Using modern software tools to design, simulate and test a Level 1 trigger sub-system for the D Zero detector

The work presents a system which uses a commercial spreadsheet program and commercial hardware on an IBM PC to develop and test a track finding system for the D Zero Level 1 scintillating fiber trigger. The trigger system resides in a VME crate. This system allows the user to generate test input, write the pattern to the hardware, simulate the results in software, read the hardware result, compare the results and inform the user of any differences.