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NAME

       amptest - Qualcomm Atheros PLC Test Applet Loader

SYNOPSIS

       amptest [options] [file] [file] [...]

DESCRIPTION

       Download  and  execute  one or more test applets on the local Qualcomm Atheros PLC device.
       An applet is a small firmware image that can be started by the bootloader and that returns
       to  the bootloader when done.  This program is an alternative to program int6ktest but has
       been replaced by program plctest.

       A Qualcomm Atheros firmware image file may contain one or more applets.   Each  applet  is
       preceded  by  a  header  that  specifies  the  image size, load address and start address.
       Program amptest sequentially downloads and executes each applet found in each  image  file
       specified  on  the  command line.  It waits for each applet to complete before downloading
       and executing the next one.  The program terminates once all applets  in  all  files  have
       been executed or some applet fails to complete within 60 seconds.

       Most  applets return to the Bootloader on successful completion so that another applet can
       be downloaded and executed.  This allows applet chains to be executed using  one  command.
       A  chain  may  consist  of  one  file  containing  multiple applets or multiple files each
       containing one applet or any combination of single and multiple applet files.   The  chain
       will  break, after a timeout, if any applet in the chain fails to return to the Bootloader
       in time.  Failure to return in time may be either a good thing or a bad thing depending on
       applet design.

       This  program is part of the Qualcomm Atheros Powerline Toolkit.  See the APT man page for
       an overview and installation instructions.

COMMENTS

       The Qualcomm Atheros Powerline Toolkit contains a set of legacy applets in folder applets.
       These  were  designed  for  use  with  program int6ktest and most will not display console
       messages properly using this program.  A  new  series  of  compatible  applets  are  under
       development and should be available through Atheros Field Application Engineering.

       Assuming  a good set of applets are available, this program is ideal for testing reference
       designs for performance and production units for defects.  Applets  may  become  available
       for  testing  onboard  connections,  memory  integrity  and  noise immunity.  Consult with
       Atheros Field Application Engineering for applet availability.

OPTIONS

       -e     Redirects stderr messages to stdout.  By convention status and error  messages  are
              printed  on  stderr while primary program output is printed on stdout.  This option
              prints all output on stdout in cases where this is desired.

       -i interface
              Select the host Ethernet interface.  All requests are sent via this host  interface
              and  only  reponses  received  via this host interface are recognized.  The default
              interface is  eth1  because  most  people  use  eth0  as  their  principle  network
              connection;  however,  if  environment  string  "PLC"  is  defined  then  it  takes
              precedence over the default interface.  This  option  then  takes  precedence  over
              either default.

       -l     Sequentially  execute  and  re-execute all applets in all files on the command line
              until the program is terminated with ^C.

       -q     Suppresses normal progress and status messages.

       -t milliseconds
              Read timeout in milliseconds.  Values range from 0 through UINT_MAX.  This  is  the
              maximum  time  allowed  for  a  response.   The default is shown in brackets on the
              program menu.

       -v     Print additional information on stdout.  Specifically, this option prints  incoming
              and  outgoing  frames in hexadecimal format on stdout.  Output can be directed to a
              text file for analysis.

       -w seconds
              Application timeout in seconds.  This application will wait this long for an applet
              to  terminate and return to the bootloader before reporting an error and proceeding
              to the next applet.

       -x     Cause the program to exit on the first error instead  of  moving  on  to  the  next
              applet.  Error exits return a non-zero value to the shell.

       -?, --help
              Print  program  help  summary  on  stdout.  This option takes precedence over other
              options on the command line.

       -!, --version
              Print program version information on stdout.  This  option  takes  precedence  over
              other  options  on  the command line.  Use this option when sending screen dumps to
              Atheros Technical Support so that they know exactly  which  version  of  the  Linux
              Toolkit you are using.

ARGUMENTS

       file   The  name of an Atheros image file.  The image file may contain one or more images.
              Each image will be downloaded and executed in turn until all images are executed or
              an image fails to return to the Bootloader within 1 minute for some reason.

EXAMPLES

       The  following  example sequentially downloads then executes each image in file abc.nvm in
       turn.  Each image must  complete  and  return  to  the  bootloader  before  the  next  one
       downloads.  Observe that no device address is needed because Atheros powerline devices use
       address 00:b0:52:00:00:01 when in bootloader mode.

          # amptest abc.nvm

       The following example will sequentially download and  execute  the  images  in  each  file
       abc.nvm, def.nvm and ghi.nvm in turn.

          # amptest abc.nvm def.nvm ghi.nvm

DISCLAIMER

       Atheros image file structure and content is proprietary to Qualcomm Atheros, Ocala FL USA.
       Consequently, public information is not available.  Qualcomm Atheros reserves the right to
       change  file  structure  or  content in future firmware releases without any obligation to
       notify or compensate users of this program.  This program is reserved for use  by  Atheros
       Field  Engineers.   Use  of  this  program  may  void some contractual obligations made by
       Atheros.

SEE ALSO

       APT(1),  chknvm(1),  chknvm2(1),  int6ktest(1),  nvmsplit(1),   nvmmerge(1),   plctest(1),
       setnvm(1)

CREDITS

        Charles Maier