Virtual I/O board

[totti]

Hi,
I am doing a project which requires using 2 existing softwares:
+ Software A was written to produce 3 analog outputs and it supports the analog output board ACL 6126.
+ Software B was written to receive the 3 analog outputs produced by software A and analyse them. It supports the card DT9800.

Obviously, the 2 softwares can be installed in the same PC.
Is there a way to feed the outputs of software A to software B without actually using the I/O boards?
A restriction is that I am not allowed to do any modification on software A.

Thanks

 

[melone]

Why would you want to do this? Wouldn't it be nice to have access to the signals for debugging purposes?

 

[IRstuff]

You probably could, but it probably would be way more work that it's worth. You'd need to get documentation for the drivers for both boards and then string them together.

TTFN

 

[totti]

Hi,
To Melone,
I just think that it would be a reduction of hardware component, thus a cut in cost.

To IRstuff,
I got your idea. Could you explain a bit more what you mean by " string them together"?

Does anyone know softwares that could help to solve this problem?

Thanks for your helps.

 

[IRstuff]

There is no existing software to do this. As indicated in my response to your other posting, you need to get the detailed information for driver for the DAC board, intercept the commands to the DAC and simulate the response from the ADC driver.

Since you appear to have the source code for sets of software, this should be feasible. However, this is a non-trivial task, requiring a not-insubstantial amount of knowledge on driver design and PC I/O design.

IF, however, software A directly drives the DAC without a separate driver, that makes it even harder.

TTFN

 

[Benkku]

Hello,

Easiest way without 'software vice peeking' is monitoring board 'A' analog output signal voltage level with the B card. Of course you will need such a card B that has an 3 analog inputs also.

For software vice you could read the 'analog voltage', if the software A provides it somehow...

basicly...

- reading values from memory mapped file (software A instantiates and writes those values and program B reads them syncronously or asyncronously).

- receiving values as windows 'messages'.

One way to do 'program to program' signalling is using windows messages.

Other possibility is to read an value from program A (from textbox or some other windows form 'control') You need to get an textbox windows handle value.
You can obtain 'control name' (note ! 'control window name' or 'control ID' does not change. Window handle changes every time when control is 'created' so you need to find out an control name/Id first) using an 'spy' application. for example Microsoft Visual Studio and Borland C++ etc. usually includes an 'spy' application.