Feature request Logic Analyzer instrument

[leonvs]

Sometimes I see surveys about certain aspects of the different features offered by the Digilent Equipment. I notice that most of them focus on all analog capabilities. Of course important, but one of the instruments I personally value most is the Logic Analyzer.

For the Logic Analyzer I would like to suggest to enhance the trigger capabilities. Currently these are quite limited. What I am really missing are combinations of events leading to a trigger. What I am thinking of are trigger capabilities like:

• Signal A is high for a certain amount of time followed by a specific edge on signal B.
• Signal A occurs n times followed by a specific value on a bus.
• ...

I think certain conditions can be created using the ROM logic in the pattern generator but to my knowledge using this feature will not allow to also use time or counting as part of the conditional triggering.

As an example of advanced triggering capabilities, below I share the setup dialog of a competing logic analyzer which offers these advanced trigger capabilities. This dialog is quite self explanatory. Two trigger events can be defined where relations between these events can be setup to lead to the 'final' trigger.

Adding more advanced trigger capabilities would make the Logic Analyzer much more usable for me and I am curious what other users and the Digilent development team think of this.

 

[attila]

Hi @leonvs

Thank you for the feedback.

Unfortunately, I don't know when such options will be added.

[Bob Schrum]

On 5/29/2023 at 3:54 AM, attila said:

Hi @leonvs

Thank you for the feedback.

Unfortunately, I don't know when such options will be added.

This would make Digital Discovery tremendously more valuable in analyzing bus traffic destined for a specific device.  Could this be done with a script and if so, is there a similar example?  In my case, I need Waveforms to wait for a 16-bit address bus to be in the range of E040h to E07Fh before starting to capture, then once the address bus falls outside the range to pause capture.    To filter exported data after the fact is much too impractical.

Lacking that, is there a way to start and pause capture based on the logic level on a single pin's transition?  (on falling edge, start recording with 10uS precapture, then on rising edge, pause recording capturing 10uS beyond.)   Again, examples of such script would be wonderful!

[PaulGlass]

Checking on this feature request…I also think this addition would be a huge improvement to an already excellent tool. Any further thoughts on when something like this might be available? Even a simple clock qualifier function would be helpful.

[attila]

Hi @PaulGlass

For clock qualifier you could use trigger level + edge.
The bus interpreter has clock, enable, delay options.

Click on Protocol with Ctrl key to reveal the advanced trigger which is only documented in the SDK manual. To have examples, first configure a standard trigger (for protocol, pulse...) then open the advanced editor.

[PaulGlass]

Thanks @attila,

This looks like it will do what I need. I don't find any reference to these trigger settings in the SDK manual. Can you provide a pointer to where it might be?

Cheers,

Paul

[attila]

Hi @PaulGlass

Could you explain what trigger condition you need ?