Comprehensive Product Summary – Support-PAC(PC)351

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### 1. Product Overview

Product Name: Support-PAC(PC)351
Article Number: Support-PAC(PC)351
Series: Device Driver Packet MS-C
Supported Devices: ADC-45(PC), DA12-4(PC)
Manufacturer: CONTEC Co., Ltd.
Product Category: Software / Device Driver Package
Product Type: Device driver packet for analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converter boards
Primary Function: Provides driver and software support for CONTEC’s ADC-45(PC) and DA12-4(PC) data acquisition modules, enabling operation under Microsoft Windows and National Instruments LabVIEW environments.

The Support-PAC(PC)351 is part of CONTEC’s comprehensive software suite designed to integrate its analog and digital I/O hardware with major development environments. It includes the MS-C driver packet, which provides seamless communication between CONTEC’s ADC-45(PC) analog-to-digital converter and DA12-4(PC) digital-to-analog converter boards and host PCs. The package ensures compatibility with LabVIEW, Visual Basic, Visual C++, and other programming languages, supporting both Windows and Linux operating systems.

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### 2. Key Features

- Comprehensive Driver Support: Includes device drivers for analog input/output, digital I/O, counter, timer, serial, and GPIB communication boards.
- LabVIEW Integration: Fully compatible with National Instruments LabVIEW versions 7.1, 7.0, 6.1, and 6i through the VI-DAQ and API-GPLV(W32) libraries.
- Unified API Architecture: The API-PAC(W32) library provides a unified Win32 API interface for all CONTEC I/O boards, simplifying application development and ensuring code portability across hardware types.
- Hardware Independence: The same VI or API functions can be used across PCI, ISA, CompactPCI, and PC Card devices, minimizing reprogramming when hardware changes.
- User-Friendly Setup: Includes setup utilities for easy installation and configuration under Windows XP, 2000, NT, Me, 98, and 95.
- Diagnostic and Configuration Tools: Built-in diagnostic utilities verify hardware and driver operation, while configuration tools allow parameter setup and board detection.
- Sample Programs and Libraries: Provides numerous sample programs for LabVIEW, Visual Basic, Visual C++, and Borland Delphi/C++ Builder to accelerate development.
- Free Software Updates: Latest driver libraries and sample sets are available for free download from CONTEC’s global portal.
- Cross-Platform Support: Includes Linux-compliant driver libraries (API-AIO(LNX), API-DIO(LNX), API-GPIB(LNX), API-CNT(LNX)) for RedHat and TurboLinux distributions.

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### 3. Technical Specifications

Supported Operating Systems (Windows):
- Windows XP Professional / Home Edition
- Windows 2000 Professional
- Windows NT Workstation 4.0 (SP3 or later)
- Windows Me / 98SE / 98 / 95

Supported Operating Systems (Linux):
- RedHat Linux 6.2 – 9.0 (Kernels 2.2.14 – 2.4.21)
- TurboLinux 6.0 – 8.0 (Kernels 2.2.13 – 2.4.18)

Supported Programming Languages:
- National Instruments: LabVIEW 7.1 / 7.0 / 6.1 / 6i / 5.1 / 5.0
- Microsoft: Visual Basic 6.0 / 5.0 / 4.0, Visual C++ 6.0 / 5.0 / 4.x / 2.0, Visual Basic .NET 2003 / 2002, Visual C++ .NET 2003 / 2002, Visual C# .NET 2003 / 2002
- Borland: C++ Builder 6.0 / 5.0, Delphi 6.0 / 5.0 / 4.0

Supported Hardware Interfaces:
- PCI, ISA, CompactPCI, PC Card (CB, PM), LPCI (Low Profile PCI)

Supported CONTEC Boards:
- Analog I/O: AD12-16(PC), AD12-16U(PC)E, AD16-16(PC)E, DA12-4(PC), DA12-8(PC), DA12-16(PC), DAI12-4C(PC), ADA16-8/2(LPCI)L, ADA16-32/2(PCI)F
- Digital I/O: PI-32L(PC), PIO-16/16L(PC), PIO-48D(PC), PIO-32/32L(PCI), PIO-64/64L(PCI)
- Counter: CNT24-4(PC), CNT32-8M(PCI)
- GPIB: GP-IB(PC), GP-IB(PCI), GP-IB(LPCI)F, GP-IB(CPCI)F, GP-IB(CB)F
- Serial Communication: COM-1(PC), COM-2(PCI)H, COM-4(LPCI)H, COM-8(PCI)H

Dimensions and Weight:
Software package; no physical dimensions applicable. Installation media and documentation provided electronically or via CD-ROM.

Material:
Digital software distribution (driver libraries, DLLs, configuration utilities, documentation).

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### 4. Functionality

The Support-PAC(PC)351 enables seamless communication between CONTEC’s ADC-45(PC) and DA12-4(PC) boards and host PCs. It provides a complete driver environment for analog signal acquisition and generation, digital I/O control, and integration with LabVIEW or custom applications.

Core Functionalities:
- Analog Input/Output Control: Supports up to 64 channels for analog input/output with programmable sampling intervals, trigger control, and interrupt monitoring.
- Digital I/O Management: Allows bit-level or port-level digital input/output with hardware filtering and chattering prevention.
- GPIB Communication: IEEE-488.2 compliant communication with master/slave mode configuration and DMA/FIFO support.
- Serial Communication: Supports up to 256 channels with configurable buffer sizes, XON/XOFF flow control, and event-driven messaging.
- Counter and Timer Control: Provides precise timing, counting, and event generation with microsecond-level accuracy.
- Motor Control: Enables stepper and servo motor positioning, PTP motion, jogging, and multi-axis synchronization.

Use Cases:
- Laboratory data acquisition and control systems
- Industrial automation and process monitoring
- Embedded measurement systems
- Test and instrumentation setups using LabVIEW
- Multi-channel analog/digital signal processing

Compatibility:
- Fully compatible with CONTEC’s PCI, ISA, CompactPCI, and PC Card hardware.
- Integrates with LabVIEW, Visual Studio, and Borland development environments.
- Supports both Windows and Linux operating systems.

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### 5. Components & Accessories

Included Components:
- Device driver libraries (DLLs and shared libraries)
- Setup and configuration utilities (API-TOOL Configuration)
- Diagnostic utilities for hardware and driver verification
- Sample programs for supported languages
- Documentation and help files (HTML and PDF)
- LabVIEW VI libraries (VI-DAQ, API-GPLV(W32))
- API-PAC(W32) unified driver library

Optional Add-ons:
- Additional CONTEC I/O boards (analog, digital, counter, GPIB, serial)
- API-TIMER(W32) for high-precision timing
- API-SMC(98/PC) for motor control
- API-CNT(98/PC) for counter input
- API-SIO(98/PC) for serial communication

Connectors:
Dependent on the installed hardware (PCI, ISA, or PC Card interfaces).

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### 6. Installation & Setup

System Requirements:
- IBM PC/AT compatible computer with available PCI, ISA, or PC Card slot
- Supported Windows or Linux operating system
- Minimum 64 MB RAM, 50 MB free disk space
- Administrator privileges for driver installation

Installation Procedure:
1. Run the API-PAC setup program under Windows.
2. Select the CONTEC board model to be used.
3. The installer automatically registers the appropriate DLLs and configuration files.
4. Use the API-TOOL Configuration utility to detect installed boards and verify driver operation.
5. For LabVIEW users, install VI-DAQ or API-GPLV(W32) libraries and import the provided VIs.
6. For Linux, compile and install the module drivers and shared libraries using provided makefiles.

Configuration:
- Hardware parameters (I/O addresses, interrupts, sampling rates) can be set via the configuration utility.
- Diagnostic tools verify communication between the driver and hardware.
- Sample programs can be executed to confirm correct operation.

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### 7. Performance & Capabilities

- Analog I/O: Up to 64 channels, programmable sampling intervals, internal/external clock synchronization, trigger-based acquisition.
- Digital I/O: Up to 128 channels, hardware filtering, bit-level control, event-driven interrupts.
- GPIB Communication: IEEE-488.2 compliant, supports up to 4 boards, DMA/FIFO transfer, master/slave mode selection.
- Serial Communication: Up to 256 channels, 256–65535 byte buffer per channel, XON/XOFF flow control, event messaging.
- Counter Input: Up to 16 boards, supports count value reading, presetting, and event generation.
- Timer Control: Microsecond-level timing precision, interval and wait functions, ActiveX control for Visual Basic integration.
- Motor Control: Multi-axis synchronization, PTP motion, jogging, bank motion, and event-based control.

Limitations:
- Some drivers (e.g., API-GPIB(98/PC)) cannot be used simultaneously with National Instruments drivers.
- Certain features (ActiveX controls) are unavailable under older Windows versions.
- ISA board auto-detection not supported under Windows NT 4.0/3.51.

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### 8. Standards & Compliance

- IEEE-488 / IEEE-488.2: Compliance for GPIB communication.
- Windows Hardware Compatibility: Verified operation under Microsoft Windows XP/2000/NT/Me/98/95.
- Linux Kernel Compliance: Tested under RedHat and TurboLinux distributions with kernel versions 2.2.x–2.4.x.
- Plug and Play (PnP): Supported for PCI and CompactPCI boards.
- API Conformance: Win32 API standard for Windows; POSIX-compliant shared libraries for Linux.
- Industrial Standards: Designed for industrial measurement and control applications, ensuring reliability and long-term support.

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### 9. Additional Information

Warranty:
Standard CONTEC software warranty covering defects in media and functionality under normal use conditions.

Support & Maintenance:
- Free technical support via CONTEC’s global portal (www.contec.com).
- Online documentation, FAQs, and driver updates.
- Diagnostic utilities and sample programs included for troubleshooting.
- Regular updates to maintain compatibility with new OS versions and hardware.

Software Updates:
- Free downloads of the latest driver libraries and sample programs from the API-TOOL Developer’s Site.
- Continuous improvement of API-PAC(W32) and Linux driver libraries.

Documentation:
- Comprehensive user manuals and API references in HTML and PDF formats.
- Function reference for each driver library.
- Example source code for all supported languages.

Global Portal:
- [www.contec.com](http://www.contec.com)
- Dedicated sections for VI-DAQ, API-GPLV(W32), and API-PAC(W32) driver libraries.
- Developer resources, sample code, and update notifications.

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### Summary

The Support-PAC(PC)351 is a complete driver and software support package developed by CONTEC Co., Ltd. for its ADC-45(PC) and DA12-4(PC) analog I/O boards. It provides a unified, cross-platform environment for data acquisition, control, and communication applications. With comprehensive support for LabVIEW, Visual Studio, and Borland development tools, it enables engineers and developers to build robust measurement and automation systems efficiently. The package’s modular architecture, diagnostic utilities, and extensive sample programs make it an essential component for integrating CONTEC hardware into both Windows and Linux-based systems.