ScanWorks^® JTAG Process Automation Scripting

Product Overview

Process Automation Scripting makes ScanWorks features available through some of the most common languages used by test engineers. Whether using an interpreted language like Tcl, Perl, or Visual Basic or a compiled language such as C++ or C#, you can create and control the software objects exposed by the scripting interface. Process Automation Scripting uses Microsoft's Component Object Model (COM) making the objects available to any language that supports COM.

Some of the common uses of Process Automation Scripting include:

• Gathering the design description data – Use standard scripting features to retrieve the input files needed create ScanWorks tests, such as CAE/CAD design files, BSLD files, and netlists
• Creating and managing ScanWorks projects and design descriptions – Use Process Automation Scripting functions to automate the process of creating ScanWorks projects and directory structures, and to create ScanWorks Actions
• Applying scan vectors – use the language you are most comfortable with to create custom boundary-scan tests and custom applications such as controlling BIST operations
• Logging fault coverage and test results data - use standard scripting or programming features to organize and manage test results.

Process Automation Scripting works best for project management when used in a structured environment, where board design data, test data and test results are stored in well defined locations. This enables a test engineer to easily write a script to retrieve the design description data, prepare it for use by ScanWorks, and then create and manage the ScanWorks projects, design descriptions, and actions.

Most designs require the same ScanWorks Action types to be created for a complete boundary-scan test suite. Process Automation Scripting can be used to automatically create standard ScanWorks Actions based on parameters set up in the function calls. In most cases, manual intervention will be needed to optimize test coverage and resolve test constraints, but if design-for-test is emphasized from the outset of a development project and cluster model auto-matching features are enabled, manual intervention can be minimized. This feature is especially useful for large designs that need many Actions created, such as those with many memory devices that need to be tested with Memory Access Verification.

Process Automation Scripting provides low-level access to boundary-scan cells, registers, pins, nets or groups of nets (buses) and allows you to specify logic values to be driven or expected. With these features you can write custom tests that fully test clusters of non-boundary-scan logic, “peek and poke” logic values to debug defective boards or to verify functional logic. You can also write custom applications to manage Built-in Self Test (BIST) features of devices and boards by accessing device internal registers with boundary scan.

Once your actions and tests are ready, a custom user interface for manufacturing tests can be created with the language used for Process Automation Scripting. Boundary-scan tests can easily be integrated into the same test executives used for other test technologies, creating a unified test process.

Process Automation Scripting programs can be run from a Script Action within ScanWorks. All functions within a Script action must operate on the currently loaded design description. Any operations done will be retained when the script completes. The Script Action supports Visual Basic or Java Scripts. You can also use the ScanWorks Command Line feature to run Scripts from within ScanWorks. Any scripting language can be used, but the currently loaded design will be reinitiated to a reset condition after the script execution is completed.

Applications created with Process Automation Scripting can be run on any ScanWorks Manufacturing Station. After tests have been applied, the results can be managed easily by storing them in specific networked locations. Later, a Process Automation Scripting program can parse the results files to gather failure data for analysis.

Process Automation Scripting is well documented in the ScanWorks online User’s Guide. Open ScanWorks Help and click on the Index tab. Type “process” in the search box. Next, select Process Automation Scripting Overview. Extensive examples, including scripts written in C++, C#, J#, Tcl, Perl, Visual Basic, Excel Spreadsheet macros (VBA), and Visual Basic Script, also are provided in the ScanWorks/examples/scripting directory.

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