1. ov378parw2k.zip Driver
2. README1.TXT File Contents

README1.TXT Driver File Contents (ov378parw2k.zip)

FILE: readme1.txt                Copyright (c), Symmetric Research, 2004-2006

Installation readme.

This file discusses installation for the PARxCH family of 24 bit data
acquisition systems which include the PAR1CH, PAR4CH, and PAR8CH.  The
following instructions apply to any PARxCH when used as a stand-alone
product or when used with the PARGPS time stamping module.  


* QUICK INSTALLATION SUMMARY FOR PARxCH:

> The install program on the CD was already run to unpack this software
> For Win2K/XP, and Linux, run the PARxCH indriver utility
> Hook up the parallel port and wall transformer to the PARxCH
> Run the diag diagnostic program to verify proper PARxCH installation
> Run the application program scope (or simp) to acquire data


* QUICK INSTALLATION SUMMARY FOR THE PARxCH WITH THE PARGPS:

> Follow the steps above for stand-alone installation
> For Win2K/XP, and Linux, run the PARGPS indriver utility
> Hook up the serial port and GPS antenna to the PARGPS board
> Move the wall transformer to the PARGPS and daisy chain power to the PARxCH
> Connect the DB15 ribbon cable from the PARGPS to the PARxCH digital I/O
> Run the PARGPS diag diagnostic program to verify proper PARGPS installation
> Run the application program simp with GPS enabled to acquire data




The individual steps in more detail are as follows:

* SOFTWARE INSTALLATION:

Installing the PARxCH software involves two steps.  

Step one is running the install.bat or install script file to unpack
the compressed software onto your hard disk.  Only files are being
copied at this point.  Check the file os.txt unpacked on your hard
disk as part of the installation to make sure you got the right OS.

Step two is installing the kernel mode device drivers.  This step
requires Administrator or root privileges under Win2000/XP and
Linux and makes changes to the Windows registry.  This step is not
needed for DOS or WIn95/98/ME installations.

The detailed installation steps for each OS are as follows:


* DOS SOFTWARE INSTALLATION (GPS not available):

To install the DOS version of the PARxCH software, change to the DOS
subdirectory on the CD and run the install.bat file.  This will unzip
the contents of parxch.zip onto your hard disk.

Running install.bat with no command line arguments will create and
unpack the software in the standard c:\sr\parxch directory.  If that
directory already exists you will have to either delete or rename it.

To install in a \parxch directory other than c:\sr\parxch, run
install.bat with the target drive and directory as a command line
argument.  For example:

> install e:\srdos

NO changes are made to your config.sys or autoexec.bat files by running
install.bat.  Only the target directory is created and the software
unpacked.

After software installation, you'll want to run the diag.exe
diagnostic described below to verify proper hardware/software
operation.



* Win95/98/ME SOFTWARE INSTALLATION (GPS not available):

Installing under Win95/98/ME is much like DOS.  Follow the
instructions above, but use the WIN95 subdirectory from the CD.



* Win2K/XP SOFTWARE INSTALLATION (GPS optional):

To install the Windows 2K/XP version of the PARxCH software, change to
the Win2K subdirectory on the CD and run the install.bat file.  This
will unzip the contents of parxch.zip, and pargps.zip if it is
available, onto your hard disk.

Running install.bat with no command line arguments will create and
unpack the software in the standard c:\sr\parxch directory and also,
if GPS is included, the standard c:\sr\pargps directory.  If these
directories already exist you will have to either delete or rename
them.

To install in directories other than c:\sr\parxch and c:\sr\pargps,
run install.bat with the target drive and directory as a command line
argument.  For example:

> install e:\sr2k


Besides copying the software to your hard disk, Win2K operation also
requires installation of the PARxCH kernel mode device driver.  For
GPS functionality, the PARGPS kernel mode device driver must be
installed too.  Driver installation must be explicitly done as
follows.  It is NOT automatically done by install.bat.

Note that while unpacking the software can be done by anyone who has
disk write permission, installing the device driver can only be done
by someone with Administrator privileges.

To install the PARxCH device driver, do the following:

1) Log on as Administrator
2) Change to the \sr\parxch\driver directory
3) Run the indriver.exe driver installation utility

If GPS is included ...

4) Change to the \sr\pargps\driver directory 
5) Run the PARGPS indriver.exe driver installation utility

Both indriver.exe programs take a command line argument specifying
the driver name.  Running indriver with no arguments will give a list
of valid driver names and, for the PARxCH, the related parallel port
base address and interrupt line values.  Typical usage would be:

> cd \sr\parxch\driver
> indriver SrParXch378 PAR4CH

> cd \sr\pargps\driver
> indriver SrParGps

After the device drivers have been installed as Adminstrator, they can
be used by all other users.  You do not have to log on as
Administrator to use the PARxCH or PARGPS software.

You also DO NOT have to run indriver.exe to reinstall the kernel mode
drivers each time you power up the PC.  After running each indriver
once, the PC will automatically install the drivers at power up, until
they are explicitly removed.  To explicitly remove the drivers, log on
as Administrator and run both rmdriver.exe utilities.

For additional explanations, see the readme.txt files in the
\sr\parxch\driver and \sr\pargps\driver directories.

Installing the device drivers makes changes to your system registry.
For Win2K/XP it also copies an inf file to a system directory.  These
changes are required so the OS can list the PARxCH and PARGPS drivers
on system reports and handle plug-and-play.  Running rmdriver removes
the registry changes and copied inf file.

After software installation, you'll want to run the diag.exe
diagnostic program described below to verify proper hardware/software
operation.








* LINUX SOFTWARE INSTALLATION (GPS optional):

To install the Linux version of the PARxCH software, mount the CD,
change to the Linux subdirectory, and run the install script file.  Be
sure to run this install script and not the built-in install command.
The script will unzip and untar the contents of parxch.tgz, and
pargps.tgz if it is available, onto your hard disk.

Running with no command line arguments will install in the standard
/usr/local/sr/parxch directory and also, if GPS is included, the
standard /usr/local/sr/pargps directory.  For example:

[linux]# ./install

If you wish to install in different \parxch and \pargps directories, run
install giving the target directory.  To install in ~/sr/parxch and
~/sr/pargps, for example:

[linux]# ./install ~/sr

Note: Sometimes CD's are mounted with an option that prevents
      executing any scripts or programs from the CD.  If this is the
      case for you, just copy the install and *.tgz files to a
      directory where you have execute permission and run the install
      script from there.  Or, as root, remount the cd with the 
      -o remount,exec options.


As with Windows, Linux operation requires installation of the PARxCH
kernel mode device driver.  For GPS functionality, the PARGPS kernel
mode device driver must be installed too.  Driver installation must be
explicitly done by hand as follows.  It is NOT automatically done by
the install script file.  

While unpacking the software with the install script can be done by
any user who has write permission for the target directory, installing
the kernel mode device driver can only be done by someone with root
privileges.

Note: Since the PARxCH requires exclusive access to the parallel port,
driver installation will fail if the lp printer daemon is running.
See readme.txt in the driver directory for instructions on how to
remove the lp daemon.

To install the PARxCH kernel mode device driver:

1) Log on as root
2) Change to the /usr/local/sr/parxch/driver directory 
3) Run the indriver device driver installation utility

If GPS is included ...

4) Change to the /usr/local/sr/pargps/driver directory 
5) Run the pargps indriver device driver installation utility

Both indriver scripts take a command line argument specifying the
driver name.  Running indriver with no arguments will give a list of
valid driver names and, for the PARxCH, the related parallel port base
address and interrupt line values.  Typical usage would be:

[linux]# cd /usr/local/sr/parxch/driver
[linux]# ./indriver SrParXch378

[linux]# cd /usr/local/sr/pargps/driver
[linux]# ./indriver SrParGps

After the device drivers have been installed as root, they can be used
by all other users.  You do not have to log on as root to use the
PARxCH or PARGPS software.

Unlike Windows, under Linux to have the PC automatically install the
drivers at power up, you must either include the indriver commands in
your start up scripts or modify modules.conf and put the drivers in
the canonical modules directory.

To remove the drivers, log on as root and run both rmdriver utilities.
For more detailed explanations, see the readme.txt files in the
/usr/local/sr/parxch/driver and /usr/local/sr/pargps/driver directories.

After software installation, you'll want to run the diag diagnostic
program described below to verify proper hardware/software operation.



* PARxCH HARDWARE INSTALLATION:

Use the supplied moulded DB25 cable to connect the DB25 connector on
the back of the PARxCH to the parallel port of your PC.

Then connect power to the 2.1mm power connector on the back of the
PARxCH using the supplied wall transformer.  If the green LED near
the wall transformer connector is lit then the wall transformer is
properly connected and powered.

Do not worry about connecting any analog or digital inputs for now.



* PARGPS HARDWARE INSTALLATION:

You must have a PARxCH A/D data acquisition board to use the PARGPS
system.  The PARGPS system works in conjuction with the PARxCH to
accurately and continuously record time and location information for
the PARxCH analog data.  With the PARxCH already installed as
described above, the additional PARGPS hardware installation steps are:


1) POWER ... daisy chain PARGPS and PARxCH together ...

Connect the wall transformer supplied with the PARxCH to the 2.1mm
connector on the back of the PARGPS unit.  Then daisy chain power from
the extra 2.1mm connector on the PARGPS to the PARxCH with the supplied
12" black cable.

2) PARGPS RS232 SERIAL PORT (NMEA STRINGS) ... DB9 to PC ...

On the BACK of the PARGPS unit is a DB9 connector.  Use the supplied
DB9 moulded cable to connect to a serial port on your PC.  It doesn't
matter whether you connect to COM1 or COM2, but make a note of which
one you select.

3) PARGPS PPS SIGNAL ... DB15 to PARxCH ...

On the FRONT of the PARGPS unit is a DB15 connector.  Use the supplied
ribbon cable to make a connection from there to the digital IO DB15 on
the front of the PARxCH.  You will find this connection easiest to
make if you stack the PARGPS unit above or below the PARxCH.

4) GPS Antenna ... coax to PARGPS ...

On the BACK of the PARGPS unit is a small coax connector.  Connect the
supplied antenna to this connector.  At the other end of the coax
cable is the active part of the GPS antenna.  The active end of the
antenna MUST have access to the open sky around the equator in order
for the system to work.  The antenna will not work if buried under
layers of concrete or in basements.  More sophisticated antennas for
difficult environments are available.  Contact SR for information
about companies that can supply such antennas.


If you have followed the 4 steps above, the red LED on the front of
the PARGPS unit should be toggling on and off at a 1 second rate.  If
not check power and the green LED on the back of the PARGPS.  Note
that the red LED DOES NOT indicate GPS satellites have been acquired.
The system emits a PPS signal even with no satellite lock.  Only by
running the software can you determine the PPS quality and number of
satellites the system is currently seeing.




* RUN PARxCH DIAG TO VERIFY STANDALONE PARxCH OPERATION:

To check that the PARxCH is correctly connected to the computer, run
the diag diagnostic programs.  First, run the PARxCH diag progam in
the parxch\diags directory to verify that the PARxCH is working
correctly.

Run PARxCH diag with "std" as a command line argument to search for a
connected and powered up PARxCH and see a report of which port
addresses and modes work.

If you do not obtain a successful report, there are a few problems
that often occur:

> The PARxCH is not powered up
> The Windows or Linux PARxCH kernel mode driver is not installed
> The parallel port address or mode is wrong

The two most popular parallal port addresses in PC IO space are 0x378
and 0x278.  You need to make sure your computer has a parallel port
at one of those addresses and that the PARxCH is connected to that
port.  The PARxCH software will usually default to 0x378 unless
otherwise specified.

Parallel ports also have an operating mode.  The PARxCH can use
simple Bidirectional or EPP modes.  It can also use ECP mode by
selecting its PS/2 (bidirectional) or EPP submode.  The EPP modes are
fastest and are preferable if you are running at high sampling rates.
The parallel port operating mode is usually set with menu selections
in your machine's CMOS setup.

Windows and Linux users should make sure they have the PARxCH device
driver installed for the correct parallel port address.  If not, use
the PARxCH rmdriver utility to remove the current driver and run
indriver again to reinstall with a different address.

If the system successfully runs the PARxCH diag program, the PARxCH is
correctly installed.  If you have the optional PARGPS, you should now
check the PARGPS.  Otherwise you are ready to run a few of the ready to
go applications.  Running diag is generally a good idea whenever you
want to verify correct system operation and installation.



If using the PARGPS ...

* RUN PARGPS DIAG TO VERIFY PARxCH WITH PARGPS OPERATION:

First, run the PARxCH diag progam described above to verify that the
PARxCH is working correctly.  Then run the PARGPS diag program in the
pargps\diags directory to verify that the PARGPS board is working correctly
with the PARxCH.  It checks that both device drivers are installed and
that the PPS and serial signals can be received.

PARGPS diag takes five command line arguments.  They all have defaults,
but at least one must be given.  The arguments to PARGPS diag are:

1) The name of the PARGPS device driver that was installed.  This must 
   be the same name you gave to the PARGPS indriver program when installing
   the PARGPS device driver.  If this argument is not supplied, a default
   of SrParGps will be used.

2) The index of the PC serial port the PARGPS board is connected to.
   Use 1 for COM1 or ttyS0, and 2 for COM2 or ttyS1.  If this argument 
   is not supplied, a default of com2 will be used.

3) The name of the PARxCH device driver that was installed.  This
   determines which PC parallel port is used for communicating with
   the PARxCH board and must be the same name you gave to the
   indriver program when installing the PARxCH device driver.  If this
   argument is not supplied, a default of SrParXch378 will be used.

4) The mode of the parallel port.  Valid modes are epp, bpp, ecp/epp,
   and ecp/bpp.  If this argument is not supplied, a default of epp
   will be used.

5) The specific PARxCH device being used.  Valid devices are PAR1CH,
   PAR4CH, and PAR8CH.  If this argument is not supplied, the default
   device will be used.  The default device is typically stored in the
   registry or an environment variable when the PARxCH driver is first
   installed.  See the readme file in the driver directory for more
   information.

For example,

The following diag command line, uses a PARGPS driver name of SrParGps,
the default serial port COM2, the default PARxCH driver name of
SrParXch378 (for LPT1), the default parallel port mode of epp, and
the 4 channel PAR4CH device:

> diag SrParGps PAR4CH

This next diag command line uses GPS driver name SrParGps278, serial port
COM1, PARxCH driver name SrParXch278 (for LPT2), parallel port mode
ECP/BPP mode, and the 8 channel PAR8CH device:

> diag SrParGps278 com2 SrParXch278 ecp/bpp PAR8CH



If PARGPS diag does not report success, there are a few problems that
often occur:

> The PARGPS is not powered up or its driver is not installed
> The PARxCH is not powered up or its driver is not installed
> The wrong PARxCH device was specified
> The PARxCH software was not compiled with GPS support included
> A cable (serial, parallel, PPS, antenna) is not connected
> The arguments given to diag do not match the indriver arguments
> The diag and indriver arguments do not match the CMOS hardware setup
> The antenna is not in view of the sky
> No satellites have been acquired yet

When the PARGPS board is first powered up, it may take up to 10
minutes before enough satellites have been found to determine proper
GPS information.  At first, it will just output a NMEA $GPGGA string
that is mostly empty.  Next a time value will appear.  After 3
satellites have been acquired, a $GPVTG string will also appear and
the location information will be filled in the $GPGGA string.  If this
has not occurred after 10 minutes, try restarting and moving the
antenna so it has a better view of the sky.

The PARxCH software can be compiled with or without GPS support.  For
all installation CDs that include PARGPS information, the PARxCH
software will be installed with GPS support enabled.  For installation
CDs with only PARxCH information, the PARxCH software will be
installed with NO GPS support.  To re-enable GPS support, edit the top
level PARxCH makeall or makeall.bat file and change the GPS_YES_OR_NO
define from "No" to "Yes".  Then run makeall and re-install the
recompiled driver.

If the system successfully runs the PARGPS diag program, both the
PARxCH and PARGPS are correctly installed and connected.  Most users
will then want to run the ready to go simple acquisition application.
Running diag is generally a good idea whenever you want to verify
correct system operation and installation.


* CMOS:

No two machines are the same when it comes to their CMOS setup and
specifying the parallel port operating mode.  Some even have utility
programs that are run after power on to select the mode.  Check your
CMOS and select standard Bidirectional (sometimes called PS/2), EPP,
ECP or ECP/EPP mode.  The PARxCH should work with most modes except
for the old SPP unidirectional Centronics mode.  If SPP is your only
option, try it anyway since some bidirectional modes are incorrectly
listed in the CMOS as SPP.



* THE PARxCH LEDs:

The PARxCH has three LEDs.  Two green LEDs on the back panel, and a
single yellow LED on the front.  These LEDs indicate the status of
the system.

The first green LED on the back panel near the 2.1mm wall transformer
connector indicates whether the wall transformer is connected and
powered up.  It only indicates that the wall transforms is connected
and on.

The second green LED on the back panel near the parallel port DB25
indicates whether the PC has issued a power up command to the PARxCH
or not.  If this LED is off, the system is in a power down or "sleep"
mode.  It will turn on if an application program is run.  Quitting
the application will usually turn this LED off indicating the PARxCH
has been powered down.

The yellow LED on the front panel is under PC program control.  For
example, if diag runs successfully, at the end you will be allowed to
twiddle the LED on and off from the keyboard.  Other programs will
make different uses of the yellow LED.  Many of the application
programs will twiddle the LED on and off with each buffer of data
that is acquired.


* THE PARGPS LEDs:

The PARGPS board has two LEDs.  One green LED on the back panel, and a
red LED on the front.  These LEDs indicate the status of the system.

The green LED on the back panel indicates whether the wall transformer
is connected and powered up.  The red LED on the front panel toggles
each time a GPS PPS (pulse per second) signal is received.



* NOTE FOR LINUX USERS:

The provided applications were designed to run from the console, not
the GNOME desktop.  While many run OK from inside GNOME xterm or
gnome-terminal windows, some behave poorly when they receive extra
carriage returns from the terminal.


* MORE README.TXT INFORMATION:

After unpacking the CD there will be additional readme.txt files
available.  At this point you will probably be most interested in
reading:

Readme2.txt ->
   Information about the finished "ready to go" application programs.

Readme3.txt ->
   Information about custom programming using the provided C libraries.




* CONTACTING US: info@symres.com

Thank you for using the PARxCH.  Please contact us at info@symres.com
if you have any questions and we will be glad to help.