B&B Electronics PPC User Manual

Not Recommended for New Installations.

Please contact Technical Support for more information.

Parallel & Serial Port Checker

Model PPC

Documentation Number PPC2095

This product

Designed and Manufactured

In Ottawa, Illinois

USA

of domestic and imported parts by

B&B Electronics Mfg. Co. Inc.

707 Dayton Road -- P.O. Box 1040 -- Ottawa, IL 61350

PH [phone] -- FAX [phone]

Internet:

http://www.bb-elec.com

[e-mail]

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© Copyright 1992 B & B Electroni cs

Revised August 1992

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Objective

The objective of the PC Port Checker is to determine if the
parallel and serial ports on your PC are functioning correctly. It is
not intended to be a complete diagnostic tool for analyzing the PC
ports, but rather a quick go-no-go test.

Getting Started

Copy the software file (supplied with your port checker)
"PORT_CK.EXE" and the file "PORTFIND.EXE" onto your
computer. Execute "PORT_CK.EXE". The program
"PORTFIND.EXE" is used by the "PORT_CK.EXE" program. The
port checker software will automatically determine which ports (both
parallel and serial) your computer has installed. The software
displays the ports and their addresses.

If, after executing the port checker software, your computer
does not indicate that there is a port where you think there should
be, that is a good indication that the port is either improperly installed
or bad.

Performing the Test

The port checker software will guide you through the test. You
simply install the port checker board on the port to be tested, and
select the proper test number to start the test. Since some
computer ports do not require or support all the "standard IBM"
handshake lines, we recommend that shortly after your computer is
set up, that you run "PORT_CK.EXE ". You will then have a record
of how your ports initially tested in the file "PORTCK.DAT".
Thereafter, if you do a port check, you can compare the results to
the initial check. If the initial port check fails, you should determine if
the failure is by design or due to an actual failure. Refer to the
specific operator's manual on the port being tested. The port
checker is designed to check any "standard IBM" port and they
should pass the test.

Documentation Number PPC2095 Manual 1

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Note that when you execute the program "PORT_CK.EXE" will
create a file labeled "PORTCK.DAT". The software writes to this
file each time PORT_CK.EXE is executed. The software records
the data from the PORT_CK software. That is, the test that is
performed and the results of that test are added to the file
"PORTCK.DAT" each time a port check is performed. Included in
the file is the date and time that the test was performed.

If you are installing the port checker on the end of a
communication cable instead of directly onto the computer, and the
test fails, you should try installing the port checker directly onto the
computer port to determine if your cable is bad or if your port is bad.

It is important to note that not all ports contain all the standard
handshake lines. If your port is specifically designed to drive some
external device that does not require the handshake lines, that port
may fail the test but still be capable of driving the external device.

The port checker is designed by connecting certain outputs on
the serial and parallel ports back to its inputs. Those outputs are
then toggled high and low and the port checker software verifies that
the inputs are following the output lines. Therefore, it is possible that
an output line could have gone bad, and the port checker indicates
that an output and input line has failed.

RS-232

The port checker can test either DB-9 or DB-25 RS-232 ports. If
you connect the port checker onto a "standard IBM" RS-232 port,
the port checker does a complete check of all communication lines
and handshake lines. Most RS-232 ports contain the handshake
lines and should pass the test.

Parallel

The port checker tests any "standard IBM" parallel port.
However, since many devices that connect to the parallel port (such
as printers, plotters, etc.) do not use all the parallel handshake lines,
cables that are specifically designed for that external device may not
contain all the connections. Therefore, it is important to connect the
port checker directly onto the computer port. If you install the port
checker onto a parallel port or onto the end of the cable driving the
external device and the port checker diagnoses a failure, the line
that caused the failure may not be needed in your application.

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RS-422/RS-530

The port checker uses the RS-232 software to check the RS­422/530 ports. Some 422/530 ports support all RS-232 handshake
lines but many do not. Therefore, when checking 422/530 ports, you
should check the port after it is first installed and working properly.
You will then have a record of how your 422/530 port initially tested
in the file “ PORTCK.DAT “. Thereafter, if you suspect a problem
with your port, you can run the port check and compare these results
to the original results.

Special Note on B&B's RS-422/485 I/O Card, Model
422ICCR3: When using the port checker to check this IO

card, your port checker jumper should be set to RS-530.
When you run the port checker software you will get an RI
(Ring Indicator) failure.

The port checker is not designed to test RS-485 cards. If your
IO card is set up for RS-485 you will get multiple failures.

If you have an RS-232 to RS-422 converter and are using the
port checker to test the output of the converter, you should be using
the RS-422 portion of the port checker. However, it is important to
note that, depending on how the handshake lines are handled, you
might get handshake line failures. If the RS-232 to RS-422
converter is working properly, or if you are checking a standard RS­422 port, you should not get a TXD or RXD failure. If they are
working that test should pass.

Exiting the Test

After each test is performed, the software will ask if another test
is to be performed or if you want to exit the port checker program.
IMPORTANT: After exiting the port checker software program you
should do a hardware reboot. The port checker software may have
altered your system configuration registers that are reconfigured on
each hardware reboot.

Documentation Number PPC2095 Manual 3

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