ASTi Logo

Radio Comms Model

Model Builder Tutorial


7.1 The Configuration File

The last topic that this Sample Model Guide will cover is a file known as the "Configuration File" or ".CFG" for short. The .CFG file contains commands used to configure the system during start-up. Model Builder will always look for a .CFG as it starts up, and will report an error if it can't find one. A system will by default look for a file called "DEFAULT.CFG", unless the user modifies the CONFIG.SYS file. An empty file of this name is installed into the required directory locations, onto every system during the ASTi factory test prior to system shipment, and this will cause the system to start-up using the internal defaults for all configurable parameters.

As an alternative it is possible to start up the system from the command-line and tell the system to look for a particular named .CFG file. The command "mb ws_comm" overrides the default filename setting and tells Model Builder to load-up using the commands held in the "ws_comm.CFG" file. If the named file cannot be found the system will start-up, but report an error.

These files tell Model Builder which model to load-up, set the system iteration rate, and may also contain a whole host of other configuration commands to set-up certain aspects of the system configuration. See the Model Builder Reference Manual for full details.

The WS_COMM.CFG is reproduced below. Note that semicolons (;) are used to comment-out (deactivate) configuration file commands. To enable a command, remove the semicolon from the beginning of its line.

; Configuration file
;
; This is a user file used to change the system parameters. Consult the
; Reference Manual for the full range of available commands and their syntax.
; This file contains the basic parameters necessary to load the example model.
;
;Model Parameters
;----------------
model1=ws_comm.mdl
model_rate=60
;
;The following lines are example commands used to demonstrate the format
;and syntax required to achieve various configuration and set-ups.
;Note: all commands are commented out using the ";" symbol. If you wish
;to enable a line, simply delete the ; at the head of the line.
;Please see the Reference Manual for a complete list of available commands
;and their effect.
;
;Sytem Configuration Parameters
;------------------------------
;Number_dsps = 2
;
; -- Sound File Default Format Setting
; -- (sets file extension default for sound files)
;Sound_Extension = .asd
;
; -- Sound Directory Default Path for DSP1 and DSP2...
;Sound_Directory1 = ..\sounds16
;Sound_Directory2 = ..\sounds8
;
; -- Preamp Gain Settings
; -- Settings may be required to boost mic audio
; -- See System Configuration Section in back of
; -- Model Builder Reference Guide for command structure
;DSPGain=10
;
; -- Host Ethernet Mode Setting
;Ethernet:IP_Mode = IP_ONLY
;
; -- Host Ethernet Local Address, Port and Byte Format Settings
;Ethernet:Local_IP = 130.0.0.2
;Ethernet:RX_UDP_Port = 20000
;Ethernet:RX_Byte_Order = Big_Endian
;
; -- Host Ethernet Destination, Port and Byte Format Settings
;Ethernet:TX_Destination_IP = 130.0.0.1
;Ethernet:TX_UDP_Port = 20000
;Ethernet:TX_Byte_Order = Big_Endian
; -- Set the size of the transmit packet to 60
; -- (Minimum size of 60 required for transmission)
;TX_Length = 60
; -- Set the TX rate (model rate/4)
;Ethernet:TX_rate = 4
; -- Send the DSP status to the host computer
; -- Location - Offset Byte 0 in transmit packet
;TX_Error = 0
; -- Set count to desired number of missed frames for fail condition.
; -- Model(s) will load user configured values defined in Control Objects.
;Host_Fail_Count = 100
;
; -- D.I.S. Options Configuration
; -- Turn D.I.S. on first
;DIS=on
; -- PDU Position delta
;DIS:position_delta = 75.0
; -- PDU Time Out Period
;DIS:time_out = 2,1
;
; -- D.I.S. Ethernet Configuration Settings
;DIS:Broadcast_IP = 133.0.255.255
;DIS:Local_IP = 133.0.0.112
;DIS:Subnet_Mask = 255.255.0.0
;DIS:UDP_Port = 6993
;DIS:Site = 9
;DIS:Host = 1
;
; -- Terrain Options Configuration
; -- Turn the Terrain interface on
;terrain = on
; -- Host IP Address
;terrain:broadcast_ip = 130.0.0.1
; -- UDP Port Address
;terrain:udp_port = 55000
; -- Number Of PDUs Per Packet
;terrain:pdus_packet = 1
; -- Terrain Request Rate
;terrain:rate_divider = 4
;