Dataman S4 User Manual

DATAMAN S4 MANUAL

Introduction to S4

DATAMAN S4 is a battery-powered PROM programmer for Microsystem Designers. It can readily be used for production programming too.

S4 contains 128k, 256k or 512k of RAM which retains data and configuration even when switched off. The RAM can be downloaded with data and manipulated either remotely from a computer via RS232 interface or directly from S4's keypad. S4 provides plug-in emulation for PROMS via a 24/28/32 pin emulator lead. The development method is that a new program can be tried out by emulation. When it works, a PROM can be programmed, plugged into the system and the jobs done. Programming facilities include EPROMS of the 27 series, such as 2716 or 278000, also FLASH EPROMS and most EEPROMS, including 28, 52, 55 & 98 series.

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DATAMAN S4 MANUAL

Other devices can be programmed, such as single-chip microprocessors, but some require a plug-in adaptor.

Check List of Parts and Accessories

1.Dataman S4

2.Manual

3.Write Lead 2mm plug to Minihook

4.EMULead - Ribbon cable with 32 pin DIL plug

5.LIBRARY ROM

6.Disk with Terminal Driver and Utilities

7.Mains charger

Three Year Guarantee

S4 has a back-to-base guarantee to the original purchaser for three years from date of purchase. All electronic parts and labor are covered, except the batteries which are only covered for the first year. To make a claim, first telephone us with details of the fault. Some problems can be fixed quickly without any need for us to see the product. You can fit new batteries yourself, for example. If we need to see it, we will give you a returns number: then you should send the product back to us directly, quoting that number. Sending it to a dealer usually wastes time. We aim to return repairs in less than two working days. It helps if you include a written description of the fault. If the product develops a fault when it is out of guarantee then there is a fixed repair charge. At time of writing it is £95 plus carriage.

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Confirming that S4 works

Switch on and rotate the display thumb-wheel away from you to its full extent, which darkens the display. Adjust for best contrast, which depends on viewing-angle and temperature. If a LIBRARY program is loaded, S4 will display the version number:

If you see this message then you may carry on and use S4. Store the LIBRARY ROM somewhere safe, in a piece of conductive foam. If there is nothing in the display turn up the contrast by rotating the thumbwheel on the left of the display away from you to its fullest extent. If still nothing, perhaps the battery is totally discharged. Plug the charger in with the RESET button depressed and hold it in for a few seconds. When you release it you will see a message:

Loading the LIBRARY ROM

Reloading S4's software program from LIBRARY ROM is not something you should need to do to a brand new product. In fact you should never need to do it at all, except when a

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new version of the working program is to be loaded.

The procedure is as follows: press the RESET button by pushing the write lead plug through the hole in the case above the ON/OFF switch. (No force is needed - it is only a push button!) You will see this message:

You will notice that the version of LIBRARY is not identified, because there is no LIBRARY program loaded. If S4 sees what it thinks is a valid library it will ask you if you want to run it.

ESC = NO ENTER = YES

If you do want to load a new library press ESC then LIB.

Put your LIBRARY ROM in the socket and press ENTER.

S4 will load the program contained in the LIBRARY ROM. Then it will restart and run the program. If the LIBRARY program loads correctly, S4 will introduce it and display the version number.

When the RESET button is pressed, S4 returns to low-level BIOS MODE, in which it will only program LIBRARY PROMS of the 27256 variety. It is not intended that you should use S4 in BIOS MODE without a library loaded.

Note: In theory you will never need to load the LIBRARY program. It will be present in

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memory when you buy your S4 and it will remain there, because S4's memory is permanent and continuous for both programs and data.

The only reasons for loading a LIBRARY are to upgrade to a new version or to reload your own custom version of the library, with your preferred defaults, after somebody else has used your S4 and changed the settings.

RESET & BIOS Mode

If RESET is pressed S4 returns to a program running in the masked ROM of the microcontroller this is called the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). Whilst S4 will run in this BIOS mode and obey most instructions, it is not intended to be used without a LIBRARY loaded into the TPA (Transient Program Area). The BIOS contains subroutines which are used to handle input and outputs - RS232, Keyboard, Display etc. BIOS mode is used only for development of new library programs. In BIOS mode, S4 will only program a 27256 EPROM, of the type used as a LIBRARY ROM.

This section is written for sake of completeness - it is unlikely that anyone not developing new software for S4 will want to use the BIOS mode.

Whilst the RESET key is down and the charger attached, charge is forced into the battery. This gives a "Jump Start" facility for batteries which are absolutely flat.

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S4's microprocessor and RAM have power on all the time. When S4 is switched on, it awakens from a SLEEP MODE and starts operation at the address pointed to by the Warm Start Vector (WSV). Loading and running a library reloads the WSV so that S4 starts operation in the right place. Pressing RESET points the WSV back into the BIOS but it first looks at the TPA . If the program thinks it sees a valid library, it will ask you whether you want to run it:

ESCape will do a COLD START into the BIOS. ENTER will run the library.

If you want to reload your LIBRARY ROM, place it in the ZIF socket and press LIB.

The LIB key loads a program into the Transient Program Area from 8000 to FFFF, from a ROM in the ZIF socket. The LIBRARY ROM must be recognized by the system as a valid library. A ROM which does not contain a LIBRARY will not load. The BIOS configures S4 to handle a 27256, so the LIBRARY ROM must be a 27256.

Automatic Power-down

If there is no charger connected, S4 goes to sleep if there is no input for 30 minutes. It turns the display off and enters a powered-down mode. For the last 30 seconds it makes

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beeping noises. It will switch itself off at the end of this time. If you press a key during the beeping, power-down is prevented. No data is lost by power-down, but you have to switch-off- and-on-again to get the power back.

If a charger is connected, S4 remains on. If the battery runs down to the 25% point, it is automatically recharged.

S4 also powers down when it believes that the battery is getting too low - less than 8.4 volts. At this level, data and program can be preserved, but nothing else works. It warns you first, both audibly and with a message. If the voltage goes below 8 volts it turns off immediately without warning. S4 cannot do anything useful without power, except preserve the memory contents.

The only cure is to charge the battery.

Memory Upgrade to 512K

At some point, you may wish to upgrade the user RAM in your S4 from 1Mbit to the full 4Mbit (512K bytes). All Dataman sales offices keep a suitable part in stock, or you may wish to purchase it through a local memory vendor.

The correct part should be a 4Mbit (512K x 8) low power static RAM in a 32 pin JEDEC DIL package. We recommend fitting a part with an access time of 100ns or less.

The upgrade procedure is simple. First switch off then:

1.Remove the back of the case by unscrewing the four retaining screws

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2.Remove the 1M static RAM chip from its socket.

3.Substitute a 4M static RAM chip or module.

4.Replace the back of the case and the screws.

When you switch on, S4 will now tell you that you now have 512k of memory instead of 128k.

The ZIF Socket

The ZIF (Zero-Insertion-Force) socket is used to load new library programs into the TPA (Transient Program Area) as already described. The ZIF socket is also used to hold PROMS when programming. S4 can use PROMS much the same as a computer uses a disk-drive: they are a permanent storage medium, which contains programs to be loaded into system RAM - such as the program loaded from the LIBRARY ROM.

When the socket is not being addressed, no power is applied to it. PROMS can be inserted at any time, except during an operation like LIB, LOAD, BURN, TEST, SUM or COMP, which read the PROM. When S4 is waiting for a command, or performing any function which does not involve reading a PROM, the socket is "cold" – it has no supply voltages. Even when the socket is being addressed directly, it is only powered-up for sufficient time to read the data

Note: PROMS with 24 pins or 28 pins must be inserted at the bottom end of the socket

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the upper pin-sockets of each side should be empty.

Terms and Basic Concepts

The message ESC in the display means that the ESC key was pressed during or before execution; the previous command was not completed or maybe not even started.

The ZIF means the Zero-Insertion-Force socket on the front panel.

The Keypad refers to S4's 45 keys. Key repeat is automatic, when a key is held down. The delay after the first entry is longer than that after subsequent entries, to prevent false repetition. When data is being entered by repetition, the flashing block cursor changes to a steady underline cursor, so that progress is easier to follow.

The Screen means the remote terminal screen. The Display means either the terminal screen or S4's liquid crystal.

The Keyboard refers to the remote terminal. The LCD is S4's own Liquid Crystal Display. Outputs are shown boxed in the text, meaning that this is literally what you will see:

The Command Line means the display line which starts with a prompt >.

An operation will be performed if you press ENTER or be aborted if you press ESCape.

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ESCape Commands which are non-destructive (do not change anything) are actioned as soon as you press the key, without waiting for

ENTER

ADigit is always Hexadecimal - not Decimal An Address defines one location in memory (expressed as 5 digits)

AParameter is a set of Digits, two for a Byte, five for an Address

ABlock means contiguous bytes of memory from Start address to End address inclusive. If three parameters appear the last is the

Destination address.

Backspace and space are used to edit parameters in the command line from the terminal keyboard, equivalent to and keys on the keypad. X and Y are equivalent to and .

ESC aborts a command, even if it is already running. That part of the command which is already done cannot be undone, of course.

ENTER (or RETURN) accepts a command as seen.

ESCape or ENTER may be pressed anywhere in the command line. If the parameters have been altered, ENTER accepts them as seen but ESCape restores the originals.

Where there are three parameters in the command line they are in the following order START, END, DESTINATION. Each parameter is five hex digits.

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The START and END addresses normally define the whole PROM. They can be edited to limit the effect of functions to less than a whole PROM.

When editing the START address, if the or keys are pressed, then the START and END addresses will change automatically to new boundaries.

If the START address is changed to fall outside the current boundary then the END address changes automatically to the end of the new boundary.

If either the START or the END address is moved away from the boundary, the = (equal) sign will change to a # (not equal).

S4 refuses to accept a value for the END address outside the current PROM size.

If the configured PROM is bigger than the available memory, then the sign before the DEST address will always be #. In this case it is not possible to handle the whole PROM in one pass. The DEST address, may be edited with the and keys to divide the PROM into blocks which can be handled separately.

Only one set of START, END, DEST addresses are stored and shared between those functions which use these parameters. Pressing the ESCape key when editing the parameter line aborts the command, but leaves

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the START, END, DEST as seen - it does not restore their original values.

Paged EPROMS e.g. 27513

A Page has a special meaning for EPROMS like the 27513, which is divided into pages of 16K bytes. S4 handles page mode EPROMS as if they had straightforward contiguous memory. Swapping pages is handled "behind the scenes" without troubling the user.

Thus there is no apparent difference in the way S4 handles a 27512, which is one single block of 64k bytes, and a 27513, which is 4 pages of 16k bytes.

The user must be aware of the real difference, however, and how it affects his system. Use of these devices is described in manufacturer’s literature.

FUNC Key

The FUNC key is used like a shift key to access an extra set of functions. When waiting for a function the prompt becomes * instead of >.

Audible Tones

S4 makes a variety of beeping noises:

A single tone is made on acceptance of a key. A double tone low-high is a rebuke that a key is not acceptable.

During the execution of those commands which take several seconds, "pips" are emitted every half-second to tell you that the program is working - except in the BURN routine, which writes addresses to the display.

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An incoming data-file makes a recognizable sound.

The ADVANCED SETUP has variables which can be modified to change the tones made by the beeper.

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Computer Operation

There are two ways of using S4. The obvious way is to enter commands by pressing keys and reading the 80-character LCD. The other way is to attach an RS232 interface lead and enter commands from your computer and see the results on the screen. There are differences between Stand-alone and Remote operation, but each key on S4's keypad has an equivalent two character serial command. S4 always responds to the requesting device: keypad commands produce responses in the LCD, computer commands produce screen responses. S4 will respond to either device from the command prompt; no switching of modes is necessary. If you disconnect the RS232 interface during a command it may be necessary to switch-off-and-on-again to regain control at the keypad.

Once a function has been entered from either the computer interface or the keypad, the other device is ignored, until S4 returns to the command prompt >.

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Interfacing with a Computer.

Almost every S4 user will need to make a serial link with a computer at some time. Computers usually have a serial port, through which file transfers can be made, in much the same way as files can be transferred between disks. In fact the operating system file-copying routines can specify the serial device: MSDOS uses COM1: or AUX:, CP/M refers to RDR: and PUN: for example the command to transfer a file to S4 from an IBM-type PC is:

The baud-rate, word-length, stop-bits and parity setting must have been set previously to the correct values. The command to do this is:

S4 must be set similarly, and the file-format must expect, in this case, an Intel HEX file which is decoded as it is received. Downloading files from the operating system is likely to work with no handshaking problems, because S4 will receive any file at full speed.

Sending files back is often not so easy. Computers seem to implement handshaking properly on output, but not on input. It is surprisingly difficult to get any information on this subject: the manufacturer's data tells you the names of the signals, but does not tell you that they do not work. Experiments show that the input buffer overflows at some point,

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usually at 64K, when the system transfers the buffer contents to disk. 64K characters is not 64K bytes, because a HEX file contains two ASCII characters for every data byte plus addresses, checksums and other odds and ends. In fact it is more like 26K bytes. For small PROMS this is enough. It is possible to send the whole 64K as 3 chunks, then patch it together with a word-processor and take out the two spurious End-of-File lines.

A much better solution is to use some kind of COMMS or TERMINAL program.

Terminal Emulating Programs.

A TERMINAL sends the information you type at the keyboard through the serial port. It displays what comes back through serial port on your screen. When S4 is connected to your computer running a terminal program, it might seem that what you type appears on your screen: that is not so. What your see is what S4 chooses to send you in response: sometimes this is what you typed: sometimes it is not. Terminal programs usually let you send and receive files as well, with handshaking properly implemented, and that is all that is required for complete control of S4.

S4 DRIVER.

Dataman supplies free terminal software for your PC for use with S4. S4DRIVER has online help and will work at speeds up to 115200 baud.

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File Formats.

S4 sends and receives orthodox computer files. Only a programmer with an unusual amount of patience would wish to enter a large quantity of code into S4 by keying it in hexadecimal numbers. Microsystems have in the past been developed by "hand-assembly": the translation of microprocessor instructions into machine code mentally without benefit of an assembler, writing the instructions into memory in hexadecimal using a keyboard and repetitively trying out the program until it works. Most sane programmers these days, who want to stay sane, would use an assembler which permits the entry of code as instruction-mnemonics. The assembler creates a file of machine-code automatically, but the file is not usually actionable code. Actionable object code which is placed in memory exactly as it is received is called BINARY format. Transmission formats usually have a certain amount of extra information, for example the ADDRESS to start loading the data, CHECKSUM bytes to validate transmission etc. S4 receives files in common formats which are output by assemblers; formats such as INTELHEX, MOTOROLA S, TEKHEX, ASCII or BINARY and translates these into actionable object code which is stored in the USER RAM.

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Getting Started Quickly

A guide for those who do not want to read the manual.

Copying an PROM

If you want to make copies of a master PROM into blank PROMS of the same type, you must go through four stages:

1.Configure S4 for the PROM type

2.Load the MASTER PROM into S4

3.Test that the new PROMS are blank

4.Burn the new PROMS

Configuring a PROM.

1.Place the MASTER PROM in the socket with the notch at the top. If it has less pins than the socket make sure that it is at the bottom.

2.Press PROM. Choose the manufacturer with the and keys. Then choose the right part number with the and keys. Press enter when the correct part number is shown in the display.If you have a data sheet check that the programming voltage shown is correct.

3.Press LOAD. S4 defaults to copying the whole PROM into the bottom of memory. If that is what you want press ENTER, otherwise modify the parameters.

4.The verify that the data has loaded correctly press COMP. S4 will compare the data in the PROM with

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the data you have just loaded into RAM. If it matches you will see the message SAME.

5.Put a fresh PROM that you want to program into the socket. If it has a different part number then you must reconfigure.

6.Press TEST. S4 will report whether the PROM can be programmed If the message "WILL BURN" or "BLANK PROM" appears then all is well. Otherwise you must erase the PROM. FLASH devices can be erased with FUNC BURN.(press FUNC first, then BURN). EPROMS with a window need a dose of UV light from an eraser.

7.Press BURN, then ENTER. The parameter line of numbers can be modified if you do not want to burn all of the PROM, but that is unusual. The time taken to program the PROM varies from a few seconds to a few minutes.

8.It is a wise precaution to take the checkSUM of the master PROM and the copies. CheckSUM will help you to identify an unlabelled PROM.

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PROM KEY

If you get a message on this key which says:

Then S4 will not program any PROM but 27256. You should load the library.

To configure S4 to read and program a PROM correctly, do one of the following

1.If you remember the Ref number of the algorithm, enter it. The number is shown when you scroll through the ALGORITHMS as described below. The Ref number is not guaranteed to be the same in different versions of the library.

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2.Use the and keys to scroll though a list of manufacturers, and then the and keys to choose the actual device (At a remote terminal, use X, Y, SPACE, BACKSPACE). You have to know the part-number and preferably the program-voltage of the PROM - if you are unsure, get a data sheet from the manufacturer. S4 will apply the voltages shown to the PROM in the socket - if they are incorrect the device may be damaged. If you really must experiment, try algorithms which apply the lowest voltages first.

3.From the “>” prompt, press FUNCPROM or at the Terminal type SS. This invokes the Silicon Signature routine, which reads a code from the EPROM in the ZIF socket, and selects the correct device automatically. This is the quickest and easiest way to configure S4, but it should be used with caution on older EPROMs. This is because older EPROMS may not have a Silicon Signature code. The method used to read the Signature is to raise address line 9 to 12 volts, and then to read locations 0 & 1 of the EPROM. Applying 12 volts to an address line of a device that does not have a Silicon Signature could potentially damage the device. However, it would be unusual for a modern EPROM not to have a Silicon Signature.

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TEST KEY

PRETEST (START)-(END)=(DEST)

See Glossary for the special ways of editing of the parameter line.

PRETEST compares a PROM in the ZIF with the contents of the USER-RAM between the START and END addresses. The purpose is to check whether EPROMS must be erased with UV light prior to programming. Bits are erased all high, and may only be programmed from high to low. The first location which cannot be programmed is reported. If a PROM contains locations which are already programmed, but the PROM will accept the new program, the message WILL BURN is displayed If the PROM is actually blank it contains all FF bytes - then the message BLANK ROM is displayed. S4 must be configured for the right type of PROM. A warning message gives the PROM type.

To start the PRETEST, press the ENTER key.

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The example given will PRETEST a 2764, addresses 00000 to 01FFF to see whether it will correctly program with the contents of USER-RAM addresses 08000 to 09FFF.

TEST KEY

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LIB KEY

LIB is used to COPY new software from a "LIBRARY ROM" in the ZIF socket to the Transient Program Area. The program runs automatically when it has loaded.

When you see the message, place a LIBRARY ROM in the front panel socket and press ENTER. To abort the command, press ESCape.

The LIBRARY instruction does not move all the code in the LIBRARY ROM into the TPA area: if it did the stack would be overwritten in the process and the program would crash. Instead the ROM contains pointers which show which code must be moved. Each pointer is prefixed by a 42 byte: 42 is used to indicate that there is a block to be copied (Why 42? Well, any byte could be used and 42 has no real significance, except to the software engineer who is a Douglas Adams fan....) The four bytes following give START and END addresses of the block. If there is another block then follows

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another 42 byte, followed by another START and END, and so on. When the LIBRARY program has been loaded, S4 resets and runs it.

At the end of the table of blocks there is a byte which is not 42. If this byte is 00, 54 then S4 picks up the following two bytes as a start address and executes it. If it is not 00,54 then S4 returns to the command prompt.

LIB KEY

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SETUP

This key has no terminal equivalent. File type, baud rate and handshake have separate terminal commands.

The SETUP routine sets the FILE TYPE RS232 BAUD RATE and HANDSHAKE, in that order.

Use and to see and select options.

It is possible to ESCape at any point but any changes stand – the settings do not revert to original values. Remember WYSIWIG – What You See Is What You Get. If you read something in the display, then it is true. Therefore it is not necessary to proceed to set up BAUD RATE just to change the FILE FORMAT.

File Type.

S4 will receive files serially transmitted in a standard format. The formats supported are INTEL, MOTOROLA, TEKHEX, ASCII and

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BINARY. A detailed description of each format is given later.

The and scroll through the different formats and set-up the one displayed. You must leave the right format in the display – what you see is what you get, even if you press ESCape instead of ENTER.

Baud Rate & Handshake

Baud rates of 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 14400, 28800 or 115200 may be chosen

The and keys scroll through the choices, and you may use ESCape or ENTER to complete the set-up. Auto-selection of Baud Rate is possible too. At this point, if your computer is running a COMMS program in terminal mode and is attached to S4 you can set baud-rate by pressing the SPACEBAR on the computer's keyboard.

If handshaking on outgoing transmissions is required, it can be set RTS or DTR.

If S4 is powered off, the handshake will be reset to NONE when it is switched on again, if no valid handshake can be seen. Otherwise S4 would hang-up waiting to send the introductory message.

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INFO KEY

This is a keypad only command: there is no terminal equivalent.

INFO displays and continuously monitors battery voltage and temperature, and tells you whether the charger is connected and turned on.

The charger normally looks after itself and it needs no assistance.

S4 is powered by a rechargeable battery of 7 nickel cadmium cells providing 8.4 volts 600ma/hr. Charging is automatic: you do not have to turn the charger on or off.

The charger turns on automatically when the FUEL GAUGE indicates that battery is less than 25% charged.

You do not have to switch the charger on or off deliberately, but you can do so if you wish in INFO mode by pressing or .

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If the charger is attached and switched on, you will see the battery voltage rise as the battery charges. When the battery is fully charged you will see the temperature rise and the charger will switch-off when the rise equals 5°C.

One CHARGE is enough. It is possible to raise the battery temperature by charging three or four times in succession, which raises temperature by 5°C each time. This does not put any extra charge in the battery or achieve anything useful.

To terminate INFO mode, press ESCape.

Automatic Battery Charging

When S4 is turned on, it charges the battery if the "FUEL GAUGE" shows less than 75% full. The charger will replenish the battery in less than an hour. There is a temperature sensor in contact with the battery. When it sees a 5°C rise, the charge current turns off. Charging is thus perfectly safe and S4 may be used normally whilst being charged.

The internal circuitry prevents the batteries overcharging. While capacity remains they are capable of absorbing high currents, but when fully charged the current is not stored - it is dissipated as heat. S4 monitors battery temperature, looking for a 5°C rise at which point the high current is turned off. S4 remains on when charging - but will turn itself off automatically when the job is done. You can safely leave S4 alone when charging or continue to use it. If the message HEAT appears when charge is requested, it means

INFO KEY

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