Quick Start For The Amulet 3.8" LCD

Your Amulet 3.8" module comes pre-programmed from the factory with sample µHTML pages stored in the onboard flash. If you haven't already done so, please take a few minutes to power up the Amulet module to review the pre-programmed demo. To power up the Amulet Starter Kit and begin GUI navigation, proceed as follows:

1. Make sure that the jumper settings on J2 are set to the following default values:
   

   Boot M should be jumpered to ground, which puts the Amulet in Run Mode. (*See note below)

   
   

   Figure 1. Amulet 3.8" board assembly, component side.

2. Connect the included 5V power adapter to power input J3 on the Amulet 3.8" module.
   CAUTION: Do not reverse the polarity on the power input. Do not use a power adapter greater than 5 Volts. Doing so will permanently damage the module and invalidate your warranty.
   
3. The unit powers up and displays the "Easy As 123" home page. Use a touch panel stylus to navigate the GUI.  (A stylus is included with the Starter Kit.)

Creating Your First Amulet Graphical User Interface

By now, you should be familiar with the operation and navigation of the Amulet module. The next step is to use the Amulet HTMLCompiler to compile and program a GUI. In keeping with a long-standing programming tradition, this section introduces you to the Amulet development tools by guiding you through the creation of a "Hello, World!" program -- Amulet Style. Proceed as follows:

Launch the HTMLCompiler by whichever means you prefer.

1. From the HTMLCompiler's File menu, select Open. You will be presented with a file dialog box.
2. Use the controls in the file dialog to locate the file home.htm from the \projects\tour\ subdirectory of the Amulet main directory. By default the Amulet main directory is C:\Program Files\Amulet, however you may have specified a different path during the install.
3. Select home.htm and click the Open button.

The HTMLCompiler will open and compile home.htm and all other files that are linked from home.htm. When the conversion is complete the compiler will display:

<Successful Compile! Ready to Program 17 files (12032 bytes) into Flash>

NOTE: DO NOT click on the Program Flash button yet because you must first prepare the Amulet module for programming.

Setting up the RS232 port for Flash programming

Before you can program your "Hello, World" program into the Amulet Flash, you must first select a comm port and a programming baud rate.

To select a serial port for programming:

1. From the HTMLCompiler's Settings menu, select RS232. You will be presented with an RS232 dialog box similar to the one pictured below.
   
2. Next, select any available serial port from the Comm Port list. All ports listed in your Windows Registry will be listed.
3. Choose a baud from the Flash Rate list. The flash rate must match the baud rate determined by the state of JP3. From the factory, JP3 is open, meaning the default flash rate is 115200. If you select 19200, be sure JP3 is jumpered.
4. Then, choose a baud from the uP Comm Rate list. The uP comm rate must match the baud rate specified in the home page of your project. By default, that rate is 115200. This is the baud rate that is used between the Amulet chip and your microprocessor. See the META documentation to change the uP comm rate within your HTML page.
5. Finally click the OK button.

Connect one end of the 9-pin serial cable (included with the starter kit) to the serial port (J2) on the Amulet 3.8" module and the other end to the assigned serial port on your computer.

Upon clicking the Program Flash button in the Compiler window, the Compiler will attempt to send out an auto "wake-up" message to the Amulet controller. If the page currently being displayed is set up to use the same baud rate using the META tag (if META is not present, the default is 115200) as the Compiler's uP comm rate, then the Amulet controller will change to a generic "Please wait while programming flash..." screen and commence programming. If the page has a baud rate different than what the Compiler is set to, then you should set the uP comm rate in the Settings->RS232 dialog box to match the baud rate set by the META tag. This will allow the HTMLCompiler to wake up the Amulet at one baud rate and then program it at another baud rate.

* Note:  If the project you compiled locks up the Amulet OS to the point where it won't accept the wake up message, or if the Amulet OS has been corrupted and you need to reload the OS, you should open the Boot M jumper on J2, which puts the Amulet chip in Programming Mode after cycling the power. Once the flash is reprogrammed, you can re-jumper Boot M.

Programming The Flash

Click on the Program Flash button in the Compiler window. If there is a comm port conflict, the compiler will display "Port is in use." If the compiler doesn't see the Amulet module, the compiler will display "Serial port timed out." Normally, though, the compiler will display a series of messages as each file within the page is flashed. When the flash programming is complete, the compiler will display:

<Successfully Flashed...>

Congratulations! You have successfully compiled and flashed your first Amulet uHTML page(s). The home page is now displayed on the LCD of the Amulet module. Navigate the GUI before proceeding to the next section.

Editing home.htm

Now, it is time to personalize your GUI. Using a text editor, such as Notepad or a "WYSIWYG" tool like Namo, open "home.htm" located in the \projects\tour\ subdirectory of the Amulet main directory. View the source code for the page and search for "Hello, World!" between the <BODY> and </BODY> tags.

Replace "World" with your name. For example, "Hello, World" should now read "Hello, John!"

Save the modified file and compile it.

Click on the Program Flash button.

Congratulations! You have successfully modified an Amulet uHTML page. A personalized version of the home page is now displayed on the LCD of the Amulet module. If desired, see Restoring The Flash To Factory Configuration.

Creating A GUI from Scratch

Before you embark on creating your own GUI from scratch, a few tips are in order:

• Learn from our examples: We have assembled a number of examples to show you how to use HTML and Amulet Widgets. To find out more about the examples, Click Here. You may also want to examine the source code for the sample pages that were factory configured into your Amulet's Flash. The code resides in the \projects\EasyAs123 subdirectory of the Amulet main directory. The home page is called home.html. You can use any of these pages as templates for your own GUI. Just copy these pages to your own subdirectory in \projects\
• Minimum page requirements: You MUST have at least one table on your HTML page. The table dimensions attributes must specify the Height and Width of the LCD (WIDTH=320, HEIGHT=240). All visible content must reside within this table. You may add any number of rows and columns to this table. You may also embed additional tables within any cell in this table. The width and height must be specified for every table and the width must be specified for every column in each table. Optionally, you can also specify the height of each row.
• Start with a Template: Finally, you should also be aware that there is an empty project which contains only one page: template.html. This file contains the MANDATORY 320x240 TABLE that is REQUIRED by the HTMLCompiler for every single GUI page. You may add any number of rows and columns to this table. You may also embed additional tables within any cell in this table. Template.html is located in the \projects\empty subdirectory.

3.8" Hardware Specific Issues

Power Supply and Reset

The Easy GUI controller board comes equipped with a 2.5 mm external power connector (J3). The power requirement is 5 VDC @ 100 mA. A reset switch (momentary pushbutton, SW1 on the back of the board) resets the Easy GUI controller chip as well as LCD power.

Jumper Settings

The Amulet 3.8" module can be powered up in different modes via the settings of the Jumper header (J2). The power up modes include: programming mode and run mode.

Boot Mode (Pins 3&4) -- This jumper is monitored during a reboot to determine the operational mode of the controller board; jumpered is the normal mode and open is the Flash program mode. Upon clicking on the Program Flash button in the Compiler window, the Compiler will attempt to send out an auto "wake-up" message to the Amulet controller. If the page currently being displayed is set up to use the same baud rate using the META tag (if META is not present, the default is 115200) as the Compiler's uP comm rate, then the Amulet controller will change to a generic "Please wait while programming flash..." screen and commence programming. If the page has a baud rate different than what the Compiler is set to, then you should set the uP comm rate in the Settings->RS232 dialog box to match the baud rate set by the META tag. This will allow the HTMLCompiler to wake up the Amulet at one baud rate and then program it at another baud rate. The only time you should have to remove the jumper between pins 3&4 (program mode) is when the project you compiled locks up the Amulet OS to the point where it won't accept the wake up message or if the Amulet OS has been corrupted and you need to reload the OS.

RS-232 Spec

A serial connection is required between the controller board and a personal computer in order to program uHTML pages into the FLASH memory of the controller board.

• Pin 1 - N/C
• Pin 2 - TX (Amulet GUI module transmits data on Pin 2 while the PC receives data on Pin 2)
• Pin 3 - RX (Amulet GUI module receives data on Pin 3 while the PC transmits data on Pin 3)
• Pin 4 to 6 - Jumpered
• Pin 5 - Ground
• Pin 7 to 8 - Jumpered
• Pin 9 - N/C

The serial parameters for communications between the Easy GUI client and the server are, as follows:

Baud Rate: 9600, 19200, 57600, or 115200bps
Parity: None
Data Bits: 8
Stop Bits: 1

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