Java Breadboard Simulator with Chip Design Tools
Task
The Java Breadboard Simulator - developed by Nick Glass and extended by Rob Page - is a Java applet which enables students to simulate circuits developed on a breadboard.
Students can place chips on the breadboard and these chips should work just as the real hardware. In order to allow easy extendability of the system, each chip is a separate class. The user can write new classes for new chips, re-compile the applet and the new chip will be included.
However, this approach means that the application must be downloaded and re-compiled. Also, it requires that the user is able to program in Java.
The "Circuit Design Tools for a Bread-Board Simulator" project involves the development of tools that allow the user to create new chips using standard circuit design tools like schematic circuit diagrams, transition tables and boolean algebra.
Run Applet
Click here to run the breadboard simulator applet and the circuit design tools
Ensure you have created the policy file as detailed below first if you wish to load or save chips and circuits
Security
In order to enable loading
and saving of chips/circuits file permissions must be set accordingly. This
must be done by placing a .java.policy file in your home directory. This can
be done by clicking the link below to download the .java.policy file or by copying
text from it into an existing .java.policy file. This file MUST be placed in
your home directory. Please note, Windows 2000/XP users, that this is not the
My Documents directory but C:/Documents and Settings/{Username}.
.java.policy file
The policy file must be present in your home directory BEFORE you open the applets page.
For more information on why this file is needed and information on the contents of the file click here.
Run BreadBoard Simulator Offline
To run the BreadBoard Simulator and Circuit Design Tools offline download the zip file below. Once the file has been downloaded and unzipped, you can run the applications locally by running jbreadboard.bat or designtools.bat.
Download the offline BreadBoard Simulator
Example Chips and Circuits
Below are links to example chip files created with the circuit design tools.
They should be downloaded to your computer and then selected
from the file chooser. To insert chip files into breadboard simulator circuits,
first click the button to add a chip and then select Generic chip.
Traffic Lights Chip - A simple traffic light
simulation chip
Combinatorial Chip - A chip which performs a
simple combinatorial function
Sequential Chip - A chip which performs a simple
sequential function based on a number of input values.
These have been included
into test circuits which can be downloaded and then opened using the open command
on the File menu. The corresponding chip will need to be downloaded first. As
the circuit is being loaded it will ask for the chip file. Therefore, you will
need to select open, choose the circuit file and then when requested, select
the chip file.
Traffic Lights Circuit
Combinatorial Circuit
Sequential Circuit
Project Report
Click here to download a copy of the project report in pdf form.
Chip Design Tools Documentation
Chip design tools user guide
Javadoc design pages
Links
Nick Glass' Original JBB - Official BreadBoard Simulator Page: http://www.cs.york.ac.uk/netpro/bboard/
Dr. Chris Bailey's (Project Supervisor) Computer Science Website: http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~chrisb/