5/24/05 - Arrick Robotics - Robotics.com

Using the MD2 step motor system software on Windows XP/NT/2000.
And printer port configuration info.




OVERVIEW
For security reasons, these operating systems limit access to I/O ports without
special device drivers.
Since the MD2 software needs access to one or more parallel I/O
ports, a special program called PortTalk is needed to open up the ports.


GETTING PORTTALK
Porttalk and its utilities are on the MD2 diskette.
You can also download it at http://www.robotics.com/porttalk22.zip
This software is written by Craig Peacock at BeyondLogic.org


WHAT'S IN PORTTALK
The PortTalk zip file contains a program called AllowIO.exe which
can be used to run the MD2.exe program within XP/NT/2000.
Device driver source code needed when you write custom MD2 programs
using our subroutine libraries is also part of the PortTalk Package.
Detailed documentation for PortTalk in the zip file.


INSTALLATION
There is no formal installation program for the MD2 program or PortTalk/
AllowIO, instead, simply make a directory on your system (usually C:\MD2)
and copy the contents of the MD2 diskette into it.

Drag the MD2.bat file to the desktop to make a shortcut.
Right-click the icon and make sure the working directory is set to C:\MD2.
You can also set the icon to the md2.ico file.

The MD2.bat file has one line in it:

allowio md2.exe 0x278 0x378 0x3bc 0x60 0x21

Those are ZEROS before each 'x', not letter 'O's.
The first 3 addresses are the parallel printer ports, the last 2 are for keyboard and interrupts.


RUNNING MD2.EXE
The MD2.exe program is a DOS-style program that will run in a window and
allow you to move motors (up to 6), change parameters, and make short programs
easily.  When the program begins for the first time, you will need to calibrate
the motor speeds which takes about 10 minutes.  Just select Calibrate from
the Options menu. Then you can Enable the motors, and move them.


PROBLEMS?
MD2.exe must have access to the correct directory where parameter files,
calibration files, and help files are stored so set the working
directory to the same as the MD2.exe program's directory.


PORTS
There are several types of high speed parallel and bidirectional printer ports
available now. Normally they are called ECP and EPP. Most of these ports
have a mode in which they act like a standard (legacy) parallel port which
is what the MD-2 works best with.  Sometimes this is called SPP mode.

If the parallel port is part of the motherboard, you can change this mode
by entering the setup utility while the computer boots up.  Usually you have
to press DEL or F1 or F2 to enter setup before the operating system boots.
When in setup mode, look for a menu item called 'on board peripherals' or
something similar, then look for the parallel printer port section.  You will
probably have to browse to find this setting since it varies depending on the
computer.  When you find it, select 'standard', SPP, or 'legacy' mode for the
port.  Also, select an address of 378 which will equate to motor numbers 3&4.

If the port comes on a card then there will probably be a utility program
that will let you set the mode.


PERFORMANCE
Windows XP/NT/2000 often offer poor real-time performance because there are
many programs running in the background.  Disable screen savers, power saving
features, virus protection, instant messagers, display themes, etc.




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