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SerialTest Software Overview
Control Window |
The control window is a control panel where the data
analysis session is started. From this control panel you can:
The online Help contains detailed feature instructions and a handy Quick Start Guide. |
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The Set I/O Configuration window is where you configure the software for the characteristics of the data link you will be testing and choose whether you will be passively monitoring or actively sourcing data. You set the baud rate, parity, word length and number of stop bits. The picture above shows the Set I/O window for Serialtest Async. The ComProbe window adds options for synchronous data monitoring. If you are working with framed data, you can define your protocol in this window (i.e. PPP, SLIP, TCP/IP.) If you have a unique protocol stack, you can set the order of the protocol stack. An unlimited number of configurations can be saved to disk, allowing you to quickly load a configuration for each data link or piece of equipment you need to test. |
| The Statistics window provides valuable information about
the data link under test. Statistics gathered include: number of events,
number of bytes, number of errors, characters per second (current and
average) and utilization (current, average and peak.)
There are three tabs in the Statistics window. Information about all data collected since Serialtest was started is shown in the Session tab. The Resetable tab is similar to the Session tab, but can be cleared (you retain stats on all data captured since Serialtest was started in the Session tab and you can start and restart stats in the Resetable tab.) Information on data currently in the buffer is shown in the Buffer tab. |
| The Live Events window allows you to view data in
real-time as it is being captured. The window is continually updated
with incoming data. You can freeze the window to view pertinent
information while still capturing data in the background. To view
information on a particular byte, click on the byte and information will
be displayed in the three byte information lines at the bottom of the
window.
The Live Events window is a combination of the data capture controls from the Control window and the data format features of the Review Events window. You have the ability to calculate delta times between bytes, check CRC's and find data rates. As a general rule, Frontline recommends using the Review Events window while capturing data because you can browse through the entire buffer and run searches, which you cannot do from the Live Events window. |
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The Review Events window provides detailed byte and other event information. The Review Events window is similar to the Live Events window, except the Live Events window displays the information real-time (you can watch the data as it is being captured) and the Review Events window allows you to search the data as it is being captured to the buffer or file, or you can view a previously captured file. Using the FTS software and the Review Events window, you can analyze your data as it is being collected, saving valuable troubleshooting time. Bytes and events can be displayed with or without timestamps, and formatted with hex and/or characters (nonprintables are displayed in mnemonics.) The data can be formatted with the DTE data appearing on the top line on a white background and DCE data appearing on the second line on a gray background, or in a mixed format to fit the maximum amount of data on the screen. As an alternative to hex, data can also be viewed in binary, octal or decimal. For easy viewing of the data there are 16 events on each line. Errored bytes are shown in red, to make them easy to spot. You have the option to view control signal changes and other events mixed with the data. The events shown include: control signal changes, timestamping enabled and disabled, data capture paused and resumed, start and end of frame, broken frame, short and long breaks, aborts and Set I/O Configuration changes. The Review Events window includes the ability to calculate delta times between bytes, check CRC's and find data rates. The powerful Find and Go To functions allow you to search your data by byte pattern (including bit and nibble level wildcard characters), control signal, error or timestamp. You can also move through the buffer a specified number of events at a time, or go to a specific event from anywhere in the file. Quickly isolate control signal timing problems by using the Review Events window in conjunction with the Signal Display window. Highlight an event in the Review Events window, and the corresponding signal states are highlighted in the Signal Display window, and vice versa. |
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The Frame Decode window provides you with a
detailed decode of each frame. The decode is presented in a layered
format that can be expanded and collapsed depending on which layer(s)
you are most interested in. The Frame Decode window allows you to
analyze frames as they are captured to the buffer or a file, or you can
view a previously captured file. Using the FTS software and the Frame
Decode window, you can analyze your data as it is being collected,
saving valuable troubleshooting time.
If open at the same time, the Frame Decode, Frame Summary, Signal Display and Review Events windows are synchronized. By selecting a frame within the Frame Summary window, the FTS software will automatically highlight the corresponding bytes within the Review Events and Signal Display windows and move to the same frame in the Frame Decode window. If you select a decoded field in the Frame Decode window (e.g. the Source IP Address), FTS will automatically highlight the corresponding bytes in the Review Events window. If you highlight a byte in the Review Events window, FTS will automatically move you to the correct frame within the Frame Decode and Frame Summary windows. |
| The Frame Summary window contains a one-line summary
decode of each frame. Information for each frame may include a Timestamp
(if enabled), the Type, the Length, the ID and Offset, the Protocol, the
Source and Destination Addresses, plus other summary information, as
applicable. You can specify what protocol you would like the software to
use when decoding packets. The Frame Summary window allows you to
analyze frames as they are being captured to the buffer or a file, or
you can view a previously captured file. Using the FTS software and the
Frame Summary window, you can analyze your data as it is being
collected, saving valuable troubleshooting time.
If open at the same time, the Frame Summary, Frame Decode, Signal Display and Review Events windows are synchronized. By selecting a frame within the Frame Summary window, the FTS software will automatically highlight the corresponding bytes within the Review Events and Signal Display windows and move to the same frame in the Frame Decode window. If you highlight a byte in the Review Events window, FTS will automatically move you to the correct frame within the Frame Summary and Frame Decode windows. |
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The Breakout Box window provides a real-time graphical
view of control signals. The window is customizable based on the control
signals you wish to view and your preference of indicators (+/-, 1/0,
T/F, arrows, and simulated LEDs). Also included are counters showing the
number of times a control signal has changed.
Serialtest monitors six RS-232 control signals. For the DTE signals it monitors Data Terminal Ready (DTR) and Request To Send (RTS). On the DCE side it monitors Clear To Send (CTS), Data Set Ready (DSR), Carrier Detect (CD), and Ring Indicator (RI). |
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The Signal Display window provides you with a graphical view of control signal transitions that you can manipulate. You can zoom in to view the state of control signals for a range of events, or zoom out to view control signal changes over the course of an entire capture session. The "Snap To" feature allows you to click on any control signal line, and FTS will "snap" the cursor to the nearest signal change on that line. You can also highlight a range of events, and FTS will "snap" to the nearest change on either side of the range. The Signal Display is synchronized with the Review Events window, so that selecting a range in the Signal Display will highlight the corresponding byte-level data in the Review Events, and vice versa. The Frame Decode and Frame Summary windows are synchronized with the Signal Display as well, allowing you to select a frame in either window, and the corresponding signals in the Signal Display window will be highlighted. The Signal Display window does not provide a real-time view of control signal changes. It is intended to be used as a post-process review screen, while the Breakout Box window is used to view real-time control signal changes. |
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The Transmit window allows you to emulate a DTE or a DCE device, enabling you to actively transmit data to a piece of equipment or a network and see the response in the LIve or Review Events window. You have the ability to Transmit strings or files once, multiple times, or continuously. You can insert delays based in increments of milliseconds, seconds, or minutes. Plus, you can set control leads on or off. An unlimited number of transmit configurations can be saved to disk, allowing you to quickly load a configuration for each data link or piece of equipment you need to test. |
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With a few mouse clicks you can export captured data from Serialtest. Data can be exported into a text file where it can be viewed as is, or imported into another program such as Excel or Word for further processing or inclusion in a report. If you have large amounts of data to process, you can export data into a compact binary file. We include in the export utility the ability to export data in canned formats, which include CSV (and Quoted CSV), Excel/Access, a Sample Report, Data Transmit, Transmit DCE, and Transmit DTE. To facilitate your working with the binary export files we provide sample code, which includes a simple programmers' API. |
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Information on this page is Copyright © Frontline Test Equipment, Inc. 2000
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