5. Introduction¶
5.1. Scope¶
SmartSnippets™ Toolbox is provided with the Development Kit of Dialog’s Bluetooth chipset. It is targeting the main activities of programming and optimizing code for best power performance. It enables:
- programming the internal OTP with the actual application compiled image
- accurate examination of the power profile and how it is affected by application software
- downloading a SW image to SRAM over UART and execute
The SmartSnippets™ Toolbox makes maximum use of the available features on the motherboard and thus allowing developers of Bluetooth smart applications to work without expensive and bulky equipment. The tool will provide full visibility on the chip activity, which is crucial in developing ultra low power wireless applications.
5.2. Framework¶
5.2.1. Gui¶
From version 4.7 SmartSnippets™ Toolbox introduces ribbon menu to access its tools and functions. It allows to group tools, functions and even layouts for faster and accurate access.
SmartSnippets™ Toolbox is practically a framework that enables multiple tools be hosted under the same environment.
Note
The tools provided by the framework depend on chip version selection. Different toolset is available per chip family.
The following image shows the toolset of the DA14580/581/583 chip family:
The following image shows the toolset of the DA1468x chip family:
The following image shows the toolset of the DA14585/6 chip family:
The following image shows the toolset of the DA1469x chip family:
5.2.2. Main buttons¶
Icon | Description |
---|---|
Application home button | |
Opens the ‘Settings and Virtual COM port selection’ screen. The user can change the selected settings and / or the selected virtual COM port pair | |
Saves the settings information to the ‘project.sms’ file. Apart from the settings name, description and the selected virtual COM port pair, it also saves information entered by the user at every SmartSnippets™ Toolbox tool. The settings will also be automatically saved when the user exits the application | |
Application Help and support options | |
Refreshes the available com ports. Can be found under the Application home button | |
Available when user is connected over JTAG. Closes the JTAG connection. User has to press the Connect button to reestablish the connection. |
5.2.3. Group Layout¶
This group contains buttons that help user to organize the application layout. User can load default layout, create new or delete a previously created layout. There are also some predefined layouts which cannot be deleted. The predefined layouts differ per family and depend on the set of tools that are available for the selected device family.
Icon | Description |
---|---|
Latest user specified layout is the layout that has been saved for each board family. Latest layout is saved when user changes family or when user exits Toolbox | |
Load default layout which is Power Monitor | |
Create new custom layout will all currently opened tabs | |
Load custom layout | |
Delete custom layout |
5.2.4. Group Tools¶
A brief description of available tools is shown here. Please refer to the left side menu for full tool presentation. Not all tools are available for all chips. Moving the mouse over the button will provide a small description of each SmartSnippets™ Toolbox tool. Each tool is accessible through a dedicated button. By clicking on a button, the corresponding window become visible and takes focus.
5.2.5. Group Power Profiler¶
Power profiler is of the most important Toolbox tools. We have a special group of functions for this tool.
Icon | Description |
---|---|
Selects and moves a Time Marker at the Power Profiler diagram | |
Measures the difference in time and current between two points in the Power Profiler diagram | |
Adds a Time Marker to the Power Profiler diagram | |
Exports Power Profiler data to CSV format | |
Imports data on Power Profiler from CSV file | |
Clears the secondary current data and hides it from the chart view | |
Clears the primary current data and hides it from the chart view | |
Takes an image snapshot of the Power Profiler chart window in .png format | |
Shows View (Current 1 / Charge) | |
Shows View (Current 1 / Current 2) | |
Shows View (Current 2 / Charge) | |
Shows View (Current 1 / Oscilloscope) |