The GDK Manager

When GDK launches, it will immediately listen for hardware requiring an IP address. After five seconds, any hardware that is requesting an IP will be listed under the IP Requests item.

If GDK finds a controller requesting an IP address, double click its row in the displayed table, or select it and click the Assign IP Address button to display the assignment dialog.

Click the Ping Search button to allow GDK to find an available IP address via Ping. The computer adapter's IP address is used as a starting point for the search.

To check a desired address, type in the address and click Ping Search to ensure the IP address is currently unassigned. If a Ping response is received, GDK will find the next available controllers.

To assign the address in the text box to the listed MAC address, click the Assign Address button.

When GDK launches, it will immediately search for hardware. Any hardware that is found will be listed under the Available Controllers item. All available serial ports are also listed.

To search again for available hardware, click the Search button.

To select a controller for use in GDK, double click its row or select one or more addresses from the displayed table and click the Select Controller button.

An exclamation mark next to an IP Address indicates that the controller is not reachable on the network. After assigning IP addresses on Microsoft Windows, a controller is often temporarily unavailable because the ARP/neighbor cache takes several seconds to update. Wait 60 seconds and click the Search button to check again for availability.

Selected Controllers

The Selected Controllers item holds all connections available to GDK's tools. Selected Controllers are chosen from the Available Controllers item. A manual address entry feature is also provided.

Controllers selected in one session persist to the next time GDK launches. See the settings dialog to disable this feature.

Use the Available Controllers item to select controllers from the list of controllers that GDK finds.

Each selected address is displayed as a frame with various user interface elements.

The first element in the frame is a reconnect button. Use this button to reconnect all tools connected to this address. Click the downward arrow for more options including disconnecting and connecting all tools using this address.

The second element in the frame is a printout of the controller name.

To change a connection's name, click the connection name link in blue and enter the new name.

To view additional connection settings, click the More settings button to expand the frame.

The following is a full list of available settings.

• Address edit box. To change the simple address. Use Options for GOpen() switches.
• Direct Connection checkbox. Check this box to connect directly with GDK's libraries instead of connecting through gcaps.
• Options. Set additional GOpen() options. This setting is used for troubleshooting and debugging. Click the Options hyperlink to bring up a browser window with GOpen()'s switches. Note: GDK tools may append further connection options to the options listed here. For example, the Scope adds --subscribe DR so that it receives data records from the hardware.
• Baud Rate. Only present for serial connections.

To remove a selected controller, click the "Remove address" button.

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At the bottom of the Selected Controller item are a number of buttons to operate on the connection.

Use the global connect button to reconnect, connect, and disconnect all tools open in GDK.

To manually add a connection, click the "Add connection manually" button.

To list all selected controllers in a tabular format, click the "List full addresses" button. Note: GDK tools may append connection options to the listed base address. For example, the Scope adds --subscribe DR so that it receives data records from the hardware.

To remove all selected controllers, click the "Remove all selected controllers" button.

Open Tools

The Open Tools item consists of an always-visible, vertical, toolbar for launching new tools, and a drawer item for listing and interacting with the currently open tools and loading saved tool layouts.

Each open tool is displayed as a frame with the following user interface elements.

• A tool icon designating the tool type.
• The name of the connected tool.
• A close button to close the tool.

Clicking on a tool frame will bring the associated GDK tool to the front and provide a visible indicator. This is useful for locating the tool when using many tools in the central stack, docked, popped out, etc.

To close all open tools, click the "Remove all tools" button.

Tool Layouts

The Tool Layouts provides a way to save and load tool layouts.

• Click the load layout button to load the layout currently listed in the menu. Currently open tools will be closed.
• Click the Save current tool layout button to save the currently open tools to a layout. GDK will prompt for a layout name.
• Click the Rename tool layout to change a layout's name. GDK will prompt for a new name.
• Click the Delete tool layout button to remove the listed layout.

By default, GDK will automatically save the tool layout upon exit and will reload it when launched. See the Settings dialog to disable this feature.

Status messages and errors are recorded in the log.

To clear all log messages, click the "Clear log messages" button.

To copy all log messages to the clipboard, click the "Copy log to clipboard" button. The log is copied in CSV format suitable for import into spreadsheets, etc.

Tool Errors

When tools generate errors, an error indicator will be shown to the right of the connection link button at the top left corner of the tool. Click the error icon to view and clear the error(s). Errors are automatically cleared when the tool is connected.