GENERAL INFORMATION

NoICE is a Windows-hosted debugger for use with a variety of microprocessor targets. It consists of a target-specific Windows program, NoICExxx.EXE, and in some cases a target-resident monitor program. The two programs communicate via RS-232, BDM, JTAG, or other means. Processors currently supported are the 68HC08, 68HC11, 68HC12, 8051, MSP430, Z80/Z180, 8080/8085, 8096/80196, 65(C)02 and 6809.

An earlier program, NoICE for DOS, also supports the Z8, 68(HC)05, 6803/6303, M50740/M38000, and TMS370. These and other processors may be supported by NoICE for Windows in the future. Please contact us for information about availability.

When required, the target-resident monitor is simple and small: less than 1024 bytes for most versions. The simplicity of the monitor eases the process of porting to new hardware platforms.

NoICE includes:

NoICE may be operated via the menu and toolbar, or via a command line. Command keywords are case insensitive. Alphabetical list of NoICE commands

NoICE runs on Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP, or NT 4.0 or later.


Running NoICE

NoICE may be invoked by any standard Windows method. If a file name is specified in a Windows Shortcut or from a command line:

	C:\NoICE\NoICE51.exe "C:\foo.noi"

that file will be OPENed by NoICE. If the file or path contains a space, you must enclose the file name parameter in quotation marks.

If you associate a file type with NoICE in Windows Explorer, double-clicking on a file of that type will cause NoICE to run, and the file to be OPENed.

If you drag a file onto a NoICE icon, or onto a running NoICE program, that file will be OPENed.


If you specify the switch /show in the shortcut or on the command line, NoICE will display target communications in hex. This can be useful when debugging communications problems with the target. This action can also be invoked from the Options menu, via Show communications. However, the switch is useful when debugging the messages that NoICE sends as it starts up, before the menu is available.


Only one copy of NoICE for a particular target processor and configuration may be run at a time. Any attempt to run a second copy will simply cause the already-running copy to be brought to the foreground. If the second copy had a file to OPEN, that file will be passed to the already-running copy and OPENed by it. This allows you to double-click on NoICE-associated files in Windows Explorer without running multiple copies of NoICE.

If you need to run multiple copies of NoICE at the same time in order to debug multiple targets, you can specify the switch /settings=name in the shortcut or on the command line. This causes NoICE to run using a set of configuration and preference settings specified by the string "name" rather than the default settings. For example, suppose that COM1 connects to the NoICE target for the "master" project and COM2 connects to the NoICE target for the "slave" project. Create two shortcuts:

	C:\NoICE\NoICE51.exe /settings=master
and
	C:\NoICE\NoICE51.exe /settings=slave

Run each one and configure it as desired.

The /settings= switch can also be used to provide easy access to multiple configurations, even if you don't use them at the same time.


When NoICE starts, it will open target communications, read the target registers, and disassemble from the current program counter location. It will then look in the current directory and in the application directory for a command file whose name is the same as the .EXE file, but whose extension is .NOI. Thus, NoICE51.EXE will attempt to locate NoICE51.NOI, etc. If such a file is found, it will be PLAYed. This file is typically used to hold target-specific options, such as FRAMEPOINTER, DEFREG, etc.


NoICE supports DDE Execute messages in the traditional format. Thus,

will OPEN the specified file. Any NoICE command or command sequence may be specified, with any necessary parameters quoted and in parenthesis. Thus, the message

	[load("file.hex")][dump("0")]

will LOAD file.hex, and them DUMP memory beginning at location zero. Because of the requirements of DDE syntax, the parameter list may not contain other quotes, parenthesis, or square brackets. DDE may also impose length restrictions on the message.


Using NoICE Help

NoICE help is in the form of HTML pages. These can be read by any recent browser. Frames capability is recommended for best results.

When you invoke help from within NoICE, the appropriate HTML file is invoked by passing it to the Windows API ShellExecute. This will perform the equivalent of double-clicking on the HTML file in Windows Explorer. In most cases, this will invoke your preferred browser. Thus, unlike Microsoft HTML Help or Netscape's NetHelp, you are not tied to a particular browser. NoICE help has been tested with Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator and Communicator, and Opera. Please contact us if you have any difficulties or questions.

The help files use your browser's default fonts and colors, in order to allow you to adjust them to your preferences. If you find the pages hard to read (say, a gray background), you may wish to change the default settings for your browser.

If you have the file association for .HTM files set to open an HTML editor, or some other program, that program will be opened when you invoke help from within NoICE. In this case, you may browse the help files manually.

NoICE implements context-specific help by reading the file template.htm, and replacing the string "%s" with the name of the help topic URI (consisting of an HTML file name, and possibly an anchor name). The result is written to the file vector.htm, which is then passed to the browser. The META tag "Expires" is used to request the browser to re-read the file on each access. If this were not done, the browser would read from cache and browse to the previous topic.

If you prefer a different look for NoICE help, you can modify template.htm to meet your needs. One occurrence of "%s" in each line will be replaced with the URI of the help topic. You may also wish to modify help.htm, which is used for generic help.


Copyright Information

The entire NoICE distribution package, consisting of executable programs, DLLs, documentation and help files, target monitors, and data and utility files, is copyright © 1992-2005, by John Hartman.

The author reserves the exclusive right to distribute this package, or any part thereof, for profit.

Individuals, user groups, and clubs are authorized to distribute the unregistered version of NoICE under the following conditions:

  1. No charge is made for the software or documentation. A nominal distribution fee may be charged, provided that it is no more than $10 US total.
  2. The program and documentation are not modified in ANY way, and are distributed together.

Legal Information

Evaluation Version

NoICE is not free software. Subject to the terms below, you are hereby licensed to use NoICE for evaluation purposes without charge for a period of 30 days. If you use NoICE after the 30 day evaluation period, registration and payment are required.

Unregistered use of NoICE after the 30-day evaluation period is in violation of U.S. and international copyright laws and deprives the author of funds he needs to buy donuts.

Registered Version

One registered copy of NoICE may either be used by a single person who uses the software personally on one or more computers, or installed on a single computer used non-simultaneously by multiple people, but not both.

You may access the registered version of NoICE through a network, provided that you have obtained individual licenses for the software covering all computers that will access the software through the network. For instance, if 8 different computers will access NoICE on the network, each computer must have its own NoICE license, regardless of whether they use NoICE at different times or concurrently.

Disclaimer of Warranty

THIS SOFTWARE AND THE ACCOMPANYING FILES ARE SOLD "AS IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OR MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. Because of the various hardware and software environments into which NoICE may be put, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED.

Good data processing procedure dictates that any program be thoroughly tested with non-critical data before relying on it. The user must assume the entire risk of using the program. ANY LIABILITY OF THE SELLER WILL BE LIMITED EXCLUSIVELY TO PRODUCT REPLACEMENT OR REFUND OF PURCHASE PRICE.


Support and Purchase Information

If you find a bug, have a question, or would like to suggest an enhancement, please contact us via e-mail at noice@noicedebugger.com

We answer all non-abusive non-spam email, generally within a few days. However, we know of instances where our ISP has blocked valid incoming messages as spam, and of instances where a user's ISP has blocked our replies. Such is life in a time of spam. If you don't receive an answer within a week, please resend your message, possibly from a different e-mail account if you have one.

The most current version of NoICE, including any bug corrections, may always be found on our website at http://www.noicedebugger.com

If you use NoICE, but have not yet registered, please do so now. Your registration includes a free upgrade to any new version of NoICE which may be released within one year of the date of your registration.

Don't be a parasite: if you use it, pay for it! In addition to being the right thing to do, your registration encourages us to continue supporting and improving NoICE. Purchase and registration details maybe found at http://www.noicedebugger.com/register.html

To purchase by credit card, register on-line.

To purchase by PayPal or bank check, please contact us. Checks must be in US dollars, drawn on a US bank. I am sorry, but my bank will not accept Eurocheques.

If you would prefer to pay by bank wire, please contact us.


NoICE (tm) Debugger, Copyright © 2005 by John Hartman

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