AN1004 - Uploading your SIM's SHIP GUI Load

Uploading your SIM's SHIP GUI Cargo

Installed from the factory on every Serious Integrated Module (SIM) is a version of SHIPEngine, the runtime GUI engine of the Serious Human Interface™ Platform (SHIP). SHIPEngine is a complete GUI management engine, but is not the GUI itself. It requires a data file, called the "cargo" which contains the data for a specific GUI including fonts, text, images, layout, event handlers, etc.

You may want to, at various times, upgrade your SIM's SHIPEngine. See AN1003 - Upgrading your SIM's SHIPEngine Firmware for details on that process.

Creating a GUI Cargo ".car" File

GUI cargos can be created using the SHIPTide GUI Development Tool. Under SHIPTide, use the File->Export Cargo menu item and the GUI project will be compiled down to a single file with the extension ".car".

The .car file (the "cargo") contains everything needed for SHIPEngine on the SIM to render and run your GUI.

You can also download demonstration and example cargo .car files from application notes. As well, the original "factory demo" cargo file can usually be obtained from the documentation area for your SIM, for example SIM110.

Uploading a Cargo to a SIM

There are several ways to upload a .car cargo file to a SIM:

• From within SHIPTide over the USB connection (assuming the appropriate USB driver is installed)
• For production, using the (soon to be released) Serious SHIPCrane OEM Programming Tool
• Over-the-wire, using the (soon to be released) Serious Bridge protocol.

Updating a Cargo from SHIPTide and SHIPCrane

Using SHIPTide or SHIPCrane to update the Cargo on your SIM requires these elements:

• Your SIM!
• A USB cable
• A Windows-based PC (Mac/Linux coming soon)
• The Serious .inf USB drivers for your SIM
• A way to connect to the USB device facility on your SIM

The SIM needs to be connected via its USB device port to the PC. Some SIMs have the USB device port mini-B connector installed. The SIM110-A00, SIM110-A01, and SIM110-A02 for example, all have the USB device connector installed. However the SIM110-A03 and -A04 variants, while they do have the USB device circuitry, do not have the USB mini-B connector installed to keep the price of these modules down for OEMs that do not need this in the production installed environment. On SIMs without the USB device connector, you'll need the appropriate (inexpensive) corresponding Serious Programming Adapter which exposes the USB device circuitry on a connector. For example, the SIM110-A03 can have its USB device port exposed using the SPA100 Serious Programming Adapter.

In order for the PC's USB port to communicate with the SIM, a driver needs to be installed. See each individual SIM's documentation are for this download: for example, the SIM110 area for the SIM110.

On the current version of SHIPTide and SHIPEngine, this driver is a COM port "Serial over USB" (or, technically a "CDC Class") driver. An upcoming transition to a custom driver is expected in Q2'2013 which will add significant new capabilities and features, including the ability to update SHIPEngine and more on the SIM directly from SHIPTide and SHIPCrane.

If you're having troubles connecting with your SIM, check your Windows Device Manager to make sure the SIM is appearing in the list of COM ports. If not, you need to (re)install the .inf driver for your SIM. SHIPTide and SHIPCrane cannot connect with the SIM unless the driver is correctly installed and operating.

From within SHIPTide, go to the "SIM Connect" tab and choose the COM port for your SIM. Then "Connect" to your SIM. If it connects, you'll see the serial number and SHIPEngine version installed on your SIM.

Then choose "Upload". If you've just exported a cargo from within SHIPTide, the file name for the .car file will already be populated in the upload box. Or you can browse to any other file on your PC and upload that.

The upload process will only take a moment. When complete, the SIM will reboot and the SHIPEngine will find the new GUI and run it.