Using Service Shell on Lotem

This document explains how to use the Service Shell client and host applications on Lotem^® Quantum machines running Windows™ 95 or Windows 2000.

This document assumes that you are familiar with using Splot on Quantum machines.

What Is Service Shell?

Service Shell is an application that lets you communicate directly with both the TMCE board and the thermal imaging head on Lotem Quantum machines for service, diagnostic, and calibration purposes, without using the Lotem Controller.

Using Service Shell, you can perform most regular Splot operations and benefit from additional improvements, such as:

• Improved stability and reliability
• Improved Windows interface
• Automatic logging
• Efficient and quick firmware loading
• Faster remote access
• Multiple client connections to a single machine

Service Shell consists of two components:

• The host, which is loaded automatically on Windows startup, works in the background to log all operations and accept client connections.
• The client, which is similar to Splot, communicates directly with the firmware running inside the TMCE and the thermal imaging head.

Running Service Shell

1. From the desktop, double-click the Service Shell Client icon.
2. In the User name field, type your user name (or "test").
3. In the Server name field, type the name of the server to which you want to connect.
   Note: If you are working on the Quantum PC, type localhost (default entry) as the name of the server. If you want to connect to a remote machine, type its name or IP address.
4. Click the Connect button.
5. On the left panel, click one of the following icons:
   • To type commands and view output (similar to the Terminal window on Splot), click the Device Monitor icon.
   • To run service and calibration scripts, click the Scripts icon.

Typing Commands and Viewing Output

1. On the left panel, click the Device Monitor icon to start communicating with the TMCE or the thermal imaging head.
   Output information appears in the main (black) window. You can type commands in the edit box at the bottom of the window, if necessary.
2. Use the up and down arrow keys to scroll the history of commands.
   Note: Splot displays similar output information. You can use the up and down keys to scroll the command history.

Note: No function key macros are available in Service Shell. For example, to communicate with the thermal imaging head, you need to type redirect enable instead of simply pressing the F1 shortcut key as in Splot.

New Commands

The command syntax has changed slightly in Service Shell.
Note: The revised syntax is valid in firmware version 1.26 and later.

Examples of both the former syntax and the revised syntax are:

When you type a command in the former syntax, a general message appears with an explanation of the new interface.

Loading Plates

1. To ensure that the drum is not loaded with a plate, type the command loaded.
2. If the drum is loaded with a plate, you must unload it. Type the command unload.
3. Type the loaded command again to confirm that a plate is not on the drum.
4. If a plate is still on the drum, repeat steps 2 and 3 until the drum is empty.
5. Type the command media <media index from the media table>.
   <media index from media table> is the media index number for the medium that you want to load.
6. Type the command Load <ms><ss><thickness>9<media index from the media table>.
   The load command contains five parameters:
   • <ms> is the mainscan size in millimeters.
   • <ss> is the subscan size in millimeters.
   • <thickness> is the thickness of the plate in microns.
   • 9 indicates that you want to load a plate.
   • <media index from media table> indicates the media index number for the medium that you want to load.
     
     

Example:
If you want to load Kodak as the first entry in the media, type the following commands:
<Quantum> Media 1
<Quantum> load 770 1030 300 9 1

Loading Proofs

A new Shell Service command enables you to easily load proofs.

1. Perform steps 1 to 3 in the Loading Plates procedure to ensure that the drum is empty.
2. Type the command proof load <ms of the receiver><ss of the receiver>
   <thickness of carrier+receiver><media index for the donor>.
   The proof load command contains four parameters:
   • <ms of the receiver> is the mainscan size (in mm) of the receiver.
   • <ss of the receiver> is the subscan size (in mm) of the receiver.
   • <thickness of carrier and receiver> is the thickness of the carrier+receiver in microns.
   • <media index for the donor> is the media index for the donor.
     
     

Example:
If you want to load an 8up proof, and the donor is defined as media index number 3, type the following command:
<Quantum> proof load 762 1016 350 3

Running Scripts

1. On the left panel, click the Scripts icon.
2. When the hourglass cursor disappears, click the Browse button in the middle panel.
3. Browse to the required script.
   Note: If you are accessing a specific script for the first time, you must browse to its location and select it.
4. To run the selected script, double-click the script in the browser window.
5. When you finish using the script, click the Device Monitor icon on the left panel to return to the monitor.

Changing Mainscan and Subscan sizes

A new firmware command, feature, enables you to change the minimum and maximum sizes of the sscan/mscan.

1. At the QUANTUM>> prompt, type feature.
   A list of of the currently configured minimum and maximum mainscan and subscan plate sizes appears on the monitor.
2. To change any value, at the QUANTUM>> prompt:
   1. Type access enable, and press Enter.
   2. Type stg delete flash 2404, and press Enter.
   3. Type stg delete flash 2405, and press Enter.
   4. Type stg delete flash 2406, and press Enter.
   5. Type stg delete flash 2407, and press Enter.
   6. Type reset, and press Enter.
   7. Type access dev, and press Enter.
   8. Type Config AVerySecretPassword [headtype], and press Enter.
   9. Type feature creo [FEATURENUMBER] [VALUE], and press Enter.
   10. Type reset, and press Enter.
       Note: The [FEATURENUMBER] is the entry of the table (between 1 and 4); the [VALUE] is the new value that you want to set. For example, to set the minimum subscan to 220, type feature creo 4 220 at the QUANTUM>> prompt. The [FEATURENUMBER] is 4, and the [VALUE] is 220.
3. Reset the machine so that your changes to take effect.

Loading Firmware

1. In the Device Monitor window, type download followed by the full path and name of the firmware file that you want to load to the TMCE or thermal imaging head.
   For example, type download C:\Th2\Tools\QuantumFMW128-00.bin.
   Service Shell identifies the type of firmware (TMCE, Xilinx, Head, and so on) and automatically adds the necessary commands and switches.
2. If you loaded TMCE firmware, type reset. Additional command entries, either before or after the download xxx.bin command, are not required for the other firmware files.

Loading and Saving NVS Parameters

1. On the left panel, click the Scripts icon.
2. When the hourglass cursor disappears, click the Device button in the middle panel.
3. Double-click the FirmwareUpgrade.spt script to run the script.
   Note: After a few seconds, a dialog box appears.
4. In the dialog box, click the Backup NVS button to save the NVS parameters or click the Restore NVS button to restore the NVS parameters.

Capturing Log Files

The Service Shell host automatically logs all communication information.

• To save the most recent Device Monitor information, click the Log Viewer icon on the left pane, and then right-click the deviceXXX file on the middle pane to download the file to a diskette.
• To view past events, browse to the C:\ServiceShell\Logs folder. The historical monitor logs are saved in the deviceXXX.log files.

Note: In the deviceXXX file name, XXX indicates a number between 000 and 999.

Connecting to a Remote Machine

The Service Shell host (but not the client) must be running on the machine to which you want to connect.

1. From your remote computer, run the Service Shell client.
2. In the Host name field, type the IP address of the remote machine (or the machine's name if it is a local network).
3. Click Connect to enable communication with the remote machine via the Service Shell interface.