IntroducingGP3EZ

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The above picture shows the main GP3EZ screen. GP3EZ uses "scripts" to control the GP3 board. Each script contains one or more steps. You can see the steps numbers 1 to 7 in the script just above the bottom row of buttons.

You'll need to know which serial port (or USB to serial adapter port) you connected to the GP3. You should select the proper port using the Port select box near the top right of the window. Once you set it, GP3EZ will remember it as the default port in future sessions.

When executing, GP3EZ starts with step 1 in the script and works its way down the list (although the steps can change this, see below). If nothing special happens, when the last step executes, GP3EZ halts.

The main idea behind the steps in the GP3EZ scripts is that each step has four distinct parts:

1.   A tag - This is just an optional short name that you can use to refer to the step. The script above has two tagged steps, "Start" and "Flash".

2.   A condition - Sometimes called a trigger. This is what causes the step to occur. For example, some steps always occur, while some wait for a certain time to elapse. You can also have a step that waits for a certain digital input or analog input condition.

3.   An action- When the condition is met, what should the step do? A GP3EZ step can set digital outputs, control PWM, generate a pulse, or even launch an external program.

4.   A next step - By default, after processing a step, GP3EZ goes to the next step. However, if the condition for a step is met, the step can cause GP3EZ to go to a different step next. In addition, when going to a different step, you can save a bookmark which allows you to go back to where you were later.