display position solution information such as GPS date, GPS time, position mode, current Longitude, Latitude, Altitude, heading, velocity, HDOP, and mode of position fix. Once the target device obtains a valid GPS-fix, the location information is given in these fields. The accuracy of the GPS data depends on the number of satellites and their positions in orbit. The greater the number of visible satellites, the more accurate the GPS data becomes.



Information Displayed Description

Longitude Longitude (decimal of degrees)

Latitude Latitude (decimal of degrees)

Altitude Altitude (meters)

Fix Mode Navigation solution type. This will change from a none mode through the different fix modes such as 2D and 3D.

HDOP Horizontal Dilution of Precision

PDOP Position Dilution of Precision

VDOP Vertical Dilution of Precision

Data Current date in the date format

GPS Time Current GPS time in the time format

Speed Speed in m/sec

Satellite MapThe Satellite Map displays the position of satellites in the sky.

4.2.7 GSM Detail – view

GSM Details-view shows the GSM & GPRS connection status, the signal quality and the name of the GSM network provider.Because the events GPRS.eConnected/eDisconnected occur just one time when such connections are done, to inquire its current status double-click time to time the GPRS label where its state is displayed.

– Icon – View

Figure 21: GSM Detail – view.



4.2.8 Logger – view

Logger-view view provides the ability to log all information received from the target device to a named log- file and load it back at a later time for evaluation purposes. To use this feature, first create a log-file (if none is available) in the FalcomWorkbench directory in which you will save the information and then use the icons to play or to record the data.

– Icon – View

Figure 22: Logger – view.

Toolbar

Starts playing the records from the selected file name.

Pause playing at the current position in the file.

Stops playing of or recording into the current file.

Records incoming data.

Opens an existing log file for reading/playing its records.

Visual feedback about the current position of the file being read/write.

File Displays the full path and file name of the specified file.

Size Displays the size, in kilobyte of the specified file.

Delay Shows or sets the amount of time a record is delayed in milliseconds (default = 1000 ms)

4.2.9 I/O Details – view

I/O Details-view shows the status of the device IO ports (that supports Input/Output lines). A LED is green if the respective Input/output is high, and red if it is LOW. The values at the two analog inputs and internal battery (if supported) are shown. This data are taken from the GPIOP protocol (if this protocol is switched off, no data will be displayed).Outputs can be switched on/off, when you click on the right-mouse button on the corresponding output spot.

– Icon – View

Figure 23: I/O Details – view.



4.2.10 Help – view

Help-view provides information to help you use the workbench software. It includes a set of buttons (Back, Forward, Stop, Refresh, Local and Online). Click online-button to view manuals in the online help.

– Icon – View

Figure 24: Help – view.

Icons Description

Back function. Navigates to the previous document in the history list.

Forward function. Navigates to the next document in the history list.

Stop function. Stops the current operation.

Refresh function. Reloads the current document.

Local function. Loads the GPS Tracking & Support System.

Online function. Navigates to the online help.



4.3 Connections – view

Connection-view provides schematically connections for setting up relationships among views. Click on the Connection-view with right mouse button to view it in full size. When the mouse leaves the bounds of the Connection-view it goes back to the standard view. These are designed as circular shapes labelled by the name of the view. It illustrates these relationships schematically and lets you perform connections per mouse click on. Connection-view and its functions are best explained through example.

Figure 25: Interaction between views.

Connection – view use two different colors. The color depends on the state of the connection to an active view.

Icon Color Description

none Represents an active view (e.g Console1 is selected/clicked by the user)

RED Represents no connection to the active view (e.g. Console1 and Logger).

GREEN Represents a single connection to the active view (e.g. Console1 and Editor1,

Console1 and Port).

Example:Assume that the Connection-view resembles Figure 13. In this case, the Console1-view is active (clicked by the user), and the other views (shown in green) are connected to the Console1-view. So, the incoming data from the COM1 is displayed on the Console1, while the Editor1 connected to Console1 can be used for editing, requesting and performing device configuration. That means, the data sent from the Editor1 will be transmitted thought the Console1 to the Port COM1. The sent commands and their responses will be viewed on the Console1.

The connection between views can be bidirectional. To explain such connections, just follow the steps below:

• Open a new Port-view from the Toolbar, set the port to connect to (e.g. COM2), and than connect it.

• Open a Logger-view and two Console-views (Console1 and Console2) from the Toolbar.

• Connect the Console1 with the Port-view (Port COM2)• Finally, connect the Logger with Console1 and then connect Console2 with

the Logger.



• When you start logging process, by clicking on the record -button, the Logger writes all the data shown in the Console1 into the specified log file.

• When the Logger plays a log file, by clicking on the record -button, the data is shown in the Console2.

4.4 VirtualDesk-view

Use the VirtualDesk to organize a busy part of the workbench working area. If you usually have many views open at a time, you can now organize them on four different parts. Using keys F1, F2, F3 and F4, you can switch between the workbench working areas. Click on the VirtuaDesk-view with right mouse button to view it in full size. When the mouse leaves the bounds of the VirtuaDesk-view it goes automatically back to the standard view.

Figure 26: View all parts at once.

ExampleYou can open a Console, an Editor and a GPS Details on one area (1), a Help on the second (2), several Consoles, Editors and GPS Details on the third (3), and GSM details, Logger and IOs on the fourth (4).

Each of them can be dragged from one position and dropped to another position using the left-mouse button.


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