Troubleshooting Parallel port based DI-7xx under Win3.1/95/98

1. No Dataq parallel interface device can operate in ECP (Extended Capabilities Port) mode, devices with a dual interface (Universal Serial Bus or Ethernet) cannot operate in Standard mode. Instead of guessing, it is best to check the computer BIOS setup to make sure it is in a mode which will work. How to do this varies with computer type, but many machines suggest a key to press during bootup. Avoid chooisg EPP+ECP or EPP 1.9, which usually do not work with the current version of our parallel port software. A parallel port cannot support EPP mode when it is located at address 3BC, since EPP requires 5 ports, the last of which conflicts with the video controller at 3C0.

2. The maximum acquisition rates under Windows 95/98 are approximately:

3. If WinDaq acquisition reports "Could not open data acquisition device" or the title bar shows "DI-000 Acquisition" or "DI-??? Acquisition", the device is not communicating. The title bar should show the acquisition device model number, although a DI-500 may show as DI-720 because that board is now used inside. Try running the loader from the WinDaq or StartUp folder after powering the device off and on. On a DI-500, DI-720, DI-730, or DI-740 series device, this should make the red light go out. On a DI-220 series device, this should make the green light come on and the red light flash briefly. If this does not happen, rerun the loader and watch the screen carefully.

4. If the error message disappears too fast to read, click Start, Settings, Taskbar, Start Menu Programs, Advanced. Right click the device loader in the WinDaq folder, click Properties, and the Shortcut tab. Write down the target command line and working directory. Start a Command Prompt, type CD followed by a space, a backslash, and the working directory name, and press Enter. Type the target command line, press Enter, and read the error message at your leisure.

5. If "LPT Port is not available." is displayed, make sure that that you have shut down and restarted the computer after software installation and that the LPT port which you specified (the number preceding the .BNM filename on the target command line) is not tied up by an attempt to print. To make sure the port at least exists, type DEBUG and press Enter, then at the dash prompt type:

-D 40:8
The first line of the display will start with something like:
0040:0008 -78 03 BC 03 78 02
To quit DEBUG, type:
-Q
To exit the command prompt, type:
>EXIT
The above display means that LPT1: is at address 378 hexadecimal, LPT2: is at
address 3BC, and LPT3: is at address 278. If an address is 00 00, the port
does not exist or is not functioning.

6. If the loader runs successfully but the WinDaq/Lite, Pro, or Pro+ application title bar still shows "DI-000 Acquisition" or "DI-??? Acquisition", aggressive Power Management (see Control Panel, Power and the computer BIOS for settings you can change) may be turning off the port in the meantime, or a printer port monitor program may corrupt the DSP program. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to bring up Task Manager to look for such programs, and try closing them one at a time, then rerun the loader and application after shutting down each one that can be closed (except Explorer and Systray). After identifying the offending program, remove it from the StartUp folder, or run REGEDIT or remove it from the keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run Services

7. If you want to print through the parallel port, exit acquisition first. To resume acquisition after printing, disconnect the printer and connect the Dataq device. It is just good practice to make sure the DSP program was not corrupted while disconnected.

8. If the device doesn't load successfully, here is a test we can do under Win3/1.95/98 (not on Win NT/2000/ME/XP)

First, download the following files to an empty directory --- NOT the WinDaq directory

500ldr.exe
ain4.exe
diotest.exe
info.exe
mux.exe
rw.exe

Communication Test on DI-500/510/720/730 under DOS/Win3.1/95/98
     This test does not apply to any version of Windows NT.

In the following text:
<device> is the parallel port-based data acquisition device from DATAQ
      DI-500/510/720/730

<.bnm> is the .bnm file, you can pick them up from the directory WinDaq was installed:
      DI-500: DI-500.bnm
      DI-510: DI-500.bnm
      DI-720: DI-720.bnm
      DI-730: DI-730.bnm

<lpt> is the LPT port:
      LPT 1: 1
      LPT 2: 2

<mode> is the parallel port mode:
      EPP:            1
      Bi-directional: 2
      Standard:       3

      EPP Mode test requires EPP BIOS, if you are not sure about it, choose
      Bi-directional mode instead. WinDaq will install EPP BIOS if EPP mode
      is detected.

    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    ! DI-720/730 with Ethernet or USB option does NOT support Standard    !
    !  Mode, you need Bi-directional or EPP mode to operate these device. !
    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before the test, check and make sure you are using either EPP, Bi-directional (or PS/2)
or Stardard mode on the LPT port you choose. If ECP is the default mode, please
refer to the user manual of your PC to change it to the other acceptable mode
(you may need to change it from the BIOS CMOS setting)

1)Download 500LDR.EXE, RW.EXE, AIN4.EXE and <.bnm>
2)Boot your PC to Win 3.1/95/98
3)Enter MS-DOS prompt
4)Connect <device> and turn on the power
5)Run 500ldr to load the program onto the <device>

     Format of 500LDR.EXE:

         500LDR.EXE <lpt> <.bnm>

     For example (screen capture):
         A:\>500ldr 2 di-500.bnm
         LPT 2 is at 278

         +-------------------------------------------------+
         | DI-500 Loader           Rev. 1.00    09/24/96   |
         | Copyright (C) DATAQ Instruments, Inc. 1992-96   |
         +-------------------------------------------------+
         Boot ROM Size: 12960

         Loading...................OK
         Bi-directional Mode ................OK
         Standard Mode  ................OK

6)If you don't see OK on any mode above, we are not loading the <device> properly
  Please capture the screen and contact DATAQ.
7)If you see OK on at least one of the modes above. You can run the RW.EXE to
  test the quality of communication.

     Format of RW.EXE:
         RW <lpt> <mode>

     For example (screen capture):
         A:\>rw.exe 2 2
         Bi-directional Mode Communication Test
         [ESC]apce [D]isplay [R]ead Only [W]ait If Error
         317D    21B4    059C    2DAB    25D9    6931    64B7    05E9    79B5    201C
         4FB3    1FFC    7BA5    060E    45D7    03E0    4249    0B74    18EB    130D
         64C4    7836    094A    0442    1770    6597    6839    4C81    00D1    0F5D
         3477    195A    5AC7    4031    6516    406D    3407    5D48    5688    482B
         65CB    5543    0DFD    6DDC    11C9    7654    46ED    4CE6    3C62    6FA3
         7EF0    0B4C    571D    01F0    73D6    2F75    4F53    2379    47F4    032F
         752C    1B1E    40BC    27F3    4ECA    56C3    5391    406B    2BC3    00F6
         74D9    5331    0CD5    19D1    5D53    4ADA    33D5    1722    39AA    3733
         6FE9    4FCA    784B    33CA    79F7    3663    2974    17B0    755D    2726
         258E    527E    68E3    4D0B    6DBD    1A96    43ED    6231    7AB5    50AB
         43F6    4F81    6DCF    3C84    4E39    6F8F    585C    06FC    11B1    78C0
         0D39    154E    3D35    5077    1E93    2206    7E06    67EE    5DA9    1A8F
         204D    55B8    2DB6    186C    2DEA    237F    3BC7    7644
         Tries: 00000159  Error: 00000000   R/W Test

8) Let it run for several minutes, and you should see the Tries counter keep
   going up, while Error counter should stay at 00000000. If not, please capture
   the screen and contact DATAQ

9) If the RW test is passed, we can test the ADC communication. Please run AIN4.EXE

      Format:
          AIN4.EXE <lpt> <mode>

10) Once AIN4 is running, you should see signals on Channel 1..4 plotted on the screen
    If you are using DI-500/720, you should be able to connect your signals to the
    channels. If you are using DI-510/730, you will not be able to do that.

11) At this point, if you still have trouble starting WinDaq, please contact DATAQ

       Notice:
           if you are using DI-510, you need WinDaq/Pro or Pro+ instead of Lite
           to run it.


More about WinDaq Data Acquistion:

1) It is always recommended to let the installation of WinDaq to set up the
   AUTOEXEC.BAT for you. If you do so, you will see the following two lines
   in your AUTOEXEC.BAT if you open it with notepad or EDIT.EXE:

       REM This line is added by DATAQ Instruments, Inc.
       CALL  C:\WINDAQM\GODATAQ.BAT C: C:\WINDAQM DI720M.BAT 2

       Warning: You should not use Microsoft Word or other word editing software
       to edit AUTOEXEC.BAT, or your PC may not start.

2) If you are using a parallel card that is recognized until Windows
   is fully running, you will need to edit AUTOEXEC.BAT and specify the mode for
   it. (Please use the communication test to confirm the mode you can use)

       REM This line is added by DATAQ Instruments, Inc.
       CALL  C:\WINDAQM\GODATAQ.BAT C: C:\WINDAQM DI720M.BAT 2 1

       Here you are forcing EPP mode to be used.

   If this modification is made, you may need to place 500LDR.EXE in your startup
   group (Refer to Windows manual for how to add a shortcut in a group)

       500LDR.EXE <lpt> <.bnm>

3) Sometime, the software interrupt WinDaq tries to catch may have been used
   by some other software. In this case, you may need to change the instrument
   Batch file.

       a) Locate the following file in your WinDaq directory:

           DI-500: DI500.BAT or DI500M.BAT
           DI-720: DI720.BAT or DI720M.BAT
           DI-730: DI730.BAT or DI730M.BAT

       b) Use EDIT.EXE or notepad to open the Batch file. Its content
          is something like this:

           @echo off
           set DI=60
           if "%1"== "" goto default
           @echo on
           500ldr %1 di-720.bnm
           di-500 %1 %2 %3 %4
           @echo off
           goto end
           :default
           @echo on
           500ldr 1 di-720.bnm
           di-500 1
           @echo off
           :end
           echo.

        c) Try to change the 60 in "set DI=60" to 61, 62, ... up to 66. Save
           the file and reboot the PC and see if WinDaq will run with the new
           setting. If not, change it to a higher number (up to 66).