COMMMONITOR SOFTWARE MANUAL

COMMMONITOR SOFTWARE MANUAL 311 Meacham Ave Elmont NY 11003 tel. (516) 327-0000 fax (516) 327-4645 e-mail: excalibur@mil-1553.com website: www.mil-1553.com

Table of Contents 1 Introduction.................................................. 1 1.1 System Requirements............................................. 1 1.2 Technical Support................................................ 2 2 Getting Started............................................... 3 3 Working with CommMonitor.................................... 6 3.1 CommMonitor Main Window........................................ 6 3.1.1 CommMonitor Main Window Buttons.................................... 7 3.2 CommMonitor Setup Files.......................................... 7 3.2.1 Saving and Loading Setup Files........................................ 7 3.3 Channel Property Settings......................................... 8 3.3.1 Options Dialog Box.................................................. 9 3.3.2 1553 Filters Dialog Box.............................................. 11 3.3.3 1553 Display/Triggers Dialog Box...................................... 12 3.3.3.1 interval mode 1553 display dialog box.............................. 12 3.3.3.2 Wrap Mode 1553 Triggers Dialog Box.............................. 13 3.3.4 429 Filters Dialog Box............................................... 15 3.3.5 429 Display/Triggers Dialog Box....................................... 15 3.3.5.1 Interval Mode 429 Display Dialog Box.............................. 16 3.3.5.2 Wrap Mode 429 Triggers Dialog Box............................... 17 3.4 Data Files..................................................... 18 3.4.1 Message Data..................................................... 18 3.4.2 Headers.......................................................... 19 CommMonitor Software Manual page i

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Introduction 1 Introduction The CommMonitor program monitors any combination of 1553 and 429 channels of up to eight channels. The program enables the user to: Run and save data message files either at designated time intervals (see Interval mode on page 9), or in a loop/wrap fashion based on file size where the old data is overwritten by newer data and the file is saved when a trigger event occurs or when the user intervenes (see Wrap Mode on page 9). Filter out messages which allows the user to enable/disable the channels that will be monitored and selectively record bus traffic on each channel based on: a selection of up to 30 Transmit/Receive and Subaddress filters on 1553 channels (see 1553 Filters Dialog Box on page 11), and/or a selection of labels on 429 channels (see 429 Filters Dialog Box on page 15). Selectively display data on the screen during operation. To define triggers or displays when in Wrap mode (Trigger Mode) see 1553 triggers (see Wrap Mode 1553 Triggers Dialog Box on page 13) or 429 triggers (see Wrap Mode 429 Triggers Dialog Box on page 17). Once CommMonitor is set up, the program can run for several hours without intervention. CommMonitor is designed to work with Excalibur s: M4K1553Px module on the EXC-4000PCI [cpci] carrier board M4K429RTx module on the EXC-4000PCI [cpci] carrier board EXC-1553PCMCIA/EP card EXC-1553PCMCIA/EPII card DAS-429PCMCIA/RT10 board DAS-429PCMCIART6D4 board 1.1 System Requirements CommMonitor requires a minimum screen resolution of 640 480 pixels. The use of Large Fonts requires a minimum screen resolution of at least 800 600 pixels. To run CommMonitor the computer must have an available slot for each Excalibur board. To install the Excalibur board, see the Programmer s Reference that came with the specific board. CommMonitor Software Manual page 1

Introduction 1.2 Technical Support Excalibur Systems is ready to assist you with any technical questions you may have. For technical support, see the Technical Support section of our website: www.mil-1553.com. You can also contact us by phone. To find the location nearest you, see the Contact section of our website. page 2 Excalibur Systems

Getting Started 2 Getting Started To start CommMonitor: 1. Install your Excalibur hardware. 2. From the Excalibur Installation CD run the CommMonitor setup.exe. The program installs CommMonitor and launches the CommMonitor Hardware Setup dialog box where you specify your hardware configuration. Figure 1 CommMonitor Hardware Setup Dialog Box 3. From the CommMonitor Hardware Setup Program dialog box: a. Select your hardware type from the Type drop-down box. b. Select a device number from the Device drop-down box or leave the default setting. c. For M4K1553Px modules and M4K429RTx modules, select the module number from the Module # drop-down box. CommMonitor Software Manual page 3

Getting Started 4. For M4K429RTx and DAS-429PCMCIA/RT[x], click Options to display the 429 Parameters Setup Options dialog box. Figure 2 429 Parameters Setup Options dialog box Set the Speed [Low/High] and Parity [Odd/Even/Off] for each channel. Click OK to return to the CommMonitor Hardware Setup dialog box. Note CommMonitor can monitor up to eight channels. Even if there are more than eight channels defined, only the first eight are monitored. The 1553 channels will always be monitored first regardless of the order in which the hardware was entered in the setup program. 5. After defining your hardware and channel settings, click OK on the CommMonitor Hardware Setup dialog box to accept your settings and exit the setup program. 6. To change the Monitor Response Time for 1553 channels: a. Open the Cardsetup.ini file in a text editor program. b. Under the [General HW Settings] section, modify: 1553 Response Time=xx The Monitor Response Time default value is 14 μsec. 7. To run CommMonitor, click Start > Programs > Excalibur > CommMonitor > CommMonitor. page 4 Excalibur Systems

Getting Started To Modify Hardware Configuration Settings To modify your hardware configuration settings, from the Desktop click Start > [All] Programs > Excalibur > CommMonitor > CardSetupIni Program to run the CommMonitor Board setup program. CommMonitor Software Manual page 5

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3 Working with CommMonitor 3.1 CommMonitor Main Window The Main window of CommMonitor displays two Words of data for each channel. A 16-character label may be assigned to each channel displayed. To assign titles for 1553 channels see the 1553 Display/Triggers Dialog Box on page 12; for 429 channels see the 429 Display/Triggers Dialog Box on page 15. Figure 3 The CommMonitor Main Window To display data, the channel must be enabled. The data is displayed in hexadecimal format. A blank display window indicates either there is no data which matched the conditions or that no trigger was set for that element. There are two modes of display, corresponding to the two modes of monitoring and recording data: Wrap mode (Trigger Mode) For up to two triggers/ displays per channel, the selected word is displayed at an update rate of twice per second. Example: For the trigger RT7, SA3 T, word 4, < 0 FAE, if the most recent message that matched this trigger was 0 FFF, 0 EEE, 0 DDD, 0 FAA then the display for that channel will be 0 FAA. Interval mode For up to two displays per channel, the selected word is displayed at an update rate of twice per second. Example: If one display is defined as RT 25, SA12, R word 5, and the most recent message that matched this RT, SA, T/R combination was 0 FFF, 0 EEE, 0 DDD, etc., then the display for that channel will be will be 0 BBB. See Options Dialog Box on page 9, to select a monitoring and recording mode. CommMonitor Software Manual page 7

3.1.1 CommMonitor Main Window Buttons Run Stop Exit Options Help To begin monitoring based on the options currently set. This will clear and synchronize the real-time clocks. To close all open data files and stop monitoring. To close all open data files and then exit the program. To display the 1553 and 429 channel property pages. See Figures 6 and 7. All user-defined channel properties, modes of operation and monitor settings are defined in these dialog boxes. See section 3.3 Channel Property Settings. To open the Online Help. 3.2 CommMonitor Setup Files Setup files are saved in INI file format. When you install CommMonitor, the installation program runs the CardSetupIni program, which enables you to set up the boards and channels to be monitored. The CardSetupIni program creates a file called Cardsetup.ini, which stores this information. This file is automatically loaded when starting CommMonitor. In addition, you can create an INI file to save your CommMonitor setup information. This includes all channel and mode settings, that is, the configuration that you selected after clicking the Options button in the CommMonitor. See CommMonitor Main Window Buttons, above. When you save this file as defaultchannelsettings.ini, the settings stored in this file are automatically loaded when you start CommMonitor. When you save this file using another name, it is not loaded automatically, but you can load this file at any time via the Setup File menu on the CommMonitor Main window. See Saving and Loading Setup Files on page 7. 3.2.1 Saving and Loading Setup Files To save the current settings: 1. On the CommMonitor Main window, click Setup File > Save. The Save As dialog box appears. 2. Type a name for the file, and click Save. The configuration is saved. Note To have this file automatically loaded when you start the CommMonitor, name the file defaultchannelsettings.ini. page 8 Excalibur Systems

To load a set of previously saved settings: 1. On the CommMonitor Main window, click Setup File > Load. The Open dialog box appears. 2. Select a file, and click Open. The settings are loaded. Note When loading a setup file, make sure not to select Cardsetup.ini. If you select this file, an error message will appear. 3.3 Channel Property Settings All user-defined channel properties, modes of operation and monitor settings are defined in the Channel Property Settings Dialog Boxes. Figure 4 Channel Property Settings Dialog Boxes Interval Mode selected Data inserted in the Channel Properties Settings Dialog boxes can be saved to a settings file and then loaded and re-used. See Saving and Loading Setup Files on page 7. CommMonitor Software Manual page 9

3.3.1 Options Dialog Box The Options Dialog box is shown in Figure 4. All global settings are inserted in this dialog box. 1. Mode Select a mode: Interval mode to run and save files at designated time intervals. Wrap mode to run in a loop/wrap fashion based on the file size where the older data is overwritten by newer data and the file is saved when a trigger event occurs or when the user intervenes. Interval mode is based on a user defined recording interval, specified in minutes. The minimum interval is one minute. When the interval is reached, all channel files will be closed, and a new file will be opened for each channel. Recording will continue throughout the interval process with no messages lost during the file close/open process. Continuous recording would be facilitated by entry of a very large interval in minutes (e.g. 1600 minutes). When the user terminates INTERVAL mode, the current file(s) will be saved at the time of termination. Wrap Mode is based on a user defined file size in megabytes assigned to each individual channel (e.g. channel 1 = 50 MB, channel 2 = 30 MB, channel 5 = 5 MB). When this size is reached, the new block of data will overwrite the oldest block. The 128-byte file header will remain intact. When a trigger set for one channel occurs, the open file in all active channels is saved to disk and a new file is started in each channel. When the user terminates WRAP mode, the current file(s) will be saved at the time of termination. The minimum size is 1 MB. The maximum size is 4000 MB. 2. Monitor Channels Select which channels to monitor. Up to eight channels can be monitored. 3. File Options File Comment Insert a comment in the File Comment text box. Up to 96 characters will appear in the data file headers. In Interval mode insert a file close interval in the Saves files every xx minutes text box. page 10 Excalibur Systems

In Wrap mode insert a Wrap file size (in MB) for each of the channels to be monitored. Figure 5 Channel Property Settings Wrap mode selected CommMonitor Software Manual page 11

3.3.2 1553 Filters Dialog Box Up to 30 filters can be defined for each channel. Filter information is inserted in a separate tab for each channel. Figure 6 1553 Filters Dialog Box To define a filter, specify a: RT Transmit/Receive Subaddress Each RT selection allows a specific RT [a value 0 31] or a wild card (*). A wildcard signifies any RT. Either Transmit (T), Receive (R) or a wildcard (*). A wildcard signifies either T or R. Each SA selection allows a specific SA [a value 0 31] or a wild card (*). A wildcard signifies any SA. Example: Note The filter RT8, *, SA1 will not pass the message RT9, T, SA30, but will match both RT8, T SA1 and RT8, R, SA1. A filter with a wildcard in all three fields will result in recording of all message traffic. page 12 Excalibur Systems

3.3.3 1553 Display/Triggers Dialog Box Depending on which mode was selected in the Channel Property Settings Options Dialog Boxes (see Figure 4 and Figure 5): In Interval mode a 1553 Display dialog box is displayed In Wrap mode a 1553 Triggers dialog box is displayed Information is inserted in a separate tab for each channel. 3.3.3.1 INTERVAL MODE 1553 DISPLAY DIALOG BOX Figure 7 1553 Display Dialog Box A dynamic display of the selected data word is updated at the rate of twice per second. Undefined displays will be blank and not updated. In Interval mode, a display is defined by specifying: RT A value between 0 31 Transmit/ Receive If the filter is Transmit or Receive Subaddress A value between 0 31 Word A value between 1 32 Title Display name CommMonitor Software Manual page 13

3.3.3.2 WRAP MODE 1553 TRIGGERS DIALOG BOX In WRAP mode, two triggers/displays can be defined for each channel. Figure 8 1553 Triggers Dialog Box A dynamic display of the 4-digit hexidecimal data of each of the defined triggers is updated twice per second. Undefined triggers are blank and not updated. To define a trigger, specify: RT A value between 0 31 Transmit/ If the filter is Transmit or Receive Receive Subaddress A value between 0 31 Word A value between 1 32 Function The function can be either < less than = see Pattern on page 14 > more than Title Trigger name Display only Allows the user to define the trigger as display only. The trigger functions like a display in interval mode. page 14 Excalibur Systems

Pattern Example: For the < and > than function the pattern is a 4-digit Hex number. For the = function the pattern is 16-place combination of the following symbols 0, 1, *, H, L, corresponding to 16 bit positions in a 16-bit binary value where: 0 bit value of zero in this position 1 bit value of one in this position * don t care any bit value in this position H one or more of the places marked H has a value of one L one or more of the places marked L has a value of zero Pattern Examples: 11*001 will match 110001 and 111001 1LLLL10 will match 1000010, 1111010, 1101010, etc. It will not match 1111110 11HHH01 will match 1111101, 1100101, 1101001, etc. It will not match 1100001 11*LL01HHH1 will match 11110010011 but will not match 11111010011 If the trigger is set to RT 6, T/R T, SA 12, word 3, function > and value 0x100, then: Message Data Trigger/No Trigger RT 6, T/R T, SA 12 0xFFF, 0xEEE, 0x120 Trigger RT 6, T/R T, SA 20 0xFFF, 0xEEE, 0x120 No trigger RT 6, T/R T, SA 12 0xFFF, 0xEEE, 0x90 No trigger CommMonitor Software Manual page 15

3.3.4 429 Filters Dialog Box For each 429 channel, select zero or more labels from the 0 255 [0 FF] grid. Labels are inserted in a separate tab for each channel. Figure 9 429 Filters Dialog Box 3.3.5 429 Display/Triggers Dialog Box Depending on which mode was selected in the Channel Property Settings Options Dialog Boxes (see Figures 4 and 5): In Interval mode a 429 Display dialog box is displayed In Wrap mode a 429 Triggers dialog box is displayed Data is inserted in a separate tab for each channel. page 16 Excalibur Systems

3.3.5.1 INTERVAL MODE 429 DISPLAY DIALOG BOX For each channel two labels may be selected for display. Each display may be assigned a title. Labels and titles are inserted in a separate tab for each channel. Figure 10 429 Display Dialog Box CommMonitor Software Manual page 17

3.3.5.2 WRAP MODE 429 TRIGGERS DIALOG BOX In WRAP mode, up to two triggers/displays can be defined for each channel. The trigger data is inserted in a separate tab for each channel. Figure 11 429 Triggers Dialog Box To define a trigger, specify a: Label Number A value between 0 FF Title Trigger name Display only Allows the user to define the trigger as display only. The trigger functions like a display in interval mode. Pattern The pattern is 21-place combination of the following symbols 0, 1, *, H, L, where: 0 bit value of zero in this position 1 bit value of one in this position * don t care any bit value in this position H one or more of the places marked H has a value of one L one or more of the places marked L has a value of zero Pattern Examples: 11*001 will match 110001 and 111001. 1LLLL10 will match 1000010, 1111010, 1101010, etc. It will not match 1111110. 11HHH01 will match 1111101, 1100101, 1101001, etc. It will not match 1100001. 11*LL01HHH1 will match 11110010011 but will not match 11111010011. page 18 Excalibur Systems

3.4 Data Files Each channel is recorded to a separate file. The files are named according to the template: c_yymmdd_hhmmss.ddd where: c = channel yy = year mm = month dd = day hh = hour mm = minute ss = second Example: A file recording messages from the first channel on 22 May, 2001 at 3:03:21 PM will be named 1_010522_150321.DDD The date and time will be based on the PC clock when the file is opened. 3.4.1 Message Data Messages will be stored in 64 Kbyte blocks. When a block is full to the point where it does not have room for another full message, or when the file is closed before the block is full, the unused area filed with 0 DD and a new block will be started. 1553 data The first block of each file (wrap or interval) will contain the file header as the first 128 bytes. The block will be closed when the free space in the block becomes less than the space required to store a full 32 word message with message header (84 bytes) - the remaining free space will be filled with hex byte 0 DD. The current message, with its header, will be stored after the block header of the next block, or at byte 137 (after the file header/block header) of the first block of the file. 429 data The first block of each file (wrap or interval) will contain the file header as the first 128 bytes. The block will be closed when the free space in the block becomes less than 32 bytes. The remaining free space will be filled with hex byte 0 DD. The current header/label will be stored after the block header of the next block, or at byte 137 (after the file header/block header) of the first block of the file. CommMonitor Software Manual page 19

3.4.2 Headers File Header (128 bytes) The file header consists of: The program name and version (for example, EXCAL RECDR v1.0) in ASCII (16 bytes) The file start date (xx-xx-xx) in ASCII (8 bytes) The file start time (xx:xx:xx) in ASCII (8 bytes) The file comment (contents set in the setup file or in options screen (See File Options on page 9). If not set, 96 ASCII spaces (96 bytes). Block Header (8 bytes) 4-byte block counter (sequential number of this block since start of recording). 4-byte offset from start of data block (including block header) to last data byte in this block, (This indicates which byte in the block is the end of data (next byte should be 0 DD) [i.e. location of first byte of block]) + (this offset) = (location of last data byte in this block). 1553 Message Header consists of 10 words: Message Indicators Command Word 1 Command Word 2 (RT-to-RT) Status Word 1 Status Word 2 (RT-to-RT) Real-time Clock Low Real-time Clock High Message Counter Low Message Counter High Excalibur Monitor Status Word 0 if not RT-to-RT 0 if not RT-to-RT Bit Bit Name Description 15 Reserved Set to 0 09-14 Word Count 07-08 CMD 00 = Mode Code 01 = Receive 10 = Transmit 11 = RT-to-RT 03-06 Channel 1553 channel 02 Bus 0 = Bus A 1 = Bus B 00-01 Reserved Set to 0 1553 Message Indicator Word page 20 Excalibur Systems

429 Message Header consists of 6 words: Message Indicators Real-time Clock Low Real-time Clock High Label Counter Low Label Counter High Excalibur Monitor Status Word Bit Bit Name Description 15 Bad Label If this bit is on, there are no Data Words and the next header immediately follows this one, the byte count is 0. The channel, bus, real time clock, and Excalibur status in the message header will be filled in with the current values. 09-14 Byte Count 07-08 Reserved Set to 0 03-06 Channel 429 channel 00-02 Reserved Set to 0 429 Message Indicator Word CommMonitor Software Manual page 21

The information contained in this document is believed to be accurate. However, no responsibility is assumed by Excalibur Systems, Inc. for its use and no license or rights are granted by implication or otherwise in connection therewith. Specifications are subject to change without notice. November 2006, Rev A-3