Digital Mode Switch SC
If you get an error message on program startup, click here.
I have had only a very brief testing period for this software. But because of the many questions about how to program the new generation cards with all the large Eeproms, I decided to publish this page allready. If you find any problems at all, please inform me about it.
There is one thing you should be aware of when you start programming cards with Digital Mode Switch SC:
- it does not work with card definitions, but with component definitions.
Don't know what I mean by that??
Well, it's easy. You do not select a card type for programming, but you specify what type of processor there is on your card and what type of EEprom and you're off. That's what makes this software so flexible. You can compose your own cards if you like to and then use DMSSC to program the card.
That's all for theory, let's give an example now.
Programming a Funcard-4 with Digital Mode Switch SC (or short DMSSC).
Preparations:
If you're using a VP-20/DL-20 programmer, first set all jumpers and the switch as follows:
- The "Atmel/PIC" jumpers should be in Atmel position.
- The Jumper for the operating frequency to 3.5 MHz.
- The large switch handle down.
I haven't had a chance to test a VX-Multi yet, but the programming modes are similar to the ones, found on the MasterA/MasterCRD/SC-Master programmers. So everything should work for the VX-Multi exactly the same.
Connect the VP-20/DL-20/MasterA/MasterCRD/SC-Master/VX-Multi to the PC and start DMSSC.
Click "Setup" in the menu bar.
Notice a popup window opening. The Setup window.
I have adjusted all timing sliders. Some a little, some a bit more. Then I got tired of testing all possibilities and just set the sliders to 50% or 75% of their maximum delays. You can tell from the screenshot below what my settings are now. This works flawless here.
Next select the appropriate COM-port.
Don't bother about the LPT-port unless you have a Digital Switch programmer.
Press "Save" and close the Setup window.
Now select the right type of processor for your card, PIC or AVR.
As I have been programming a Funcard-4 for this example, I selected the 90S8515 here.
The Funcard-4 is equiped with an external Eeprom of 256 KB.
So I selected the 24C256 here.
As you can see, the software supports Eeproms up to 512 KB.
Now press the appropriate "Load" button to load the Flash file.
Check the screenshot below for the correct "Load" button.
Select the Flash file of your choice from the popup window.
Now press the appropriate "Load" button to load the internal Eeprom file.
Check the screenshot below for the correct "Load" button.
Select the internal Eeprom file of your choice from the popup window.
In the popup window, the default File type *.bin is used, but you can change that to *.hex if needed.
Now press the appropriate "Load" button to load the external Eeprom file.
Check the screenshot below for the correct "Load" button.
Select the external Eeprom file of your choice from the popup window.
As with the internal Eeprom, the default File type *.bin is used here too. Change that to *.hex if needed.
If all files are loaded, press "Write FLASH + EEPROM".
See the screenshot below.
Because the software will only work in automatic mode with the Digital Mode Switch programmer, you need to manually change programming modes on all other programmers.
A popup window will inform you about the programmer mode you need to select.
As you can see, first the AVR (SPI) mode is required.
This mode is used to write the loader that will be used to program the external Eeprom.
When using a MasterA, MasterCRD or VX-Multi programmer, switch to "Mode 4".
With VP-20/DL-20 programmers, push the switch handle down.
Now press "continue".
A progress bar will inform you about the programming activity, see the screenshot below.
When the loader file is written, you are asked to switch your programmer to Phoenix mode.
Switch your MasterA/MasterCRD/SC-Master/VX-Multi to"MODE 0".
Pull the switch handle of your VP-20/DL-20 up.
Now press "continue".
As you can see in the screenshot below, the external Eeprom is programmed now.
Next you need to switch back to AVR (SPI) mode, to program the Flash and Internal Eeprom.
When using a MasterA, MasterCRD or VX-Multi programmer, switch to "Mode 4".
With VP-20/DL-20 programmers, push the switch handle down.
Now press "continue".
As you can see, the Flash and Internal Eeprom are being programmed now.
Well, that's all.
As far as programming is concearned that is.
There is one other feature worth mentioning and that is the Project function.
I have come to like that feature so much allready, that I would love to see it on all programming software.
If you regularly program your card with the same type of files, the Project function is ideal.
Simply create a Project which contains the filenames you want to program over and over again.
On startup you load the Project, and the software will automatically load all files mentioned in the project, i.e. Flash, Internal Eeprom en External Eeprom.
And it's very easy to create such a Project.
Just try it for yourself, using the 3 files you have just loaded wioth this example.
Press "Save" to store the Project.
Enter a name for your Project file.
Remember to pick a name that says something about the type of card it is used for.
Now exit the software and start it again.
Open the Project file, and you will notice all 3 files from that last run are automatically loaded again :-)
Well, that's it really.
Have fun.
If you get this error message on software startup:
Copy the WINIO.DLL and WINIO.SYS from your Windows System directory to the application directory.
The default application directory is C:\Program Files\MPDMSSP.
If that does not solve the problem, try the following:
Go to the download section and download the WinIO_Fix.zip from the DMSSC folder.
Unzip the .exe file to the program directory (default directory is C:\Program Files\MPDMSSP ).
Now the software should run without any problems.