How It Works

Simulation lets you try out the user interface without having the Mistral hardware. Instead of connecting a Keypad to the pod, you simulate a Keypad by using the computer keyboard's function keys and LED's.

Learning A Keypad File

You can learn a Keypad File automatically just like you would with the Mistral pod. The only difference is that instead of pressing keys on a Keypad to learn the connections, press F6 through F12 on the computer keyboard. The program will name the switch items to match the key on the keyboard you press.

Also, when you learn a Keypad File automatically while simulating, one LED, the keyboard's "Scroll Lock" LED, is also "learned". It will act just like an LED on a Keypad during learning and test. See Learning A Keypad File Automatically for more information about how learning works.

Editing Keypad Files

You can edit a Keypad File while simulating just as you would with the hardware attached. This means you can move, resize and edit the properties of items as well as add lines and text. See Creating and Editing Keypad Files for more information about editing. Important: Don't change the pin numbers for an item you've learned automatically while simulating. This can cause errors during testing.

Testing Keypads

Testing while simulating works just like it does using the Mistral pod except that switch bounce cannot be measured. Use the keyboard function keys to simulate keys on a Keypad. To simulate a key with a higher resistance, hold down the Shift key while pressing a function key. If you press a key on the keyboard that was not learned, a short will be indicated.

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