Software Remote Control
The DVC-4 has a Remote Control connector P6 which
allows common control buttons to be activated by external logic signals or
relay contacts; they are internally pulled up to +5V by 4.7K resistors and are
grounded to activate as long as the Remote Control Input menu has been checked.
The available functions vary with the software package being used; they are:
Pin # Sine Random Shock
1 Servo On Start Equalize
2 Abort Abort Abort
3 Sweep Run Restart Start
4 Sweep Hold Pause PreTest
Software Remote Control-
Enables control of the DVC-4 software
by another program by passing commands through a shared file ( DvcControl.dat
). The standard Remote Control functions listed above are accessible along with
others; also, keystrokes can be sent that mimic pressing any of the keyboard hot-keys.
It functions by the user writing a control code to the file which gets read by
the DVC-4 software and executed, or by the user reading back values from the
file. NOTE: the Software Control menu item must be enabled ( checked )
for this feature to operate. The DvcControl.dat file should be located
in the C:\Program Files\DVCshell folder.
It is possible to perform additional functions,
but doing so side-steps the controller safety features and can easily result in
damage to the shaker that would not be covered under warranty. Please email us
with your specific requirements.
Below is an example of a Visual Basic program
named Control.Exe which demonstrates the principles involved. It is a
3”x3” pad with 5 buttons and a text box
that floats over the DVC-4 screen; clicking any of the 4 control buttons will
activate the corresponding Remote Control pin function, and entering a
character in the text box and clicking the 5th button will send it.
All buttons simply write commands to a file named DVCcontrol.dat located in the
C:\Program Files\DVCshell folder; the first button will create the file if it
does not exist.
The executable can be run at the same time as
the DVC-4 software and viewed on top of the DVC-4 screens to demonstrate the
actions. Copy it to the C:\Program Files\DVCshell folder and double-click it; click here to
download CONTROL.EXE.
‘Make the following declarations in
a module named Module1.Bas:
Public
ControlCode As Single
Public
KeyStroke As String
Public
RemoteAcc As Single
Public
RemoteFreq As Single
Public
Sub WriteControlCode()
'Reads Dll Control Code
'On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
Open "C:\Program
Files\DVCshell\DVCControl.dat" For Output As #1
Write #1, ControlCode, KeyStroke,
RemoteAcc, RemoteFreq 'Sends Codes
Close #1
End Sub
Create a
3”x4” form named Form1; add a label with the caption of “SOFTWARE REMOTE
CONTROL”, 5 buttons, and a text box,
and include the following code:
Private
Sub Command1_Click()
ControlCode = 1
KeyStroke = ""
Call WriteControlCode
End Sub
Private
Sub Command2_Click()
ControlCode = 2
KeyStroke = ""
Call WriteControlCode
End Sub
Private
Sub Command3_Click()
ControlCode = 3
KeyStroke = ""
Call WriteControlCode
End Sub
Private
Sub Command4_Click()
ControlCode = 4
KeyStroke = ""
Call WriteControlCode
End Sub
Private
Sub Command5_Click()
ControlCode = 0
KeyStroke = Text1.Text
Call WriteControlCode
End Sub
Revised 8/1/2002
