Feature request: Trigger on I2C address & data

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JoeD
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Feature request: Trigger on I2C address & data

Post by JoeD »

Good Morning,

I am looking into purchasing the picoscope 320xD or 340xD. I have read the data sheet specifications and user manuals and I have to say I am pretty impressed by its performance, feature set and feedback from other users.
I am particularly interested in the serial bus decoder. However, it is my understanding that one cannot trigger on a specific I2C slave addresses or data - unless I am mistaken.
This is a serious surprise, as it makes the serial bus decoder almost useless if one is working on complex systems with multiple I2C slave devices with active data traffic. Triggering on a specific I2C slave address or data is commonly found in most mixed-signal oscilloscopes from other manufacturers for decades.
May I kindly ask if picoscope has any plans to include triggering on user-defined I2C address or data in the near future? Given that picoscope is proud of their hardware-based, digital trigger technology, it shall be fairly easy to implement. Thank you.

Kind regards,

JoeD

Gerry
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Re: Feature request: Trigger on I2C address & data

Post by Gerry »

Hi Joe,

Using our PicoScope 6 Software, Serial Decoding is not performed until a complete buffer of data has been captured. So, this means that using the current method, you can't trigger the data because it will already have been captured.

We would have to perform Serial Decoding as the data is being captured, i.e. in Streaming Mode, to be able to mark a point where the trigger occurred. This would involve the writing of a whole new function, which is not going to happen in PicoScope 6 as we have announced the up and coming major release of a new version of software, which will supersede PicoScope 6 (and our immediate focus is on getting that out). So, currently we are only fixing critical issues in PicoScope 6, but what I can do is raise an enhancement request so that, if serial decoding in Streaming Mode is not being implemented in the new version, then it can be taken into consideration for a later release.

Regards,

Gerry
Gerry
Technical Specialist

JoeD
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Re: Feature request: Trigger on I2C address & data

Post by JoeD »

Good Afternoon Gerry,

I appreciate your prompt and detailed reply - thank you.

Ok, I surely understand you have other priorities at this point. Yes, I would suggest to add the mentioned trigger enhancement to the future releases of Picoscope software. I have referred to the Picoscope user's guide, and it seems that the "Serial decoding data window" provides some very powerful filters - so that the user can identify any communication with a specific I2C slave address fairly easily for example.
The Picoscope 320xD or 340xD's deep buffer memory shall allow the user to capture a huge amount of I2C traffic. This appears to be a sufficient "work-around" for my needs.

Thanks again,

Joe

JoeD
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Re: Feature request: Trigger on I2C address & data

Post by JoeD »

Good Evening Gerry,

I suppose you chaps are busy with the new release you have mentioned and with the Embedded World event in Nuremberg, Germany these days. However, I just wanted to check in to confirm my interest in the mentioned trigger on I2C address and data. I trust other users/potential customers would also profit from the new "enhancement request" as you said... Thanks again for hosting this forum.

Cheers,

Joe

Gerry
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Re: Feature request: Trigger on I2C address & data

Post by Gerry »

Hi Joe,

What I can tell you is that we will be releasing a completely new version of software in the near future, and Serial Decoding is one of the areas that has had a lot of new changes and features suggested for inclusion. So, I did raise this as a feature request for inclusion.

However (just to make sure that you have realistic expectations), with all of the filtering, searching and other software features for post processing of the data that are likely to be implemented (and therefore, to some extent provide an alternative means of getting to the specific data/address that you may be interested in), along with the implementation workload for a hardware serial decode trigger (there would be a lot of change required, as it is not as trivial as it sounds), there is a possibility that this will not get implemented.

Regards,

Gerry
Gerry
Technical Specialist

JoeD
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Re: Feature request: Trigger on I2C address & data

Post by JoeD »

Good Morning Gerry,

thanks for your reply and for the info provided on the upcoming new release. Truly appreciated.

I am looking forward to the new release, as I have purchased a Picoscope Model 3203D MSO recently.
I am very pleased so far.

Cheers,

JoeD

JoeD
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Re: Feature request: Trigger on I2C address & data

Post by JoeD »

Good Evening,

I thought I'd ask if the new feature of triggering on specific I2C address & data is still planned for future releases?

Thanks for a brief update.

Cheers,

JoeD

Gerry
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Re: Feature request: Trigger on I2C address & data

Post by Gerry »

Hi Joe,

Unfortunately, a decision has been made, and this is not likely to be implemented in our software anytime soon. We will, instead be implementing the mitigating features mentioned in my previous reply.

Regards,

Gerry
Gerry
Technical Specialist

JoeD
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Re: Feature request: Trigger on I2C address & data

Post by JoeD »

Good Evening Gerry,

I trust this finds you and your colleagues well.

As 18 months have passed us by since the last update, is there any chance that you'd re-visit this feature request, please?
I would still say that this would add some good value to your oscilloscope product(s).

Thank you,

JoeD

JoeD
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Re: Feature request: Trigger on I2C address & data

Post by JoeD »

GoodDay

I certainly like the latest PicoScope® T&M - PC oscilloscope software version: 7.0.116.13984.
It took me some time to transition from version 6, but I certainly like the clean UI of version 7 better now.

Please can I re-iterate to my feature request, now that Version 7 is a stable release.

Triggering on a specific I2C address or data would add some good amount of value to your products in my opinion. Particularly when debugging prototype designs, when one needs to verify that a specific I2C target device is working properly...

Thank you and keep up with the good work.

Cheers,

JoeD.

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