Atlas: a Unit-under-test Oriented Language for Automatic Test Systems in This Issue: Atlas: a Unit-under-fest Oriented Language for Automatic Fesf Sysfems

An engineer can write test procedures in ATLAS without detailed knowledge of the system that will do the fesfing. HP's new ATLAS compiler is the first comprehensive implementation of whatis iast becoming a worldwide standard test langu age. A TLAS is an English-like language for writing test-4. procedures for electronic equipment. It is designed to be easily understood by programmers, engineers , and technicians, and its syntax (grammar) is well structured to guarantee an unambiguous description of the test procedure, one that can be translated by a computer into instructions that control automatic test equipment. ATLAS is an acronym for Abbreviated Test Language for Avionics Systems. Originally designed, as its name implies, for testing avionics equipment, it is fast becoming a worldwide standard language for general-purpose automatic testing. The official standard for the language is maintained by Aeronautical Radio Incorporated (ARINC). Hewlett-Packard has participated in the standardization effort since 1970. HP ATLAS HP ATLAS is a new compiling system designed to run on HP 9500 Series Automatic Test Systems. The principal programming language for these systems has always been a form of interactive BASIC, now evolved to a high level of specialization for control of automatic test systems and called ATS BASIC. HP ATLAS is a higher-level language than ATS BASIC in much the same way that FORTRAN and COBOL are higher-level languages than assembly language. Where the ATS BASIC programmer must specify in detail how to set up individual test instruments and route signals, the ATLAS programmer need only be concerned with the requirements of the unit under test (UUT). ATLAS test procedures are independent of the specific automatic test system that will perform the tests. An ATLAS test procedure for a particular UUT can be employed by many users who may have different system configurations. Clearly this makes it much easier to solve applications software problems that are common to several users. and this is one of the Printed in U S.A. principal reasons for implementing ATLAS on 9500 Series Systems. The HP ATLAS Compiler analyzes test procedures written in ATLAS and generates segmented test programs in ATS BASIC. It can produce ATLAS listings or mixed listings with ATLAS and ATS BASIC statements properly interleaved to aid in program debugging. Subroutines written in ATS BASIC, Cover: Test procedures for Hewlett-Packard 9500-Series Automatic fest Systems like this Model 9510D can now be written in ATLAS (Automatic Test Language for …