2.2 Serial Port

The Data Visualizer can be connected to a standard PC serial port. The Serial Port Control Panel is by default opened and minimized under the DGI Control Panel when starting the Data Visualizer. To expand it, click the down arrow in the right corner of the minimized panel.

Tip: A new Serial Port Control Panel can be opened in External Connection in the Modules section of the Configuration tab in the Data Visualizer.

Baud rate, Stop bits, and parity must be set to match the required settings for the communication partner. A sink and a source endpoint is present to represent the outgoing and incoming data for the serial port. The endpoints of the serial port control panel is of uint8 data type, and follows the same conversion rules as the DGI control panel. The Open Terminal check box will cause a terminal module to automatically open and connect the endpoints. When disconnecting from a serial port, the created terminal module will be closed.

The Data Visualizer supports two different protocols for Auto-configuration; the Atmel Data Protocol (ADP) and the Data Stream protocol. When using ADP, the configuration resides in the target application code and the target application sends the configuration settings, upon request, from the Data Visualizer. When using the Data Stream protocol, the configuration resides in files stored on the host computer and the target application just sends an ID to identify which configuration files to be loaded by the Data Visualizer. For more information on ADP, see Atmel Data Protocol. For more information on the Data Stream protocol, see Data Stream Protocol.

To enable Auto-configuration the Autodetect protocols option must be enabled.

After pushing Connect the Data Visualizer will enable all interfaces while it looks for the ADP handshake message or a Data Stream Configuration packet. If an ADP handshake message is received, the Data Visualizer will request configuration information from the target application. If a Data Stream Configuration packet is found, the Data Visualizer searches through the folders in the Auto-Configuration search path looking for configuration files with names matching the detected ID.

Important: To make sure the Data Visualizer detects the Data Stream Configuration packet, it must be sent by the target at least twice per second.

Important: Asynchronous serial protocols (e.g., UART protocols used by DGI USART and CDC Virtual COM port interfaces) use the following baud rates for auto-detection:

Table 2-10. Baud Rates Used on Asynchronous Interfaces for Auto-Detection of Protocols

Baud Rate
9600
19200
38400
57600
115200
230400
500000
1000000
2000000

Using any baud rates not in the table will not work for auto-detection of protocols over asynchronous interfaces (DGI UART and Serial port/CDC Virtual COM port).

Tip: To see the current search path used by Data Visualizer to look for configuration files, check the Show Config search path option.

The search path is a semicolon separated list of paths. When Data Visualizer detects an Auto-Configuration ID, it will search through the paths in the list looking for configuration files with the correct file names.

If the Data Visualizer cannot find any valid configuration files it will show a browser dialog window asking for the path to the folder where the correct configuration files reside.

After selecting a folder, the folder will be APPENDED to the Auto-Configuration search path.

Tip: To reset the search path and select a new single folder as the search path, click the link on the Autodetect protocols option text.

Data Visualizer will then pop up a browser dialog asking for the path to the folder where the configuration files reside. The original search path will be CLEARED and the newly selected folder will be set as search path.

Important: All three configuration files must reside in the same folder.