Processor-Controlled Test Development Station

PCT provides two built-in methods for simplifying test development:

• an Automatic Test Generator (ATG) for standard architecture boards.
• Test Scripting Language (TSL/1), which simplifies manual program generation.

The screen dump below shows the ATG interface on the right-hand side.

PCT's Automatic Test Generator

The Automatic Test Generator works by capturing a "known-good" board's boot and initialization sequences to identify the devices that are present on that type of board. It then selects the appropriate device-level test scripts from a built-in library, modifies certain generic settings to suit the board under test, and combines the scripts into a complete board level test. This process takes only a couple of minutes.

The ATG is intended mainly for standard architecture boards, which can be interrogated to discover the devices present. However, the ATG does also provide access to the library to allow both pre-defined and user-defined device-level tests to be manually selected and combined into a board test. This is a useful feature for non-standard architecture boards.

PCT's built-in library contains a wide range of device-level test scripts for commonly used devices, from memory controllers to I/O devices. This library is regularly updated and is available on our website to authorized customers.

User-defined Test Library

Customers can add any device-level tests they develop into a User library with the Export function, allowing them to efficiently reuse the tests on their other boards. When a test is added to the User Library, it appears in the drop-down list of devices in the ATG window. There are various options when exporting tests that determine how they will be used in the ATG. In some cases the user-defined tests will be selected automatically by the ATG when the corresponding device is found on a board. In other cases the user manually selects the test from the list to add it to the board test.

PCT's Test Scripting Language (TSL/1)

PCT's test scripting language greatly simplifies test program development. All device-level scripts in the built-in ATG library are written in TSL/1, and most of these can be edited by the user.

PCT's low-level functions can be called by issuing simple commands, many of which execute complex routines. The TSL/1 Test Editor is shown below, with one of the device-level tests opened for editing.

Function names are displayed in blue, data is black, error handling labels are purple, comments are green. These colors are applied by the editor, and the syntax of the script is checked when it is saved. The RamBusTest in the script below is an example of a complex routine that is called by a single command.

PCT's Open Interface

Using the ATG and TSL/1 scripting within PCT dramatically reduces test development time and effort. However, the wide range of test functions provided by PCT are also externally accessible via programming languages such as C++ and Microsoft® Visual Basic®, or via other test executives such as National Instruments™ TestStand™. PCT's test functions are fully documented. This openness gives customers the freedom to built their own customized interfaces for dedicated applications.

Click the "more" button below to see PCT's Flash Programming features.