XPort or Connect Me help???

[Charles Linquis]

I write the setup records of the XPORT from a PIC using the following algorithm:

1. Pull XPORT RESET line low for 3 seconds with the PIC and then let it go high again.

2. Send a series of lower case 'z's to the Xport. Wait 100ms after each 'z', check for a received character by polling PIR1.5.

3. When a character is detected, wait 1 second. Then send "S0" (for setup record "0") wait 150ms then send an ASCII 0x0d then wait 550 ms.

4. Now send the contents of the setup records themselves in Intel Hex.
Start with ":2000010... and send the 32-byte record in ASCII as defined in the Intel Hex specification. End each line with the calculated checksum.
Do the same for the other four lines of the setup record. You must write all four lines of a setup record even if you want to change only one of the lines!

5. Write any other setup records needed using the same algorithm. I usually write records 0, 1 and 7.

6. Pull the XPORT RESET line low for 3 seconds. When it comes back up
your new settings should be in effect.

[NavMicroSystems]

Thanks Charles!

[ccsparky]

Ralph and Charles,

I'll start out with Redirector and go the comm port route and then maybe graduate to world wide communications later on!

While looking for a way to test XPort on a breadboard I ran into this site. They have a dongle and interface board.

http://www.comfiletech.com/index.asp...ATS&Category=7

Any other ideas on how to use XPort on breadboard?

Thanks for all of your help!

William

[NavMicroSystems]

William,

to get started quickly you could order one of the "Dongle"-PCBs.
($8 isn't too much, is it?)

another low cost option is to use some short pieces of wire and solder the XPort to a connector (or DIP-Socket) that fits the grid of the breadboard.

(That makes it easy to reuse the XPort later on the final target PCB.)

[Charles Linquis]

In my application, I had to give the user the ability to change IP addresses, protocols (UDP vs telnet) and a variety of other parameters from a menu without using any third-party software.

Requiring users to load PORT TOOL and other software just didn't fit with my idea of a professional product, one that I could (and do) sell to customers including the military.

As it is, everything is menu-driven through the serial-port interface, and is easy to use.

It should be noted that I use one serial port, and multiplex the TxD and RxD between a MAX232 and the XPORT. It works flawlessly.