Serial Flux User Manual
Working manual for Serial Flux Standard, the Python Scripting Add-On, and CAN Coyote X7. Additional screenshots and detailed procedures will be added as the product is finalized.
Connection Manager
Connection Manager is used to configure the devices and communication endpoints available to Serial Flux. Multiple connections can be configured and used at the same time, allowing traffic from several devices to be monitored in Serial Flux simultaneously.
Connections can include serial COM ports and network/RTT communication types supported by Serial Flux. Give each connection a useful alias so its traffic is easy to identify. Each configured device can be started and stopped independently.
- Open Connection Manager.
- Add or select a connection.
- Select its connection type and enter the required communication settings.
- Give the connection a descriptive alias.
- Save the settings and start the device.
Communication Window
The Communication window displays transmitted and received traffic. When multiple devices are active, their data can be viewed within Serial Flux and identified by connection alias. Display modes include ASCII, HEX, Decimal, and Binary.
The Communication and Sequence windows can be undocked, which is useful for larger or multi-monitor engineering workspaces.
Send Sequences
Send Sequences store commands or data that can be transmitted repeatedly without retyping them. A Send Sequence can be associated with a configured connection so the command is sent to the intended device.
- Add or edit a Send Sequence.
- Give it a descriptive name.
- Select the connection that should transmit it.
- Enter the sequence data in the required format.
- Add required control characters such as
<CR>and<LF>. - Save the sequence and use its Send control when needed.
Receive Sequences
Receive Sequences watch incoming communication for expected message patterns. A matching Receive Sequence can be configured to automatically send an associated Send Sequence, allowing command/response workflows to operate without manual intervention.
This is useful for acknowledgements, prompts, bootloader interactions, test fixtures, and other predictable device responses.
Wildcards
Wildcards allow a Receive Sequence to match a message even when selected bytes or characters can change. Use wildcards for fields such as counters, measured values, IDs, or other variable data while keeping the fixed portions of the message as the match criteria.
CR, LF, and CR+LF
Many serial devices terminate commands and responses with control characters. Serial Flux sequence data can represent these explicitly:
<LF> = Line Feed
<CR><LF> = Carriage Return followed by Line Feed
For example, if a device expects the ASCII command status followed by CR+LF, the sequence should include the command data followed by <CR><LF>. Matching Receive Sequences should likewise account for the line endings actually sent by the device.
Python Scripting Add-On
Python Scripting extends Serial Flux Standard with an integrated Python environment. Users do not need to install Python separately. Scripts can automate communications and repeatable engineering workflows directly against Serial Flux.
The scripting environment has a built-in debugger with breakpoints, pause/continue, stepping, Watch, and Locals.
Serial Flux Python API
The Serial Flux API gives scripts access to application and communication functions. API documentation is available from the scripting environment and will also be maintained here as the public manual grows.
Common API operations include starting/stopping communication, clearing communication output, sending data, sending named sequences, and sending raw files.
SF.stopCommunication(...)
SF.clearCommWindows(...)
SF.send(...)
SF.sendSequence(...)
SF.sendRawFile(...)
CAN Coyote X7
CAN Coyote X7 provides raw and decoded CAN monitoring, signal editing, state decoding, Learn workflows, filtering, and message analysis. A supported third-party CAN interface is required. Serial Flux currently does not manufacture or sell CAN hardware.