# Java BreadBoard Simulator:
Chip Design Tools Help

These help pages are for the chip design tools. To go to help on the breadboard simulator click here.

The chip design tools provide the capability to create custom chips for use with the breadboard simulator.

Using the chip design tools require that loading and saving has been enabled. Click here for details.

Custom chips can be opened in the Java BreadBoard Simulator by selecting a Generic chip from the chip selection dialog box (click Insert -> Chip from the breadboard simulator to open the chip selector). On doing so a file chooser dialog box will appear from which the chip file should be selected.

Creating a New Chip

To create a new chip open the Chip Design Tools program (applet or application). An option pane will appear requesting that you select the type of chip editor that you wish to use. You can get more help on the separate editors by clicking on the relevant link below.

Truth Table Editor and State Table Editor

Circuit Diagram Editor

Loading / Saving Circuits with Generic Chips

If generic chips are added to a breadboard and then the circuit is saved the circuit file records the filename of all generic chips. When the circuit is reloaded it attempts to find the generic chip files. If they cannot be found the option will be given to locate the chip file. The filename stored is absolute so if the files are moved they will not be automatically located.

Manually Modifying / Creating a Chip File

A chip is represented by a text file as a state transition table with a number of headers which give the chip its characteristics. This file can be created or edited using any standard text editor. At present there is no facility to load into the chip editors chips which have been previously created, so the only way in which chips can be modified is to manually change the text file.

For more information on the format of chip files click here or see the example.