DB Comm Docs Pgm Uploader and Terminal for Development Board
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DB Comm Commands

Terminal Emulation
DB Comm is a   "terminal emulator" running on a PC, similar to Hyperterminal.  When you press a key on the keyboard, that character is sent to the serial port of the microcontroller on the development board.  When the microcontroller sends a character from the serial port, it appears on the DB Comm console.

Debugging
Although small embedded systems usually lack a keyboard and often lack a display, DB Comm provides a console and keyboard for debugging such systems.  It also allows us to test the operation of the microcontroller serial port.

Program Upload
The most important function of DB Comm is to upload programs compiled on the PC to the development board.  When the output file changes, DB Comm can automatically upload it.  It does this by remotely reseting the microcontroller and then sending the new program to the bootloader program in the microcontroller.  See the Development Board page.

Commands
The DB Comm program uses a Windows "Console Window".  This means there is no menu.  You can enter commands by using control characters.  Your instructor is not an accomplished Windows programmer.  Welcome back to 1980.

Operation
When the program starts, it will print a short menu, ^L for this menu List, etc.  You can get this menu again anytime by pressing ^L (control L).  Note that any output from DB Comm is white while characters received from the Development Board microcontroller are bright green.

The program connects to the same Com port it used last time it was run.  If that Com port is not available, the first thing the program shows is a menu to choose a Com port.  This usually means that you started the program before you connected the USB cable.  In that case, the Com port for the Development Board will show as "Not There".  Connect the cable and press Enter.

DB Comm will now act as a terminal emulator sending and receiving characters to the  Development Board microcontroller.  Note that sent characters do not echo, i.e. when you type, the characters appear on the console only if the microcontroller sends them back.  If you do not see any result when you type, it probably means that the program on the microcontroller is not using the serial port.

Program Upload
The first thing to do is choose a file to upload.  Type ^C^F (Change, File) and choose the .hex file you want to upload.  Then type ^U to initiate the upload.  Normally you should turn on auto-upload.  In that case, once you select the hex file, DB Comm will upload it every time it changes.  This is useful when you make changes and recompile.  ^F^A toggles auto-upload mode.  Type ^F, the menu will tell you which state you would change the mode if you type ^A.  After typing ^F, you can get out without making any change by typing ^X.