https://github.com/AnushkoGoshS/UART-Debug-Console-Pro/releases

UART Debug Console Pro for Raspberry Pi 5: UART Monitor & Debugger

Welcome to the UART Debug Console Pro project. This desktop app is built for developers, system integrators, and embedded engineers who work with UART on Raspberry Pi 5 and similar platforms. It is designed to be a modern, resilient tool for headless debugging, live diagnostics, and console-level interaction. The app provides a clean UI, reliable serial access, and rich data visualization to help you spot issues fast and stay productive.

If you want to grab the latest builds for your platform, browse the release page at the same link: https://github.com/AnushkoGoshS/UART-Debug-Console-Pro/releases

Table of contents

• Quick overview
• Key features
• System requirements
• Getting started
• UI tour
• Serial and console capabilities
• Data visualization and analytics
• Logging, export, and history
• Multilingual support and accessibility
• Theming and customization
• Automation and scripting
• Developer guide
• Distribution and packaging
• Testing and quality
• Security and privacy
• Roadmap and future work
• Community and contributions
• FAQ
• License

Quick overview This is a modern desktop application that lets you monitor and interact with UART serial interfaces. It targets headless debugging scenarios, where no monitor is attached to the host device. It shines in live diagnostics, console-level interactions, and situations where you need a clear, responsive interface to see what the UART link is doing in real time. It supports multiple languages, a dark mode, and data visualizations that translate serial data into meaningful charts, graphs, and logs.

Key features

• Real-time UART monitoring: See bytes flowing in and out in real time with hex and ASCII views.
• Console-level interaction: Send commands, run scripts, and interact with devices as if you were on a terminal.
• Raspberry Pi 5 friendly: Optimized for Raspberry Pi 5 hardware and its USB/UART interfaces, including USB-to-TTL bridges.
• Light and dark themes: A dark mode with a high-contrast light mode for better visibility in different environments.
• Multilingual user interface: Localized UI with language switcher for global teams.
• Data visualization: Live charts for throughput, latency, and message patterns; supports filtering and zooming.
• Log export: Save logs in CSV, JSON, or plain text for later analysis and sharing.
• Session history: Persist recent sessions, usernames, ports, and preferred settings for quick reuse.
• Portable and cross-platform packaging: Python-based core with PyInstaller packaging for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Extensible settings: Fine-grained control over serial port parameters, timeouts, and data parsing rules.
• Accessibility features: Keyboard shortcuts, focus management, and readable typography.

System requirements

• Operating system: Windows 10/11, macOS 10.15+ (Catalina or newer), and major Linux distributions with X11 or Wayland.
• Python: 3.9 or newer for source builds; packaged releases include a bundled runtime.
• Raspberry Pi 5: Works over USB-to-UART adapters, onboard UART, or USB serial devices.
• Hardware: A USB port for the host computer; a UART device to monitor; optional USB-to-TTL bridge for non-native UART.
• Screen: A desktop environment with a windowing system; 1024x768 minimum resolution recommended.
• Memory: 512 MB minimal for very small sessions; 2 GB or more for complex visualizations and long sessions.
• Disk space: A few tens of megabytes for the app; additional space for logs and data exports.

Getting started You can start using UART Debug Console Pro after you download a build from the releases page. The link above is the central hub for the latest installers and packages. If you work with Windows, macOS, or Linux, you will find a suitable installer or AppImage there. The releases page is the source of truth for official builds, update notices, and release notes.

Downloading and installing

• Windows
  • From the releases page, download the Windows installer file, for example UART-Debug-Console-Pro-Setup-Windows.exe.
  • Run the installer. Follow the on-screen steps to complete the installation.
  • After installation, launch UART Debug Console Pro from the Start Menu or your desktop shortcut.
  • Connect your UART device via a USB-to-TTL adapter or native UART port on the Raspberry Pi 5, then select the port in the app.
• macOS
  • From the releases page, download the macOS installer package UART-Debug-Console-Pro-Installer-macOS.dmg.
  • Mount the package, drag the app to Applications, and run it.
  • Set the appropriate serial port and baud rate, then begin monitoring.
• Linux
  • From the releases page, download UART-Debug-Console-Pro-x86_64.AppImage or a tarball if provided.
  • Make the AppImage executable (chmod +x UART-Debug-Console-Pro-*.AppImage) and run it.
  • Alternatively, extract the tarball and run the included launcher if your distribution provides required libraries.
• After installing
  • Open the app and choose the serial port that corresponds to your UART device.
  • Set the baud rate, data bits, parity, and stop bits as needed for your device.
  • If you are on a Raspberry Pi 5, ensure you have the correct permissions to access /dev/ttyAMA0 or /dev/ttyS0 depending on your hardware configuration.
  • Begin the session and observe the live data, or send commands to your connected device.

Downloads and releases

• The latest builds are hosted on the releases page. The file names reflect the target platform and build type. If the link has a path part, the file to download and execute will be one of the installers or AppImages mentioned above. For Windows, macOS, and Linux, you will typically see:
  • UART-Debug-Console-Pro-Setup-Windows.exe
  • UART-Debug-Console-Pro-Installer-macOS.dmg
  • UART-Debug-Console-Pro-x86_64.AppImage
• Visit the releases page to verify the exact file names and available platform packages:
  • https://github.com/AnushkoGoshS/UART-Debug-Console-Pro/releases
• Quick access badge to the releases
  • 

A closer look at the user interface The app presents a clean, modern UI built with Tkinter for a lightweight yet responsive experience. It supports dark mode out of the box and provides a language switcher so teams can use it in their preferred language.

• Header bar
  • Displays the active serial port, connection status, and a quick action area for connect/disconnect and reset.
• Serial port panel
  • Lists available ports with quick connect buttons.
  • Shows port settings such as baud rate, data bits, parity, stop bits, and flow control.
  • Provides auto-detection and port refresh options.
• Real-time console
  • A console-like area that shows incoming data in both hex and ASCII formats.
  • Input field for sending commands or raw data to the connected device.
  • Command history and tab-completion for common commands.
• Data visualization panel
  • Live charts for throughput, round-trip time (latency), error rate, and message cadence.
  • Time-series view with pan and zoom.
  • Configurable aggregation and smoothing to reveal patterns in noisy data.
• Log viewer
  • A searchable, filterable log pane with timestamps.
  • Export options for CSV, JSON, and TXT.
  • Color-coded levels for readability.
• History and sessions
  • Stores recent sessions, ports, and settings.
  • Quick recall of a previous session for repeated tasks.
• Settings and preferences
  • Theme and font size controls.
  • Language selection, date formats, and time zone options.
  • Data parsing rules for custom protocols.
• Help and documentation
  • Quick tour, keyboard shortcuts, and links to online docs.

Serial and console capabilities UART Debug Console Pro offers robust capabilities to work with serial devices in a variety of environments. The focus is on reliability, ease of use, and flexibility.

• Baud rates and parity
  • Supports a wide range of standard baud rates, with options for custom speeds where your hardware requires them.
  • Parity settings include None, Even, Odd, and Mark/Space in advanced modes.
• Data bits and stop bits
  • Configurable 7 or 8 data bits, and 1 or 2 stop bits.
• Flow control
  • None, RTS/CTS, and XON/XOFF depending on the device and driver support.
• Line endings
  • Auto-detect or fixed line endings. You can choose CR, LF, or CRLF according to your device’s output.
• Data parsing and decoding
  • Raw hex view, ASCII view, or a hybrid that displays both.
  • Custom parsers to interpret device-specific protocols; you can define mapping rules to translate sequences into human-readable fields.
• Command shell and scripting
  • A command shell integrated into the console for quick actions.
  • Scripting support to automate sequences, test scripts, and routine checks.
• Break and halt
  • Mechanisms to pause the stream for inspection and debugging, with options to resume or step through the data.
• Error handling
  • Clear notification for timeout, disconnection, or data corruption.
  • Retry policies and reconnection logic to minimize downtime in headless setups.

Data visualization and analytics The data visualization features turn raw UART data into actionable insights.

• Live charts
  • Throughput charts show bytes per second, both incoming and outgoing.
  • Latency charts measure timing between send and receive events.
  • Error rate charts help you spot bursts of noise or faulty connections.
• Pattern detection
  • Simple pattern detectors alert you to repeated sequences, special headers, or known command sets.
  • Thresholds help you recognize anomalies quickly.
• Filtering and zoom
  • Filter by port, data source, or time window.
  • Zoom in to inspect a specific interval; pan across the timeline to compare segments.
• Export-ready visuals
  • Charts can be exported as images or embedded into reports.
  • Data behind the charts can be exported for offline analysis.
• Custom dashboards
  • Build your own dashboard layouts with draggable panels.
  • Save dashboards for different devices or test rigs.

Logs and history

• Time-stamped logs
  • Every event is recorded with a precise timestamp.
  • Logs include port settings, connection events, and data samples.
• Search and filter
  • Full-text search across log messages.
  • Filters by port, baud rate, and data type.
• Exports
  • CSV for data analysis, JSON for machine processing, and TXT for archiving.
  • Include metadata such as session name, device info, and environment details.
• Privacy and retention
  • You control how long logs are kept and where they are stored.
  • Exported data can be compressed to save disk space.

Multilingual support and accessibility

• Language switcher
  • Localized UI strings in major languages, with more planned.
  • Right-to-left support for appropriate languages in future releases.
• Clear typography
  • High-contrast text options for readability in bright environments.
  • Adjustable font size for users with varying visual needs.
• Keyboard navigation
  • Full keyboard support for power users.
  • Logical focus order across panels to minimize interaction friction.
• Help and tooltips
  • Contextual help appears on hover or focus.
  • Short, precise tooltips explain controls and settings.

Theming and customization

• Dark mode by default
  • A dark color palette designed for low-light work.
  • High-contrast controls for critical actions.
• Light mode and themes
  • A light theme for bright environments.
  • Optional accent colors and per-panel theming.
• Font and spacing
  • Adjustable font size and line spacing to fit your screen and preferences.
• UI scaling
  • Scale the entire UI to fit high-DPI displays without losing clarity.

Automation, scripting, and extensibility

• Scriptable actions
  • Build scripts that interact with ports, read logs, and trigger exports.
  • Predefined scripts for common debugging tasks.
• API exposure
  • A Python API to control the app programmatically for test automation.
  • Functions to open ports, set parameters, send data, read logs, and export results.
• Plugin ideas
  • A plugin interface for adding new parsers, new visualizations, or new export formats.
  • Community-driven plugins to extend capabilities without modifying core code.

Developer guide

• Code structure
  • A modular architecture with a clean separation between UI, serial I/O, and data processing.
  • The UI is built with Tkinter; heavy data processing runs in background threads or async tasks.
• How to run from source
  • Install dependencies with the project’s package manager.
  • Run the main module to start the UI.
  • Use a virtual environment to isolate dependencies.
• Testing
  • Unit tests cover core data parsing, port interaction, and export functions.
  • Integration tests verify the end-to-end flow with mock serial ports.
• Debugging tips
  • Enable verbose logging to diagnose UI or data issues.
  • Use breakpoints in the code that handles parsing and port I/O.

Distribution and packaging

• Packaging strategy
  • Bundled Python runtime to make installation straightforward on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • Platform-specific installers or AppImages to simplify deployment.
• Update mechanism
  • In-app update checks with a changelog and release notes.
  • Rollback option if an update introduces issues.
• Compatibility
  • Checks for required system software and libraries at startup.
  • Graceful degradation if a feature is not available on a given platform.

Testing, quality, and security

• Quality practices
  • Regular automated tests run on supported platforms.
  • Continuous integration ensures builds are stable across environments.
• Security considerations
  • Data is stored locally by default and not uploaded without explicit user action.
  • Network access is not required for standard operation.
  • Sanitize input data and validate port configurations to avoid crashes.
• Privacy safeguards
  • Use local logs unless exporting.
  • Clear options to delete stored data.

Roadmap and future work

• Short-term milestones
  • Improve cross-platform packaging and reduce startup times.
  • Expand the language set and improve localization quality.
  • Add more data visualization options and export formats.
• Medium-term goals
  • Introduce a scripting console with more robust automation capabilities.
  • Integrate with cloud services for remote log sharing and collaboration.
• Long-term vision
  • Build a modular extension system that allows teams to add new devices, parsers, and dashboards without touching core code.
  • Deepen Raspberry Pi integration with native port handling and device management.

Community and contributions

• How to contribute
  • Fork the repository, create a feature branch, and submit a pull request with a descriptive title.
  • Include tests for new features and document any user-facing changes.
  • Follow the project’s coding standards and keep the UI consistent with the rest of the app.
• Code of conduct
  • Be respectful and constructive.
  • Provide clear, actionable feedback.
• Documentation and examples
  • Contribute tutorials for common UART debugging scenarios.
  • Share example parsers and dashboards that reveal device-specific insights.
• Issue triage
  • Report reproducible bugs with steps, screenshots, and logs.
  • Request enhancements with use cases and expected outcomes.

Changelog and release notes

• Each release adds new features, fixes, and improvements.
• Read the notes on the release page to learn what changed, why it changed, and how to upgrade safely.
• For power users, the changelog includes migration notes when breaking changes occur.

FAQ

• Is UART Debug Console Pro free?
  • The project has a free tier with core features and a paid tier for advanced capabilities or enterprise features. Check the release notes for specifics.
• Which UART devices are supported?
  • Most common USB-to-UART adapters work out of the box. If you use a Raspberry Pi 5’s onboard UART, ensure you have the correct permissions and a compatible driver.
• Can I use this on headless Raspberry Pi setups?
  • Yes. The app runs on a connected desktop and communicates with a headless Raspberry Pi over USB-UART or networked devices if you bridge serial data.
• How do I switch languages?
  • Open Settings and choose Language. The interface updates immediately for most elements. Some dynamic strings may require a restart.
• How are logs stored?
  • Logs are stored locally in the user’s profile or a chosen directory. You can export or delete logs as needed.

Technical notes and architecture

• Core modules
  • Serial I/O: Handles port discovery, opening, closing, and data streaming.
  • Data processing: Parses raw bytes into meaningful sequences, supports custom parsers.
  • Visualization: Manages charts, timelines, and dashboards.
  • UI: Tkinter-based interface with a responsive layout and theming.
  • Export: Serializes data into CSV, JSON, or TXT.
• Performance considerations
  • The app uses multi-threading to keep the UI responsive while handling large data streams.
  • Buffer sizes can be tuned to balance memory usage and latency.
• Localization strategy
  • UI strings are centralized in translation files.
  • The language switcher updates the UI in place and reloads strings where needed.

Usage scenarios

• Headless debugging
  • Connect to a Raspberry Pi 5 over USB-UART and observe boot messages, logs, and command responses without a monitor.
• Live diagnostics
  • Monitor real-time data streams from a microcontroller, capture patterns, and export data for analysis.
• Console-level interaction
  • Send commands, run scripts, and observe immediate results in the console pane.
• Protocol analysis
  • Use the parsing rules to translate device-specific messages into structured data for dashboards.
• Long-running sessions
  • Persist sessions across restarts, enabling you to reproduce issues or verify stability over time.

Localization and language-switching details

• Supported languages
  • English, Spanish, German, French, Russian, Simplified Chinese, and more planned.
• How to contribute translations
  • Provide translations for UI strings and test them in context.
  • Submit a translation file with a clear mapping of keys to translated strings.
• Right-to-left support
  • Basic groundwork for RTL layouts is included; upcoming releases will enhance alignment and mirroring for RTL languages.

Dark mode and accessibility

• Theme behavior
  • The dark theme reduces glare and improves readability in low-light environments.
  • The light theme is optimized for bright rooms and office setups.
• Accessibility options
  • Keyboard navigation order is logical and consistent.
  • Focus rings and high-contrast mode improve visibility for users with visual impairments.

Language switching and internationalization

• Dynamic language switch
  • Users can switch languages on the fly without restarting the app in most cases.
• Locale-aware formatting
  • Date, time, and number formats adapt to the selected locale.

Appendix: building from source

• Prerequisites
  • Python 3.9+, Tkinter, and a suitable compiler for packaging.
  • Optional: Node.js or other tooling if you extend the UI with web components in future versions.
• Steps
  • Create a virtual environment.
  • Install project dependencies.
  • Run the main module to start the UI.
  • For packaging, run the provided build scripts to generate platform-specific installers.
• Testing locally
  • Run unit tests to verify parsers and exporters.
  • Use mock serial ports to test the UI without real hardware.

Appendix: contributing guidelines

• Code style
  • Clear, concise, and well-documented code.
  • Adhere to the project’s linting and formatting rules.
• Documentation
  • Update docs with every feature change.
  • Provide usage examples for new features.
• Issue tracking
  • Be precise and reproducible.
  • Include logs, screenshots, and steps to reproduce.

Appendix: environment and developer notes

• Environment variables
  • Some features can be toggled via environment variables for testing or debugging.
• Logging
  • The app logs to a local directory. You can rotate logs to prevent disk usage from growing without bound.
• Internationalization tips
  • When adding a new language, ensure strings are complete and do not rely on dynamic content that changes in runtime.

Final notes This project aims to be a practical, dependable tool for UART debugging on Raspberry Pi 5 and related platforms. It emphasizes a calm, confident approach to debugging, a clean user interface, and a robust set of features that help you work efficiently with serial data. The combination of real-time monitoring, console interaction, and data visualization makes it suitable for both quick checks and deep diagnostics.

Releases, downloads, and further updates

• For the latest builds, see the releases page at the top of this document. The link is stable and maintained.
• If you encounter issues, check the Releases section for known problems and patches. The maintainers post notes there and provide guidance on upgrading.
• If you want to contribute or discuss features, join the project community and participate in discussions or create an issue on the repository.

License

• This project uses a permissive open source license. See the LICENSE file in the repository for full terms. The license promotes collaboration and wide usage across different platforms and environments.

Appendix: sample troubleshooting checklist

• No port found
  • Verify USB/UART bridge is connected and visible to the host OS.
  • Check permissions on Linux to access /dev/tty* devices.
  • Confirm baud rate and parity settings match the connected device.
• No data visible in the console
  • Ensure the serial device is properly configured and not in use by another application.
  • Check for hardware flow control requirements and adjust accordingly.
• Charts not updating
  • Confirm data is being received on the port and parsed correctly.
  • Check the data processing pipeline for bottlenecks or incorrect parsers.
• Logs not exporting
  • Validate write permissions to the destination directory.
  • Verify export format and file naming rules to avoid conflicts.

Appendix: advanced usage tips

• Scripting for test rigs
  • Create scripts that simulate device responses to test parsing rules and chart updates.
• Complex protocol analysis
  • Use custom parsers to break down complex frames into field-level data for visualization.
• Collaboration
  • Share dashboards and export configurations to help teammates quikly align on debugging tasks.

End of document This README provides a comprehensive guide to using UART Debug Console Pro for Raspberry Pi 5. It covers installation, daily use, advanced features, and future plans without needing external context. The goal is to empower you to debug effectively and collaborate with your team on UART-based projects.