Cambridge, England, March 22, 2022 — XJTAG®, a leader in JTAG boundary scan products, announces a new software release that speeds up the development and debugging of boundary scan setups, and also helps to stop production line operators being distracted by too much information when they run tests.
Help Solving Signal Integrity Problems
When it comes to getting a setup running at full speed, signal integrity issues can cause last-minute delays. XJTAG 3.12 helps engineers in this situation because an automatic analysis of data errors has been added to the inbuilt signal integrity test. XJTAG has used its extensive experience analysing such data on behalf of clients to develop algorithms for this task, creating software that identifies specific characteristics in the errors and uses them to suggest the most likely cause. “XJTAG is very proud to have introduced this level of analysis,” says Simon Payne, XJTAG’s CEO. “It can save engineers a lot of time by helping them resolve signal integrity issues if they arise.”
A New Categorisation Option
When creating tests, this software release brings more convenience to the device categorisation process. XJTAG 3.12 introduces a new category designed for ICs that can’t be disabled but have connections to JTAG devices. Rather than needing to create a test device file with many disable values to stop the interconnecting nets being driven during the interconnect test, those devices can now be placed into a new “Excluded” category. This simplifies the process and saves time.
Powerful New Code Searches
Engineers will also benefit from the additional efficiency afforded by three new powerful code searches that search across all the files in the project, not just the open one. Right-click on a variable, function, bus, or configuration variable, and a new option allows you to jump to the place in the project where that item was defined. Another option finds all the references to the item, and because it considers the item’s scope, it reliably finds the correct references in the code, even when the name has been used in multiple places. The third search is a basic text search, but one that looks through all the project’s code files and returns results grouped by file type.
These new searches simplify the tasks of developing and debugging tests.
Flexible User Access Levels Provide Focus
XJTAG 3.12 also helps factory operators stay focussed by providing greater control over what data is displayed during tests. “Engineers have always loved the way they can set software permissions for different roles on the factory floor,” explains Simon Payne. “For example, they could ensure only a repair technician has rights to temporarily adjust which tests run. They wanted us to take this further, so permissions in XJTAG 3.12 now have a lot of flexibility. For instance, you can now restrict which users see links to the layout and schematic viewers in the test results, meaning someone with basic operator rights in XJRunner or XJInvestigator won’t be distracted by being offered information they don’t need.”
Additional flexibility has also been added to XJPack files (the compressed, tamper-protected files used to transfer test projects from test developers to the production teams). Privileges can now be set in those files, allowing the test developer to control which settings end-users will be able to temporarily override.
Obtaining XJTAG 3.12
This latest software is now available for download from old.xjtag.com for existing clients with a valid maintenance contract. XJTAG can be contacted on +44 (0)1223 223007, via email at enquiries@xjtag.com, or through its worldwide network of distributors. More information can be found at old.xjtag.com.
About XJTAG (old.xjtag.com)
XJTAG is a world leading supplier of JTAG boundary-scan hardware and software tools. Its products use IEEE Std.1149.x (JTAG boundary scan) to enable engineers to debug, test, and program electronic circuits quickly and easily. This can significantly shorten the electronic design, development, and manufacturing processes. XJTAG focuses on innovative product development and high-quality technical support. For more information about the company, its products, and its services, please visit old.xjtag.com.
About JTAG
JTAG is an IEEE standard that was developed to address the difficulties of testing circuits that use packaging technologies such as Ball Grid Arrays and Chip Scale Packages, where solder connections aren’t accessible to traditional bed-of-nails testers. Although JTAG has since become popular for processor debug and for programming FPGAs and CPLDs, they only make use of the standard’s communications protocol. The full benefit of the JTAG standard comes from its introduction of boundary scan techniques for testing and debugging assembled boards; XJTAG’s tools give you an easy way to use those capabilities. Read more about JTAG here.
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