Reference Manual

Turbo PMAC/PMAC2 Software Reference
Turbo PMAC On-line Command Specification 374
MACROSTASCII {station #}
Function: Set port in MACRO pass-through mode
Scope: Global (MACRO Ring Master only)
Syntax: MACROSTASCII{master #}
MACSTA{master #}
where:
 {station #} is a constant in the range 0 to 255 representing the order number of the station on the
ring to whom the communications will be passed. If a 0 is used, subsequent commands will be
broadcast to all masters on the ring. If a 255 is used, subsequent commands will be sent to the next
unordered (station number 0) station on the ring.
This command causes Turbo PMAC to put the port on which it receives this command in a MACRO
master-to-station pass-through mode. In this mode, commands received over this port are not acted on by
this Turbo PMAC. Instead, they are passed on over the MACRO ring to the master or slave station on the
ring with the specified station-order number. Responses are received from the other station over the
MACRO ring and passed back to the host computer over this port.
The main purpose of this mode of communications is to be able to go around the MACRO ring, station by
station, and communicate with each station, even if the normal ring addressing is not set up, not set up
properly, or unknown to the system. This mode of communications, which uses the Type 1 auxiliary
communications protocol, requires V1.936 or newer firmware on all Turbo PMACs on the ring, and
V1.1114 or newer firmware on all MACRO Stations on the ring. Non-Turbo PMACs on the ring will not
respond to commands passed over the ring in this protocol.
A MACROSTASCII255 command will set up communications with the first unordered station (station
order number of 0) on the ring. Query commands can detect information about this station, then a station
order number assigned to this station with the STN={constant} or I85={constant} command.
(Typically, ring-order numbers are given sequentially to stations along the ring, but this is not required.)
Once a station order number is assigned to a station, it will no longer respond to commands given in
MACROSTASCII255 mode, and the next unordered (STN=0) station will respond to these commands
instead.
A MACROSTASCII0 command will broadcast subsequent commands to all stations on the ring. In this
mode, a STN=0 or I85=0 command will unorder all stations on the ring so that they can be isolated one
by one using the above technique. In this mode, no handshaking between boards is possible on broadcast
commands. In this mode, it is strongly suggested that only commands of 6 ASCII characters or less
(including the terminating <CR> character) be used. This mode is intended mainly to re-initialize the
ordering on the ring.
This command can only be given to a Turbo PMAC that is the synchronizing ring master (ring controller)
set up for Type 1 auxiliary communications with Node 14 in broadcast mode. This requires that:
 I79 > 0 (enable master-to-master, recommended I79 = 32)
 I6840 = $4030 (ring controller with Node 14 in broadcast mode)*
 I6841 bit 14 set to 1 (enable Node 14 communications)*
 These values be saved, and the card reset, before this mode can be enabled
* These I-variables are used if MACRO IC 0 is used for this communications, the most common
configuration. If MACRO IC 1 is used, I6890 and I6891 must take these values; for MACRO IC 2, I6940
and I6941; for MACRO IC 3, I6990 and I6991.
On this Turbo PMAC, the commands will be sent out over the MACRO ring through the MACRO IC (0 –
3) whose number is specified by I84. The base address of MACRO IC n is specified by variable I2n.