# HG changeset patch
# User David Douard <david.douard@logilab.fr>
# Date 1219381601 -7200
# Node ID a81d0fd26332e7c32709a59a965021e173758fd7
# Parent  aedebef96a5b2471fc2a278a2f1d04af5953f0ae
Improve docs.

diff -r aedebef96a5b -r a81d0fd26332 doc/introduction.rst
--- a/doc/introduction.rst	Fri Aug 22 07:06:24 2008 +0200
+++ b/doc/introduction.rst	Fri Aug 22 07:06:41 2008 +0200
@@ -43,6 +43,94 @@
 - HP 8904A Signal Synthetizer
 - HP 3456A Meter
 
+=======
+ Tools
+=======
+
+Every tool presented in this section can display a *help* message
+using the ``-h`` or ``--help`` option.
+
+For the sake of testing these tools, some example files are proposed
+in the `example` directory.
+
+`examples/hpgl_plots` are examples of HPGL files (resulting from
+plotting from my HP3562A).
+
+`examples/datablocks` are examples of HP3562A state, trace and coords
+datablocks dumped.
+
+The `mockup` mode of the tools presented below are using these files
+as data source.
+
+
+GUI Tools
+=========
+
+qgpibplotter
+------------
+
+This is a little app to emulate a GPIB HPGL plotter.
+
+Once started, one can load and display a previously saved HPGL file
+(using the File menu).
+
+However, the main usage is to use it as a passive device on the GPIB
+bus (default address is 5, but this may be configured in user
+preferences). There is a main "On Line" button which can be in out
+out. When "online", it will receive plots from every device on the
+GPIB bus performing plot commands.
+
+There is "test" mode, in which a fake GPIB connection will be used
+instead of the real one. So is one want to see *qgpibplotter* in
+action, just run it with the ``-m`` option (mockup). Type
+
+  qgpibplotter -h
+
+for details.
+
+q3562
+-----
+
+This a small GUI application that allow to easily retrieve state, trace
+and coord datablocks from a HP3562A/HP3563A device (see HP manuals of
+these devices for details).
+
+There is "test" mode, in which a fake GPIB connection will be used
+instead of the real one. So is one want to see *qgpibplotter* in
+action, just run it with the ``-m`` option (mockup). Type
+
+  q3562 -h
+
+for details.
+
+Command line tools
+==================
+
+gpib_detect
+-----------
+
+Simple GPIB device detector. The computer GPIB device is configured so
+it is the Controller In Charge on the GPIB bus. It takes a while
+(several seconds) to run the retection procedure. When complete, it
+will simply display the list of devices found on the bus, with a
+decription of the device (if available).   
+
+dump_datablock
+--------------
+
+Retrieve a datablock from a HP3562A/HP3563A device. The datablock can
+be the state, trace or coord datablock, and it can use the ASCII,
+BINARY or ANSI dumping mode. The resulting data are saved in a file.
+
+read_XXX
+--------
+
+These 3 tools can be used to display a datablock previously dumped in
+a file (using *dump_datablock*). 
+
+
+..
+..
 
 .. _pygpibtoolkit: http://www.logilab.org/project/pygpibtoolkit
 .. _Prologix: http://www.prologix.com