FC6 Datasheet
FC6 Datasheet
FC6 Datasheet
l
e
c
t
r
o
n
i
c
s
y
s
t
e
m
d
e
s
i
g
n
s
o
f
t
w
a
r
e
MATRIX
2
WHAT IS FLOWCODE?
3
WHAT IS FLOWCODE?
WHAT IS FLOWCODE?
Flowcode software allows you to develop complex electronic
and electromechanical systems with ease.
Flowcode software allows you to quickly and easily develop
complex electronic and electromechanical systems. The
graphical programming tool allows even those with little
experience to develop complex electronic systems in minutes.
Flowcode is one of the worlds most advanced environments
for electronic and electromechanical system development.
Engineers use Flowcode to develop systems for control and
measurement based on microcontrollers, on rugged industrial
interfaces or on Windows compatible personal computers.
A 2D and 3D graphical development interface allows students
to construct a complete electronic system on-screen, develop a
program based on standard fowcharts, simulate the system and
then produce hex code for PICmicro microcontrollers, dsPIC
and PIC24 microcontrollers, AVR and Arduino microcontrollers,
and ARM microcontrollers.
Flowcode version 6 has a number of new developments which
come together to create a software package which is amongst
the best of its kind in the world. Flowcode is aimed at the 16 +
market.
Development of Flowcode SE has now also given the ability for
those aged 14-16 to learn about the development of complex
electronic and electromechanical systems. See more on page
87.
Flowcode is available in around 20 languages and is used by
thousands of engineers and educators.
Based on fowcharts - minimal programming experience is
required.
Open architecture - all aspects of Flowcode are fully
customisable for your projects.
Fully supported - with online tutorials, documentation and
an active online community.
Transfer your design - easily between Windows, PICmicro,
AVR, Arduino and ARM.
Improved simulation:
Flowcode V6 has improved its simulation, making system design easier
and faster.
3D graphics engine:
Extend your design to include electromechanical components and
systems.
New test features:
The new test features in Flowcode V6 allow users to verify and record a
system under test.
Component creation:
Users can create their own components for more realistic system design
and simulation.
4
ADVANTAGES OF USING FLOWCODE
Microcontroller compiler and PC interpreter together make
the design process easier.
Focus on three technologies facilitates a systems level design
which makes the design process easier.
Sensors
Signal processing
Drive systems
Actuators
Mechanisms
Ergonomics
Data manipulation
Communications
User interface
Flowcode software is based on standard fowchart symbols.
Flowchart icons can be compiled to a microcontroller and can be
executed on a Windows PC. The PC-side software in Flowcode
includes a full suite of Windows commands for mathematics,
controlling graphics on the monitor, communications via
Ethernet etc. In fact Flowcode 6 now includes a full Windows
programming language as well as a microcontroller compiler.
This PC-side and chip-side functionality makes Flowcode really
powerful:
Complex systems can be designed and simulated before
chip-side compilation which saves design time.
In-Circuit-Test data can be linked to simulations to show
system performance at run-time which proves designs
function properly.
Programs can be deployed on a microcontroller or a
Windows PC.
For example: GPS data from microcontroller In-Circuit-Test is
processed by PC-side software into a human friendly format
so that system design can be verifed.
Flowcodes PC-side and chip-side features focus on Electronics,
Informatiocs and Mechanics which give Flowcode several
advantages over other microcontroller compilers:
Program design takes place at a system level rather than at
a chip level.
Program design time is shortened and made easier.
Programs for microcontrollers can be linked to PC side data
fles during design time.
Data decoding algorithms can be tested at the same time
as control programs are developed.
For example: During the design phase mock streams of serial
digital data can be injected into a simulation so that decoding
algorithms can be tested before compilation to chip.
5
FLOWCODE OVERVIEW
Project explorer - instantly see all the ports, macros,
variables, constants and components in your project.
2
Icon tool bar - drag and drop standard fowchart
icons onto your fowchart. Click to edit properties for
a syntax-correct program
1
Component tool bar - choose your electromechanical
component from our large library of parts; from simple
switch to Bluetooth module.
5
C code program - monitor the C code equivalent
of your fowchart; as fast, syntax correct code is
generated automatically on a per icon basis.
3
Flowchart program - drag, drop and edit standard
fowchart icons to create a program. Design fowchart
macros that can be called from other icons. Use
Flowcodes powerful PC-side language to control external
instruments, and monitor your systems
6
6 5 3 2 1
Control tool bar - use the standard tool bar for editing
your program and also for stimulating your program
and running In-Circuit-Debug / Test.
4
4
Properties editor - see and edit the properties of all
components.
7
7
Component debug - see the API calls in your program
and component design.
8
8
Icon list window - for search results, error messages,
breakpoints and bookmarks.
9
9
Analogue window - see the state of the analogue
inputs in your design.
10
System panel - design your system using the multi-
view system panel. Use of-the-shelf electromechanical
components or design your own. Import your model
from a program like Sketchup or Solidworks.
11
10
11
Dashboard panel - control and monitor your program
in simulation and In-Circuit-Test. Write programs
using simulation API commands to show real world
equivalents of your data in human-friendly formats.
12
12
Scope window - use the scope window to show time-
varying signals in your system. Link the scope to
simulation data or real data during In-Circuit-test.
13
13
Chip - use the chip window to view and control the
status of the inputs and outputs on your chip in
simulation and In-Circuit-Test.
14
14
6
FLOWCODE DESIGN FLOW
DESIGN SIMULATE
Circuit level.
Design a virtual circuit board with PCB level components that connect to a
virtual microcontroller and develop the program using fowcharts.
Simulate the program and circuit board components to check function using LEDs,
displays to see function and interacting with virtual switches to control the system.
Electromechanical level.
Develop a mechanical system in Solidworks and characterise it for Flowcode.
Develop a fowchart program for control and operational data conditioning.
Simulate the mechanical system, the electronic system and the data decoding
algorithms all in one package.
Systems level.
Develop a mathematical and/or physical model of your system, and develop a
fowchart control program using Flowcode.
Use Flowcode Dashboard objects to simulate system performance in human
friendly graphical format.
7
FLOWCODE DESIGN FLOW
TEST DEPLOY
Download to the microcontroller in the E-blocks development system and use In-
Circuit-Test and Softscope feature to verify operation at pin level. Develop the fnal circuit board and release to market.
Use In-Circuit-Test to test and debug at a pin level. Develop the fnal product, verify operation and release to market.
Link Dashboard objects, Softscope and Console to third party instruments using
DLLs in SCADA fashion to verify performance in real time.
Deploy your system in a control system based on microcontrollers, MIAC
controller or Windows PC linked to third party controllers using DLLs.
8
KEY FEATURES OF
FLOWCODE 6
9
KEY FEATURES OF
FLOWCODE 6
NEW IN VERSION 6
Create your own components - now you can design
your own electronic components and add them
to your component library. You can use simulation
API calls to defne the electrical behaviour and
mechanical behaviour in simulation.
C
O
M
P
O
N
E
N
T
C
R
E
A
T
O
R
S
I
M
U
L
A
T
I
O
N
Component library expansion - the component
library has been expanded considerably to include
many new electronic components and simulation
components. Components can be design and shared
on our website.
System components - in addition to PCB style
components you now have access to panel mounted
switches, meters and siplays for industrial control.
Dashboard HMI components - customise or create
Dashboard components like graphs, dials and
meters to allow you to monitor how your system is
functioning in simulation and In-Circuit-Test.
Close to real time simulation - improvements in
simulation speed means that your simulation works
close to real time which allows you to verify your
design live.
API (Application Programming Interface) - the
powerful API allows control of simulation events
and components providing a wide range of PC-side
functions.
Dashboard HMIs - Human Machine interface
components show your system during simulation
and In-Circuit-Test using intuitive displays including
meters, graphs, oscillograms and tables.
Consoles - use text based consoles to see data
passing around your system: perfect for designing
systems with digital communications.
10
T
E
S
T
M
E
C
H
A
N
I
C
A
L
S
U
P
P
O
R
T
NEW IN VERSION 6
Electromechanical system creation - create
simulations of your model which move in 3D space
under electrical stimulus from a microcontroller and
other components in your system. Use 2D dashboard
controls to monitor your system in real time.
System panel - use the system panel to design
your own simple 3D model. View your design from
diferent angles whilst it simulates.
Laser cutters and 3D printers - create low cost parts
with laser cutters and 3D printers and see the parts
working with your electronics on-screen.
3D design environment - import 3D models and
characterise the movement and simulation using API.
Third party instrument support - access readings
and data from external instruments using DLL
support. Display data with dashboard HMIs or third
party software.
Tight E-blocks integration - use our new EB006 V9
multiprogrammer to monitor every pin on your
PICmicro design and monitor and interpret serial
data I/O using the brand new Ghost Technology.
Dashboard HMI - monitor how your system is
functioning in simulation and In-Circuit-Test. Use
new components like graphs, meters, consoles and
scrolling text boxes to verify your design.
Softscope and Consoles - use Softscope and
Consoles to see data in waveform or textual formats.
Use the API to translate incoming data to hex or ASCII
equivalent. Link Softscope and Consoles to third
party hardware using DLLs to create a full SCADA
system.
11
GHOST TECHNOLOGY
The Ghost chip on our new EB006 PICmicro
Multiprogrammer enables advanced In-Circuit-
Debug features.
Ghost is a PC-side technology
which, when combined with
Flowcode, provides a new
way of debugging electronic
systems.
Ghost technology provides a
real time log of the status of all
the pins on the microcontroller
whilst a Flowcode program is
running on the device. Ghost
data can be viewed on the
Flowcode Softscope at the
same time as the fow chart
simulation. You can run, pause,
and step through, your program and view real-time data at
the same time and view variables, registers and other memory
locations. We call this In-Circuit-Test.
When this data is combined with the PC-side processing
capabilities of Flowcode it provides a very powerful debugging
and learning tool. As an example of this the 5 steps on the
right show how a stream of GPS digital data is gathered from
the E-blocks system and processed into layers of meaningful
information to help the design process.
This saves huge amounts of development time - whether you
are working at a pin level and getting your frst program to
work, or whether you are an advanced user wanting to perform
a sanity check to make sure communications baud rates are set
at the correct speed.
Both analogue and digital data is gathered through Ghost and
displayed on the Flowcode Softscope. For communications
busses decoding overlays for SPI, I2C, and other comms
standards
are available. Ghost data can also be passed to simulation/
SCADA components in Flowcode to provide Human Machine
Interface style debug features.
Ghost is watching you!
Analogue pin data from a PID control system based on E-blocks is gathered by Ghost and displayed
on the Flowcode Softscope.
1
Real-time pin data is logged via USB and displayed on the
Flowcode Softscope window...
2
...an I
2
C overlay is put on top of the trace by PC-side functions, so
you can see the ASCII datastream...
3
...the Flowcode console displays incoming low level ASCII data on
the input tab...
4
...which is decoded to high level data and displayed on the GPS
tab...
5
...a Flowcode component, powered by PC-side software,
transforms the data to show World position, location and speed
of movement in human friendly format.
12
GHOST TECHNOLOGY
Improved Flowcode Data Scope.
The Data Scope allows the user to see the results and values from
raw data and components such as dials and measures. This data
is displayed during simulation and allows you to monitor the
state of the various signals connected to the scope channels.
The Data Scope can read and display data from various diferent
ports simultaneously during simulation and can be adjusted to
view the data at various sample rates which allows for increased
accuracy or a larger amount of data to be displayed at any time.
Recently improved functionality of the Data Scope includes a
more intuitive interface for navigating the data and creating
selections for analysis, with easy to use Pan and Zoom controls
(see highlighted below).
The appearance of the new scope is now confgurable to suit
user preferences, and the user presets can be stored under a
template name.
Here is a simple program to track the values of two analogue input signals (seen in the 3D system panel) and then calculate
and plot the average between the two readings on the Data Scope. As can be seen here the Data Scope has been confgured
to the users requirements to allow for a more tailored outcome and user-friendly view.
13
ARDUINO SUPPORT
Flowcode 6 - Embracing Arduino.
With Flowcode 6.1 we have signifcantly improved the support
we give for Arduino. The Arduino platform has been embraced
worldwide for its fantastic community and afordable hardware.
With Flowcode 6, we have a development environment capable
of taking your Arduino board to places you never thought
possible. Whats more with two brand new Arduino shields
there is now the capability for you to interface between your
Arduino and the vast range of E-blocks we have on ofer.
Flowcode has huge benefts over the software platform and
compiler used by Arduino and this is where users can really
beneft from using the Flowcode environment.
The intuitive, graphical programming style of Flowcode means
that there is an ease-of-development aspect to be gained from
Flowcode. Whether youre looking to pick up programming for
the frst time or youre and experienced engineer developing
complex systems, Flowcode can certainly beneft you.
Flowcode gives you the ability to programme faster than
ever before with pre-set macros for hundreds of built-in
components and the ability for users to further develop their
own components in the software.
Due to popular demand, we have been
working hard to improve out Arduino
support in Flowcode and we now have
two brand new hardware products
aimed at supporting your development
if you still want to use E-blocks boards -
our new Arduino shields.
The EB093 will support the Arduino Nano, Uno, Leonardo, Micro
and Mini ranges.
The EB092 is a brand new Arduino E-blocks shield and will allow
users to also support the Arduino Mega range on top of those
Arduino supported by the EB093.
EB092
EB093
Competitively priced, these boards open up a whole new
range of possibilities for Arduino users. Not only can you now
program using the Flowcode environment but you can also add
our E-blocks boards to your projects for further development.
We would love to hear about your Arduino based projects
developed using Flowcode. If you have some projects youd like
to share with us and the wider Matrix community please do not
hesitate to get in touch with us. We have loads of ways we can
make your project become known throughout the electronics
and programming world.
Flowcode now supports a vast range of Arduino boards
including the Arduino Mega range.
Right: With the introduction of two new E-blocks Arduino
shields, you can program your Arduino easier and in a more
advanced way than ever before whilst interfacing to our
E-blocks platform.
14
SUPPORTED HARDWARE
Flowcode creates hex code for selected
microcontrollers and is compatible with third
party development tools. Flowcode is very
tightly integrated with Matrixs E-blocks boards
which snap together for rapid system development. The
60 blocks in the range provide fully documented reference
designs of a wide range of technologies you can incorporate
into your design; from simple relay circuits to Bluetooth
modules. Matrixs new EB006 V9 PIC multiprogrammer
includes extended pin test functions.
With Flowcode now you can:
Develop a circuit board that controls a wind turbine.
Design a full vehicle habitation system with many control
nodes communicating together.
Make a control system for a mobile bomb disposal robatic
arm.
MECHANICAL SUPPORT
MACHINE BUILDING
Flowcode includes dedicated control and monitoring routines
for Matrixs MIAC range of industrial controllers. MIAC
controllers are modular, networkable and scaleable allowing
engineers to quickly develop machines and connect them to
personal computers, to the internet, to tablet computers, to
third party communications systems and more.
With Flowcode now you can:
Control a hydroelectric power station with networked
MIAC units and monitor it over the internet.
Develop a two wheeled balancing robotic platform and
see live parameters on a tablet using Bluetooth comms.
Build a multi-zone central heating system with online
monitoring and control.
15
SUPPORTED HARDWARE
TEST AND SCADA
Flowcode 6 includes a full API with DLL support. This means
that during simulation and In-Circuit-Test mode you can control
any third party instrument that provides a DLL and develop a
full SCADA system. You can request a sample of data, or you
can use third party software to trigger a set of measurements
and display the results using third party software.
With Flowcode now you can:
Trigger a high specifcation oscilloscope whilst debugging
your microcontroller programme.
Build a full SCADA test rig, control test parameters,
measure and record test results.
Verify the performance of your electromechanical system
using state-of-the-art test gear.
THIRD PARTY PRODUCTS
Flowcode is an open architecture development platform.
Flowcode is compatible with other CAD tools so you can
import circuit board designs and 3D mechanics. Flowcode
produces hex code for microcontrollers which can be used by
third party development tools and chip programmers. DLL
support means that you can incorporate a wide variety of third
party tools into your development system.
With Flowcode now you can:
Use hex generated by Flowcode in any third party
microcontroller development system.
Use third party test gear like Multimeters and PC scopes
via Flowcode DLL commands.
During In-Circuit-Test control a camera via wi-f to monitor
the efects on your remote system.
SCADA = System Control And Data Acquisition
16
FLOWCODE USER CASES
17
FLOWCODE USER CASES
WHO USES FLOWCODE IN EDUCATION?
We use Flowcode and E-Blocks for the last 6 years on the
second year projects. This is a great tool to do the link between
mechanical engineering and computer science. Flowcode
is interesting for us because there is no need to learn a new
language. Students can develop very quickly the link between
E-Blocks and their Android phone. Multiples of 20mm hole
spacing help us to quickly integrate E-blocks in the mechanical
part of the project. A ready to use electronic part can be
produced in 5 weeks only (2 hours/week).
Benoit Pierret
INSA Lyon, France
The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at Arborfeld
in the UK have been using E-blocks and Flowcode since the
preparation for the Digital Battlefeld directive acknowledged
that electronics and computer controlled systems are at the
heart of all defence related activities - from the control systems
in tanks and planes using CAN bus, to equipment tagging
and supply chain management using Radio Frequency
Identifcation (RFID) technology.
UK Armed Forces
Teaching electronics and
embedded systems to 15-
18 year old students in a
technical school near Antwerp in Belgium. We have been
using Flowcode and E-blocks in most of the electronics
courses all over Flanders for the past 8 years. Its a great tool to
put your frst steps in embedded programming and its also great
to do the high level stuf like embedded webservers, Bluetooth
and USB. The excellent and fast support of the Matrix team gives
teachers the necessary confdence to take their projects to the
next level.
Our curriculum is changing from pure electronics to engineering
and I was very pleased to see that Flowcode 6 also evolved in
this way. Students do product-design now FC6 lets them
creatively combine microcontroller circuits with their 3D
mechanical drawings and lets them fully 3D-simulate their
idea at home. They can download the tested code to the actual
hardware the next day in classroom.
The very frst small project we did with FC6 was to develop an
automatic gate with a servo motor that opens automatically
whenever an object breaks the beam. Something we could
use with our model railtrack. The available videolessons and
example programs were enough for our students to get this up
and running in no time.
Bart Huyskens Teachers embedded systems -
St.JozefnstituutSchoten, Belgium.
As the Senior Electrical/Electronic Technician in the Faculty of
Engineering, I fnd that using Flowcode is an invaluable tool,
to clearly convey the Embedded Code to be used in applications
with Microchips 18F4455 & 18F2455 (ECIO Modules). Previously,
the School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering have introduced
students to the Formula Flowcode with the little robot vehicle
at their command. The School of Mechanical Engineering
students build their own buggy designs and I am confdent a
few incorporate Flowcode Modules into their designs.
Matthew Buckley.
Leeds University, UK
18
WHO USES FLOWCODE IN INDUSTRY?
I am very new to Flowcode, but have experience of 9+ years
with another PIC RAD capable program. They have a great
program but unfortunately their user support has become poor
over the years, so fnally decided to review the market and chose
to go with Flowcode V6.
Im very much still coming to grips with Flowcode. But
Flowcharting is very intuitive and the use of supplied and user
generated components is a great idea. The customer and user
support information being given via the forum, blog and Twitter
is just so excellent - timely and constructive.
Well done Matrix on V6 and the efort that has and very
obviously is still going into making V6 a great and very useable
product.
Richard Blick, Telecommunications Engineer
Sargent Electrical LTD
Sargent Electrical Hull, UK, use Flowcode and E-blocks
technology to develop advanced wiring looms and control
systems for camper-vans and caravans.
Sargents latest range of habitation systems interface directly
into the CAN bus of host vehicle chassis to minimise wiring
costs.
They use full colour graphical displays to provide customers
with advanced habitation system control.
Vidulanka PLC
Vidulanka PLC in Sri Lanka uses Flowcode and MIAC
technology as the main control system for small hydroelectric
power stations, which generate up to 800kW.
Flowcode is used to generate programs for up to 4 MIACs,
interconnected by CAN bus which together control wicket
gates, generator voltage, synchronisation and over voltage
trip systems in the generator house and feed data into
a Human Machine Interface (HMI) panel for control and
monitoring the power stations performance
19
FLOWCODE 6 SUPPORT
20
ACADEMIC SUPPORT
Flowcode delivers outcomes not only in professional, industrial
business but also at a number of levels of education. For many
years Flowcode has delivered at further and higher education
levels.
In France, hundreds of further and higher education
establishments use Flowcode to deliver teaching of
electronic system design.
In Flemish Belgium most technical schools use Flowcode
to deliver a combined course in electronics and Mechanics.
Hundreds of 16-18 colleges and Universities in the UK use
Flowcode.
Flowcode is used as an educational product in over 50
countries around the world.
Whats more, Flowcode now delivers for the 14-16 Design &
Technology and Computer Science market in the shape of
Flowcode S.E. With numerous developments in curriculum
over recent years and probable changes on the horizon for
the delivery of D&T and CS teaching, the need for students at
KS4 to understand and have the ability to manipulate coding
techniques and programming of hardware has developed.
Students can use Flowcode for learning programming,
electronic design, robotics, and pneumatics and can link
programs for a range of Matrix hardware systems including
our low cost Prototype and Projects boards, Formula
Flowcode robot, our MIAC and Automatics solutions and
any third party hardware that accepts hex code for the
appropriate microcontroller devices.
A function limited version of Flowcode 6
Develops code for microcontrollers and Windows PCs
Supports selected PIC, AVR, Arduino, dsPIC
microcontrollers
Compatible with many third party microcontroller
development systems.
Links to Solidworks and other 3D design packages
Interfaces to the internet, and many other computer
systems
21
SUPPORT FOR LEARNERS AND TRAINERS
Flowcode 6 is very well supported. Complete beginners will
fnd our free online courses great for covering the basics of
developing electronic systems. Experts will fnd our examples,
manuals and hardware module datasheets online invaluable.
All users will value the support ofered by our engineers,
valued contributors, and extended online community.
Online help and videos
Flowcode 6 connects to an online web help portal, which
allows users to quickly gain access to the vast array of
resources available online. This includes a full suite of
extensive and informative training videos covering many
aspects of Flowcode: from beginner tutorials to advanced
tips and tricks.
Online courses
On the Matrix website you will fnd a number of free web based
courseware applications which cover not only the Flowcode
basics, but also the fundamentals of microcontrollers and
how they are used in electronic systems.
Tutorial manuals and books
In addition to the online courses, a number of manuals for
advanced topics such as Bluetooth, USB and ZigBee are also
available for purchase from the Matrix website.
Flowcode is also supported by a range of third party books.
22
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
The growing number of industrial users with Flowcode 6
means we have now developed a range of professional
support services designed to meet your needs as a working
organisation. They include:
Flowcode 6 customer support
Our support processes are focused at all times on providing
you with a responsive and cost-efective service, while
maintaining or improving the quality of the product.
To maximize support efciency and software quality, we
ensure that the developers who originally wrote the code
are involved with support activities as much as possible.
Fortunately our extremely committed and knowledgeable
staf are also users of our solutions in their own time. As
such, they can totally empathise with the demands of our
customers.
Our goal is to ensure your satisfaction each time you need to
contact us for support by:
Responding to your requests with targeted
guidelines.
Providing ongoing communication regarding your
problem status through problem resolution.
Taking ownership of your request for support.
Providing a defned escalation process when
management assistance is needed.
Maintaining our commitment to continuous
improvement of our service process.
Flowcode 6 and electronic design
Our purpose in ofering this service is to allow our industrial
customers to reduce their time to market for their solutions.
The extended services ofering from Matrix allows Flowcode
6 customers the ability to subcontract specifc pieces of work
within the development cycle to the development team at
Matrix. The basis for this is that an agreed amount of work
per quarter (within limits) is blocked in the diaries of Matrix
developers and allows the customer the fexibility when to
call this work of.
The extended service process:
Quarterly workloads agreed to create a bad of hours
(with auto fex of 25% carry over/pull forward with
following quarter).
Single invoice management on both parties reduce
administration costs.
Single point of contract for Project Management of
work.
Start of work commitment within agreed SLAs.
Monthly timesheets to communicate consumption
against the bag of hours agreed.
Preferential consultancy rates for the bag of hours
agreed.
Ability to use these hours for a broad range of
tasks (required skills to be agreed within Matrix
competencies).
Accelerator
Our Accelerator Package is designed to help you gain
the benefts of a world class Integrated Development
Environment in the shortest possible time.
To achieve this we combine the powers of Flowcode 6 along
with our Professional Services team. We take on the work of
installing the software to our best practice recommendation,
then we train you in a dedicated course for your team to get
you through to an intermediate level of performance within
2 days.
In addition, we provide a further 8 hours of remote telephone
support to your team to ensure your team do not feel left on
their own!
The accelerator pack:
Installation of 5 seats of Flowcode 6 Professional,
including 1 Chip Pack.
Dedicated Introduction to Flowcode 6 course.
Dedicated 4 hours of training that is determined by
you.
8 hours of telephone support by our Extended
Services team.
12 months of Customer Support Agreement.
20% discount on additional Extended Services hours.
For more information of Professional Services, please contact
Liam Walton at Matrix TSL - liam.walton@matrixtsl.com
23
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
There are more than 20,000 Flowcode users in our growing
interconnected community. We encourage all users, from
students through to industrial engineers in large multinational
companies, to ask questions, seek support for projects and
share ideas.
Example projects
In addition to the examples we have prepared for Flowcode
6, there are also thousands of user-contributed programs
available on our website and on third party websites.
Learning Centre
Our Learning Centre has more than 700 resources including
examples, datasheets, drivers, circuits, articles, videos and
software downloads. This amazing resource is free to all
registered users.
Forum and FAQ centre
If you have questions or technical problems with Flowcode
then you will fnd our community eager to help. All users
can view our forum. Only registered users can make posts.
Take a look yourself and see how good our support is.
Further examples, support and useful information can be
found on our blog at www.matrixtsl.com/blog or by visiting
our Twitter account @MatrixTSL
24
LANGUAGE SUPPORT
Flowcode 6 is available in the following languages:
ENGLISH GERMAN FRENCH
FINNISH
GREEK
HUNGARIAN
ITALIAN
JAPANESE
DUTCH
ARABIC
ROMANIAN
SPANISH
SWEDISH
THAI
VIETNAMESE
POLISH RUSSIAN
DANISH
KOREAN
SLOVENE
TAIWANESE
MANDARIN
TURKISH
Flowcode 6 will be available in 14 languages, with all characters
and non-Latin fonts fully supported. Whilst English is the
default language of engineers internationally, having software
in your language allows you to concentrate on developing
your programs, increasing your creativity and productivity.
Note that only the GUI and help fle will be translated. All
documentation on the new Flowcode API will remain in
English.
GUI = Graphical User Interface
FLOWCODE VERSIONS
AND LICENSING
PORTUGUESE (BRAZIL)
Flowcode 6 will soon be available in the following languages:
PORTUGUESE SLOVAK
MALAY
25
FLOWCODE VERSIONS
AND LICENSING
26
LICENSING AND UPGRADES
FREE VERSION
This well featured version allows you to verify that Flowcode will provide
the functions you need and is also suitable for ongoing use with personal
computers.
CHIP PACK VERSION
Chip pack versions of Flowcode are available for each of the microcontroller
chip types supported. When bought alone they give limited functionality
for each chip type as detailed in the Feature list in the Flowcode datasheet.
When used in conjunction with a professional or multiuser education
license, the chip pack unlocks the full Flowcode features for the chip type.
Note that a multi chip version of Flowcode 6 is much cheaper than a multi
chip version of Flowcode 5.
PROFESSIONAL VERSION
The Professional version includes all functions, components, and is licensed
for commercial use. Discounts for multi-user (Enterprise) versions are
available.
ACADEMIC VERSIONS
A reduced cost Academic version of Flowcode is available and it provides
the same functionality as the Professional version. Academic multi-user
versions (10 user, 50 user) are also available. These are for sale only to
educational schools, colleges and universities.
UPGRADING LICENCES
Upgrades from one type of licence (e.g. Chip pack to Pro) to another are
simply the price diference.
FLOWCODE 5 TO FLOWCODE 6 UPGRADE
Upgrades from Flowcode 5 to Flowcode 6 will be charged at 50% of the
Flowcode 6 price.
FLOWCODE 4 TO FLOWCODE 6 UPGRADE
Upgrades from Flowcode 4 to Flowcode 6 will be charged at 70% of the
version 6 price.
CROSSGRADE
Chip pack and Professional users simply buy the Chip pack to get
compilation rights for a new family of microcontrollers.
UPGRADE PROCEDURE
Please contact Matrix TSL or one of our dealers with your old serial number
which is found in the Help > About section of your existing copy of
Flowcode.
BUYING ONLINE
Available from Matrix and all authorised dealers.
ACTIVATION
Each product will need activation with a code issued by Matrix. An internet
connection is required for this.
UPGRADE RIGHTS
Upgrade rights do not apply to all versions of Flowcode. If your version of
Flowcode has been included free of charge with MIAC or other hardware
systems then upgrade rights might not apply.
FLOWCODE 3 TO FLOWCODE 6
There is no Flowcode 3 to Flowcode 6 upgrade discount.
Proposed Version
Feature Version
F
r
e
e
-
f
r
s
t
3
0
d
a
y
s
F
r
e
e
-
p
o
s
t
3
0
d
a
y
s
C
h
i
p
p
a
c
k
o
n
l
y
P
r
o
f
e
s
s
i
o
n
a
l
A
c
a
d
e
m
i
c
F
l
o
w
c
o
d
e
S
E
1 General
Commercial Use
Multi-seat license available
Compile to Chip
Access to Plug-ins
3 Flowcode Components
Input / output components
Wired communications
Wireless communications
Wrapped wireless components
Mechatronics
MIAC expansion modules (coming soon)
DSP
4 SCADA support
In-Circuit-Test