Planar Bobcat X SN-4045-WX, User Manual, Page: 78 / 157

71
3.7 Serial Port Settings
This applies only if you use
RS232
commands to control the Bobcat X.
If you wish to control Bobcat Xs remotely with RS232
commands from a computer, read this section. Otherwise,
skip it.
Bobcat Xs can be linked together for RS232 using
straight-through 8-conductor cable with RJ-45 connectors.
This is the common type of LAN connection cable,
not
null-modem, sometimes call Cat-5 cable. For more infor-
mation, see “Connecting RS232 Communication” on
page 19.
RS232 is also used to upgrade the firmware of the unit.
RS232 IDs
Each unit in the loop must have a unique RS232 ID. Open
the Serial Port Settings menu for each unit.
To access the Serial Port Settings menu, on the remote,
press
MISC
four times.
In the Serial Port Settings menu, you specify an ID that
is unique for each Bobcat X in this RS232 loop.
The ID is in two parts, Group ID and Unit ID. Each of
these has a range of 0–9, A–Z. This range results in 1296
possible addresses.
You can group the Bobcat Xs by using the same letter or
number of the Group ID, such as 8. In this way you can
address the group as 8*, and all the Bobcat Xs in the string
that have Group ID 8 and any Unit ID will execute the com-
mand.
Addressing Bobcat X
Part of the RS232 command will be an address. This
address may take several forms. For example, suppose we
have 8 units in one area divided into two groups. We might
set the ID s of the units like this:
With this scheme, we have four ways to address these
Bobcat Xs:
Response type and terminator
The ASCII Response Type determines what type of
data will be returned to the computer. For human readable
text in a serial program choose Symbolic. For computer-
read data you can use Numeric or Data Only.
S e r i a l P o r t S e t t i n g s
G r o u p I D 1
U n i t I D 1
A S C I I R e s p o n s e Ty p e S y m b o l i c
A S C I I R e s p o n s e Te r m i n a t o r C R
B a u d R a t e 1 9 2 0 0
Group ID Unit ID
A 1
A 2
A 3
A 4
B 1
B 2
B 3
B 4
Type of
Addresses
Affect on Bobcat X
A3
B4
etc. Only the specific Bobcat X addressed will
obey the command. Also, the Bobcat X will
respond to the host computer.
** All Bobcat Xs in this RS232 loop will obey
the command
*4 Both the Bobcat Xs whose IDs end in “4”
will obey this command
B* All four Bobcat Xs in Group B will obey the
command