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This document details the software which needs to be installed on the host computer before taking the tutorial. Depending on the Labs you want to take, you only need to install a subset of the 5 tools described below.

Iar kickstart

This is required for all labs.

IAR is the tool used to program the eZ430-RF2500 boards. The free Kickstart version is limited to compiling 4kB of code.

Ti sensor monitor demo

This is required for all labs because it installs the drivers enabling your computer to talk to the mote.

Sensor Monitor is demo software which provides a graphical interface to the Texas Instruments Sensor Monitor Demo.

  • Download from (External Link) .
  • Follow default installation for Demo Visualizer, Sensor Monitor Installer.exe
  • Store the eZ430-RF2500 Wireless Sensor Monitor IAR Source v1.02 directory on your computer.

Putty

This is required for all labs.

PuTTY is used to read from the serial COM port created by the eZ430-RF2500 board when connected to the host computer.

  • Create folder C:/Program Files/putty/
  • Download (External Link) into that folder.

Xming

This is only used in Lab 5 .

Xming is a Linux-like X server which enables cygwin script to display windows.

  • Download from (External Link) .
  • Follow default install, but choose not to install any SSH client.

Cygwin

This is only used in Lab 5 .

Cygwin is a Linux-in-Windows environment, enabling Linux-like script execu- tion on a Windows machine.

  • Install from (External Link) .
  • Follow default installation. When asked for a Download Site, choose http://www.gtlib.gatech.edu This is a must as GATech's download site contains the python-numpy package we will need. .
  • When packages are listed, click on the button in the upper right corner until obtaining Full. You obtain a list of all installable packages (much like programs in Windows), marked with the word Skip when not installed, or the version number when installed.
  • Using that list, add the following packages. This is done by clicking on the work Skip next to the package name.
    • python : An interactive object-oriented scripting language
    • python-numpy : Python scientific computing module
    • gcc-g++ : C++ compiler
    • gnuplot : A command-line driven interactive function plotting utility
  • Click next several times to finish the installation.

The Python gnuplot extension enables us to visualize data output by the mote connected to the computer. To install it:

  • Open cygwin
  • download gnuplot-py-1.8.zip
  • unzip that file and place folder gnuplot-py-1.8/ within inside folder C:/cygwin/
  • open cygwin
  • type the following lines
    • cd /cygdrive/c/cygwin/
    • python setup.py install
  • open C:/cygwin/lib/python2.5/site-packages/Gnuplot/gp_cygwin.py with WordPad
  • change line default term = 'windows' to default term = 'x11'
  • change line gnuplot command = 'pgnuplot.exe' to gnuplot command = 'gnuplot.exe'

Start menu shortcuts

While not strictly necessary, creating Start Menu shortcuts will make your life easier.
  • Create a folder ezwsn in the Start Menu folder (typically C:/Documents and Settings/All Users/Start Menu/ )
  • in that folder, create shortcuts to the following programs:
    • PuTTY
    • IAR Embedded Workbench
    • XLaunch (part of Xming)
    • cygwin
    • eZ430-RF2500 Sensor Monitor

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Source:  OpenStax, Ezwsn: experimenting with wireless sensor networks using the ez430-rf2500. OpenStax CNX. Apr 26, 2009 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10684/1.10
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