Home

Black Box SW925A User's Manual

1. 57k6 baud 0 0 0 38k4 baud o 0 1 19k2 baud 0 1 0 9k6 baud 0 1 1 4k8 baud 1 0 0 2k4 baud 1 0 1 1k2 baud 1 1 0 300 baud 1 1 1 o o XON XOFF printer plotter connections Lo 1 XON XOFF computer connections 0 ETX ACK handshake 1 1 DTR CTS handshake Even parity olo Odd parity ofa No parity 1 1 Figure 4 3 Setting Serial Port Options and Protocols 5 Installing the Modular Smart Switch 5 1 Selecting Ports for Your Equipment Printer and Plotter Sharing Applications Unless otherwise specified all print and plot data will automatically be routed to port 1 If you are automatically sharing a single printer or plotter connect it to port 1 All ports have equal priority and data output is handled on a first come first served basis General Datacomm Applications For applications involving a central controlling PC the PC should normally be connected to port 1 since data is routed to this port by default 5 2 Positioning the Modular Smart Switch Choose a central position for the Modular Smart Switch This keeps cable lengths to a minimum 5 3 Cable Requirements You will need a suitable cable for each device that you wish to connect to the switch Mechanical and electrical specifications for the cables are given in Appendix A serial and Appendix B parallel NOTE A great number of serial cables are available that are not suitable for use with your Modu
2. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user s authority to operate the equipment This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A limits for radio noise emission from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulation of Industry Canada Le pr sent appareil num rique n met pas de bruits radio lectriques d passant les limites applicables aux appareils num riques de la classe A prescrites dans le Reglement sur le brouillage radio lectrique publi par Industrie Canada MODULAR SMART SWITCH 10 11 NORMAS OFICIALES MEXICANAS NOM ELECTRICAL SAFETY STATEMENT INSTRUCCIONES DE SEGURIDAD Todas las instrucciones de seguridad y operaci n deber n ser le das antes de que el aparato el ctrico sea operado Las instrucciones de seguridad y operaci n deber n ser guardadas para referencia futura Todas las advertencias en el aparato el ctrico y en sus instrucciones de operaci n deben ser respetadas Todas las instrucciones de operaci n y uso deben ser seguidas El aparato el ctrico no deber ser usado cerca del agua por ejemplo cerca de la tina de ba o lavabo s tano mojado o cerca de una alberca etc El aparato el ctrico debe ser usado nicamente con carritos o pedestales que sean recomendados por el fabricante El aparato el ctrico debe ser montado a la pared o al techo s lo como sea recomendado
3. If you have more than one port on your PC make sure that your printout is sent to a port that is connected to the Modular Smart Switch For IBM compatible PCs DOS will prompt you to specify the printer port the first time you issue a print command Ifyou are using a parallel port LPT1 LPT2 or LPT3 you can print directly without any further setup If you are normally using a serial port to output print data you may wish to redirect the parallel port data to output on the serial port using the MODE command The following example will set your PC to send all LPT1 data to COM1 MODE LPT1 COM1 If you are going to plot print from DOS make sure that the computer cannot timeout if the buffer on the Modular Smart Switch becomes full This could cause errors on your plots or an error message to be displayed on your screen To avoid this make sure that you have issued a MODE command with the P option set If you wish to run your serial port at a high baud rate and make sure that no computer times out you can use the MODE and ADMODE commands together The ADMODE protocol will always override the MODE protocol The following example would set COM1 to 57600 baud no parity 8 bits 1 stop bit and no application timeout MODE COM1 9600 N 8 1 P lt enter gt ADMODE COM1 57600 N 8 1 lt enter gt NOTE If you are sending plot print data from IBM compatibles using a serial port make sure that your AUTOEXEC BAT includes both the MODE with P op
4. RS 232 and RS 422 Pin Assignments The serial ports on the Modular Smart Switch use DB25 connectors The following table lists RS 232 and RS 422 pin assignments and signal descriptions Those pins not appearing in the table are not used Table A 1 DB25 Serial Pinouts Pin Description RS 232 RS 422 In Out Protective ground shield EARTH EARTH Transmitted data data out TXD Output 3 Received data RXD Input 4 Request to send Always held HIGH RTS Output 5 TS Clear to send flow control in C hardware handshake 7 Signal ground GND 20 Data terminal ready flow control out DTR hardware handshake Flow control out ve hardware handshake HSOUT Output MODULAR SMART SWITCH Table A 1 continued DB25 Serial Pinouts Pin Description RS 232 RS 422 In Out 10 Flow control out ve hardware handshake HSOUT Output 11 Received data ve RXD Input 12 Received data ve RXD Input 13 Transmit data ve TXD Output 15 Flow control in ve hardware HSIN Input handshake 16 Flow control in ve hardware HSIN Input handshake 25 Transmit data ve TXD Output A 2 Connecting to Computers RS 232 Connections RS 232 serial ports on computers tend to vary considerably The standard recommends a DB25 connector but some machines such as the IBM AT and compatibles use a DB9 connector Computer ports intended for connection to a modem are not configured like those intended for
5. Wie oda 47 9 6 Setting Default Start of Day Destination Ports 49 10 Erqubleshootidg aii o bub eae tri 50 10 1 Self Test at Power On ooo oooooccocococncncroc eens 50 10 2 Parallel Interfaces No Data Transmitted through the Switch ies abe eels a ao n ales o att ahaa 50 10 3 Parallel Interfaces Corrupted Extra or Lost Data 51 10 4 Problems Interfacing Serial Devices ooooooooomom o o 51 10 5 Serial Interfaces No Data Transmitted through the 10 6 Serial Interfaces Corrupted Data 0 0 0 0 0008 51 10 7 Merged Printouts iy someni eaaa en ate ae eee eee eee 52 10 8 Print Data Transmitted but File Transfer Fails 52 MODULAR SMART SWITCH Chapter Page Appendix A Serial A O 53 A 1 RS 232 and RS 422 Pin AssignmMentS oconoccnononocnnannanonaninonanonannananenanenaso 53 A 2 Connecting to Computers RS 232 Connections mcmcooncocornnonncrnnrnnonns 54 A 2 1 RS 232 Connections to IBM PCs and Compatibles 54 A 2 2 RS 232 Connectors to IBM AT and compatibles 55 A 3 Connecting to PrinterS oonooccnononononononannnnnaronenanonannanononanonanonancananeninennns 56 A 4 Connecting to Modems ccoococncononconnnnnononnnanononnncncononncnnonn on coronan rn cnonncnnos 57 A 5 Connecting to PlotterS oooocnoconocononononnnnonenanonananancanononanonanonancanoneninenass 58 A 6 Connecting to NEC Spinwriter ocococccoonanonenonenanonannanonenanonanenanna
6. as Inputs or Outputs 0 0 17 4 3 Setting Serial Port Protocols and Options 44 18 5 Installing the Modular Smart Switch oooooooocooommomomo mo 21 5 1 Selecting Ports for Your Equipment 0 0 00000 21 5 2 Positioning the Modular Smart Switch 0000000 21 5 3 Cable Reg uirements tira dilata ial he eT era oe 21 5 4 Connecting Devices to the Modular Smart Switch 21 55 SWItChin BON il datada elas 22 5 6 Enabling Computers 0 0 cee ce eee eee 22 5 7 Using the Modular Smart Switch o ooooooocooccooocooooo 24 5 8 Port Indicators 1 to 12 oooo oooooooooorrocrroooooo 24 5 9 Buffer Status Indicators 0 2 Trao A eee ee 25 6 Using the Control Software 0 0 26 6 1 Installing the Resident Software 0 000000 eee eee 26 6 2 Running the Software from the DOS Prompt 26 6 3 Command Line Options 00 0 eee eee 27 6 4 Running the Software from within Microsoft Windows 28 6 5 Using the Software 0 ee cee ee ene 29 6 6 Mari MON A A ON AA SRR ia LOO 6 7 Selecting a Destination Printer Plotter or Modem 31 6 8 Direct Output of Typed Keyboard Characters 33 6 9 Using the Functions Menu 6 0 0 0 0 cece eee 34 6 9 1 Sending a Form Feed 0 0 cece ee eee 34 6 9 2 Clearing Unwanted Data 0 0 5 34 6 9 3 End
7. combination that invokes the resident control software to be changed There are 5 possible options The desired option is selected by specifying the corresponding number after the letter H The available hotkey combinations are as follows H1 selects lt CTRL gt lt ALT gt lt SHIFT gt H2 selects lt CTRL gt lt SHIFT gt H3 selects lt CTRL gt lt ALT gt H4 selects lt CTRL gt lt ALT gt H5 selects lt LEFT SHIFT gt lt RIGHT SHIFT gt lt SHIFT gt can be either the left or the right shift key The selected combination is confirmed in the installation message N and R R default These options allow the control software to be run as a non resident utility To do this use the N option To install the menu as a resident program use the R option M standard color default The M ensures that the menu appears in mono mode This option is provided for compatibility with certain types of monochrome screens found on some LAPTOPS and other computers If the control software s menu bars are faint or non existent on your screen then install the software using the M option 6 4 Running the Control Software from within Microsoft Windows By using an additional utility HOTKEY you can invoke the resident control software within Windows It is equivalent to pressing the hotkey combination that would normally be used to launch the control software Hotkey activated programs cannot be used from the Windows deskto
8. compatibles to the Modular Smart Switch require a 25 pin plug on both ends All lines should be connected straight through that is 1 to 1 2 to 2 etc B 3 Cable to 36 Pin Amphenol Connector A standard IBM Centronics cable with a DB25 plug and a 36 pin Centronics plug is sufficient
9. connection to a serial printer Because of all these variables a standard RS 232 cable does not exist NOTE You might need to refer to the documentation supplied with your computer to establish the type of cable required The following specifications may help you decide on the required cable A 2 1 RS 232 CONNECTIONS TO IBM PCs AND COMPATIBLES The IBM PC and its compatibles provide a parallel port and usually an RS 232 serial port Both use a DB25 connector However the parallel port is normally a socket female connector and the serial port is normally a plug male connector The cable wiring required for connection to a serial port on the Modular Smart Switch is shown in Figure A 1 MODULAR SMART SWITCH IBM PC end 25 Pin socket connector Modular Smart Switch end 25 Pin socket connector RXD __ _ ___ O TXD 0 DTR 20 GND CTS 5 O Figure A 1 IBM PC XT Serial Cable Pinning If you already have a cable that works directly between your IBM PC and serial printer it may be suitable for use as the input cable to your Modular Smart Switch A 2 2 RS 232 CONNECTIONS TO IBM AT AND COMPATIBLES The IBM AT and compatibles provide a DB9 connector for the serial port The cable required to connect to the Modular Smart Switch is wired as shown in Figure A 2 MODULAR SMART SWITCH MODULAR SMART SWITCH A 4 Connecting to Modems IBM AT end Modular Smart Switch end pom 9 Pi
10. large to fit inside the buffer then you cannot print more than one copy 9 2 3 BROADCASTING DATA TO SEVERAL DEVICES To set the Modular Smart Switch to broadcast data to several ports simultaneously use the CONNECT command and specify a list of ports that the data is to be sent to up to 4 in total Separate the port numbers with a space The multiple copy CONNECT command can also be repeated in this way For example to print two copies on port 3 and one copy on port of every file sent from the computer issue the following command lt PM CONNECT 3 2 I gt MODULAR SMART SWITCH 9 2 4 VARYING THE TIMEOUT PERIOD The timeout sets the length of time that the output port remains dedicated to the input port once the incoming data has ceased It can be set to any number of seconds between 1 and 255 or it can be switched off With the timeout off the output channel remains constantly dedicated to the input channel until an end of file command see Section 9 4 or a new connect command is sent The timeout remains as set until it is changed again or the Modular Smart Switch is powered off To change the timeout a connect command is sent with the timeout option specified after the required destination port as follows lt PM CONNECT port TIMEOUT value gt The timeout value is either a number 1 to 255 or the word OFF For example if a computer requires uninterrupted use of the printer connected to port 1 until further notice th
11. lt gt BLACK BOX A a ma a a a a SW925A SW925AE SW926C SW927C SW928C SW929C Modular Smart Switch lt BLACK BOX O Copyright 2000 Black Box Corporation All rights reserved 1000 Park Drive Lawrence PA 15055 1018 724 746 5500 Fax 724 746 0746 CUSTOMER Order toll free in the U S Call 877 877 BBOX outside U S call 724 746 5500 SUPPORT FREE technical support 24 hours a day 7 days a week Call 724 746 5500 or fax 724 746 0746 INFORMATION Mailing address Black Box Corporation 1000 Park Drive Lawrence PA 15055 1018 Web site www blackbox com E mail info blackbox com MODULAR SMART SWITCH FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND INDUSTRY CANADA RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENTS This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly that is in strict accordance with the manufacturer s instructions may cause interference to radio communication It has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A computing device in accordance with the specifications in Subpart B of Part 15 of FCC rules which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause interference in which case the user at his own expense will be required to take whatever measures may be necessary to correct the interference
12. lt escape gt if you don t This command will not affect any data sent from a different computer 6 9 3 ENDING LONG OR INFINITE TIMEOUTS When an infinite OFF timeout has been set an end of file instruction needs to be sent to the Modular Smart Switch to allow other users to access the currently selected device The END OF FILE function can be used to do this MODULAR SMART SWITCH When in the functions menu use the arrows to select END OF FILE and then press lt enter gt The dialog box will respond with an END OF FILE message for a few seconds The END OF FILE function can also be used to end long timeouts 6 10 Setting the Options To enter the options menu use the lt up gt and lt down gt cursor keys on the main menu to highlight OPTIONS and press lt enter gt The options menu now allows you to select multiple copies change the timeout and change the PC port ADDER TECHNOLOGY ADMENU DESTINATION FILE TRANSFER DIRECT OUTPUT FUNCTIONS OPTIONS TIME OUT PC PORT Figure 6 5 Options Menu Use lt esc gt to quit to the main menu 6 10 1 MULTIPLE COPIES The Modular Smart Switch can generate multiple copies automatically Simply select the COPIES option enter the number of copies required up to 255 in the entry box and press lt enter gt Send the document once and when it has timed out no more data sent for at least 16 seconds or the timeout period the Modular Smart Switch will
13. por el fabricante Servicio El usuario no debe intentar dar servicio al equipo el ctrico m s all a lo descrito en las instrucciones de operaci n Todo otro servicio deber ser referido a personal de servicio calificado El aparato el ctrico debe ser situado de tal manera que su posici n no interfiera su uso La colocaci n del aparato el ctrico sobre una cama sof alfombra o superficie similar puede bloquea la ventilaci n no se debe colocar en libreros o gabinetes que impidan el flujo de aire por los orificios de ventilaci n El equipo el ctrico deber ser situado fuera del alcance de fuentes de calor como radiadores registros de calor estufas u otros aparatos incluyendo amplificadores que producen calor El aparato el ctrico deber ser connectado a una fuente de poder s lo del tipo descrito en el instructivo de operaci n o como se indique en el aparato MODULAR SMART SWITCH 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Precauci n debe ser tomada de tal manera que la tierra fisica y la polarizaci n del equipo no sea eliminada Los cables de la fuente de poder deben ser guiados de tal manera que no sean pisados ni pellizcados por objetos colocados sobre o contra ellos poniendo particular atenci n a los contactos y recept culos donde salen del aparato El equipo el ctrico debe ser limpiado nicamente de acuerdo a las recomendaciones del fabricante En caso de existir una antena externa deb
14. printer port is the port that you wish to be routed to the required printer COM1 COM2 LPT1 LPT2 or LPT3 For example COPY CON CONNECT2 BAT enter TYPE CONNECT2 TXT gt COM1 function key 6 enter As before the screen will display 1 File s copied which indicates that a batch file namej BAT has been created containing the text TYPE name TXT gt pc printer port To send the software command that you have created in name TXT type the batch file name at the DOS prompt The above procedure can be used to create a batch file to send any software command to any of your PC s ports MODULAR SMART SWITCH 9 6 Sending Default Start of Day Destination Ports At the start of each day each port will be routed through to port 1 However for IBM compatible PCs individual start of day destinations can be set for each computer To do this create a text file containing the desired selection command see Section 9 5 and modify your AUTOEXEC BAT file to send this command when your computer powers on For example by including the line TYPE CONNECT2 TXT gt COM1 in your PC s AUTOEXEC BAT file after copying CONNECT2 TXT from the utility software disk to a suitable directory on your PC you can set the start of day default port for your computer to be number 2 10 Troubleshooting The Modular Smart Switch is designed to a high standard and all units are fully tested before leaving the factory There are no
15. tests and then go out It is generally better to switch on all your devices together or switch on the Modular Smart Switch last 5 6 Enabling Computers Computers Connected to Parallel Ports Parallel interfaces do not normally need to be configured For IBM PCs running DOS make sure that PC timeouts do not occur if the Modular Smart Switch s buffer becomes full This can be done using the MODE command as follows Refer to your DOS manual for details MODE LPT1 P Computers Connected to Serial Ports Each computer must communicate with the Modular Smart Switch in the format expected by the port it is connected to The baud rate parity bits per character stop bits and handshake format must be the same on the computer and the Modular Smart Switch port Your computer instruction manual will tell you how to set up these parameters For IBM PCs and compatibles the MODE command is used to select the correct parameters With the default option switch settings and output on COMI the MODE command is MODULAR SMART SWITCH MODE COM1 9600 N 8 1 P lt enter gt This sets the baud to 9600 no parity 8 bits per character and 1 stop bit on COM1 You may wish to put this in your computer s AUTOEXEC BAT file You may wish to use the supplied software to enhance the speed and functionality of your serial port refer to Chapter 7 for full details on the benefits of using the software utility ADMODE COM1 57600 N 8 1 lt enter gt
16. the power off MODULAR SMART SWITCH lt PM CONNECT port SOFTWARE DISABLE gt 9 2 6 REMOVING LINE FEEDS AT END OF SOFTWARE COMMANDS When programming applications such as DBASE to automatically send data to a specific printer you might want to remove linefeed and carriage return characters that are automatically inserted by the application at the end of the software command To do this add an ignore instruction to the software command as follows lt PM CONNECT port IGNORE gt When the Modular Smart Switch receives such an instruction it will delete the line feed CR or LF or both following the software command 9 3 Clear Command The clear command allows a computer to delete any data that has been sent into the Modular Smart Switch that has not yet been printed As with all software commands this only affects the data from the computer that sends the command The format is lt PM CLEAR gt 9 4 End of File Command Sending the end of file command terminates the present input file It is used when the timeout option has been set off since it will allow other computers access to the printer If multiple copies are required the end of file command indicates the end of the document A new command will also automatically terminate the present input file The format used for the end of file command is as follows lt PM EOF gt 9 5 Creating Batch Files to Send Commands IBM Compatible PCs On IBM compatib
17. this destination port on the Modular Smart Switch G PC Port Indicates the port on your PC that the control software will use to send control commands to your Modular Smart Switch Make sure that the port that is physically connected to the Modular Smart Switch is displayed in this box H Mode Indicates whether normal mode or file transfer mode is currently selected In normal mode a dash will be displayed In file transfer mode a flashing arrow will be displayed The mode in use is set automatically when you select a destination port using the DESTINATION normal mode or FILE TRANSFER option 6 7 Selecting a Destination Printer Plotter or Modem The control software initially assumes that the Modular Smart Switch is connected to the PC with a parallel link to LPT1 Other default ports can be specified using the L or C command line option see Section 6 3 If a different parallel PC port has been connected LPT2 LPT3 or one of the serial PC ports COM1 or COM2 then you must first select that port see Section 6 10 3 Where several links are made to the same PC then you first need to make sure that you have selected the PC port that you wish to use to print data With the dialog box displaying the correct PC port and DESTINATION highlighted press lt enter gt A new box will appear as shown below Enter the desired destination port number then type lt enter gt All subsequent print data that is sent out on the
18. 2 Introduction The Modular Smart Switch is suitable for a wide variety of applications including printer and plotter sharing file transfer modem sharing network switching electronic point of sale systems access control networks machine tool control data collection and mainframe connections 2 1 Features e Modular and user upgradeable construction e Mixed serial RS 232 422 and parallel ports in any combination e Up to 12 ports and 4 MB of buffer memory e Automatic printer and plotter sharing e Any port can be routed to any other port e File transfer between computers using standard file transfer software e Memory resident control software for selecting destination ports e Multiple copies of printouts e Unwanted print data can be cleared from the switch s buffer e Software for high speed serial data output from PCs e Full duplex serial data communications 2 2 Product Information The following items are available e Modular Smart Switch Chassis w 1 Meg Memory SW925A SW925AE includes Main chassis with 6 dual port module slots and 2 memory slots Software disk in 3 5 format Power lead with 115 VAC or 230 VAC plug 5 module blanking plates with fixing screws This user manual MODULAR SMART SWITCH e Dual Serial RS232 422 Port Module SW926C e Dual Parallel Port Module In Out SW927C e Meg Memory Expansion SW928C e 2 Meg Memory Expansion SW929C 3 Installing Memory and Port M
19. 5 Plotter Cable Adapters MODULAR SMART SWITCH A 6 Connecting to NEC Spinwriter The NEC Spinwriter series of printers also provide a DB25 socket connector for serial data However their printer ready flow control signal is output on pin 19 unlike most printers which output this signal on pin 20 Suitable wiring is as shown in Figure A 6 NEC Spinwriter end 25 pin plug connector Modular Smart Switch end 25 Pin socket connector S SS Figure A 6 NEC SpinWriter Serial Cable MODULAR SMART SWITCH A 7 Connecting to DEC LNO3 Laser Printer The LNO3 outputs its printer ready signal via pin 11 and so the wiring for the serial data cable is slightly different from those shown earlier Switch bank 2 switch number 6 on the LNO3 should be set to ON This ensures that the printer ready signal is HIGH when ready and LOW when not ready and not vice versa Modular Smart Switch end DEC LNO3 end 25 Pin socket connector 25 Pin plug connector _____ _ 4D 40 AD Figure A 7 DEC LN03 Serial Cable Pinning MODULAR SMART SWITCH A 8 RS 422 Cables The pins and connector types used for RS 422 communication vary widely between devices Standard cables therefore do not exist Connect the cable as shown in Figure A 8 For systems using XON XOFF handshaking only RXD RXD TXD and TXD need to be connected Modular Smart Switch end Communicating 25 Pin soc
20. M The next line activates ADMENU HOTKEY REM The next line activates the file transfer software KERMIT 8 2 Using the Control Software with File Transfer Software The control software supplied with your Modular Smart Switch should be used together with file transfer software The control software allows you to increase the baud rate for all normal printing and plotting operations so you can use the higher baud rates that are supported on many file transfer programs without having to reconfigure the ports on your Modular Smart Switch Using higher baud rates will considerably reduce the time taken to transfer files For more details on the use of the control software see Chapter 7 8 3 Transferring Data Between PCs Not Compatible with IBM To transfer files between computers not compatible with IBM you will need to send a software command from each computer to make sure that the data is routed correctly For maximum compatibility you are advised to send a software command with the format shown below port is a port number from 1 to 12 lt PM CONNECT port SOFTWARE SLEEP TIMEOUT 2 gt The SOFTWARE SLEEP and TIMEOUT 2 parts of this command are not strictly necessary for certain types of file transfer For many file transfer programs such as Kermit it is adequate to send a single connection command from one of the computers to establish a bidirectional link For example when using Kermit to exchange files between a PC and a Maci
21. NCTIONS OPTIONS DIRECT OUTPUT KEYBOARD PORT 1 CoM1 fH CHARACTERS HEXADECIMAL ASCII CHARACTERS lt ESC gt TO QUIT Figure 6 3 Direct Output Menu Use lt esc gt to quit to the main menu NOTE Characters such as line feeds are displayed using an unusual set of non alphanumeric characters MODULAR SMART SWITCH 6 9 Using the Functions Menu To enter the functions menu use the lt up gt and lt down gt cursor keys on the main menu to highlight FUNCTIONS and press lt enter gt The functions menu now allows you to send form feeds clear unwanted data and end long timeouts ADDER TECHNOLOGY ADMENU DESTINATION FILE TRANSFER DIRECT OUTPUT FUNCTIONS OPTIONS ES ET E m FUNCTIONS lt ESC gt TO QUIT CLEAR DATA END OF FILE Figure 6 4 Functions Menu Use lt esc gt to quit to the main menu 6 9 1 SENDING A FORM FEED This is a convenient way of causing a printer to take a new page without having to go to the printer and press the form feed button In the functions menu use the lt up gt and lt down gt cursor keys to select FORM FEED and then press lt enter gt The dialog box will respond with FORM FEED SENT for a few seconds 6 9 2 CLEARING UNWANTED DATA To delete all the data that has been sent from the current PC port select the CLEAR DATA option and press lt enter gt A box will appear requesting confirmation Type Y if you wish to delete all data or N or
22. ULAR SMART SWITCH NOTE Automatic detection of the direction of parallel ports is achieved by detecting the state of the SELECT IN signal on the hardware interface This will operate with most PCs and printers Automatic detection is not guaranteed to work with all equipment so if you experience any problems set the ports as dedicated inputs or outputs 4 3 Setting Serial Port Protocols and Options Protocols For serial devices you must set a number of parameters to make sure that the Modular Smart Switch is speaking the same language as the equipment that 1t will communicate with These parameters include the handshake mode the baud rate the parity the number of bits per character and the number of stop bits Most computers and printers are able to set these parameters so it is generally advisable to set the fastest available This is often 9600 baud 8 bits per character one stop bit no parity and either hardware handshake or XON XOFF Hardware Handshake e DTR CTS hardware handshake uses hardware signal lines to control the flow of data pins 5 and 20 Software Handshake e ETX ACK the flow of data is controlled by sending blocks of data and waiting for an ACKnowledgement character to be received e XON XOFF printer and plotter connections the flow of data is controlled by the receiving device by transmitting XOFF stop data flow and XON start data flow characters Set this protocol on ports connecte
23. ags or on plastic surfaces 3 Discharge static from your clothes before handling the modules you can do this by touching an earth grounded metal device 3 2 Fitting Port Modules e Any type of port module can be fitted into any of the six module slots in any order e All slots have equal priority e All print data is routed by default to port 1 unless a destination port has been selected For automatic printer and plotter sharing the printer or plotter should be connected to port 1 MODULAR SMART SWITCH Position of lid retaining screws Figure 3 2 Fitting Port Modules To fit port modules 1 Make sure that the Modular Smart Switch is powered off 2 Remove the rear panel blanking plates as appropriate 3 Insert the modules as shown in Figure 3 2 4 Push the modules onto the mating connectors on the base board Do not place too much pressure on the board 5 Fix the modules to the rear panel using the screws provided MODULAR SMART SWITCH MODULAR SMART SWITCH 4 Configuring the Modular Smart Switch 4 1 Setting the Global Timeout Period The ports on the Modular Smart Switch are configured using a number of option switches situated on the modules In addition to the port configuration the global timeout values can be set using option switches on the main board Figures 4 1 4 2 and 4 3 show the meaning of each of the sets of option switches Set the option switches as required NOTE The option swit
24. an be off on or flashing e OfF When a port indicator is off nothing is being transferred into or out of that port and no data is available e On The port indicator is on when data is available If data has been sent in on a port the activity light will remain on until the port has timed out after no data has been sent for the timeout period e Flashing While data is being transferred either into or out of the Modular Smart Switch the activity indicator will flash MODULAR SMART SWITCH 5 9 Buffer Status Indicators The buffer status indicators show the state of the internal buffer memory in the form of a bar graph e Y Indicator Buffer is over 1 4 full e Indicator Buffer is over 1 2 full e Indicator Buffer is over 3 4 full e F full Indicator Buffer is completely full If the buffer often fills to the level consider purchasing additional memory for increased performance NOTE The Modular Smart Switch will always operate correctly even if the buffer becomes full If you have any problems when the buffer memory is full check the handshaking settings on your equipment and your cabling 6 Using the Control Sofware The control software is located on the disk supplied with your Modular Smart Switch It provides an easy and user friendly way of operating the switch It is designed for use on IBM compatible PCs using CGA EGA VGA and monochrome adapters it will also run on adapters that emulate the
25. ches are only read when the Modular Smart Switch is first powered on Changing the settings while the Modular Smart Switch is powered on will have no immediate effect LI II E 0 0 Timeout 16 seconds 00 Timeout 30 seconds 10 Timeout 1 minute 11 1 Timeout 4 minutes Reserved set to 0 TEST switch set to 0 OFF for normal operation Figure 4 1 Setting the Global Timeout Period MODULAR SMART SWITCH Timeout Period When a user has sent no data for the timeout period the Modular Smart Switch is able to switch to another user The default timeout setting of 16 seconds is suitable for most applications If printouts are ever merged increase the timeout period Switches 1 and 2 on the base board control the global default timeout period used by all the ports Individual port timeouts can be set using the software see Chapter 6 or by sending software commands see Chapter 9 MODULAR SMART SWITCH 4 2 Setting Parallel Ports as Inputs or Outputs LOW port HIGH port LOW port HIGH port switches switches Dual parallel port module HIGH port switches LOW port switches Set port as INPUT 1 0 1 0 Set port as INPUT Set port as OUTPUT Lo 1 Lo 1 Set port as OUTPUT Automatic input output 1 1 1 1 Automatic input output detection not guaranteed detection not guaranteed Figure 4 2 Selecting the Direction of Parallel Ports Input or Output MOD
26. commence printing the extra copies The entire document must be less than the buffer memory in the Modular Smart Switch otherwise only one copy can be produced MODULAR SMART SWITCH 6 10 2 CHANGING THE TIMEOUT The timeout period can be varied from the default of 16 seconds to any value between 1 and 255 seconds or it can be permanently off To do so select the TIMEOUT option and type the required value into the entry box Press lt enter gt to return to the options menu To return to the default value of 16 seconds press lt escape gt 6 10 3 SELECTING A PC PorT If the correct PC port is not shown on the main menu G in Figure 6 1 then use the PC PORT option to select this Highlight the PC PORT option and type lt enter gt Use the lt up gt and lt down gt cursor keys to select the desired port highlighted and then press lt enter gt The PC port you have selected will now be displayed NOTE The control software defines the routing from the selected port on your PC it does not set the port that your software will use for output 7 Serial Port Control Utility The control software allows serial ports on IBM compatible PCs to be run at the high baud rates supported by the Modular Smart Switch The utility can be used to control COM1 or COM2 and supports a wide range of protocols The time saving advantages of running serial ports at higher baud rates can be quite dramatic and the control software makes sure tha
27. currently selected PC port will be routed to the device attached to the specified destination port on the Modular Smart Switch For example selecting port 1 will send data to the device attached to port 1 on the Modular Smart Switch The currently selected routing will be displayed on the main menu MODULAR SMART SWITCH ADDER TECHNOLOGY ADMENU DESTINATION FILE TRANSFER DIRECT OUTPUT FUNCTIONS DESTINATION OPTIONS ENTER OA ES ml DESTINATION lt ESC gt TO QUIT PORT NUMBER 1 TO 12 Figure 6 2 Selecting a Printer e Use lt esc gt to abort and quit to the main menu lt enter gt to confirm e Enter the destination the port on the Modular Smart Switch that is connected to the required printer plotter or modem e Valid port identifiers are 1 to 12 depending on how many ports you have installed MODULAR SMART SWITCH 6 8 Direct Output of Typed Keyboard Characters Normal keyboard characters and control characters can be sent to the printer using the Direct Output option In the keyboard characters box all characters typed will be sent directly to the printer except lt up gt lt down gt and lt escape gt Control characters such as those to set condensed or bold printing can be specified in hexadecimal ASCII format In the hexadecimal ASCII characters box the specified character is sent when you press lt enter gt ADDER TECHNOLOGY ADMENU DESTINATION FILE TRANSFER DIRECT OUTPUT FU
28. d to printers and plotters e XON XOFF computer connections the flow of data is controlled by the Modular Smart Switch This is done by sending XON start data flow and XOFF stop data flow characters to the computer Set this protocol on ports connected to computers MODULAR SMART SWITCH NOTE The XON XOFF setting for printer and plotter con nections is a bidirectional protocol that recognizes the XON and XOFF characters in both directions The XON XOFF setting for com puter connections recog nizes the XON and XOFF characters in one direction only This allows graphics font and other non text data to be sent from computers without problems the XON and XOFF characters often form part of this data Ports on the Modular Smart Switch that are set to XON XOFF handshake will also give the hardware handshake signal to ensure maximum compatibility The bidirectional XON XOFF protocol used for printer and plotter connec tions can also be used for computer connections if the computer will never send the XON or XOFF characters as part of the data stream RS 232 RS 422 Selection Each dual serial module supports both RS 232 and RS 422 serial communication The hardware signals for RS 232 and RS 422 communication appear on different pins of the interface see Appendix A for pin configuration details MODULAR SMART SWITCH LOW port HIGH port HIGH port LOW port switches switches Dual serial port module
29. e command below would be sent lt PM CONNECT 1 TIMEOUT OFF gt 9 2 5 DISABLING SOFTWARE COMMANDS When communicating with another computer using a file transfer protocol such as that used by Laplink or Xmodem you can temporarily turn off the command interpretation while files are being transferred This is because some of these protocols expect a checksum character to be sent back as an acknowledgement after a block of data has been sent If this character happens to be the start character lt of a software command a delay can occur that may cause the transfer software to time out To make sure that this does not happen you can set the Modular Smart Switch to ignore software commands during file transfer To do this use the software sleep command Once a software sleep command has been sent the Modular Smart Switch will not interpret new commands until the data transfer has timed out This will occur after no data has been sent for the timeout period To set software sleep mode send the following command lt PM CONNECT port SOFTWARE SLEEP gt To restore normal software command interpretation send the following command when the data has timed out lt PM CONNECT port SOFTWARE ENABLE gt Software command interpretation can also be permanently disabled using the following command Once this command has been issued no software commands will be interpreted until the Modular Smart Switch has been reset by switching
30. er ser localizada lejos de las lineas de energia El cable de corriente deber ser desconectado del cuando el equipo no sea usado por un largo periodo de tiempo Cuidado debe ser tomado de tal manera que objectos liquidos no sean derramados sobre la cubierta u orificios de ventilaci n Servicio por personal calificado deber ser provisto cuando A El cable de poder o el contacto ha sido da ado u B Objectos han ca do o l quido ha sido derramado dentro del aparato o C El aparato ha sido expuesto a la lluvia o D El aparato parece no operar normalmente o muestra un cambio en su desempe o o E El aparato ha sido tirado o su cubierta ha sido da ada MODULAR SMART SWITCH MODULAR SMART SWITCH TRADEMARKS USED IN THIS MANUAL Contents Any trademarks mentioned in this manual are acknowledged to be the property of the trademark owners Chapter Page A Beg toate s eitener oneness E Manet AEA E ON aA 8 2 IMCPOCUCH OM ise hte ee set e i RUA a e NS 9 DIANE CATULCS e racer e E anh see eaten role i isa eolica 9 2 2 Product Information 0 cece eee eee 9 3 Installing Port Modules and Memory 060 cece eee 11 3 1 Fitting Expansion Buffer Memory o oocoocoococoocrrncoro o 11 3 2 Fitting Port Modules 0 0 eee eee eee 12 4 Configuring the Modular Smart Switch oooooocoooomocmmmomo 14 4 1 Setting the Global Timeout Period 00000 15 4 2 Setting Parallel Ports
31. hanged and different hotkey combinations to be selected Options are specified after a forward slash on the command line Any number of options can be specified For example the following command line would install the utility for use in text modes with COM2 as the default port and the hotkey combination set to lt CTRL gt lt SHIFT gt ADMENU T C2 H2 The options available are summarized below The default settings shown in brackets are assumed for all the options that are not specified U No default Deletes the utility from memory T and G G default The G option allows the resident software to be used in both text and graphics modes When installed with the G option the software will occupy 22K of memory Installing the software with the T option allows the control software to be used in text modes only and the memory requirement is reduced to 10K The memory size used is confirmed in the installation message Lx and Cx Ll default x 1 2 or 3 These options specify the PC port that is displayed when the control software is initially invoked either COM1 COM2 LPT1 LPT2 or LPT3 The number of the required port is specified after the letter C or L C for serial L for parallel The port to be used can be specified once the software has been invoked using the PC PORT function and so these options are primarily for convenience only Hx H1 default MODULAR SMART SWITCH This option allows the hotkey
32. incorrect cabling or incorrect handshake protocol settings Do not assume that because a cable has the correct connectors and works between two other devices it will work when connected to the Modular Smart Switch Always use the cabling specified in this manual see Appendixes A and B Incorrect cabling may cause many different problems such as e No data transmission e Loss of data corrupted prints and plots e Unreliable file transfer 10 5 Serial Interfaces No Data Transmitted through the Switch Check that you can send data between your devices using a direct connection If you can t check your devices If you can connect the Modular Smart Switch and try sending a small amount of test data If the input channel indicator comes on then no data is being sent into the switch check the cable between your PC and the Modular Smart Switch and check that you are sending the data from the correct port on your computer If the channel indicator flickers or comes on then data is being transferred into the Modular Smart Switch If no data appears to be transmitted out from the Modular Smart Switch then check the cable between the switch and your output device If the channel indicators go out after the timeout period usually 16 seconds then all the data has been sent out of the switch If nothing appears to have been received on your output device then check the protocol a protocol problem often causes the data to be changed
33. ing Long or Infinite Timeouts 34 6 10 Setting the Options 0 0 0 ce eee BD 6 10 1 Multiple Copies 0 0 0 BB 6 10 2 Changing the Timeout 0 0 00 36 6 10 3 Selecting aPC Port soitat sirinata e ayei e E E i eee ee 36 MODULAR SMART SWITCH Chapter Page 7 Serial Port Control Utility oooocooccoocoocooocooccocc BT 8 Using the Modular Smart Switch to Transfer Files 40 8 1 Transferring Files between IBM compatible PCs 40 8 2 Using the Software with File Transfer Software o o oo oo o 42 8 3 Transferring Files Between PCs Not Compatible WIE IBM aa A A ti A 42 8 4 General Hints and Tips rsatan enese E E a coco 43 9 Software Commands vii ata et eat oe bv se E ee oy 44 9 1 Introduction ssip bes oes plas yearend ache aaa o 44 9 2 Connect Command ee a EEUE eee nes 45 9 2 1 Selecting a Destination Port 0 0 0 0 eee 45 9 2 2 Printing Several Copies 0 000 eee eee eee 45 9 2 3 Broadcasting Data to Several Devices o ooooooo o 45 9 2 4 Varying the Timeout Period 0 0 0 0 0008 46 9 2 5 Disabling Software Commands 0 0 0 0 000008 46 9 2 6 Removing Line Feeds at End of Software Commands ie ensayo ope Cale bi 47 973 Clear Command siria ad o oe ade ac iii 47 9 4 End of File Command 0 00 cece eee ee 47 9 5 Creating Batch Files to Send Commands IBM compatible POS ito dae cts Mere
34. ingle spaces apply equally to single tabs single line feeds and single form feeds MODULAR SMART SWITCH 9 2 Connect Command 9 2 1 SELECTING A DESTINATION PORT By default the Modular Smart Switch automatically sends all data to port 1 To send data to a different port or route back to port 1 use the following command lt PM CONNECT port gt where port represents a port number from 1 to 12 The new destination will now be used for all subsequent data sent into the port that gave the command until either a new command is sent or the Modular Smart Switch is powered off 9 2 2 PRINTING SEVERAL COPIES If several copies of a document are required you do not need to send the file repeatedly The connect command allows up to 255 copies to be generated from a single file The format of the multiple copy command is lt PM CONNECT port copies gt To print three copies of a file on the printer plotter attached to port 1 the command becomes lt PM CONNECT 1 3 gt NOTE The extra copies will not begin to be printed until the Modular Smart Switch has accepted the whole file into its memory This is normally when no further data has been received for the timeout period which is initially set to 16 seconds The timeout may be altered or switched off if necessary see Section 9 2 4 Alternatively an end of file command will tell the Modular Smart Switch that it now has the whole file see Section 9 4 If the file is too
35. into a stream of null characters 10 6 Serial Interfaces Corrupted Data The most common cause of corrupted data when using serial interfaces is a handshake problem If you experience corrupted data when using serial ports check that the protocols set on your equipment are the same as those set on the Modular Smart Switch If you are using hardware handshake check that the hardware flow control lines are connected on your cable MODULAR SMART SWITCH 10 7 Merged Printouts If the output from one computer has been printed in the middle of that from another you will probably need to increase the timeout period When no data has been sent from one computer for the timeout period by default 16 seconds the Modular Smart Switch will allow another computer to start printing To change the timeout period use the control software see Section 6 10 2 or send a software command see Section 9 2 4 The default timeout period is set using the option switches on the main board see Section 4 1 10 8 Print Data Transmitted but File Transfer Fails If you can print normally using your PC s serial port but file transfer fails check the following e Make sure that the control software is installed e Make sure that the protocol is set to 8 bits 1 stop bit no parity e For hardware handshake make sure that pins 4 and 5 are connected on the Modular Smart Switch end of the computer serial cable Appendix A Serial Ports A 1
36. ket connector device HsouT 9 _ gt _ _ ve HSOUT geal RXD 11 q O ae Transmitted RXD 4 ve data out Flow control in Hsn SL e HSIN 16 a gt ve vo o ve TXD e a ve Figure A 8 RS 422 Cable Pinouts Flow control out Received data in Appendix B Parallel Ports B 1 Parallel Pin Assignments Each parallel port uses a DB25 socket connector similar to the one on an IBM PC PC XT or AT Figure B 1 shows the pin numbers as viewed from the rear of the Modular Smart Switch MODULAR SMART SWITCH Pin 4 Table B 1 DB25 Parallel Connector Pinouts Name STROBE Input from Computer Output to Printer INPUT OUTPUT 2 9 DATA 0 to 7 INPUT OUTPUT 13 1 10 ACKNOWLEDGE OUTPUT no connection 11 BUSY OUTPUT INPUT e a o 12 PAPER END OUTPUT low no connection 13 SELECT OUTPUT high no connection 25 14 Figure B 1 DB25 Parallel Connector 14 15 16 17 18 25 AUTOFEED XT ERROR INIT SELECT IN SIGNAL GROUND no connection OUTPUT high no connection no connection ground no connection no connection OUTPUT high OUTPUT low ground The cables need to have a DB25 connector for connecting to the Modular Smart Switch If possible the length should be kept below 22 9 ft 7 m to reduce interference MODULAR SMART SWITCH B 2 Cable for IBM PC PC XT AT or Compatible Parallel cables to connect from IBM
37. lar Smart Switch Do not assume that an existing cable is of the correct type because it has the correct connectors on each end or because it works between two other pieces of equipment Always use the cabling recommended in this manual Centronics parallel cables should be less than 22 9 ft 7 m long If the parallel computer or printer is more than 22 9 ft 7 m from the switch the cable may be susceptible to spurious pick up such as that generated from switching on fluorescent lights Reduce the cable runs or use a booster if you have problems 5 4 Connecting Devices to the Modular Smart Switch Switch off all computers and printers before making any connections to the Modular Smart Switch Also park any hard disks if you need to move any PCs to allow access MODULAR SMART SWITCH Plug in your cables making sure that you are using the correct type of cable see Appendixes A and B and that you are connecting to the right type of port CAUTION Connecting to the wrong type of port could damage both the Modular Smart Switch and your computers and printers 5 5 Switching On Plug the power supply lead into the rear of the Modular Smart Switch Plug the power lead into a suitable supply socket Switch on at the supply Switch on the Modular Smart Switch using the switch at the rear The Power indicator green should come on and stay on The Buffer Status indicators red should flicker for a few seconds while the unit self
38. le PCs batch files are a convenient way to send commonly used software commands To create batch files proceed as follows At the DOS prompt type COPY CON name TXT enter lt PM CONNECT channel number gt function key 6 MODULAR SMART SWITCH Where name is the name of the batch file that you are going to create and channel number is the number of the port that you are going to connect to For example COPY CON CONNECT2 TXT enter lt PM CONNECT 2 gt function key 6 enter No spaces should be typed after the close angle bracket and before the function key 6 is pressed When function key 6 has been pressed a Z will appear on the screen at the end of the line When the enter key is pressed the screen will display 1 File s copied This indicates that a file name TXT has been created that contains the software command text It is not normally possible to use a word processor to create this file since most word processors insert a line feed and carriage return at the end of each line A file created with these extra characters could upset your printouts by inserting a blank line at the top of your printout page This could cause laser printers to output a blank page and label printers to be offset by one line At the DOS prompt type COPY CON name BAT enter TYPE name TXT gt pc printer port function key 6 enter Where name is the name of the batch file that you are going to create and pc
39. modes used by these adapters Its primary function is to enable destination devices to be selected Installing the utility in your PC s memory as a resident program allows you to pop up the control software program at any time using a hotkey combination The utility supports options that allow the software to run as a non resident program from the DOS prompt see Section 6 2 and while in the Microsoft Windows environment see Section 6 4 6 1 Installing the Resident Software Copy the program ADMENU COM from the disk to the current directory on your PC At the DOS prompt type ADMENU lt enter gt The program will respond by printing an identification message This command only needs to be issued once You may therefore find it convenient to include it in your AUTOEXEC BAT file To invoke the ADMENU software press these three keys together lt CTRL gt lt ALT gt lt SHIFT gt NOTE You can change the hotkey combination used to invoke the ADMENU software if required see Section 6 3 6 2 Running the Control Software from the DOS Prompt Copy the program ADMENU COM from the disk to the current directory on your PC At the DOS prompt type ADMENU N lt enter gt MODULAR SMART SWITCH 6 3 Command Line Options The control software supports a number of command line options that allow the utility to be installed and run in several different formats They also allow a number of default settings to be c
40. n PCs will support baud rates of 38 400 However a number of PCs that we tested were not able to support baud rates of 57 600 because of the design of their serial ports If you have problems with particular PCs try reducing the baud rate MODULAR SMART SWITCH MODULAR SMART SWITCH Increasing the baud rate of serial connections reduces the maximum cable OR lengths As a rule of thumb doubling the baud rate halves the maximum distance At 57 600 baud try to limit the cable lengths to about 50 ft 15 m b The Fast Printing Direct to Port option is switched off within Windows 3 1 This can be found within the CONTROL PANEL If you have problems using the control software reduce the baud rate In PRINTERS CONNECT window practice 38400 baud is a safe setting for most applications Table 7 1 Parameter Settings Parameter Options Entered as Default 1or2 COM1 COM2 300 1200 2400 300 1200 2400 4800 9600 19200 4800 9600 19200 38400 57600 38400 57600 parity odd even none O E N N data bits 70r8 7 8 8 stop bits 1or2 1 2 1 Using the Control Software with Windows Version 3 1 Windows version 3 1 supports fast printing directly to a port If you are using Windows 3 1 and printing to a serial COM port interaction problems can occur with the control software program if Windows is not set up as detailed below If you are using the control software program to control the baud rate and protocol of COM1 o
41. n socket connector 25 Pin socket connector The cable shown in Figure A 4 can be used to connect to most standard modems Do not connect additional lines O TXD O RXD 3 ______ _ Modular Smart Switch end Modem end GND 25 Pin socket connector 25 pin plug connector OD ma 4 O 5 8 O OO Figure A 2 IBM AT Serial Cable Pinning 0 A 3 Connecting to Printers Most serial printers provide a standard DB25 connector for serial data The required cable wiring is shown in Figure A 3 This wiring configuration is suitable for many popular printers such as HP LaserJet QMS Brother Figure A 4 Cable Pinout for Modems and Epson with serial port card Modular Smart Switch end Printer end 25 Pin socket connector 25 pin plug connector O TXD O G RXD a Figure A 3 Cable Pinout for Serial Printers El MODULAR SMART SWITCH A 5 Connecting to Plotters A wide range of different pin configurations are used on plotter serial ports The following cable can be used for most plotters including those manufactured by Hewlett Packard and Roland Notable exceptions are Calcomp plotters which need a straight through cable shown in Figure A 4 If you have a cable that currently works between your PC and plotter then this can be used between the Modular Smart Switch and your plotter with the addition of an adapter Modular Smart Switch end 25 Pin socket connector Plotter end 25 pin plug connector Figure A
42. naneninennso 59 A 7 Connecting to DEC LNO3 Laser Printer oooonnoncnnnnononcnnnonononnncnnononacnnos 60 ALS TRSAD2 Cables ao ss 22s ces E 61 Appendix B Parallel Ports ocio seosdcvsccsentucussoteceieedeccecnssosdevstesenescussubdsorreens 62 B l Parallel Pinc Assignments tocino iii 62 B 2 Cable for IBM PC XT AT or compatible ooonncnnnoninononincnanananninnnnns 64 B 3 Cable to a 36 pin Amphenol sorreran Eia titi cian 64 MODULAR SMART SWITCH 1 Specifications Base Chassis SW925A SW925AE 6 dual port module slots 2 memory module slots integral power supply Ports Parallel Dual parallel port module slots with DB25 female connectors Automatic in out detection or selectable by option switches 30 000 cps Serial Dual serial port modules contain 2 bidirectional RS 232 422 interfaces with DB25 male connectors Switches Control protocol and RS 232 422 selection and baud rates Baud Rates 300 1200 2400 4800 9600 19200 38400 and 57600 bps Handshake CTS DTR hardware XON XOFF ETX ATK Functional Features Code string control data broadcast to multiple ports print to first available printer file transfer compatible with Laplink Fastlynx Kermit Xmodem etc Timeout Selectable from 1 to 255 seconds Indicators LEDs Buffer status individual channel activity power Power 115 or 230 VAC 60 50 Hz Size 3 5 H x 13 1 W x 9 4 D 9 x 33 5 x 24 cm Weight 7 7 lb 3 5 kg MODULAR SMART SWITCH
43. ntosh sending the following command from the PC would establish a suitable bidirectional link lt PM CONNECT port TIMEOUT OFF gt MODULAR SMART SWITCH 8 4 General Hints and Tips 1 Always use the control software when using file transfer software Many packages such as Laplink Pro will not operate without the control software installed N File transfer requires a protocol of 8 bits per character 1 stop bit no parity and hardware handshaking When using RS 232 with hardware handshaking make sure that pins 4 and 5 are connected on the Modular Smart Switch end of your computer cable XON XOFF handshaking may also be used but overall performance is reduced Qo When using PC to PC file transfer use similar baud rates on both PCs For example combinations of 57600 baud and 38400 baud will be reliable whereas combinations of 57600 and 9600 are likely to be unreliable Ifin doubt use the same baud rate on both PCs Similar baud rates are required because most file transfer programs do not support handshaking they do not allow the rate of data flow to be controlled 9 Software Commands 9 1 Introduction The Modular Smart Switch can be controlled by sending software commands to it from any computer serial or parallel These commands let you change to switch between ports and give access to some more advanced features of the Modular Smart Switch The control software see Chapter 6 for use with IBM PCs automa
44. odules To fit memory and port modules you will need to remove the lid of your Modular Smart Switch To do this remove the four retaining screws holding the lid in place see Figure 3 2 and lift the lid away 3 1 Fitting Expansion Buffer Memory The Modular Smart Switch contains two memory module slots A and B each of which can be fitted with a 1 MB or 2MB buffer memory module see Figure 3 1 The Modular Smart Switch is supplied as standard with a 1 Meg buffer memory module fitted in slot A VIT ES Memory slot B Memory slot A fill this first Figure 3 1 Fitting Expansion Buffer Memory Modules MODULAR SMART SWITCH To install additional buffer memory e Make sure that the Modular Smart Switch is powered off e Insert the expansion buffer memory module into slot A or B slot A should be filled first A polarizing pin ensures that the board is seated correctly The installed buffer memory is automatically tested whenever the Modular Smart Switch is powered on The buffer memory indicators will flash while the test is in progress and go off when the test is complete Ifall the channel and buffer indicators come on permanently then the buffer has been installed incorrectly or there is a memory fault CAUTION Always observe static handling precautions when installing memory modules 1 Keep the modules in their anti static bags until you are ready to install them 2 Never place memory modules in plastic b
45. p since Windows takes over full control of the keyboard effectively locking other programs out HOTKEY overcomes this problem by allowing the software to be invoked from an icon or file name while at the Windows desktop HOTKEY remembers previous settings and retains these between applications On some computers with additional memory HOTKEY will run within a window Switching to a full screen application while within Windows or quitting from Windows will enable the hotkey combination to invoke the menu MODULAR SMART SWITCH To use HOTKEY within Windows you must first install the control software in your computer s memory Do this before you run Windows because once you are within Windows resident programs cannot be loaded You can then activate HOTKEY by clicking on HOTKEY COM HOTKEY PIF or an icon associated with these files The control software can also be run as a non resident utility from the Windows desktop To do this click on ADWIN PIF or an icon associated with this file NOTE For Windows 3 users the easiest way to create an icon associated with HOTKEY COM is to make a copy of a current file on the desktop and then to edit the properties of that file For example change the description to ADMENU and the group file command line to C WINDOWS HOTKEY COM 6 5 Using the Control Software Invoking the control software will cause a menu to appear on the screen You can select options from the menu using the lt u
46. p gt and lt down gt cursor keys and the lt enter gt key e Use the lt up gt and lt down gt cursor keys to highlight the options in the menus e Use lt enter gt to select a highlighted option e Use lt escape gt to quit from any menu or the application MODULAR SMART SWITCH 6 6 Main Menu ADDER TECHNOLOGY ADMENU DESTINATION FILE TRANSFER DIRECT OUTPUT FUNCTIONS OPTIONS port 2 Lemi aou a Figure 6 1 Main Menu A Destination Used to connect your computer to the required printer plotter modem or other device see Section 6 7 B File Transfer Used to connect through to other computers and set the Modular Smart Switch to file transfer mode This option should only be used to establish links for file transfer purposes use the DESTINATION option for all other applications see Chapter 8 File transfer is only available on serial ports C Direct Output Used to output characters and control codes directly from your keyboard see Section 6 8 D Functions Allows you to clear data form feed the printer or end a long timeout see Section 6 9 E Options Used to select the number of copies timeout period and the PC port that the menu is to control see Section 6 10 MODULAR SMART SWITCH F Destination Port Indicates the port on the Modular Smart Switch that your PC is currently connected to All data output from the currently selected PC port G will be routed to
47. r COM2 and you are using Windows 3 1 make sure that EITHER a The COM port is set up within Windows 3 1 to use the same baud rate and protocol as that used by the control software You can change the COM port protocol using the Control Panel utility within Windows 3 1 Baud rates of 38400 and 57600 can be selected by typing these values into the baud rate selection box MODULAR SMART SWITCH MODULAR SMART SWITCH 8 Using the Modular Smart Switch to Transfer Files ADDER TECHNOLOGY ADMENU DESTINATION The Modular Smart Switch can be used to transfer files between PCs connected to the serial ports This can be done using standard file transfer software such as Fastlynx Laplink ProComm or Kermit DIRECT OUTPUT FUNCTIONS FILE TRANSFER NOTE edo ENTER TARGET Baal 1 com PORT FOR DATA fsesc gt TQfauif ExcHANGE 1 TO 12 The file transfer facility can only be used between computers that are connected to the Modular Smart Switch via an RS 232 or RS 422 serial link 8 1 Transferring Files Between IBM Compatible PCs To transfer files between two PCs connected to the Modular Smart Switch follow the steps below Figure 8 1 Main Menu NOTE Before you use your Modular Smart Switch to transfer files make sure A The port on the Modular Smart Switch that is connected to the computer that you have installed the control software on both PCs that you wish to exchange files with 1 Activate the control softwa
48. re on the first PC You can activate the control B The port on your computer that is connected to the Modular Smart software by using the hotkey combination or by running the program Switch HOTKEY COM from the DOS prompt or from within a batch file RON SERENE Select the File Transfer option on the main menu Enter the serial C A flashing oO indicate that the Modular Smart Switch is in file port on the Modular Smart Switch that is connected to the second PC transfer mode A wik be displayed as shown m Meite el 2 Boot up the file transfer software on the first PC 3 Activate the control software on the second PC Select the File Transfer option on the main menu Enter the port on the Modular Smart Switch that is connected to the first PC 4 Boot up the file transfer software on the second PC 5 Follow the instructions for your file transfer software 6 Quit from the file transfer software on both PCs When using file transfer software make sure that you have selected the target PC before you boot up your file transfer software Failing to do this could cause unwanted data to be sent to your printer plotter To make sure that this does not occur it is advisable to activate the control software and your file transfer software from a batch file This will cause the control software to appear automatically before you boot your file transfer software A suitable batch file for Kermit would be as follows MODULAR SMART SWITCH RE
49. t the correct protocol is used regardless of the settings on the application program Although DOS will normally only support baud rates up to 9600 most PCs are capable of running at much higher speeds of 19 200 38 400 or 57 600 baud A number of high baud rate utilities are available that act like the DOS MODE command But these can be of little practical use since many application programs change the baud rate and protocol when they run The control software overcomes this problem by preventing application programs from changing the baud rate or protocol of the serial port being controlled This has two major advantages First the user does not need to worry about setting the baud rate and protocol in the application program Second high baud rates can be used for plotting from packages that would normally only support lower baud rates To run the control software copy the program ADMODE COM from the utility disk to a suitable directory on your PC At the DOS prompt type a command in the following format ADMODE COMnx baud parity databits stopbits You only need to include a parameter after baud if it needs to be changed from the default values shown in Table 7 1 The minimum command syntax is ADMODE COMn baud Example To set serial port 1 COM1 to 38400 baud 8 data bits 1 stop bit and no parity use the following command ADMODE COM1 38400 N 8 1 lt enter gt High Baud Rate Limitations In practice almost all moder
50. tically generates the required software commands This section gives the format and purpose of each command All software commands have the following format lt PM command parameters gt The command must begin with the three characters lt PM and end with a single character gt In the following text UPPER CASE is used to represent a keyword for example CONNECT Anything that is in brackets is optional Text that is in lower case should be replaced by the keyword or option that it represents For example the command to connect to channel 2 serial would be as follows lt PM CONNECT 2 gt A string of characters will only be recognized as a command if all the characters are correct thus making confusion with normal text extremely unlikely Software commands should be sent to the Modular Smart Switch as a string of ASCII characters A suitable way of doing this would be to create a file containing the required command and print it when needed though there are many other possibilities such as inserting the required selection string at the top of a word processor document refer to your computer manuals Users of IBM compatible computers can create batch files that send software commands see Section 9 5 for notes on how to create these Items in a software command can be separated by spaces tabs line feeds or form feeds however only one of these may be used between each item In the following sections references to s
51. tion and ADMODE commands relevant to that port MODULAR SMART SWITCH 5 7 Using the Modular Smart Switch Printer and Plotter Sharing Applications The Modular Smart Switch is now ready for use as a printer sharer for the printer attached to port 1 Data sent in from any computer will automatically be sent to this port Users can print simultaneously and the Modular Smart Switch will buffer the information until it can be sent to the default printer plotter All data from one source is treated as a single printable file until there has been a break in the transmission for more than the timeout period see Section 4 1 If two or more printers plotters are connected to the Modular Smart Switch you will need the software see Chapter 6 or software commands see Chapter 9 to select between them Other options and facilities are also detailed in these two sections General Datacomm Applications Once you are communicating correctly with the Modular Smart Switch you can select between ports by sending ASCII command strings In addition to the data destination these ASCII command strings can be used to select the timeout period broadcast data to several ports and make break permanent no timeout connections The serial ports on the Modular Smart Switch are bidirectional Refer to Chapter 7 for details on how to use the command strings and the connection options available 5 8 Port Indicators 1 to 12 The port indicators c
52. user serviceable parts If a fault persists please contact technical support 10 1 Self Test at Power On The Modular Smart Switch automatically tests its basic operation when it powers on The buffer indicators flash for a few seconds while the test is being conducted and go out when the test has passed If the buffer indicators do not flash or do not go out then there may be a problem consult technical support 10 2 Parallel Interfaces No Data Transmitted through the Switch If you have problems transmitting data through the switch using parallel interfaces make sure that the direction input or output has been set correctly see Section 4 2 If you have any problems in transmitting to parallel ports do not use the automatic in out detection setting because this is not guaranteed to work with all printers The channel indicators show whether data is being routed correctly from one port to another 10 3 Parallel Interfaces Corrupted Extra or Lost Data Problems with corrupted data when using parallel communication are rare When problems do arise they are mostly cabling problems Avoid using ribbon cables Use shielded cables and keep the length to 22 9 ft 7 m or less where possible Problem cables can cause occasional data corruption and spurious page feeds on laser printers MODULAR SMART SWITCH 10 4 Problems Interfacing Serial Devices Most problems experienced with connecting serial devices are caused by

Black Box SW925A User's Manual

Contents

Download Pdf Manuals

Related Search

Related Contents