8-1
Chapter 8
Creating a custom program
You can create a program in the TriCoder to prompt the operator for anything.
You can tell the operator what to do next, notify them of errors, date and time
stamp the data or review and edit previous data. The TriCoder has room for 4
programs; program #0 is fixed and cannot be changed or deleted, program #1 is
editable and prompts for item and quantity, program #2 is based on Program #0
but with some editing allowed and #3 is not pre-set and can be programmed by
the user as desired.
Programs are constructed of statements, with each program capable of con-
taining up to 97 statements. Statements determine what happens at each step of
the program - one statement might prompt the user to enter data, another state-
ment may add a date stamp. Statements in turn are constructed of fields, each
one determining certain properties of the statement.
Programs can be created on the TriCoder itself or created on your computer (if
you have Windows) and downloaded to the TriCoder via serial or USB. The
remainder of this chapter is directed towards programming the TriCoder itself; if
after completing this chapter you decide you want to create programs on your
PC, go to
Chapter 9
;
Creating programs on your computer
for details.
We have provided a form to help you chart out programs before they are entered
into the TriCoder
. TriCoder Coding Forms
can be found at the very back of the
manual. We will also use sections of the
TriCoder Coding Form
to illustrate
coding of certain features. You may find it helpful to have a
TriCoder Coding
Form
in front of you while using this section of the manual.
If you are using KwikAsset™...
If you are using the KwikAsset™ program, do NOT program your TriCoder
according to the instructions here. The KwikAsset™ program itself will generate
your program and download it to your TriCoder. See the KwikAsset™ manual
for more information.
Program Statements
The following information is provided in the order in which it is referenced
in the TriCoder when creating a program. To create a program in the
TriCoder, the first thing that has to happen is to get the TriCoder into
PROGRAMMING
mode. After turning on the TriCoder, press NO in
response to all of the prompts until you see:
PROGRAMMING MODE?
KEY [YES/NO]?_
If you were in
NON PORTABLE
mode when you turned on the TriCoder,
press F1, then answer NO to all prompts until you see the
PROGRAMMING MODE?
prompt.
