Test

PC Test Programs

These are programs written to help test the mergcbus modules.

They usually need either a CANUSB or CANRS to act as the interface between the PC and the CAN bus.

PCTest

A program to send and display CAN packets using a CANRS or CANUSB. The program is in C# and needs .net2 to run.

To enable hardware handshake the CANRS needs to be modified by linking pins 1, 4, and 6 on the back of the 9 pin D type.

• Send CAN packets, enter a packet eg :SE7F0N9000010002; and click send.
• Send a file of CAN packets, enter a sequence of packets into a file to save typeing.
• For loader formatted modules: Read and write the module id and user id.
• For modules with the loader: Update the module code.

The program can be found by on the Code tab above by following the SVN browse to: http://mergcbus.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/mergcbus/trunk/MERGCBUS/PCTest/bin/Release/

Near the bottom is a button marked ComPort, this is needed first to connect to the (virtual) com port connected to a CANRS or CANUSB. After that the right side of the window is a log of CBUS messages in Grid connect format, normally it will fill with the nodenumber refresh messages, so there is a check box at the bottom to stop displaying these.

The Send Cmd box is used to send a single CBUS packet, the information needs to be in grid connect format. I don't use this very often.

The next box is labeled Configure Node, and has the most used function in it. The first is a drop down edit box, you can enter a nodenumber or select one from the list. The list is populated by the nodenumber refresh messages.

Selecting a new nodenumber causes the module and user id to be read. The module id is fixed in the code, and the user id can be set by the user to a string of up to 64 characters. The ReadID's and Write User Id buttons are use to read and write these id strings. The date and time in the module id is added by the C compiler at compile time.

The NodeVariable line is for node variables. The ReadNV and WriteNV buttons are to read and write node variables, the number of the variable is in the first box and the value in the second.

The Event read and write lines are next. The first box is an index, (for when there is more than one set of event data for an event). The second is the 4 byte event showing node 0004 and input 8 (Node 0004 is a CANACE8C) The last box is the data, in this case for a CANLED it should be only 1 byte and it shows that led 7 should come on when the event is on. (Leds are 1 to 64 but the data is 0 to 63, and no toggle or polarity bit is set). The button below that line are to read and write the event.

Save config, saves all the event and node variables in a file.

Upgrade, downloads a new version of the node program into a node, it usually takes about 10 seconds with either CANUSB or CANRS. A dialog box displaying the module string in the file about to be uploaded is displayed as a final check before the upgrade starts.

Restore config takes a file saved by the save button and uploads it back to the node.

From version 1.0.0.3 you can send a script file containing CBUS messages to be sent at specific intervals and delays.

You can also specify audio beeps for up to 5 different messages received.