9323 Hamilton
Mentor, Ohio 44060 - USA
Tel:+1-440-357-1400
Fax:+1-440-357-1416
|
9323 Hamilton Mentor, Ohio 44060 - USA Tel:+1-440-357-1400 Fax:+1-440-357-1416 |
Optimize your research and industrial applications in a PC using Scientific Solutions family of data acquisition and control products with LabPac - a sophisticated memory resident driver. Simple functions handle event counting, precision timing, analog input, analog output, digital input and digital output. LabPac installs as a BIOS-level, software interrupt allowing any language that runs under DOS access to its various functions.
Optimize your research and industrial applications in a PC using Scientific Solutions family of data acquisition and control products with LabPac, a sophisticated memory resident driver. LabPac installs as a BIOS-level, software interrupt allowing any language that runs under DOS access to its 64 functions. Simple functions handle event counting, precision timing, analog input, analog output, digital input, and digital output. Repetitive functions, such as multiple sampling of analog inputs, can be done using hardware interrupts, external triggers, pacer clocks, or timed intervals. The routines are designed to utilize the full power of Scientific Solutions products. Data files can be created in either ASCII format for compatibility with major analysis, data base and spreadsheet software, or binary format for compact storage. LIM EMS 4.0 support allows use of expanded memory to collect extensive numbers of samples. LabPac can be used with Scientific Solutions ROUTE 488 software for a complete environment.
LabPac is a memory resident, BIOS level device driver. When called from an application program, its function is to provide streamlined BIOS routines which facilitate the data acquisition and process control features on the MC DAS series, Lab Master DMA, Lab Master AD, Lab Tender, Base Board, and DADIO. Applications access LabPac functions directly through software interrupt INT66H. All DOS languages are supported either directly or through interface modules.
A traditional approach to using data acquisition products is through the use of menus. Using a question/answer or multiple choice format eliminates the need for programming skills. Data collection scenarios are constructed with optional canned graphics, statistics, and data storage routines. LabPac is not meant to replace menu driven software, much of which provides a high level of functionality for collecting data with ease of use. There are, however, applications where flexibility, power and speed are critical. In these applications, LabPac provides optimized I/O functions that can be integrated into a structure with precision timing.
Another approach to drivers is to use a library of subroutines. In a library environment the entire body of driver code is included in the application, increasing program size and decreasing the available workspace for data and code. In addition some languages cannot access libraries. The most powerful method for supporting all DOS languages is through the use of BIOS level interrupts. In LabPac applications only one short interface module is required to access all 64 functions. A command parameter within the Call determines which function is executed.
Initialization
LabPac installs easily at the DOS prompt.
C>LABPAC <RET>
The command can be included in the autoexec.bat file for automatic installation. Once installed, LabPac will be actively available to any application program running under DOS until the computer is turned off or reset.
The analog I/O, digital I/O, and timer/counter features of LabPac are modular in design. Each feature is initialized separately and has distinct subroutines to monitor parameters. If an application only requires analog input with timed intervals between conversions, then only the analog and timer/counter features will be initialized. This saves valuable time in program execution because unused features are not being serviced.
Application Assistance
Questions about the design or implementation of your application? Our experienced Applications Engineers are waiting to provide solutions. Please contact us with your requirements.
Menu-approach
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LabPac
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Inflexible |
Flexible |
Menus/Script language |
Host language |
Hi/Low acquisition speed |
Variable data in/out speed |
Canned data display |
Design on-screen display |
Foreground operation only |
Foreground/background uses |
Acquires data only (analog) |
Supports all hardware features |
Simple canned statistics |
Export data to stat packages |
Little programming required |
Some programming skill |
Single Samples
The simplest level of action is to sample one input channel or send data to an output channel. LabPac provides this level for all supported hardware. Additionally, digital routines will set/clear output lines without disturbing the other lines in an 8-bit port. Functions are available that monitor the state of analog inputs, digital inputs, and timer/counters.
Multiple Channels/Multiple Samples
Analog I/O and digital I/O can be processed in sets of channels. LabPac functions can be configured to manipulate the channel sets at pre-determined intervals under control of the timer/counters. One type of routine uses one 16-bit timer to initiate processing of the set of channels. A second type of routine is part of an interrupt service routine keyed to intervals between hardware interrupts. With the interrupt routines, multiple I/O features can be processed concurrently in time. Multiple channels for analog input and digital I/O can also be processed using routines geared to use hardware triggers. DMA features allow fast background sampling of analog input. All multiple process routines can use up to 64K Byte memory buffers.
The Rest of the Story
Several utility functions arc provided in LabPac. A set of seven functions are designed to provide file I/O for ASCII or binary data files. These files are in formats accepted by all major data analysis/database programs. Functions are provided to perform binary/BCD or BCD/binary conversions and support the LIM EMS 4.0 memory standard. Functions are also provided to suspend a selected process or to return the current status of a process.
Applications can be developed in any language under DOS. These sample programs in BASIC, C, and Turbo Pascal illustrate data collection from four analog input channels at 1000 samples/second. Each program begins by establishing variables/arrays, initializing analog and timer features (RESET, AIINIT, TIINIT), and opening a data file (CREATE). Every language supported by LabPac has a file (LABHEAD) which predefines key constant or variable labels. Any label used in these examples, which is not explicitly defined, is in this file. Timer/counter 2 is started (TIST) with a divisor of 1000 on an internal one megahertz source providing a 1KHz output. After setup, analog channel zero is monitored ,(AISC) until the input makes a positive going zero crossing. The timed interval function (AIMAX) samples the channels indicated in the array CHANS and stores the data in INDATA. The data is transferred (WRITE) to an ASCII file for later analysis.
Turbo Pascalprogram getdata;
{$i header.btb}
const NCHANS=4;
NSWEEPS=1000;
var filestr: string[255];
r: PARAMS;
indata: array[1..NCHANS,l..NSWEEPS]of integer;
gain,chans: array[l..NCHANS]of integer;
handle, i: integer;
begin
r.ax:=RESET;
intr(labpac,r);
for i:=1 to NCHANS do
begin
gain[i]:= 0;
chans[i]:=i;
end;
r.ax:=AIINIT;r.bx:=$714;r.cx:=NCHANS;
r.dx:=O;r.si:=Ofs(gain);r.ds:=Seg(gain);
intr(labpac,r);
r.ax:=TIINIT;r.bx:=$718;
intr(labpac,r);
r.ax:CREATE;filestr:='datl.prn';
r.bx:=1+Ofs(filestr);r.ds:=Seg(filestr);
intr(labpac,r);
handle:=r.ax;
r.ax:=TIST;r.bx:=2;r.cx:=11; r.dx:=1000;
intr(labpac,r);
r.ax:=AISC;r.bx:=0;r.cx:=0;r.dx:=l
intr(labpac,r);
r.ax:=AIMAX;r.bx:=2;r.cx:=4;r.dx:=1000;
r.di:=Ofs(indata);r.es:=Seg(indata);
r.si: =Ofs(chans);r.ds:=Seg(chans);
intr(labpac,r);
r.ax:=WRITE;r.bx:=handle;
intr(labpac,r);
r.ax:=LCLOSE;
intr(labpac,r);
end.
Interpreted BASIC 5 MASTER%=1 10 CHAIN MERGE "LABHEAD.BAS",ALL 500 CALL LABPAC(RESULT,LRESET) 510 NCHANS=4: DMA=0: NSAMPS=1000 520 FILE$="DAT1.PRN":HANDLE=0 530 DIM GAIN(3),CHANS(3),INDATA(3,999) 540 FOR I=0 TO 3:CHANS(I)=I:GAIN(I)=0: NEXT 550 CALL LABPAC(ATOD,NCHANS,DMA,GAIN(0),RESULT, AIINIT) 560 CALL LABPAC(LTIMER,RESULT,TIINIT) 570 CALL LABPAC(FILE$,HANDLE,LCREATE) 580 TCHN=2:TSRC=ll:TPER=1000 590 CALL LABPAC(TCHN,TSRC,TPER,RESULT,TIST) 600 ACHN=0:START=0:FINISH=1 610 CALL LABPAC(ACHN,START,FINISH,RESULT,AISC) 620 CALL LABPAC(TCHN,NCHANS,NSAMPS,CHANS(0),INDAT(0,0),RESULT,AIMAX) 630 CALL LABPAC(HANDLE,NCHANS,NSAMPS,CHANS(0),INDAT(0,0),RESULT,LWRITE) 650 CALL LABPAC(HANDLE,RESULT,LCLOSE) 660 END C# include<labhead.h> int gain[4]={0}, chans[4]={0,1,2,3}, indata[1000][4]; main() { int handle; labpac(RESET); labpac(AIINIT,0x7l4,4,0,gain); labpac(TIINIT,0x7l8); handle=labpac(CREATE,"dat1.prn"); labpac(TIST,2,11,1000); labpac(AISC,0,0,1); labpac(AIMAX,2,4,1000,chans,indata); labpac(WRITE,handle,4,1000,chans,indata); labpac(CLOSE,handle); }
Analog Input
AIGAIN Change gain level on a channel
AIRAW Sample one channel
AISC Wait for threshhold on one channel
AIDMA Store samples in buffer (DMA transfer)
DMASTAT Status of AIDMA routine
AISWST Background sampling to buffer
AISTAT Status of background sampling
AISWAB Stop background sampling
AIHDW Externally triggered samples into buffer
AIMAX Timed sampling stored in buffer
Digital Output DORAW Send a sample to one 8-bit channel DOSET Set a masked value on one channel DOCLR Clear a masked value on one channel SCRAW Set/Clear a masked value on a channel DOSWST Send values from buffer in background DOSTAT Status of background routine DOSWAB Stop sending background samples DOMAX Timed outputs from a buffer DOHDW Strobed outputs on one channel Utility ACCESS Place an EMS buffer into window ALLOC Allocate a buffer in EMS memory FREE Return EMS memory to free memory BCD Convert binary number to BCD format BIN Convert BCD number to binary format CLOSE Close files opened by LabPac CREATE Open a file for saving data INTCLR Enable hardware interrupt lines INTSET Disable hardware interrupt lines OPEN Open a file containing data READ Transfer a file to a memory buffer WRITE Transfer a memory buffer to a file Timing/CountingGETTIME Get time-of-day from timers 1 & 2
SETTIME Put time-of-day on timers 1 & 2
SETALARM Enable the Alarms in counters 1 or 2
TIHDW Program any mode into a timer/counter
TIST Start a timer/counter channel
TIAB Stop a timer/counter channel
TIRAW Read the value on one timer/counter
TISTAT Wait for a value on a timer/counter
TILH Start a waveform output channel
Digital InputDIRAW Sample one 8-bit channel
DISC Wait for a bit pattern on one channel
DISWST Background sampling to buffer
DISTAT Status of background sampling
DISWAB Stop background sampling
DIMAX Timed sampling stored in buffer
DIHDW Samples channel on strobe, saves to buffer
Analog Output AORAW Send a value on one channel AOSWST Send values from buffer in background AOSTAT Status of background routine AOSWAB Stop sending background samples AOMAX Timed outputs on multiple channels Initialization AIINIT Initialize analog input channels AOINIT Initialize analog output channels DINIT Initialize digital I/O channels RESET Clear LabPac to pre-initialized state SWINIT Initialize interrupt service routine TIINIT Initialize timer/counter channels
DOS Ver. 2.0 or higher
Minimum of 96K Bytes free system memory
Runs in DOS session of Win3.1, Win95 or Win98
Specifications subject to change without notice.
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