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System 8400: Software & Firmware |
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DTC Scanner Calibration ProgramsThe accompanying self-extracting EXE file contains programs that should be on every DTC-Scanner Calibration Diskette. In June 1999, it was discovered that production practices of the time did not include these programs on each diskette. Production after June 1999 was corrected. If you have any older DTC-scanners, their diskettes may need this update. A new version (1.02) of program SCPQ.EXE has been released, that is required by anyone using an Ethernet/LAN host to access System 8400 SP with a Windows 95/98 PC. The older program SCPD.EXE only allowed GPIB access under DOS, when restoring coefficients to a DTC-Scanner EPROM. If you only need this restricted access, you may skip this update. Version 1.02 also fixes a timeout problem (that existed in Version 1.01) and added a "timeout" command to set timeout periods. If you will be using an Ethernet/LAN host (with SP firmware version 4.13 or later) you should expand the supplied .ZIP file, and then copy the extra program (SCPQ.EXE) to all your DTC-Scanner Cal.Diskettes. The "readme.txt" file should also be copied, as it describes how to use this new program as well as the other programs (SCPD.EXE and DADD.EXE). These other programs may also be updated to their latest versions if you choose. Such updates provide only cosmetic improvements. The new SCPQ.EXE also works with older versions of SP firmware (4.12 and below) which generated GPIB-like artifacts (SRQ and EOI TCP/IP packets) by default. The new SCPQ.EXE will ignore these, allowing it to work with these older versions. The newer SP firmware (4.13 and above) does NOT generate SRQ/EOI TCP/IP packets by default (although an "SC1 2 1" host command will restore them should they be desired). Programs IA.BAS and IAF.BASPrograms IA.BAS and IAF.BAS were designed as tools to aid a programmer or test engineer in exploring the exact response of the PSI System 8400 to any given command. For program IA, the user enters each command from the keyboard, and the program shows the response of the 8400 in a "hex dump" format. For program IAF, commands are read from a disk file, so that long sequences of commands may be constructed in advance, and sent, without operator intervention to the System 8400. Using these utilities, the user may show that "command X" to System 8400 produces EXACTLY "response Y", on a byte-for-byte basis, and/or that "command sequence P" produces "result sequence Q". PSI elected to use the "IBM Personal Computer"(tm)or compatibles, the "National Instruments PC2A Interface Card" (tm), and "Microsoft Quick Basic version 4.5" (tm) as the hardware and software platforms for these tools, because of their universal availability and modest cost. PSI recognizes the trademarks mentioned above, but does not specifically endorse these products. THESE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN TESTED WITH THE SPECIFIED HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE. PSI MAKES NO CLAIMS FOR THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THESE PROGRAMS WITH OTHER COMPUTERS OR LANGUAGES. PSI includes the SOURCE for both programs so that the user can port these tools to another computer system, or convert to another computer language. PSI encourages examination and use of these programs as an aid in developing other software for System 8400. Of course, the user assumes sole responsibility for the correctness and/or suitability of the new code. PSI grants our customers the right to make as many copies of these two programs (IA.BAS and IAF.BAS) as needed for their purposes. The programs may be freely distributed within our customers' corporate organization. Distribution to third parties is prohibited. PSI wanted to make available to the user community a tool that would let them learn the System 8400 Command Language, test the system as a complete unit, and use System 8400 for real work, all without having to learn to program their host computer to talk to the 8400. The Macro Command Processor for System 8400 (MCP84) is such a tool.
The goals of MCP84 are as follows:
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