Getting started

Getting the files

Clone the repository

Generate the Visual Studio project files by running protobuild.exe

Writing a decoder

• Open the solution
  • On Windows, this is done by double-clicking the .sln file, which was generated by protobuild in the previous step
• Add your own Class library project, i.e. MyDecoders.
  • In Visual Studio, this is done by right-clicking your solution (top line in the Solution Explorer at the top-right of your screen) and selecting Add -> New Project
  • In the forthcoming dialog, make sure Visual C# is selected on the left, which should allow you to select Class Library on the right
  • Give a meaningful name (eg MyDecoders) to you class, using the Name field at the bottom of the dialog.
• Add the following references:

1. LabNationInterfaces
2. System.ComponentModel.Composition
   • In your solution explorer at the top-right of your screen, find your newly added project (eg MyDecoders) and right-click on the References entry underneath it. Select Add Reference.
   • Go to Solutions -> Projects to find the first reference
     • Make sure you put a tick before the assembly, or it will not be added!
   • Go to Assemblies for the second one
   • Verify that these 2 newly added references have been added to the list of References of the MyDeocders project!

• Last but not least, write your decoder

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel.Composition;
using System.Linq;
using LabNation.Interfaces;

namespace LabNation.Decoders
{
    [Export(typeof(IDecoder))]
    public class DecoderI2C : IDecoder
    {
        public DecoderDescription Description
        {
            get
            {
                return new DecoderDescription()
                {
                    Name = "Joy decoder",
                    ShortName = "Joy",
                    Author = "J. Lajoie",
                    VersionMajor = 0,
                    VersionMinor = 1,
                    Description = "A simple decoder to decode the joy in bits",
                    InputWaveformTypes = new Dictionary<string, Type>() 
                    {
                        { "Bit 0", typeof(bool)},
                        { "Bit 1", typeof(bool)},
                    },
                    Parameters = null
                };
            }
        }

        public DecoderOutput[] Decode(Dictionary<string, Array> inputWaveforms, Dictionary<string, object> parameters, double samplePeriod)
        {
            bool[] B0 = (bool[])inputWaveforms["Bit 0"];
            bool[] B1 = (bool[])inputWaveforms["Bit 1"];

            List<DecoderOutput> decoderOutputList = new List<DecoderOutput>();

            int lastUsedIndex = 0;
            for(int i = 1; i < B0.Length; i++)
            {
                DecoderOutput d = null;
                if(B0[i] != B0[lastUsedIndex] && B1[i] != B1[lastUsedIndex]) 
                    d = new DecoderOutputEvent(lastUsedIndex, i, DecoderOutputColor.Blue, "Both changed!");
                else if (B0[i] != B0[lastUsedIndex] && B1[i] == B1[lastUsedIndex])
                    d = new DecoderOutputEvent(lastUsedIndex, i, DecoderOutputColor.Yellow, "B0 changed!");
                else if (B0[i] == B0[lastUsedIndex] && B1[i] != B1[lastUsedIndex])
                    d = new DecoderOutputEvent(lastUsedIndex, i, DecoderOutputColor.Red, "B1 changed!");
                if (d != null)
                {
                    decoderOutputList.Add(d);
                    lastUsedIndex = d.EndIndex;
                }
            }

            return decoderOutputList.ToArray();
        }
    }
}

Build and use

Build the project

Copy the output DLL from the build directory (i.e. ./MyDecoders/bin/Debug/MyDecoders.dll) to <My Documents>/LabNation/Plugins

Restart the SmartScope app and enjoy your decoder

DLL location

Our approach allows a DLL file compiled on any platform, to be used on any other platform. So a DLL file compiled on Windows can be used on iOS. Just make sure the DLL is placed in the correct folder, listed below:

Platform	Path
Mac	/Users/<username>/LabNation/Plugins
Linux	~/LabNation/Plugins
Windows	<My Documents>/LabNation/Plugins
Android	<sd-card>/LabNation/Plugins
iOS	See section below regarding DropBox

Fetch DLL over DropBox

For all platforms, you can access a DLL file over DropBox. To do so, in the app go to Menu -> Add decoder -> Fetch from dropbox. If never done before, this will authenticate to DropBox and create all folders required. Next, on your PC you can save the DLL file to \Dropbox\Apps\LabNation SmartScope\Plugins. All DLL files you place here can now be accessed from all your devices over dropbox!