If this page does not display correctly, click here to view in your browser.

Product of the month

New Windows Software Support Package

Acromag recently released their new PCI Win32 Driver Software (Model PCISW-API-WIN) which consists of low-level drivers and Windows 32 Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs). This software simplifies the development of Windows applications using Acromag PMC I/O modules, PCI I/O Cards, and CompactPCI I/O boards. The drivers give developers full access to all the I/O board’s features for fast and easy integration with the application program.

The DLL functions use the Windows _stdcall calling convention and can be accessed from a number of programming languages. In addition to the DLLs and drivers, the software includes an ActiveX control for implementing interrupt notifications in programming environments that do not support the use of callback functions. Several examples for C, Visual Basic and LabVIEW applications are also provided with source code.

For more information, click here.

Visit www.acromag.com for more information or call 248-624-1541.To request product literature or our new catalog, click here.

Feature Rep
Vic Myers Associates, Phoenix office, was instrumental in developing the recent order from the University of Arizona, Stewart Observatory. A local system integration firm will provide the technical support to interface the computers and I/O equipment into VME64+ enclosures. The I/O will be a part of the telescope controls system.

Acromag Industry Pack Modules (Extended Temperature) will help support this new project. The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) Project is an international partnership comprised of: 25% Arizona Universities, 25% Italian Astronomy Institutes, 25% German National Research Institutes, 12.5% Ohio State University, and 12.5% Research Corporation of several US Universities.

The Large Binocular Telescope Enclosure was erected on Mt. Graham in SW Arizona. The LBT will use two 8.4 meter (331-inch) diameter primary mirrors to provide a collecting area equivalent to an 11.8 meter (465-inch) diameter circular aperture. The mirrors are mounted with a 14.4 meter center-to-center separation. By using swing arms to rotate the second mirror and their supports, it is possible to switch the telescope from one mode of operation to another very quickly. Also, the short focal length of the primary mirrors permits a compact, and therefore quite stiff telescope structure. This telescope can provide for images and resolution that is superior to a space-based telescope.

Ask the I/O Experts
Question: For Windows systems, why does Acromag offer ActiveX software support for Industry Pack modules and DLL drivers for PMC, PCI and CompactPCI I/O boards?

Answer: ActiveX controls are ideally suited for use with Industry Pack (IP) modules. IP modules are designed to be mixed and matched on a carrier card, but under Windows, only one driver can be associated with a single PCI slot. Therefore, a secondary set of software would have to be created to connect the various drivers for each IP module together into a single driver package. A very difficult task if the IPs are from different vendors. Acromag's ActiveX controls contain all the instructions to automatically link individual IP modules to the carrier card. It even provides generic controls for 3rd-party IP modules.

Since PMC, PCI, and CompactPCI I/O boards are not mixed like IP modules on carriers, DLL drivers can be used. Acromag's DLL drivers, written in C, offer the greatest flexibility, cleanest integration, and full access to all the features available on the I/O board.

For more information, read the full story.

Real-Time Show
See Acromag at the Real-Time & Embedded Computing Conference which is designed for those developing computer systems and time-critical applications serving multiple industries; data communication and telephony, military and aerospace, industrial control, instrumentation, consumer electronics, image processing, process control, medical instrumentation, vehicular control and maintenance, embedded appliances and more.

Click here to see the full list of technical support solutions on our Website.

Check out all of our newest Press Releases.

Do you know someone else that should be receiving this newsletter? Click here.

Acromag, Inc.
30765 S. Wixom Rd.
P.O. Box 437
Wixom, Michigan 48393-7037
Phone: 248-624-1541
Fax: 248-624-9234
e-mail: sales@acromag.com
www.acromag.com