RE: Fluke T-shooters

> Since we're on the topic of the rs-232 port on the 9010...
> has anyone looked
> into whether there is a terminal mode available so we could
> write a pc based
> front-end for the t-shooter?? The pc software side would be
> a breeze if
> that sort of mode is already available. However, if we had to write a
> program on the 9010 to translate the commands.... that might
> get a little
> hairy. Any thoughts?

The 9010 has a software compiler and downloader that runs on a PC with a
serial port connection. You can write programs that run on the 9010
stand-alone, or you can write stuff that uses the PC as a more verbose host
for doing automated test scripts and examining the results with user
interaction. (The idea was to have the PC be something of an "engineer in a
box" that lets technicians carry out complex debugging tasks in short time.
Sort of a manually-programmed expert system for debugging a board.)

A sample session might go like:

PC: Automatically tests RAM and ROM and CPU bus and decides all is well.
PC: "Place test probe on pin 2 of IC 2M (74LS00) and press 'enter'"
Fluke: *beep* (displays signature of 2AF4)
PC: Looks at 2AF4, decides it's right, and directs the trouble shooting to
the next step.
PC: "Place test probe on pin 6 of IC 3H (74LS393) and press 'enter'"
Fluke: *beep* (displays signature of 333F)
PC: Decides that that signature is wrong, and based on the program knows
that the only thing that could be wrong is a certain IC. The PC displays
"IC 1B (74LS02) is defective and needs to be replaced."

(obviously it takes more steps than that, but you get the idea.)

There are some programs like this floating around for old arade games (I
remember Pole Position in particular).

-Clay
Received on Fri Jan 07 10:15:51 2000