PC commands for the Shooting Chrony

masseyman

Inactive
Since I didn't see it anywhere else on here I thought I would post some info for those who want to make their own Shooting Chrony cable.

I followed this guy's instructions and it worked perfectly.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/thread/1307299784/Chrony+PC+Interface+Cable+for+USB


However, the commands for controlling the Shooting Chrony were lacking so I set out to find more, and I did. After getting a few of the basic commands from the web I decided to try and find the rest. I believe I have found at least 90% of them.

******** WARNING *********
Technical jargon!! What follows is for the PC gurus who can work their way around a PC.

After you create, or if you already have, the PC cable. Plug it in and fire up you favorite Serial Port Terminal program. For those still on Windows XP, HyperTerminal works fine. If you like me, on Windows 7, I use Realterm and Putty.
Find the COM port of you Serial connection and set your settings to;
Baud = 4800
Data Bits = 8
Parity = None
Stop bits = 1
Flow control = None

After that is set in your terminal program, turn on the Chrony and you will see.
Shooting Chrony, V6.03i,25/DEC/1999,0Fe-003C-1
If not, try turning it off, unplug from the Chrony, plug it back in and try again.
One you see the Chrony info, you're ready to go.

This web site gave me the basic commands;
http://www.noplabs.com/chrony/protocol.html

Here are the rest of them I found the hard way;


SYS* * = can be any character. Enter PC mode.



SYS commands

X.ALO - Verify connection (Hello are you there)
X.CPY - Copy current string to working memory (RAM)
X.DEC - Decrease current string by one
X.END - END PC Communication, return to ready state
X.GEE - Get EEprom memory
X.GRM - Get working memory (RAM)
X.HXB - Move back one HEX page and display
X.HXD - Dump (display) current HEX page
X.HXF - Move forward one HEX page and display
X.INC - Increase current string by one
X.RUN - Change/configure settings (see X.RUN commands)



X.RUN commands
these are sent after a X.RUN and the commands can be combined with the X.RUN (i.e. X.RUNX.KLR)
X.RUN gives a "}" prompt, and awaits a RUN command, system returns to "0:rdy" after each RUN command.

X.ALO - Verify Connection
X.BUT - Reset (as if you turned the power switch OFF then ON)
X.CL{} - Clear system setting ( {} = 0 - F ) (see settings configuration)
X.DEL - Delete all strings -note: the working memory is still available until the next command is sent then it is deleted.
X.H{}{} - Move through HEX pages - {} = 0 - F
X.KLR - Return settings to factory default - clear all settings
X.Q{}{} - Generate test shots for current string - {} = 0 - F (See generating test shots)
X.RS{} - Set the String Size (Record Size) (See Setting Record Size)
X.SDL - Delete current string only
X.SE{} - Set system setting - {} = 0 - F (See settings configuration)
X.TN{} - Generate tests shots after X.END (See generating test shots)
X.TX{} - Generate (record size) test shots (See generating test shots)
X.UPD - Clear system settings 1,2,3,11,12,13,14 (See settings configuration)
X.WE0 - Info about current string (String # and Number of shots in string)
X.ZAP - Clear working memory (RAM)



Settings Configuration
These commands are used to set the "Switchable Program Functions"

After a X.QRY the systems displays;

Shooting Chrony, V6.03i,25/DEC/1999,0Fe-003C-1
Len=12.000-in Fre=12.000-MHz OSt=98304
System: 00000000+00000000
FreeMem, 0004nf
Strings, 0002nf
Current, 0003nf
RecSize, 0010nf

The "System:00000000+00000000" shows what "Switchable Program functions" are set at.
Refer to the Manual for definitions on these settings.
All "0" Zeros is factory defaults. A setting is either "0" - default or "1" - alternate settings.



There are 8 bits seperated by a "+" then another 8 bits for a total of 16. Each bit is a particular setting. Each Bit is refrenced by its binary number (0 - F - 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D,E,F is 16)

Bit 0 - Feet/Meters - 0=Feet 1=Meters
Bit 1 - Photocell ON/OFF 0=ON 1=OFF
Bit 2 - Photocell Automatic/Manual 0=Auto 1=Manual
Bit 3 - Alarms Enable/Disable 0=Enable 1=Disable
Bit 4 - Linear/Circular mode 0=Linear 1=Circular
Bit 5 - Stats in Velocity/Time 0=Velocity 1=Time
Bit 6 - Store Velocity only or Velocity & Time 0=Vel only 1=Vel&Time
Bit 7 - Slow/Fast fire mode 0=Slow Fire 1=Fast Fire
Bit 8 - Manual/Auto Save 0=Manual save 1=Auto save
Bit 9 - Master/Slave PC link 0=Master 1=Slave
Bit A - When set to 1, will generate test shots after a X.END (X.TN0)
Bit B - (not sure yet)
Bit C - Flashes the (EP) save settings code after X.END
Bit D - Flashes the (LB) low battery code after X.END
Bit E - Flashes the (SO) lost data code after X.END
Bit F - Flashes the (LN) string full code after X.END

These can be set or cleared with X.SE* or X.CL*
X.SE* - Set the bit to “1”
X.CL* - Set the bit to “0”
S.UPD - Set Bits 1,2,3,11,12,13,14 to “0”
X.KLR - Set all bits to “0”



Generating Test Shots
The run commands X.Q** X.TN* and X.TX* are used to generate test shots.
Speeds are 50/100/200/500/1000/2000/3000/4000/5000/6000
0=50, 1=100, 2=200, 3=500... and so forth.

X.Q** - This will generate immediate test shots. The first Character after the "Q" is the Speed of the test shots, the second character is the number of test shots. (i.e. X.Q35 will generate 5 test shots at a speed of 500 fs.

X.TN* - This will generate test shots after a X.END. The "*" is the speed. (i.e. X.TN7 will generate test shots at a speed of 3000 until the string record size is full.

X.TX* - This will generate immediate test shots until the string record size is full. The "*" is the speed of the test shots.



Setting Record Size (String Size)
The "RecSize, 0010nf" shows the current Record Size (String size). This can be changed with the RUN command X.RS*. The memory size will change with the record size.
Record Sizes (String Sizes) are 4 - 32 at 2 shot increments.



X.RS* - Record Size. "*" is 0 - F

0=4 1=6 2=8 3=10 4=12 5=14 6=16 7=18 8=20 9=22 A=24 B=26 C=28 D=30 E=32 F=10

That's all for now. It makes controlling the Chrony from the bench while connected to a laptop much easier. I like setting Bit 8 "Auto save" to auto, that way it goes to the next string after the one I'm on is full without having to hit the "ST" button.
 
Last edited:
Regarding the broken link: look at the address after you've clicked into it; put a colon ( : ) after the first p (http: ) and then try it.
 
Sorry about the link in the original post, fixed it. I should have checked it after posting.

After you get the parts, making the cable is easy.

I forgot to post the info about the software called "ChronoConnect"
The free version works well with the Chrony.
http://www.chronoconnect.com/

I use ChronoConnect to capture the data and then import it into Excel.
I then use an Excel template that has the correct formulas to give me Standard Deviation, Average Velocity, Extreme Spread, and FT LB's of force.

At the indoor range, after I setup the Chrony, I don't have to pass the firing line again to control the Chrony.
 
A little late to the thread but anyways. I connected my chrony, and using Putty got the "Shooting Chrony, V6.03i,25/DEC/1999,0Fe-003C-1"
message but after that I can't seem to input any commands. I tried hyperterminal and realterm but those didnt work either. Any ideas?
 
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