The Config tab provides a method for updating the Garcia's internal programs and settings.  It also provides a serial link recovery feature if you accidentally whack your robot's settings.

The Config tab as it appears in Windows

The "Upgrade" Button

This button is only enabled when there is a functional link to the robot.  A functional link is indicated by a blinking heartbeat.

This button lets you select a dump file and download its contents into the Garcia.  This process is called a "braindump".  Prior to doing a braindump, make sure the EEPROM lock is disabled.  The dump file contains compiled programs that tell the robot how to perform its primitive operations.  It also has configuration data for Garcia's internal processor network and serial link as well as motion control parameters.  Clicking the button opens a file selection window:

The BrainDump Window

Once you select a file, the file selection window will close and the braindump will start.  It may take a few minutes to complete.  The log window will display status info as files are loaded into the robot.  Downloaded CUP files are also read back for verification.  Once the braindump is complete, be sure to enable the EEPROM lock again.

The "Recover" Button

This button is only enabled when there is no functional link with the robot.  If no link is detected, then the robot may need to have its link restored.

Inside Garcia, there is an EEPROM that holds all the system settings.  Sometimes erroneous instructions or power glitches can whack some crucial system settings and you may lose communication with your robot.  If the EEPROM lock jumper is in place, then the settings will be preserved and turning the robot on and off should fix the problem.

If the EEPROM lock jumper was not installed and you lose communication with the robot, you may need to try the recover operation.  It cycles through the possible baud rates and attempts to regain communication.  If successful, it resets the serial link and internal network so they will communicate normally with the host.  You can view the progress of the recover operation in the message window.  After a recover operation, it's a good idea to do a braindump just in case any other stored data got corrupted.  Once everything is back to normal, be sure to enable the EEPROM lock again.

The "Stats" Button

This button is only enabled when there is a functional link to the robot.  A functional link is indicated by a blinking heartbeat.

This button will display the version info for the software, the robot's serial number, and version info for the processors inside your Garcia.

The "Moto Link" Button

This button is enabled when there is no functional link to the robot.

This GarciaTool assumes that the user has a link between the host computer and the serial port connected to the GP 2.0 processor.  This button temporarily reconfigures the processor network so that the GarciaTool can communicate with the robot through the serial port connected to the Moto 1.0 processor.  Once a Moto link has been established, the button will be disabled.

This Moto Link feature is useful if the GP 2.0 serial port is not accessible, such as when a wireless module is bolted onto the GP 2.0 serial port and an RF base station is not available.