SonTek ADP - Terminal Emulator (SONTERM)

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ADP Software Manual Version 6.42 (November 1, 2000)

SECTION 6. Terminal Emulator (SONTERM)

This program is for direct communication with the ADP over a computer serial port. To run the

program type “SONTERM” at the DOS prompt. Direct communication with the ADP is used for

a variety of functions including system diagnostics, autonomous deployment, manual recorder-

data retrieval, and placing the system in sleep mode. Refer to the ADP Operation Manual for

more details about the direct command interface.

To establish direct communication with the ADP, simply connect the cable from the instrument

to COM1 of your computer, supply power to the ADP, and run SONTERM. Press “ALT+B” to

send a BREAK and establish communication. The ADP will respond with a message similar to

SONTERM displays user commands in yellow type and instrument output in blue type. There are

several active keys for special functions within SONTERM, as shown in the first table below.

One function, ALT+S, enables the user to change communications settings; details of this are

shown in the second table. The default settings match the default communication parameters of

the ADP.

SONTERM Function Keys

Key Function

ALT+B Sends a BREAK over the serial port. This involves holding the computer

transmit data line high for a period of 500 milliseconds. The BREAK causes the

ADP to terminate any operations (or exit the sleep mode) and enter the

command mode.

ALT+F Open or close a log file. If no log file is currently open, the program prompts the

user to enter a file name; everything that appears on the screen will be written to

this file. If a log file is currently open, this function closes the file. When

SONTERM is first started, no log file is used. Confirmation is required before

the program will overwrite an existing log file.

ALT+C Loads commands from an ASCII file. The user is prompted to enter the file

name. The file specified should be an ASCII text file with each line containing

one command for the ADP. The program reads the commands from the

specified file and sends them in order to the ADP. This is useful to ensure that a

precise series of commands are sent to the ADP.

ALT+S Set communication parameters, such as serial port number and baud rate. Refer

to the table below for details.

ALT+X Exit the program.

To change communication parameters within SONTERM, press “ALT+S”. This gives a menu

with a number of active keys to set the communication port, baud rate, parity, number of data

bits, and number of stop bits. The default baud rate is 9600 baud; this can be changed using

hardware switches in the ADP processor (refer to the ADP Operation Manual). The fixed

communication parameters are no parity, 8 data bits, and 2 stop bits; these are the default settings

in SONTERM. The table below shows the active keys to set all available values for these