The terminal emulation program Tara Term is an easy-to-use terminal emulator, similar in function to HyperTerminal or Procomm.  But, Raveon finds it is easier to use, more reliable, and has better features.  One of its new features is the ability to process a “Macro File”.  It is a very handy program to communicate with a Raveon data radio modem, and is a good way to automate the configuing your radio modem. 

Tera Term is an open-source terminal emulation program that is easy to use, and very powerful.  Raveon recommends using it over Hyperterminal.  Version 4.7 is currently available for download at logmett.com here: http://logmett.com/index.php?/download/download-tera-term-470-freeware.html   Tera Term has a Macro FIle script processor that allows a person to create a script file of macro commands. The Script file can configure the radio modem, prompt the user for input, and validate the programming of the radio modem.

Tera Term Macro files have an extension .TTL.   When in install Tera Term, the .TTL extension will be associated with Tera Term, so anytime you click on a .TTL file, the Tera Term maco processor should run it.  If it does not, you can manually associate the “TLL” file as described below. 

The macro File with the .TTL extension must be created before you can run it.  Raveon may provide this for you, or you may create this yourself.  Information about Tera Term’s Macro abilities is here:http://ttssh2.sourceforge.jp/manual/en/macro/  although you may have to search the Internet for more details.  A good way to understand it, is to study a macro file provided by Raveon.

When you run a macro file, there will be at least two windows pop-up, and maybe three windows.  The largest window is the Tera Term program itself.  As the macro runs, there will be a small window titled MACRO – xxxxx where xxxxx is the name of the macro file that is running.  You can pause or end the macro execution by clicking on a button on this window. 

At various plces in the macro file script, the user may be promoted to enter a paramter, or answer yes/no to a question.  A good practice at the end of the script is have the macro script close Tera Term so another script may be started.

How to associate “TTL” files with MACRO

Since Tera Term 4.59, you can associate “.TTL” files with MACRO with installer.  To associate the file extension “.TTL” with MACRO, do the following steps.

1. Execute the [View] Options command of Explorer.
2. Select the “File Types” tab.
3. Click the “New Type” button and specify items like the following.

   Description of type: Tera Term macro files Associated extension: TTL

4. Click the “New” button and specify items like the following.

   Action: Execute Application used to perform action: "C:\Program Files\teraterm\ttpmacro.exe" "%1" (If Tera Term Pro is installed in C:\Program Files\teraterm.)

5. Close all the dialog boxes by clicking “OK” buttons.

Macro Example

Below is a simple example macro script to program a Raveon M7 radio modem. 

CONNECT '/C=1'
SEND '+++'

:START
;READ UNIT ID
PAUSE 1
SENDLN 'MYID'
PAUSE 1

yesnobox 'CHANGE UNIT ID?' 'CHANGE UNIT ID?' 

if result goto CHANGEID GOTO DESTINATION
:CHANGEID
;CHANGE UNIT ID
inputbox 'ENTER UNIT ID' 'MYID'
SENDLN 'MYID ' INPUTSTR

  ESTINATION
;READ DESTINATION ID
PAUSE 1
SENDLN 'TOID'
PAUSE 1  
yesnobox 'CHANGE DESTINATION ID?' 'CHANGE DESTINATION ID?'
if result goto DESTID GOTO RXFREQ
  ESTID
;CHANGE DESTINATION ID
inputbox 'ENTER DESTINATION ID' 'TOID'
SENDLN 'TOID ' INPUTSTR

:RXFREQ
;READ RX FREQ
PAUSE 1
SENDLN 'ATFR'
PAUSE 1

yesnobox 'xxx.xxxx' 'CHANGE FREQUENCY?'
if result goto SETFREQ GOTO ECHOSTEP
:SETFREQ
;CHANGE FREQUENCY
inputbox 'ENTER FREQUENCY' 'ATFX'
SENDLN 'ATFX ' INPUTSTR

;SET ECHO ON
:ECHOSTEP


SENDLN 'ATE 1'
;SET CARRIER DETECT TO SHOW ON-LINE STATUS (BASE AND REMOTE)
SENDLN 'ATR1 2'
PAUSE 1
;SET ON-LINE AFTER DIAL (DISABLED ON BASE ONLY)
SENDLN 'ATCS 0'
PAUSE 1
SENDLN 'SHOW'
PAUSE 2
yesnobox '"Y"= FINISHED, "N"= RESTART' 'ALL PARAMETERS CORRECT?'
if result goto CLOSE GOTO START
:CLOSE
disconnect 0 ;disconnect from teraterm, no confirmation
closett ;close tera term window
END
 
Tera Term Macro Language Information
Following is a quick overview of the Tera Term Macro Language.  
Identifiers and reserved words
1) Variable identifiers
The first character must be an alphabetic (A-Z, a-z) or an underscore character "_". Subsequent characters can be alphabetic, underscore or numeric (0-9). Variable identifiers are not case sensitive. The maximum length is 32.
Example:
    VARIABLE
    _flag
2) Label identifiers
Label identifiers consist of alphabetic, underscore or numeric characters, and are not case sensitive. The maximum length is 32.
Example:
    label1
    100
3) Reserved words
The following words are reserved:
[Command] bplusrecv, bplussend, changedir... (see the command list) [Operator] and, not, or, xor [System variable] groupmatchstr1, groupmatchstr2, groupmatchstr3, groupmatchstr4, groupmatchstr5, groupmatchstr6, groupmatchstr7, groupmatchstr8, groupmatchstr9, inputstr, matchstr, param2, param3, param4, param5, param6, param7, param8, param9, result, timeout, mtimeout
Line formats
There are four kinds of line formats for macro files. Any line can contain a comment which begins with a ";" character. Also, a user can use the C language style comment(/* - */).

Comments give no effect on the execution of MACRO.

One line can contain up to 500 characters. The part that exceeded 500 characters is ignored.
1) Empty lines
Lines which have no character or contain only space or tab characters or a comment. They give no effect on the execution of the macro.
Example:
    ; Tera Term Language
Example: showtt 0 MessageBox 'message 1' 'title 1' /* This is 'comment' "string" */ MessageBox 'message 2' 'title 2' closett
2) Command lines
Lines containing a single command with parameters.
Format: <command> <parameter> ... Example: connect'myhost' wait 'OK' 'ERROR' if result=2 goto error sendln 'cat' pause A*10 end
3) Assignment lines
Lines which contain an assignment statement.
Format: <Variable> = <Value (constant, variable, expression)> Example: A = 33 B = C C must already have a value. VAL = I*(I+1) A=B=C The value of B=C (0 for false, 1 for true) is assigned to A. Error=0<J Username='MYNAME'
4) Label lines
Lines which begin with a ':' character followed by a label identifier.
Format:
    :<Label>

Example:
    :dial
    :100
Communication commands

bplusrecv
bplussend
callmenu (version 4.56 or later)
changedir
clearscreen
closett
connect
cygconnect (version 4.57 or later)
disconnect
dispstr (version 4.67 or later)
enablekeyb
flushrecv
gethostname (version 4.61 or later)
gettitle
kmtfinish
kmtget
kmtrecv
kmtsend
loadkeymap
logclose
logopen
logpause
logstart
logwrite
quickvanrecv
quickvansend
recvln
restoresetup
scprecv (version 4.57 or later)
scpsend (version 4.57 or later)
send
sendbreak
sendbroadcast (version 4.62 or later)
sendfile
sendkcode
sendln
sendlnbroadcast (version 4.62 or later)
sendmulticast (version 4.62 or later)
setbaud (version 4.58 or later)
setdebug (version 4.64 or later)
setdtr (version 4.59 or later)
setecho
setmulticastname (version 4.62 or later)
setrts (version 4.59 or later)
setsync
settitle
showtt
testlink
unlink
wait
wait4all (version 4.63 or later)
waitevent
waitln
waitn (version 4.62 or later)
waitrecv
waitregex (version 4.21 or later)
xmodemrecv
xmodemsend
ymodemrecv (version 4.66 or later)
ymodemsend (version 4.66 or later)
zmodemrecv
zmodemsend

Control commands

break (version 4.53 or later)
call
do, loop (version 4.56 or later)
end
execcmnd
exit
for, next
goto
if, then, elseif, else, endif
include
mpause (version 4.27 or later)
pause
return
until, enduntil (version 4.56 or later)
while, endwhile

String operation commands

code2str
expandenv (version 4.71 or later)
int2str
sprintf (version 4.52 or later)
sprintf2 (version 4.62 or later)
str2code
str2int
strcompare
strconcat
strcopy
strinsert (version 4.67 or later)
strjoin (version 4.67 or later)
strlen
strmatch (version 4.59 or later)
strremove (version 4.67 or later)
strreplace (version 4.67 or later)
strscan
strspecial (version 4.67 or later)
strsplit (version 4.67 or later)
strtrim (version 4.67 or later)
tolower (version 4.53 or later)
toupper (version 4.53 or later)

File operation commands

basename (version 4.69 or later)
dirname (version 4.69 or later)
fileclose
fileconcat
filecopy
filecreate
filedelete
filemarkptr
fileopen
filereadln
fileread (version 4.48 or later)
filerename
filesearch
fileseek
fileseekback
filestat (version 4.66 or later)
filestrseek
filestrseek2
filetruncate (version 4.67 or later)
filewrite
filewriteln
findfirst, findnext, findclose
foldercreate (version 4.69 or later)
folderdelete (version 4.69 or later)
foldersearch (version 4.69 or later)
getdir
getfileattr (version 4.69 or later)
makepath
setdir
setfileattr (version 4.69 or later)

Password commands

delpassword
getpassword
passwordbox

Miscellaneous commands

beep
closesbox
clipb2var (version 4.46 or later)
crc32 (version 4.60 or later)
crc32file (version 4.60 or later)
exec
filenamebox (version 4.54 or later)
getdate
getenv
gettime
getttdir (version 4.60 or later)
getver (version 4.58 or later)
ifdefined (version 4.46 or later)
inputbox
messagebox
random (version 4.27 or later)
rotateleft (version 4.54 or later)
rotateright (version 4.54 or later)
setdate
setdlgpos
setenv (version 4.54 or later)
setexitcode
settime
show
statusbox
var2clipb (version 4.46 or later)
yesnobox

PAUSE 1

There are three common ways to program Raveon data radio modems with your particular paramters:

1. Manually using a termal emulator such as HyperTerminal or Tera Term.
2. Using a Raveon’s Windows-based graphical interface program called Radio Manager
3. Automatically using a script processor such as Tera Term.

Raveon’s Radio Managerprogram may be freely downloaded from Raveon’s web site at www.raveon.com.  It provides an easy-t0-use graphical interface to the user, allowing the user to review, modify, and update a radio modem’s configuration with a few clicks of a mouse.  Most all common parameters in a Raveon radio modem may be configured with this program, but very advanced features and custom radio modems will require the user to enter additional commands manually.  Radio Manager has a built in terminal window to allow the user to also manually enter commands to the radio modem. 

There are advantages to the various programming methods. So depending upon how many products you will configure, how different each product is configured, and how many advanced features you will be configuring in the Raveon radio modem, you may choose to configure them with a different method.

Advantages of the Various Radio Modem Programming Methods

Terminal Emulator Programs

A “terminal emulator” software program such as HyperTerminal or Tera Term is a quick and easy way to configure a radio modem.  By connecting a computer running the terminal emulation program to the radio modem’s serial port, the user can issue commands to the radio modem by typing them into the terminal window. 

Any command listed in the User Manual for the product may be manually typed into the terminal.  Even commands that Raveon’s Radio Manager program do not support may be executed. 

HyperTerminal is installed on most Microsoft Windows-based computers.  A trial version is available for download here: http://www.hilgraeve.com/hyperterminal-trial/

Tera Term is an open-source terminal emulation program that is easy to use, and very powerful.  Raveon recommends using it over Hyperterminal.  It is currently available for download at logmett.com here: http://logmett.com/index.php?/download/download-tera-term-470-freeware.html   An added feature of Tera Term is its Macro File processor.  Tera Term has a Macro FIle script processor that allows a person to create a script file of macro commands. The Script file can configure the radio modem, prompt the user for input, and validate the programming of the radio modem.

Radio Manager

Radio Manager  is a Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7 software application designed to make programming and configuration management of Raveon data radio modems easy to do.  It is compatible with all Raveon data radio modems, and provides configuration management, simple graphical interface, as well as programming assistance, diagnostic information, and a helpful “band scope” feature.

Radio Manager features:

• Supports all Raveon Radios  (M3, M5, M7, Atlas PL, and M7 GX series)
• Configurations may be stored to a file or retrieved from a file
• An easy to use graphical interface
• “Auto-Detect Radio” feature searches through possible serial port settings
• Simplified editing of a radio’s configuration
• Intelligent parameter verification to help configure technical parameters
• Built-in terminal mode
• On-line help
• Band Scope feature graphically displays on and off channel signal levels

 What to Do

In the end, you still should choose the best method of programming to suit your business needs. 

If you have a few radio modems, understand the User Manual and product, and want to do a quick change, the manual method is probably best.  Connect a terminal program to the unit, issue a command, verify it, and you are don.  If you want to configure an advanced parameter in the radio modem that is not available using Radio Manager, then this is the only way to configure it.

If you want a simple-to-use graphical interface and you will be modifying only the “Typical” parameters that need to be changed in the radio for most installations, then Radio Manager is the best choice.  It displays the configuration in an easy-to-understand format, and shows the user the parameters that are typically manipulated. 

If you have a lot of radio modems to configure, need to make sure they are all configured in a certain way, and want to automatically set parameters both typcial and advanced, then creating a macro file for Tera Term may be a good choice.

All configuration settings in the M7 data radio modem are stored in non-volatile EEPROM memory inside of the M7.  The M7 has a “Command Mode” that allows the user to change various settings.  The M7 Technical Manual for the M7 details all of the commands and the setting they affect.

The M7 modem may be put into a “Command Mode”, by entering a sequence of three plus characters (+++).  There must be a pause before the +++ as well as a pause after the +++ is sent.  If either pause is missing, the modem will not enter the command mode.

Using serial communications software such as HypterTerminal or TerraTerminal, send the 3- character command sequence “+++”.   Alternately, use Raveon’s Radio Manager Software to access the radio.  Radio Manager will automatically send the +++ when you click on “Discover Radio”.

To change a setting using HyperTerminal or TerraTerminal:

1. Connect the serial (COM) port of a PC to the base radio.
2. Run a terminal program like Terra Terminal or Hyperterminal.
3. Set the serial port baud rate of the terminal program to 38400 8N1
4. Cycle the power to the radio, and verify you see an OK when the radio powers on.  This shows the connection to the radio is OK and the baud rate setting are correct.
5. Very quickly type +++ on the terminal program.
6. You will see the radio respond showing the model of the radio, and another OK.
7. Type the command you wish to execute, and press enter.
8. When you are done typing commands, type “EXIT” to tell the raido to exit the command mode.

To change a setting using Radio Manager:

1. Connect the serial (COM) port of a PC to the base radio.
2. Run a Radio Manager on a PC connected to the radio.
3. Set Radio manager to the correct baud rate, or select “Auto Detect” to search all baud rates.
4. Click on the “Discover Radio” button.
5. Radio Manger will detect the M7 radio.
6. Click on “Read Settings from Radio” to read all settings, and display them on screen
7. Edit the settings you would like to change
8. Click on “Store Updates to Radio” to save your changes.