B&B Electronics ICE-104P User Manual

Document No. ICE104P1498 – pg. 1/2

Connect Up To Four Printers To One Parallel Port

Model ICE-104P

Introduction

Eliminate the need for extra LPT ports. The ICE-104P is a four-port, code-activated switch for
the parallel port. The supplied software allows you to switch from Port A to Port D, or broadcast to
two or all four connected printers. The unit is self-powered from each of the connected ports. For
applications where power cannot be derived from the ports, a 9 VDC power supply is available. Ports
can be selected using hot keys with a TSR, from the command line, or from a Windows program.
There is also a manual switch for port selection. The ICE-104P has 5 female DB-25 connectors, and
LEDs showing which ports are selected. Dimensions: 4.75"W x 4.0"D x 1.75"H.

System Requirements

q IBM PC/XT/AT/PS-2 or 100% compatible.

q MS-DOS version 3.3 or above.

q At least 64K bytes of memory.

q At least one Parallel Port (Printer Port).

q One 5.25" floppy drive.

Installation

If you have a hard disk, you can copy all the programs to a directory for later use by the following process:

1. Place the System disk in you floppy A:.

2. At the "A:>" DOS prompt type "INSTALL C:" or "INSTALL D:" depending on which driver you want to install.

The INSTALL Batch file will copy all the necessary files to your hard disk and place them in directory <ICEWARE>. Under
<ICEWARE> directory, there are two subdirectories <ICP12> and <ICP14>. <ICP12> contains the programs for 1 to 2 parallel
switch and <ICP14> for 1 to 4.

How To Use ICP12.EXE & ICP14.EXE

a. ICP12.EXE Command Line Options

Usage: ICP12 [option1] | [option2]

Option1: Function
/1 Select LPT1

/2 Select LPT2
/3 Select LPT3
/4 Select LPT4
/A Switch output to Port A
/B Switch output to Port B
/C Switch to broadcast mode

Option2:
/R Install ICP12.EXE and keep it resident in memory

/U Remove ICP12.EXE and release memory

B&B Electronics -- April 1998

Document No. ICE104P1498 – pg. 2/2

b. ICP14.EXE Command Line Options

Usage: ICP14 [option1] | [option2]

Option1: Function Option1: Function
/1 Select LPT1 /D Switch output to Port D

/2 Select LPT2 /E Switch to A, B
broadcast mode
/3 Select LPT3 /F Switch to C, D
broadcast mode
/4 Select LPT4 /G Switch to A, B, C, D
broadcast mode
/A Switch output to Port A
/B Switch output to Port B
/C Switch output to Port C

Option2:
/R Install ICP14.EXE and keep it resident in memory

/U Remove ICP14.EXE and release memory

c. Some examples of using ICP12.EXE and ICP14.EXE

1. When your 1 to 2 switch is connected to LPT1, you may type "ICP12/A" instead of "ICP12/1/A" to select LPT1 and switch the

output port to Port A. However, if your switch is connected to an LPT port other than LPT1, you should use another option /2, /3 or

/4 to select the correct LPT port. For example: If your switch is connected to LPT2, you should type "ICP12/2/B" to select LPT2

and switch the output port to Port B.

2. If you need to switch the output port frequently, you can simplify the process by typing "ICP12/R" to load program and keep it

resident in memory. Then you can use hotkeys to invoke the functions whenever you like. You can also type "LH ICP12/R" to load

program in Upper Memory if your DOS Version is 5.0 or above and EMM386.EXE is correctly installed (See DOS 5.0 User

Manual for details). To remove program and release memory, type "ICP12/U".

3. The operation of ICP14.EXE is similar to that of ICP12.EXE.

4. Use SETHKEYP.EXE to change hotkeys if they conflict with the function keys of other software packages.

How To Use SETHKEYP.EXE

1. To use SETHKEYP.EXE, you must assure that ICP12.EXE or ICP14.EXE is in the same directory and type "SETHKEYP" at

the DOS prompt. You can use it to change hotkeys or just check the current hotkey status.

2. To change a hotkey, first move light bar to the desired function, then enter hotkey combination. You may use any combinations as

long as the BIOS recognizes it, but it must have at least one of the following keys : LShift, LCtrl, LAlt, RShift, RCtrl and RAlt

(L and R mean Left and Right keys on your keyboard). For example: you may first press and hold LCtrl, LAlt keys (no matter

which one comes first), then press F1 key without releasing the first two to define a hotkey. At the same time, the light bar will

display the hotkey you have just defined. But if you enter an illegal hotkey, it will not be accepted and the former one will remain

unchanged.

3. When you press ESC key, the cursor will go directly to Exit light bar. Then you can press the Enter key to quit this program. If you

have modified any hotkey definition, the "Save Hotkey definition?(Y/N):" message will appear. Type "Y" to save new hotkey

definitions or type "N" to leave it unchanged.

How To Use WICP12.EXE

1. WICP12.EXE is a Window version program. You can't run it under DOS prompt. When you enter Microsoft Windows, you can

use program manager's RUN command to execute it or use NEW PROGRAM ITEM command to add it to a program group for

later use (see Microsoft Windows User Manual for details).

2. When WICP12 window displays, first select one button each in the LPT port and Output port, then click the Switch button to

execute switching.

3. The operation of WICP14.EXE is similar to that of WICP12.EXE.

B&B Electronics -- April 1998