The AutoMap™ original software is still on some legacy system. It is used as a mapping utility to automatically find the nodes and its associated TPs within a UUT. The AutoMap™ utility allows you to generate a map file without the need for detailed analysis of the UUT or for the UUT manufacturer's connectivity schematic data. AutoMap™ uses the dynamic switching capabilities of the IFD™ TE and the connected DMM to automatically test every point to each and every other connected point while logging the connectivity information as it progresses.
Without AutoMap, the alternative would be to test every test point with respect to each and every other test point in the system, ie TP1 to all test points, then move to TP2 and test to all other test points etc. This is would be extremely impractical, very time-consuming and it could well be prone to errors and variations depending on the number of test points within a UUT.
The selection of the Auto Map function from the Tests form opens the GXY graphic and a text dialog for the currently selected UUT as shown below. Using the TP details added in the Test Point Add/Edit form, AutoMap uses this basic TP data as the basic template for the AutoMap process.
Before the AutoMap process starts, the User will be asked if the 'Existing Nodal Grounds' should be used as a first pass, as they may already have been allocated as part of a previous process. The User will also be given the opportunity to only AutoMap TPs that have not yet been assigned (ie they have been given the default nodal number - 9999 in the Test Point Add/Edit form).
Once the AutoMap process is completed, there is an opportunity to review the proposed Map data found by AutoMap vs the existing Map data held by NODES™, see Auto Map Review.
Potential Nodal Grounds
At the start of the Auto Map process, and if the Use Existing NGs' option is selected, all the potential Nodal Grounds (NG) are shown by Marker coloured yellow. As a NG is established, it is assigned to a unique nodal number and the Marker is then changed to black.
Just because a test point might be nominated as a potential NG and coloured as yellow, that does not mean it is not checked as being a possible Test Point on another NG.
At the start of the Auto Map process all the potential TPs are shown by Marker coloured orange. As a TP is found to be associated with a node, it is assigned to that node and the Marker is then changed to blue.
During the Auto Map process, as well as the GXY status, a text status of progress is also displayed. The text status shows the Node number currently being checked
ie as shown NODE 2 set as NG on : FEMALE-2; for NODE 2, an exhaustive search is then carried out to find all TPs, not already allocated, that are associated with this node.
Once the check has been completed for this Node, the number of TPs found is shown and a list of Nomen of each of the TPs found separated by a semicolon.
This text can be cut and pasted into documents as required.
The User can cancel an Auto Map process at any time during this procedure. There is a delay for this to happen because it will always finish the current NG before the cancel request is actioned. All TP details, associations and results will be lost. Both the GXY and the Text forms will remain on the screen for analyse until they are closed by the User.
