============================================================================= Temporary instructions for using the new Model 301/302 developer's interface. ============================================================================= This interface is can be used by VisualC++, VisualBasic, and LabView developers. Sample application source code and expanded documentation is included for all developers. Open the selected archive into it's own new and empty folder and then read the "Read_Me.txt" file within that archive before extracting the contents of the archives that are within that archive. Instructions: 1.) If you haven't already installed the Model 301/302 device, please download the most recent installation files for your particular operating system at: http://www.lawsonlabs.com/Download/Manuals-Drivers/Model_301_302/Install/WinXP_2k_NT/Install.zip 2.) The LL_USB2k.DLL included with this distribution must match a particular device driver version which is also included in this distribution in the "!!_Misc" folder. Please be aware that whenever the Model-30x hardware is installed for the very first time a particular installation proceedure must be followed. Explanation of that proceedure can be found in that "Install.zip" archive or other Model-30x installation files you may have received either with hardware distribution or our website download. After an initial installation, all that is required for a driver update is to copy the newest .sys driver file over the old in your windows\system32\drivers\ directory, and then unplugging the Model-30x device and then plugging it back in so the old driver can unload from memory and the new one load in it's place. Please note that if you overrite an old .sys file with a new one and any Model-30x device is plugged in the previous driver will continue to be used since it remains in memory until all of the Model-30x devices have been disconnected. 3.) Be sure your Model-301/302 is connected. If you had it connected when you over-wrote the old driver with the new, you will need to disconnect it and wait a few seconds before reconnecting it. That process allows the new driver to load into memory. If you fail to do that step, even though the new driver is on your disk, any previous version of the driver that was loaded into memory will be used instead. ========================= LabView developers notes: ========================= 1.) The first time you attempt to load "Main_Multi-Function_App.vi" (or any of the other VI's) within the LabView environment it will look for the various function calls used in the VI's in "LL_USB2k.DLL" and when it doesn't find the DLL it will ask you where to look for them. You will need to respond by pointing to the "LL_USB2k.DLL" library for each of the VI's. LabView will then update all the VI's and you will be ready to proceed to the next step #4 below. All of the following notes will be in reference to using "Main_Multi-Function_App.vi". 2.) Click the "continuous run" button at the top of the LabView environment screen. Always leave that button pressed when running any of the example applications preceded by "main". Do not leave it pressed when running the single module VI's since they are designed to be called to do one thing and do it only once until called again. 3.) Press the "Connect" button and wait until the button pops back up and the "RetConnect" LED is green. 4.) Enter "6" (or any valid channel) in the "PollChan" box and press the "SendPollChan" button. Wait until the button pops back up and the "RetPollChan" LED is green. If using the Model 301, remember that the valid channels are, "0,1,6,7". If using the model 302 the valid channels are, "0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7". 5.) Press the "GetOneVoltage" button and wait until the button pops back up and the "RetGetOneVoltage" LED is green. The voltage shown should be the voltage on the channel that you had selected. 6.) Simlar functionality applies to the Digital output and Digital Input functionality. 7.) The sample application is partially setup with certain controls and indicators for scanning up to two separate devices. The voltages for the two are put into the same array which you will most like want to separate into two arrays or manage it some other way - such as multiple graphs, strip-charts, or whatever. 8.) To start scanning, set the "Run" switch to ON. Leave all the other settings as they are until you get a feel for things. The defaults will run a single channel scan, log the data to a disk file and put the data into the boxes on the panel. Note that there are 10 points read with each reading. Even at a slow 100Hz, the data must be read quickly to prevent the internal data buffers within the DLL from overflowing. You can adjust this according to your needs by keeping track of the NumScansRemainingInBuff variable. Only scan voltage is displayed within the current sample application. To return and disaplay the digital input for digital input type scans, a similar type of buffer management is required and the appropriate scan type needs to be used. 9.) Error handling hasn't been added to the sample application in order to keep it simple. However there or certain buttons that should not be pressed during a scan. Some examples are: connect, GetOneVoltage, SendRate, SetScanType, SetChanCnt. 10.) Please study the way each of the function calls into the DLL are made by looking at the various VI's. Although all of the VI's and their relative functionality can be accessed from within the "Main_Multi-Function_App.vi", each is independent of the other so you you can construct your own application by using any of the VI's individually. You MUST use the "ConnectMulti.vi" to make the initial connection(s). This is a beta release. Complete documentation of the entire API will be available at a later date. This file last updated: 7-29-05