TESTConnect Pro™
TESTConnect Pro provides features to verify and characterize station controller designs or emulate equipment behavior without the need for the actual equipment. You can:
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Build scripts based on operation scenarios
Enhance equipment characterization
Build scripts for both host and equipment
Verify station controller designs
TESTConnect Pro provides SECS testing capability without the need for coding. The graphical user interface allows test scripts and SECS messages to be created using click, drag, and drop techniques. TESTConnect Pro can be used as either an equipment or host emulator. TESTConnect Pro is designed so personnel with minimal programming knowledge can perform SECS testing or characterization easily.
General Features
The TESTConnect Pro interface has four main sections: Data Dictionary, Messages Dictionary, Script Dictionary, and Processes Dictionary.
Data Dictionary
The Data Dictionary is a repository of data definitions that can be reused in message definitions. You can define data items in the Data Dictionary and then either drag and drop or copy and paste them into messages.
Messages Dictionary
The Message Dictionary is a repository of message structures for a specific definition.
SECS/GEM messages can be copied into the Message Dictionary and then transferred (dragged, copied or clicked) into the required step-based scripts you build and store in the Script Dictionary. A Message Dictionary must be in place before you can begin scripting in TestConnect Pro. SEMI (E5) and GEM (30) standards files are provided. These .smd files can be used intact and dragged into the Message Dictionary for each client, or you can create other .smd files from them that are a combination of SECS Messages from the standards files, messages derived from Message Logs, and your own VB scripts.
Script Dictionary
The Script Dictionary is a repository for scripts, either those that have already been created, or those you are working on. Scripts can be copied from other files by drag-drop or copy-paste methods, and then edited.
Create scripts to generate a sequence of sent and receive SECS-II messages. The sequence of SECS-II messages make it simple to emulate host or equipment SECS-II functionality. It is simple to wait for particular primary SECS-II messages and reply SECS-II messages. A sent message can even allow for operator entry in a simple pop-up window.
Processes Dictionary
The Processes Dictionary contains one instance, that of the script you are currently running during an emulation. Processes like stop, pause and parsing functions can also be maintained in this dictionary and copied or dragged into current scripts.
Advanced Features
TESTConnect Pro also adds complex scripting and programming capability by offering full a programming interface via Visual Basic 6.0. TESTConnect Pro can also be used as the basis of a host interface greatly reducing the required development time.
- When you add Actions or Triggers to the step-based scripts required by TestConnect Pro, you can write and edit scripts in the Visual Basic 6.0 Script Editor embedded in the program. This is simply a matter of double-clicking on COM objects (SECS messages), and then editing the COM object in the VB Script Editor in TestConnect Pro.
- You can also script using Visual Basic, and copy (cut and paste) the SECS Messages you have stored in the Message Dictionary into Visual Basic. TestConnect Pro and Visual Basic work hand in hand, providing the utmost flexibility in scripting. Many programmers prefer this method. Access to well-formed GEM and SECS messages via TestConnect Pro makes the job easy. For more information on the API required for scripting, see the TestConnect Pro API.