Introduction

The aStem library is an interface layer used to communicate with BrainStem modules.  It manages packets transferred back and forth between applications and BrainStem modules.  The Console application uses the general packet routines supported by this library along with other routines that manage the transfer of compiled TEA files.

Configuration File

The aStem library uses default settings that work for most computer configurations.  If needed, you can plant a file in the aBinary directory under the main brainstem distribution to change these settings.  This can be done using a simple text editor (TeachText, Notepad, or the Memo Pad).  The basic file format is lines of "setting = value".  Below are the default settings and setting names for the aStem library:

This file should be saved into the aBinary folder with the name "stem.config".  Capitalization matters for both the file name and the contents of the file.

The tea-delay setting may be modified to change the delay between packets when transferring a compiled TEA file to the BrainStem.  Units are in milliseconds.  The default delay of 5ms is sufficient for most systems.  Increasing the delay may be necessary if the link has substantial overhead, such as in an RF serial link with support circuitry that does extra error-checking and decoding.

An example file that changes the TEA packet delay to 50ms would look like:

/* this is a comment that is ignored */
tea-delay = 50