I bit the bullet. I have been using Claude Code to develop microcontroller firmware for about 2-3 months with great satisfaction.
Many moons ago I wrote a piece of code to download waveforms from a Tektronix oscilloscope to a PC under VB 6.0.
That worked well enough until VB 6.0 stopped working under Windows 10/11.
So yesterday after work I fed the old VB code into Claude and asked it to make it into a B4J application.
I did prune the less useful features. It was more of an exercise than something I really needed but in about 2 hours time, it was working.
I had to create the layout file, but Claude told me exactly the elements I needed, I just had to put them on the screen where I wanted them.
There were a handful of syntax errors, not unexpected considering the relatively small code base for B4J, but surprisingly few and I did not fix them, I just told Claude what was wrong.
The original application did not support the TDS3000 Series, so I had to find out the few differences.
Overall I am quite impressed.
The code and comments below are pretty much 100% Claude. I wrote very little code myself, I mostly told Claude what I needed.
Many moons ago I wrote a piece of code to download waveforms from a Tektronix oscilloscope to a PC under VB 6.0.
That worked well enough until VB 6.0 stopped working under Windows 10/11.
So yesterday after work I fed the old VB code into Claude and asked it to make it into a B4J application.
I did prune the less useful features. It was more of an exercise than something I really needed but in about 2 hours time, it was working.
I had to create the layout file, but Claude told me exactly the elements I needed, I just had to put them on the screen where I wanted them.
There were a handful of syntax errors, not unexpected considering the relatively small code base for B4J, but surprisingly few and I did not fix them, I just told Claude what was wrong.
The original application did not support the TDS3000 Series, so I had to find out the few differences.
Overall I am quite impressed.
The code and comments below are pretty much 100% Claude. I wrote very little code myself, I mostly told Claude what I needed.
B4X:
#Region Project Attributes
#MainFormWidth: 680
#MainFormHeight: 780
#End Region
' ============================================================================
' TDS2xxDump - B4J conversion (bitmap screen-dump path only; waveform plotting
' dropped per requirements). Converted from the original VB6 project.
'
' ASSUMPTIONS / THINGS TO VERIFY (flagged, not silently guessed):
' 1. UI layout: this code assumes a Designer layout file "Main" containing the
' nodes listed in the "REQUIRED DESIGNER LAYOUT" comment block below, with
' those EXACT names. You'll need to build that layout yourself in the B4J
' Designer (I can't reliably hand you a working .fxml sight-unseen).
' 2. Save/Open dialogs use B4J's built-in FileChooser type (confirmed against
' the official jfx.html docs: Initialize/SetExtensionFilter/ShowOpen/ShowSave).
' 3. Baud rate / model selection: mapped VB6's mnTDS2xx/mnTDS2xxx menu choice
' to two RadioButtons (rbTDS210, rbTDS2014) in the same ToggleGroup, per
' your own jSerial example's UI pattern (label+listview) adapted to radio
' buttons since there are only two choices here. A third, rbTDS3014, was
' added later for the TDS3014 (not supported by the original VB6 code).
' 4. Expected BMP sizes: 38464 (TDS210/220) and 27250 (TDS2014) bytes are
' carried over verbatim from your VB6 comments, unverified independently.
' 308278 bytes for the TDS3014 (color hardcopy) came from your own
' measurement against real hardware.
' ============================================================================
Sub Process_Globals
Private fx As JFX
Private MainForm As Form
Private MsgBox As Msgboxes
Private bc As ByteConverter
' -- Serial port --
Private sp As Serial
Private AStream As AsyncStreams
Private COMPortName As String
Private cmdTimeoutTimer As Timer
Private msRemaining As Int
' -- Comm state machine --
Private Const MODE_IDLE As Int = 0
Private Const MODE_COMMAND As Int = 1 ' waiting for an LF-terminated text reply
Private Const MODE_BITMAP As Int = 2 ' waiting for raw binary BMP bytes
Private commMode As Int = MODE_IDLE
Private respText As String ' accumulator for MODE_COMMAND
Private bmpBytes As List ' accumulator for MODE_BITMAP (List of Byte)
Private pendingCmdLabel As String ' which command we're waiting on, for the log
Private expectedBMPSize As Int
' -- UI nodes (must exist in the "Main" Designer layout with these names) --
Private lblPort As Label
Private lvPorts As ListView
Private rbTDS210 As RadioButton ' 9600 baud, TDS210/220
Private rbTDS2014 As RadioButton ' 19200 baud, TDS2014
Private rbTDS3014 As RadioButton ' 19200 baud (assumed, see OpenComPort), color hardcopy
Private btnID As Button
Private btnClear As Button
Private btnHardCopy As Button
Private btnDeviceManager As Button
Private pbProgress As ProgressBar
Private lblStatus As Label ' Label1 equivalent
Private lblByteCount As Label ' Label3/Label4 equivalent
Private taLog As TextArea ' Text1 equivalent
Private ivBitmap As ImageView ' Picture1 equivalent
Private mnuBar As MenuBar
Private fc As FileChooser
Private savedBMPData() As Byte ' last captured bitmap, for Save
Private ScopeType As String = ""
End Sub
' ============================================================================
' REQUIRED DESIGNER LAYOUT ("Main")
' Add these nodes via the B4J Designer and set their Name property to match:
' lblPort (Label), lvPorts (ListView, initially Visible=False)
' rbTDS210, rbTDS2014, rbTDS3014 (RadioButton, all same ToggleGroup)
' btnID (Button)
' btnHardCopy (Button), btnDeviceManager (Button)
' pbProgress (ProgressBar)
' lblStatus, lblByteCount (Label)
' taLog (TextArea)
' mnuBar (MenuBar) - leave it empty in the Designer; the File/Help menus and
' their items are built in code (see CreateMenu, called
' from AppStart)
' ============================================================================
Sub AppStart(Form1 As Form, Args() As String)
MainForm = Form1
MainForm.RootPane.LoadLayout("Main")
MainForm.Show
MainForm.Title = "TDS Screen Dump"
sp.Initialize("sp")
cmdTimeoutTimer.Initialize("cmdTimeoutTimer", 100) ' 100ms tick, mirrors VB6 Timer1 (was 50ms)
bmpBytes.Initialize
'lvPorts.Visible = False
rbTDS3014.Selected = True
CreateMenu
RefreshPortList
End Sub
' Builds the File/Help menus in code and attaches them to the mnuBar node
' that already exists in the "Main" Designer layout. EventName ("mnuOpen" etc)
' matches the existing mnuOpen_Action/mnuSave_Action/... subs below, so each
' item routes straight to its own handler with no Select Case needed.
Sub CreateMenu
Dim mFile As Menu
mFile.Initialize("File", "")
Dim miOpen As MenuItem
miOpen.Initialize("Open", "mnuOpen")
mFile.MenuItems.Add(miOpen)
Dim miSave As MenuItem
miSave.Initialize("Save", "mnuSave")
mFile.MenuItems.Add(miSave)
Dim miExit As MenuItem
miExit.Initialize("Exit", "mnuExit")
mFile.MenuItems.Add(miExit)
mnuBar.Menus.Add(mFile)
Dim mHelp As Menu
mHelp.Initialize("Help", "")
Dim miAbout As MenuItem
miAbout.Initialize("About", "mnuAbout")
mHelp.MenuItems.Add(miAbout)
mnuBar.Menus.Add(mHelp)
End Sub
Sub RefreshPortList
lvPorts.Items.Clear
For Each s As String In sp.ListPorts
lvPorts.Items.Add(s)
Next
End Sub
Sub lblPort_MouseClicked(EventData As MouseEvent)
lvPorts.Visible = Not(lvPorts.Visible)
End Sub
Sub lvPorts_SelectedIndexChanged(Index As Int)
If Index > -1 Then
COMPortName = lvPorts.SelectedItem
'lblPort.Text = COMPortName
'lvPorts.Visible = False
End If
End Sub
' -- Opens the port with the settings for the currently selected scope model.
' Returns True on success. Mirrors VB6's OpenComPort().
Sub OpenComPort As Boolean
If COMPortName = "" Then
MsgBox.Show("Select a COM port first", "TDS2xx")
Return False
End If
Try
sp.Close
Catch
Log( LastException )
End Try
Try
sp.Open(COMPortName)
Catch
MsgBox.Show("Error opening port " & COMPortName, "TDS2xx")
Return False
End Try
If rbTDS210.Selected Then
sp.SetParams(9600, 8, 1, 0) ' N,8,1
Else If rbTDS2014.Selected Then
sp.SetParams(19200, 8, 1, 0)
Else If rbTDS3014.Selected Then
sp.SetParams(38400, 8, 1, 0)
End If
AStream.Initialize(sp.GetInputStream, sp.GetOutputStream, "AStream")
Return True
End Sub
Sub CloseComPort
Try
AStream.Close
Catch
Log( LastException )
End Try
Try
sp.Close
Catch
Log( LastException )
End Try
End Sub
' ============================================================================
' Diagnostic SCPI command buttons - all follow the same pattern as VB6's
' cmdCMD_Click / cmdESR_Click / etc: send text + LF, wait (with timeout) for
' an LF-terminated text reply, log it.
' ============================================================================
Sub SendTextCommand(label As String, cmd As String)
Try
AStream.Close
Catch
Log( LastException )
End Try
Try
sp.Close
Catch
Log( LastException )
End Try
If Not(OpenComPort) Then Return
commMode = MODE_COMMAND
respText = ""
pendingCmdLabel = label
AStream.Write((cmd & Chr(10)).GetBytes("UTF8"))
msRemaining = 750 ' matches VB6's 750ms timeout
cmdTimeoutTimer.Enabled = True
End Sub
Sub btnID_Action
SendTextCommand("*IDN?", "*IDN?")
End Sub
Sub btnClear_Action
taLog.Text = ""
End Sub
Sub btnDeviceManager_Action
' Equivalent of VB6's ShellExecute call to launch Device Manager
Dim proc As Shell
proc.Initialize("proc", "cmd", Array As String("/c", "devmgmt.msc"))
proc.Run(-1)
End Sub
' ============================================================================
' HardCopy / bitmap capture - mirrors VB6's BitMapTDS2xx() / BitMapTDS2xxx()
' ============================================================================
Sub btnHardCopy_Action
Try
AStream.Close
Catch
Log( LastException )
End Try
Try
sp.Close
Catch
Log( LastException )
End Try
If Not(OpenComPort) Then Return
bmpBytes.Initialize
lblStatus.Text = "Setting up hardcopy"
pbProgress.Progress = 0
lblByteCount.Text = "0"
btnHardCopy.Text = "Capturing..."
btnHardCopy.Enabled = False
Dim fmtCmd As String
If rbTDS210.Selected Then
expectedBMPSize = 38464
fmtCmd = "HARDC:FORMAT BMP"
Else If rbTDS2014.Selected Then
expectedBMPSize = 27250
fmtCmd = "HARDC:FORMAT BMP"
Else ' rbTDS3014
expectedBMPSize = 308278
fmtCmd = "HARDC:FORMAT BMPColor"
End If
AStream.Write(("HARDC:PORT RS232" & Chr(10)).GetBytes("UTF8"))
AStream.Write((fmtCmd & Chr(10)).GetBytes("UTF8"))
AStream.Write(("HARDC:LAYOUT PORTRAIT" & Chr(10)).GetBytes("UTF8"))
AStream.Write(("HARDC START" & Chr(10)).GetBytes("UTF8"))
commMode = MODE_BITMAP
lblStatus.Text = "Waiting for scope"
msRemaining = 5000 ' VB6 used up to 5000ms initial timeout for the TDS2014 path
cmdTimeoutTimer.Enabled = True
End Sub
Sub FinishBitmapCapture(success As Boolean)
cmdTimeoutTimer.Enabled = False
btnHardCopy.Text = "HardCopy"
btnHardCopy.Enabled = True
commMode = MODE_IDLE
If Not(success) Or bmpBytes.Size = 0 Then
lblStatus.Text = "Received nothing"
MsgBox.Show("Received nothing", "TDS2xx")
Return
End If
savedBMPData = ArrayFromList(bmpBytes)
lblStatus.Text = "Done - " & bmpBytes.Size & " bytes"
Try
Dim jo As JavaObject
jo.InitializeNewInstance("java.io.ByteArrayInputStream", Array(savedBMPData))
Dim bmpStream As InputStream = jo
Dim img As Image
img.Initialize2(bmpStream)
ivBitmap.SetImage(img)
bmpStream.Close
Catch
MsgBox.Show("Received data does not appear to be a valid BMP", "TDS2xx")
End Try
End Sub
' Helper: B4J's List doesn't give you a byte array directly - convert.
Sub ArrayFromList(lst As List) As Byte()
Dim arr(lst.Size) As Byte
For i = 0 To lst.Size - 1
arr(i) = lst.Get(i)
Next
Return arr
End Sub
' ============================================================================
' AsyncStreams event handlers - this replaces VB6's polling
' (Do / DoEvents / InBufferCount) loops with an event-driven model.
' ============================================================================
Sub AStream_NewData(Buffer() As Byte)
Select commMode
Case MODE_COMMAND
respText = respText & bc.StringFromBytes(Buffer, "UTF8")
If respText.EndsWith(Chr(13)) Then
cmdTimeoutTimer.Enabled = False
commMode = MODE_IDLE
AddLog(pendingCmdLabel & " > " & respText)
respText = ""
Else
msRemaining = 750 ' data is still arriving in fragments - keep the watchdog alive
End If
Case MODE_BITMAP
For i = 0 To Buffer.Length - 1
bmpBytes.Add(Buffer(i))
Next
lblByteCount.Text = bmpBytes.Size & "/" & expectedBMPSize
If expectedBMPSize > 0 Then
pbProgress.Progress = bmpBytes.Size / expectedBMPSize
End If
If Left3(lblStatus.Text) <> "Rec" Then lblStatus.Text = "Receiving"
msRemaining = 500 ' safety net only now - normal completion is by byte count below
If bmpBytes.Size >= expectedBMPSize Then
FinishBitmapCapture(True)
End If
End Select
End Sub
Sub Left3(s As String) As String
If s.Length >= 3 Then
Return s.SubString2(0, 3)
Else
Return s
End If
End Sub
Sub AStream_Error
Log("Serial error: " & LastException)
cmdTimeoutTimer.Enabled = False
If commMode = MODE_BITMAP Then
FinishBitmapCapture(False)
Else
commMode = MODE_IDLE
End If
End Sub
Sub AddLog(s As String)
If taLog.Text.Length > 20000 Then
taLog.Text = taLog.Text.SubString(taLog.Text.Length - 15000)
End If
If taLog.Text.Length > 0 Then
taLog.Text = taLog.Text & CRLF & s
Else
taLog.Text = s
End If
End Sub
' -- Timeout watchdog: replaces VB6's TimeOut countdown that ran off Timer1 --
Sub cmdTimeoutTimer_Tick
msRemaining = msRemaining - 100
If msRemaining <= 0 Then
cmdTimeoutTimer.Enabled = False
If commMode = MODE_BITMAP Then
AddLog("Timed out waiting for bitmap data")
FinishBitmapCapture(bmpBytes.Size > 0)
Else If commMode = MODE_COMMAND Then
AddLog(pendingCmdLabel & " > (no response / timeout)")
commMode = MODE_IDLE
End If
End If
End Sub
' ============================================================================
' Menu handlers
' ============================================================================
Sub mnuOpen_Action
fc.Initialize
fc.Title = "Open BMP"
fc.SetExtensionFilter("BMP Files", Array As String("*.bmp"))
Dim path As String = fc.ShowOpen(MainForm)
If path <> "" And File.Exists(File.GetFileParent(path), File.GetName(path)) Then
Dim img As Image
img.Initialize(File.GetFileParent(path), File.GetName(path))
ivBitmap.SetImage(img)
End If
End Sub
Sub mnuSave_Action
If savedBMPData.Length = 0 Then
MsgBox.Show("Nothing captured yet to save", "TDS2xx")
Return
End If
fc.Initialize
fc.Title = "Save BMP"
fc.InitialFileName = ScopeType & ".bmp"
fc.SetExtensionFilter("BMP Files", Array As String("*.bmp"))
Dim path As String = fc.ShowSave(MainForm)
If path <> "" Then
If path.ToLowerCase.EndsWith(".bmp") = False Then path = path & ".bmp"
File.WriteBytes(File.GetFileParent(path), File.GetName(path), savedBMPData)
End If
End Sub
Sub mnuExit_Action
MainForm.Close
End Sub
Sub mnuAbout_Action
MsgBox.Show( _
"Tek TDS2xx, TDS2xxx and TDS30xx Series Screen Dump Utility" & CRLF & _
"Works with TDS200/TDS2000/TPS2000/TDS3000 Series Scopes with" & CRLF & _
"TDS2CM/TDS2CMA/TDS2CMAX/TDS2MM/TDS2MEM options" & CRLF & _
"TDS3000 Series: 38400 bauds," & CRLF & _
"TDS2000 Series: 19200 bauds," & CRLF & _
"TDS200 Series: 9600 bauds" & CRLF & _
"Flow Control: None EOL: LF Parity: None", _
"TDS Screen Dump")
End Sub
Sub MainForm_Closed
CloseComPort
End Sub
Last edited:
