ByteVisualizer

Byte and Bit Visualizers with Serial Port Simulation

ByteVisualizer is a powerful and versatile module integrated into SerialTool, designed to provide advanced data visualization and transformation capabilities at the byte and bit levels. It is not only a tool for visualizing serial communication data but also an essential utility for analyzing, simulating, and converting data in various formats.
ByteVisualizer is widely used across multiple functions of SerialTool, enhancing its capabilities and making it a go-to solution for serial communication professionals, educators, and enthusiasts.

Understanding how a byte is visually represented, especially when transmitted over a serial port, can be surprisingly tricky. The challenge lies not just in grasping its binary structure but also in accounting for the nuances introduced by serial communication protocols.
When a byte is transmitted, its bits may appear inverted due to the nature of serial signaling, which can make it difficult to interpret the data at a glance.
Adding to the complexity are parity bits, which are calculated based on the chosen parity configuration (none, even, odd) and dynamically influence the transmitted sequence. This makes the visual representation of a byte dependent not only on its raw data but also on the protocol’s configuration, such as the number of data bits, stop bits, and the use of parity. Without the right tools, piecing together how a byte translates into its transmitted form can be both confusing and error-prone, especially for beginners or when debugging complex serial communications using a serial port.

Key Features

Bit-Level Visualization

• Breaks down bytes into individual bits, providing users with a detailed view of data composition.
• Displays bytes as serial signals, including start bits, data bits, parity bits, and stop bits, simulating the behavior of real-world communication protocols.
• Offers both single-bit signal visualization and continuous line display, similar to how an oscilloscope represents data, allowing users to analyze the bitstream in detail.

ASCII to HEX Conversion and Vice Versa

Automatic ASCII to HEX and HEX to ASCII

ByteVisualizer includes functionality to convert an ASCII string into its hexadecimal representation and vice versa.
This feature simplifies data analysis, enabling users to interpret and format data according to their needs with minimal effort.

From Hex View to Visual Bytes and bits

Integration with Serial Traffic Hex View

Combines seamlessly with SerialTool's Hex View to analyze specific sequences of data captured from serial communication.
Allows users to highlight and drill down into targeted sections of serial traffic for detailed bit-level examination.
Allow to simulate a packet of bytes with different serial port configurations, including the number of bits, parity, and stop bits.

Serial Communication Simulation

Display Bytes like Serial Port

Simulates various configurations of bits, including 5, 6, 7, or 8 data bits, along with different parity settings (none, even, odd) and stop bits (1 or 2).
Provides inverted bit views to replicate the behavior of serial protocols, enhancing debugging accuracy.

Dynamic Interaction

Show data in ASCII, HEX, OCTAL and BINARY

Supports interactive exploration of data, letting users view byte values in multiple formats, including Hexadecimal (hex) , ASCII , binary, octal , and decimal
Allows the selection, copying, and exporting of data in various formats for sharing and further analysis.

Highly Configurable Display

Customize the view

ByteVisualizer offers extensive customization options, such as:

• Adjusting bit height, width, and spacing for optimal clarity.
• Setting unique colors for start bits, stop bits, parity bits, and data bits to enhance visual distinction.
• Highlighting target bytes or bits for focused analysis.

These features make it easier to understand the intricate details of how bytes are structured and transmitted via serial port.

Real-Time Data Analysis

Analyze serial data stream

ByteVisualizer is also integrated with Data Session and SerialScope, enabling you to quickly select a packet from the Serial Packets list, view all relevant information about the selected packet, and visualize it directly using ByteVisualizer.
Analyzes data streams in real time, making it suitable for live debugging and troubleshooting.
Offers options to export or save visualized data for offline analysis.
These features make it easier to understand the intricate details of how bytes are structured and transmitted via serial port.