Suggestion: Allow Propeller Tool to Open and Enable PST on specific COMx port

[JonMcPhalen]

Many tools, including a couple used at Parallax, will automatically open and enable the terminal. It would be nice if Propeller Tool could set the COMx port and Enable status after opening PST (similar to the terminal behavior of SimpleIDE).

[PropGit]

This has also been requested by P2 user, "Ted."

[PropGit]

Things to consider:

• Having this be fully automatic is not practical since P1/P2 code doesn't have a key command/object keyword to trigger from; P1 could be using any number of serial objects (including/in-addition-to the PST object) and P2 is the same with the addition of DEBUG() which is set to open debugging displays. The latter has some use with PST and could serve as an user option.
• Noting the above, a potential solution is:
  • Relying on developer to initially open PST manually (with F12 or otherwise) and enhancing to communicate with Propeller Tool (message passing) so that the "automatic" behavior is that Propeller Tool tells the already-running PST to open the port that was just downloaded-to, but if PST isn't already open, nothing out of the ordinary would happen. As long as the developer keeps PST open, Propeller Tool can coordinate the port use to make this flow smooth for further downloads. This method also means the automatic feature doesn't usually get in the way of code with DEBUG()s without the developer knowing or intending it to.
  • Adding an additional shortcut key / menu option (like CTRL+SHIFT+F10) that compiles, downloads and opens PST plus does the above-mentioned coordination as needed.
  • Should Propeller Tool automatically prevent the display of the textual Debug window if PST is open and automatically connected after fresh P2 download? This would allow a user to optionally use PST for all the textual DEBUG() statements while still supporting the graphical Debug windows.
  • This would actually require Propeller Tool to receive the data and feed PST manually (instead of feeding the textual Debug window) - requiring a further enhancement of PST

[JonMcPhalen]

Given that request is 16 months old and Parallax has stopped further development of Propeller Tool, it's moot at this point.