EZ-Toolbox™ Software

User Guide

Q Introduction
Q Installing EZ-Toolbox
Software
Q Running the EZ-Toolbox
Software
Q Upgrading the EZ-Guide
Plus Lightbar Firmware
Q Upgrading the EZ-Steer
Controller Firmware
Q Saving and Restoring AB
Lines
Q Saving and Restoring
Vehicle Configurations
Q Downloading the Error
Log
Q EZ-Guide Plus Self Test

Q Troubleshooting Tips

Version 2.00
Part Number 52040-20-UG
Revision D
February 2005
© 2004-2005 Trimble Navigation Limited. All rights
reserved. No part of this guide may be copied, photocopied,
reproduced, translated, or reduced to any electronic medium
or machine-readable form without prior written consent
from Trimble Navigation Limited.
AgGPS and EZ-Guide are trademarks of Trimble
Navigation Limited, registered in the United States Patent
and Trademark Office and other countries. Autopilot,
EZ-Steer and EZ-Toolbox are trademarks of Trimble
Navigation Limited.
This is the February 2005 release (Revision A) of the
EZ-Toolbox User Guide. It applies to version 2.00 of the
EZ-Toolbox software.
0.1 Introduction
The EZ-Toolbox™ software is a utility for upgrading the firmware in
the EZ-Guide® Plus lightbar and for downloading error logs.
This EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide contains information on:
• Installing EZ-Toolbox Software
• Running the EZ-Toolbox Software
• Upgrading the EZ-Guide Plus Lightbar Firmware
• Upgrading the EZ-Steer Controller Firmware
• Downloading the Error Log
• Saving and Restoring AB Lines
• Saving and Restoring Vehicle Configurations
• EZ-Guide Plus Self Test
• Troubleshooting Tips

EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide 3

0.2 Installing EZ-Toolbox Software
1. Download the EZ-Toolbox software installation file
(EZ-Toolbox_V2.00_CUS.exe) from www.EZ-Guide.com to a
folder on your office computer.
2. On the computer, double-click EZ-Toolbox_V2.00_CUS.exe.
The Welcome screen appears:

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3. Click Next. The licensing agreement screen appears:

4. Read the license agreement. Select the I accept the agreement

option and click Next to accept the terms and conditions.

EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide 5

 5. The following screen appears:

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6. To accept the default installation folder (recommended), click
Next.
Alternatively, click Browse and then select a different
installation folder.
The following screen appears:

EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide 7

 7. To accept the default shortcut location, click Next. The
following screen appears:

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8. Click Next. The following screen appears:

EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide 9

 9. Confirm that the installation details are correct, and then press
Install.
When installation is complete, the following screen appears:

10. Click Finish. The EZ-Toolbox software automatically starts.

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0.3 Running the EZ-Toolbox Software
To run the EZ-Toolbox software, do one of the following:
• Double-click the EZ-Toolbox icon on the computer desktop.

• Double-click EZ-Toolbox.exe from the installation folder.

• Click the EZ-Toolbox icon in the QuickLaunch bar of the
computer.

EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide 11

0.4 Upgrading the EZ-Guide Plus Lightbar Firmware

B Tip – If you have any problems while upgrading the firmware, reboot the
computer and start the upgrade again. If you have any problems
upgrading the firmware, clear the High Speed Upload check box.

1. Copy the <image>.rom file to the folder where you installed the
EZ-Toolbox software.
2. Connect the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar to a serial COM port on
your office computer using a standard null-modem cable
(Trimble P/N 18532).
3. Start the EZ-Toolbox software. The EZ-Toolbox dialog appears:

4. In the Select port list, select the computer COM port that the
lightbar is connected to.

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5. Select the EZ-Guide+ tab:

a. Confirm that the Select firmware file list shows the correct
<image>.rom file. If you have saved the .rom file to a
folder other than the EZ-Toolbox installation directory,
click Browse and locate the file.
b. To download the error log before upgrading the firmware,
select the Download Log check box.
c. If the Status messages field reports an error opening the
serial port, make sure that any other programs that might
access the serial port are closed. Select Options, and then
select Upload.
d. Make sure that the lightbar is not connected to power.
e. Click Proceed.
6. Connect power to the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar.
The lighbar’s memory is erased, and the firmware upgrade
proceeds. The Status messages field displays completed steps.

EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide 13

 7. When the upgrade is complete, disconnect power from the
lightbar. Wait three seconds and then reconnect power to the
lightbar.
Note – The EZ-Toolbox software does not connect to the lightbar if the
Data Port Settings are set to Diagnostics. You must set the Data Port
Settings to None.

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0.5 Upgrading the EZ-Steer Controller Firmware

B Tip – If you have any problems while upgrading the firmware, reboot the
computer and start the upgrade again. If you have any problems while
upgrading the firmware, reboot the computer and start the upgrade again.

1. Copy the <image>.app file to the folder where you installed the
EZ-Toolbox software.
2. Connect the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar to a serial COM port on the
office computer using a standard null-modem cable (Trimble
P/N 18532).
3. Start the EZ-Toolbox software. The EZ-Toolbox dialog appears:

4. In the Select port list, select the computer COM port that the
lightbar is connected to.

EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide 15

 5. Select the EZ-Steer tab:

a. Confirm that the Select firmware file list shows the correct
<image>.app file. If you have saved the .app file to a folder
other than the EZ-Toolbox installation directory, click
Browse and locate the folder.
b. If the Status messages field reports an error opening the
serial port, make sure that any other programs that might
access the serial port are closed. Select Options and then
select EZ-Steer.
c. Make sure that the controller is not connected to power.
d. Click Proceed.
6. Connect power to the EZ-Steer controller.
The controller's memory is erased, and the firmware upgrade
proceeds. The Status messages field displays completed steps.
7. When the upgrade is complete, disconnect power from the
controller. Wait three seconds and then reconnect power to the
controller.

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B 0.6 Saving and Restoring AB Lines
1. Connect the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar to a serial COM port on the
office computer using a standard null-modem cable (Trimble
P/N 18532).
2. Start the EZ-Toolbox software. The EZ-Toolbox dialog appears:

3. In the Select port list, select the computer COM port that the
lightbar is connected to.

EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide 17

 4. Select the AB Lines tab and then do one of the following:

• To save an AB Line to the office computer:

a. Select the Save option.
b. Click the Browse button and then select the directory
where the file is to be saved.
c. Click OK.
d. Enter a *.fld file name.
Note – If you enter the name of an existing file, the AB Line
overwrites any data already in that file.
e. Click Proceed.
• To restore an AB Line to the lightbar:
a. Select the Restore option.
b. Click the Browse button and then select the directory
where the AB Line file is saved.
c. Click OK.
d. Use the drop down box to select the required AB Line file.

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 e. Click Proceed.
• To delete an AB Line file from the lightbar:
a. Select the Delete all option.
b. Click Proceed.
5. Connect power to the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar.
The file is either saved, deleted, or restored, depending on
which option you selected. The Status messages field displays
completed steps.
6. When the file save, file restore, or file delete process is finished,
disconnect power from the lightbar. Wait three seconds and then
reconnect power to the lightbar.

EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide 19

0.7 Saving and Restoring Vehicle Configurations
Note – Only AgGPS® Autopilot™ automated steering system vehicle
configurations can be saved and restored. It is not possible to use the
EZ-Toolbox software to save or restore vehicle configurations for the
AgGPS EZ-Steer assisted steering system.
1. Connect the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar to a serial COM port on the
office computer using a standard null-modem cable (Trimble
P/N 18532).
2. Start the EZ-Toolbox software. The EZ-Toolbox dialog appears:

3. In the Select port list, select the computer COM port that the
lightbar is connected to.

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4. Select the Vehicles tab and then do one of the following:

• To save a vehicle configuration to the office computer:

a. Select the Save option.
b. Click the Browse button and then select the directory
where the file is to be saved.
c. Click OK.
d. Enter a *.cfg name for the vehicle configuration file.
Note – If you save the configuration to an existing file, the
configuration overwrites any data already in that file.
e. Click Proceed.
• To restore a vehicle configuration to the lightbar:
a. Select the Restore option.
b. Click the Browse button and then select the directory
where the configuration file is saved.
c. Click OK.

EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide 21

 d. Use the drop down box to select the required vehicle
configuration file.
e. Click Proceed.
• To delete a vehicle configuration from the lightbar:
a. Select the Delete all option.
b. Click Proceed.
5. Connect power to the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar.
The file is either saved, restored, or deleted depending on which
option you selected. The Status messages field displays
completed steps.
6. When the file save, file restore, or file delete process is
complete, disconnect power to the lightbar. Wait three seconds,
and then reconnect power to the lightbar.

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0.8 Downloading the Error Log
1. Connect the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar to a serial COM port on the
office computer using a standard null-modem cable (Trimble
P/N 18532).
2. Start the EZ-Toolbox software. The EZ-Toolbox dialog appears:

3. In the Select port list, select the computer COM port that the
lightbar is connected to.

EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide 23

 4. Select the Error tab:

a. Make sure that the lightbar is not connected to power.

b. Click Proceed.
5. Connect power to the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar.
The error log file downloads to the folder where the EZ-Toolbox
software was installed.

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0.9 EZ-Guide Plus Self Test
Once you upgrade the EZ-Guide Plus firmware, run the built-in Self
Test to verify that the firmware upgrade was successful.
1. Disconnect power from the lightbar. Wait three seconds and
then reconnect power to the lightbar.
2. Wait for one minute, until the NO GPS COMMS flashing message
disappears and SEARCHING SATS appears on the screen.
3. On the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar, go to Lightbar / Tests:

4. In the Tests menu, press u or D to select Self Test and then

press o:

5. If the EZ-Guide Plus lightbar passes the self test, the lightbar is
ready to use.
If it does not pass the self test, contact your reseller for
assistance.

EZ-Toolbox Software User Guide 25

0.10 Troubleshooting Tips
The following table lists possible problems, as well as probable causes
and solutions.

Problem Cause Solution

Cannot start the firmware The lightbar was not Power off the lightbar for at least
upload or the error log powered off when you ten seconds and then click
download clicked Proceed. Proceed.
Cannot upgrade firmware There are known problems Use the EZ-Toolbox software on
or download the error log with some USB-to-serial an office computer with a serial
using a USB-to-serial converters port.
converter
Incorrect GPS Firmware The lightbar firmware was Restart the upgrade.
message on AgGPS 150 sucessfully upgraded, but If the problem persists, contact
display the GPS receiver firmware your reseller.
was not.
Serial port open error! The serial port is being Close all other programs that
message used by another program. may be using the serial port.
Restart the EZ-Toolbox
software.
Connection not established The serial cable is not Check the serial cable
connected correctly. connections.
A standard serial cable is Ensure that you are using a null-
being used. modem serial cable.
Required files can not be Files are not in the correct Copy the files to folder where
found folder. the EZ-Toolbox software is
installed
(C:\Program Files\Trimble\EZ-
Toolbox).
Power was lost to the Restart the upgrade.
lightbar during an upgrade

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