How to distribute my application as a uTasker Simulation?

[tdrobnak]

I would like to build my uTasker application as a distributable simulation on the PC.  I have done this, but the graphics for the Kinetis logo and the FRDM-KE15Z are missing when it is built using a setup project in Visual Studio 2017.  Does anyone know what I need to add to the VS setup project to add the missing graphics.  Also where are the missing items located in the uTasker directory?  I am sure there is a message on this forum that has this information on what is needed, but I cannot find it.  If you know where the message is, please send a link to it.

Thank you

[mark]

Hi

Add _EXE as a pre-processor define when building the project that you want to distribute.

This will change the path that is used to open the missing image from something like
"..//..//..//Hardware//Kinetis//GUI//kinetis_lan.bmp"
to
"kinetis_lan.bmp"

and allow you to simply 'bundle' the image with the *.exe file. As long as it is in the same directory as the *.exe itself it will be able to load the image.

Regards

Mark

[tdrobnak]

Thank you, Mark!  I also found that I had to create a directory called "KeyPads" in the application directory (where the uTaskerProject.exe program is located) and put the "FRDM_KE15Z.bmp" in the "KeyPads" directory.  I now have a distributable PC version of my uTasker embedded application which others can use to process the log files using the same (embedded) code that created them.  This is a powerful tool for our application.  My supervisor was very impressed.  The uTasker simulation is really a hidden gem of a feature.  Thank you for designing it in and continuing to support it.

[mark]

Yes, that is correct - if you have a key-pad image (originally it was a key pad but in the meantime is used as a general board image for I/O visualisation) it needs to be bundled in the directory that you state. By distributing a zipped image of the directories and files it can be unzipped and executed.
If you want to distribute with a flash image (eg. a file system for web pages etc.) also the flash_xxx.ini can be included so that it loads the internal (or SPi flash, or SD card or memory stick etc.) image when it starts.

The idea is that you can send the project (simulation of "product") so that your customer can test its operation even when the HW is not yet ready - this allows finding deviations from the spec at an early state and have these corrected and verified asap.  It allows front panel and LCD control, various peripherals and networking to be included and test sequences (injecting data on ports or interfaces, for example) to exercise standard operating sequences.

It is one of the main features of the uTasker project but one that is not always given that much attention since many people dismiss simulation as not useful because they are more interested in seeing things running on the HW. But it allows great savings in development time and much more accurate/tested implementations if used as intended.

I am pleased you found it useful.

Regards

Mark