Tektronix PIO-24 Users Guide

PIO-24 Parallel Digital Interface Board

User’s Guide

A GREATER MEASURE OF CONFIDENCE

The information contained in this manual is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, the man­ufacturer assumes no responsibility for its use; nor for any infringements of patents or other rights
of third parties that may result from its use. No license is granted by implication or otherwise under
any patent rights of the manufacturer.

THE MANUFACTURER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RELATED TO THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT. THIS PROD­UCT IS NOT DESIGNED WITH COMPONENTS OF A LEVEL OF RELIABILITY THAT IS
SUITED FOR USE IN LIFE SUPPORT OR CRITICAL APPLICATIONS.

Note:

DriverLINX, SSTNET, and LabOBJX are registered trademarks and DriverLINX/VB is a trade­mark of Scientific Software Tools, Inc.

Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks and Visual C++ and Visual Basic are trade­marks of Microsoft Corporation.

Borland is a registered trademark and Borland C++, Delphi, and Turbo Pascal are trademarks of
Borland International, Inc.

IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

Acrobat is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
companies.

Copyright © Keithley Instruments, Inc., 1999, 1991.

All rights reserved. Reproduction or adaptation of any part of this documentation

beyond that permitted by Section 117 of the 1979 United States Copyright Act

without permission of the Copyright owner is unlawful.

WARRANTY

Hardware

Keithley Instruments, Inc. warrants that, for a period of one (1) year from the date of shipment (3 years for Models 2000,
2001, 2002, 2010 and 2700), the Keithley Hardware product will be free from defects in materials or workmanship. This
warranty will be honored provided the defect has not been caused by use of the Keithley Hardware not in accordance with
the instructions for the product. This warranty shall be null and void upon: (1) any modification of Keithley Hardware that
is made by other than Keithley and not approved in writing by Keithley or (2) operation of the Keithley Hardware outside
of the environmental specifications therefore.

Upon receiving notification of a defect in the Keithley Hardware during the warranty period, Keithley will, at its option,
either repair or replace such Keithley Hardware. During the first ninety days of the warranty period, Keithley will, at its
option, supply the necessary on site labor to return the product to the condition prior to the notification of a defect. Failure
to notify Keithley of a defect during the warranty shall relieve Keithley of its obligations and liabilities under this
warranty.

Other Hardware

The portion of the product that is not manufactured by Keithley (Other Hardware) shall not be covered by this warranty,
and Keithley shall have no duty of obligation to enforce any manufacturers' warranties on behalf of the customer. On those
other manufacturers’ products that Keithley purchases for resale, Keithley shall have no duty of obligation to enforce any
manufacturers’ warranties on behalf of the customer.

Software

Keithley warrants that for a period of one (1) year from date of shipment, the Keithley produced portion of the software or
firmware (Keithley Software) will conform in all material respects with the published specifications provided such Keithley
Software is used on the product for which it is intended and otherwise in accordance with the instructions therefore.
Keithley does not warrant that operation of the Keithley Software will be uninterrupted or error-free and/or that the Keithley
Software will be adequate for the customer's intended application and/or use. This warranty shall be null and void upon any
modification of the Keithley Software that is made by other than Keithley and not approved in writing by Keithley.

If Keithley receives notification of a Keithley Software nonconformity that is covered by this warranty during the warranty
period, Keithley will review the conditions described in such notice. Such notice must state the published specification(s)
to which the Keithley Software fails to conform and the manner in which the Keithley Software fails to conform to such
published specification(s) with sufficient specificity to permit Keithley to correct such nonconformity. If Keithley deter­mines that the Keithley Software does not conform with the published specifications, Keithley will, at its option, provide
either the programming services necessary to correct such nonconformity or develop a program change to bypass such
nonconformity in the Keithley Software. Failure to notify Keithley of a nonconformity during the warranty shall relieve
Keithley of its obligations and liabilities under this warranty.

Other Software

OEM software that is not produced by Keithley (Other Software) shall not be covered by this warranty, and Keithley shall
have no duty or obligation to enforce any OEM's warranties on behalf of the customer.

Other Items

Keithley warrants the following items for 90 days from the date of shipment: probes, cables, rechargeable batteries, diskettes,
and documentation.

Items not Covered under Warranty

This warranty does not apply to fuses, non-rechargeable batteries, damage from battery leakage, or problems arising from
normal wear or failure to follow instructions.

Limitation of Warranty

This warranty does not apply to defects resulting from product modification made by Purchaser without Keithley's express
written consent, or by misuse of any product or part.

Disclaimer of Warranties

EXCEPT FOR THE EXPRESS WARRANTIES ABOVE KEITHLEY DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT­ABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. KEITHLEY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH
RESPECT TO THE OTHER HARDWARE AND OTHER SOFTWARE.

Limitation of Liability

KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS SHALL IN NO EVENT, REGARDLESS OF CAUSE, ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR
OR BE LIABLE FOR: (1) ECONOMICAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE OR
EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, WHETHER CLAIMED UNDER CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY,
(2) LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO THE CUSTOMER'S DATA OR PROGRAMMING, OR (3) PENALTIES OR PENALTY
CLAUSES OF ANY DESCRIPTION OR INDEMNIFICATION OF THE CUSTOMER OR OTHERS FOR COSTS, DAM­AGES, OR EXPENSES RELATED TO THE GOODS OR SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER THIS WARRANTY.

Keithley Instruments, Inc.

Sales Offices: BELGIUM: Bergensesteenweg 709 • B-1600 Sint-Pieters-Leeuw • 02-363 00 40 • Fax: [phone]

CHINA: Yuan Chen Xin Building, Room 705 • 12 Yumin Road, Dewai, Madian • Beijing 100029 • 8610-6202-2886 • Fax: [phone]
FINLAND: Tietäjäntie 2 • 02130 Espoo • Phone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]
FRANCE: 3, allée des Garays • 91127 Palaiseau Cédex • 01-64 53 20 20 • Fax: [phone]
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KOREA: 2FL., URI Building • 2-14 Yangjae-Dong • Seocho-Gu, Seoul 137-888 • 82-2-574-7778 • Fax: [phone]
NETHERLANDS: Postbus 559 • 4200 AN Gorinchem • 0183-635333 • Fax: [phone]
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28775 Aurora Road • Cleveland, Ohio 44139 • 440-248-0400 • Fax: [phone]

1-888-KEITHLEY (534-8453) • www.keithley.com

4/02

PIO-24 Parallel Digital Interface Board

User’s Guide

©1991, Keithley Instruments, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.

Third Printing, April 2001

Part Number: 64230 Rev. C

Manual Print History

The print history shown below lists the printing dates of all Revisions and Addenda
created for this manual. The Revision Level letter increases alphabetically as the man­ual undergoes subsequent updates. Addenda, which are released between Revisions,
contain important change information that the user should incorporate immediately
into the manual. Addenda are numbered sequentially. When a new Revision is created,
all Addenda associated with the previous Revision of the manual are incorporated into
the new Revision of the manual. Each new Revision includes a revised copy of this
print history page.

Revision A (Part Number 64230) ...................................................................................... July 1991

Revision B (Part Number 64230) ...................................................................................... July 1999

Revision C (Part Number 64230) .................................................................................... April 2001

All Keithley product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Keithley Instruments, Inc.
Other brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

S

The following safety precautions should be observed before using this product and any associated instrumentation.
Although some instruments and accessories would normally be used with non-hazardous voltages, there are situations
where hazardous conditions may be present.

This product is intended for use by qualified personnel who recognize shock hazards and are familiar with the safety
precautions required to avoid possible injury. Read and follow all installation, operation, and maintenance information
carefully before using the product. Refer to the manual for complete product specifications.

If the product is used in a manner not specified, the protection provided by the product may be impaired.

The types of product users are:

Responsible body is the individual or group responsible for the use and maintenance of equipment, for ensuring that

the equipment is operated within its specifications and operating limits, and for ensuring that operators are adequately
trained.

Operators use the product for its intended function. They must be trained in electrical safety procedures and proper use

of the instrument. They must be protected from electric shock and contact with hazardous live circuits.

Maintenance personnel perform routine procedures on the product to keep it operating properly, for example, setting

the line voltage or replacing consumable materials. Maintenance procedures are described in the manual. The proce­dures explicitly state if the operator may perform them. Otherwise, they should be performed only by service personnel.

Service personnel are trained to work on live circuits, and perform safe installations and repairs of products. Only

properly trained service personnel may perform installation and service procedures.

Keithley products are designed for use with electrical signals that are rated Installation Category I and Installation
Category II, as described in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard IEC 60664. Most mea­surement, control, and data I/O signals are Installation Category I and must not be directly connected to mains voltage
or to voltage sources with high transient over-voltages. Installation Category II connections require protection for high
transient over-voltages often associated with local AC mains connections. Assume all measurement, control, and data
I/O connections are for connection to Category I sources unless otherwise marked or described in the Manual.

Exercise extreme caution when a shock hazard is present. Lethal voltage may be present on cable connector jacks or
test fixtures. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) states that a shock hazard exists when voltage levels
greater than 30V RMS, 42.4V peak, or 60VDC are present.

age is present in any unknown circuit before measuring.

Operators of this product must be protected from electric shock at all times. The responsible body must ensure that
operators are prevented access and/or insulated from every connection point. In some cases, connections must be ex­posed to potential human contact. Product operators in these circumstances must be trained to protect themselves from
the risk of electric shock. If the circuit is capable of operating at or above 1000 volts,

may be exposed.

Do not connect switching cards directly to unlimited power circuits. They are intended to be used with impedance
limited sources. NEVER connect switching cards directly to AC mains. When connecting sources to switching cards,
install protective devices to limit fault current and voltage to the card.

Before operating an instrument, make sure the line cord is connected to a properly grounded power receptacle. Inspect
the connecting cables, test leads, and jumpers for possible wear, cracks, or breaks before each use.

afety Precautions

A good safety practice is to expect that hazardous volt-

no conductive part of the circuit

5/02

When installing equipment where access to the main power cord is restricted, such as rack mounting, a separate main
input power disconnect device must be provided, in close proximity to the equipment and within easy reach of the
operator.

For maximum safety, do not touch the product, test cables, or any other instruments while power is applied to the cir­cuit under test. ALWAYS remove power from the entire test system and discharge any capacitors before: connecting
or disconnecting cables or jumpers, installing or removing switching cards, or making internal changes, such as in­stalling or removing jumpers.

Do not touch any object that could provide a current path to the common side of the circuit under test or power line (earth)
ground. Always make measurements with dry hands while standing on a dry, insulated surface capable of withstanding the
voltage being measured.

The instrument and accessories must be used in accordance with its specifications and operating instructions or the
safety of the equipment may be impaired.

Do not exceed the maximum signal levels of the instruments and accessories, as defined in the specifications and op­erating information, and as shown on the instrument or test fixture panels, or switching card.

When fuses are used in a product, replace with same type and rating for continued protection against fire hazard.

Chassis connections must only be used as shield connections for measuring circuits, NOT as safety earth ground con­nections.

If you are using a test fixture, keep the lid closed while power is applied to the device under test. Safe operation re­quires the use of a lid interlock.

If or is present, connect it to safety earth ground using the wire recommended in the user documentation.

!

The symbol on an instrument indicates that the user should refer to the operating instructions located in the manual.

The symbol on an instrument shows that it can source or measure 1000 volts or more, including the combined
effect of normal and common mode voltages. Use standard safety precautions to avoid personal contact with these
voltages.

The

WARNING

associated information very carefully before performing the indicated procedure.

The

CAUTION

the warranty.

Instrumentation and accessories shall not be connected to humans.

Before performing any maintenance, disconnect the line cord and all test cables.

To maintain protection from electric shock and fire, replacement components in mains circuits, including the power
transformer, test leads, and input jacks, must be purchased from Keithley Instruments. Standard fuses, with applicable
national safety approvals, may be used if the rating and type are the same. Other components that are not safety related
may be purchased from other suppliers as long as they are equivalent to the original component. (Note that selected parts
should be purchased only through Keithley Instruments to maintain accuracy and functionality of the product.) If you
are unsure about the applicability of a replacement component, call a Keithley Instruments office for information.

To clean an instrument, use a damp cloth or mild, water based cleaner. Clean the exterior of the instrument only. Do
not apply cleaner directly to the instrument or allow liquids to enter or spill on the instrument. Products that consist
of a circuit board with no case or chassis (e.g., data acquisition board for installation into a computer) should never
require cleaning if handled according to instructions. If the board becomes contaminated and operation is affected,
the board should be returned to the factory for proper cleaning/servicing.

heading in a manual explains dangers that might result in personal injury or death. Always read the

heading in a manual explains hazards that could damage the instrument. Such damage may invalidate

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

General description .................................................................... 1-2

Product change notice ................................................................ 1-4

Applications ............................................................................... 1-5

Accessories ................................................................................. 1-5

Specifications ............................................................................. 1-6

Connections ................................................................................ 1-7

2 Installation

General ....................................................................................... 2-2

Unpacking and inspecting .......................................................... 2-2

Switch and jumper settings ........................................................ 2-2

Base address switch ............................................................ 2-3

J8 slot jumper ............................................................................. 2-4

Interrupt level selection ....................................................... 2-4

Installing and configuring DriverLINX for PIO-24 boards ....... 2-5

Before installing DriverLINX ............................................. 2-5

Selecting the DriverLINX components to install ................ 2-6

Installing DriverLINX ......................................................... 2-6

Configuration with DriverLINX ......................................... 2-7

Hardware installation ................................................................. 2-7

Using power from the PIO-24 .................................................... 2-8

3 I/O Address Map

General ....................................................................................... 3-2

4 Configuring DriverLINX

General ....................................................................................... 4-2

I/O bit tests ................................................................................. 4-4

General information ............................................................ 4-4

Output set test ..................................................................... 4-7

Input read test .................................................................... 4-11

5 Programming

General ....................................................................................... 5-2

Control Byte ............................................................................... 5-2

Selecting an application programming interface ........................ 5-3

DriverLINX interface .......................................................... 5-4

Direct I/O application programming interface .................... 5-5

Installing the Direct I/O Driver ........................................... 5-5

Configuring the Direct I/O Driver ....................................... 5-6

Programming the Direct I/O Interface ................................. 5-6

6 Troubleshooting

General ....................................................................................... 6-2

Using the DriverLINX Event Viewer .................................. 6-2

Device initialization error messages .................................... 6-2

Problem isolation ........................................................................ 6-3

Testing the board and host computer .......................................... 6-5

Testing the accessory slot and I/O connections .......................... 6-5

Technical support ........................................................................ 6-6

List of Illustrations

1 Introduction

Figure 1-1 PIO-24 block diagram ............................................................ 1-2

Figure 1-2 Poor implementation of monitoring a digital input ............... 1-4

Figure 1-3 Better implementation of monitoring a digital input ............. 1-5

Figure 1-4 I/O connector, rear view ......................................................... 1-7

2 Installation

Figure 2-1 Switch and jumper layout ...................................................... 2-3

Figure 2-2 Diagram of the base address switch (S2) ............................... 2-3

4 Configuring DriverLINX

Figure 4-1 An AIO Panel example .......................................................... 4-4

Figure 4-2 DIO channel tab example ...................................................... 4-5

Figure 4-3 Configuring the digital I/O channels as inputs and outputs ... 4-6

Figure 4-4 Configuring channel 0 for output bit pattern A ...................... 4-7

Figure 4-5 An AIO Panel example .......................................................... 4-8

Figure 4-6 Configuring the digital I/O channels as inputs and outputs ... 4-9

Figure 4-7 Configuring channel 0 for output bit pattern A ...................... 4-9

Figure 4-8 Configuring channel 0 for output bit pattern B .................... 4-10

List of Tables

1 Introduction

Table 1-1 Specifications ......................................................................... 1-6

2 Installation

Table 2-1 I/O address map ..................................................................... 2-4

3 I/O Address Map

Table 3-1 PIO-24 locations .................................................................... 3-2

5 Programming

Table 5-1 Mode 0 control words and port directions ............................. 5-3

6 Troubleshooting

Table 6-1 Troubleshooting information ................................................. 6-3

1

Introduction

1-2 Introduction

General description

Figure 1-1

PIO-24 block diagram

PC Bus

D0

Data

D7

A0

Address

A9

IOR/

IOW/

IRQ2

Interrupt

IRQ7

P
O
W
E
R

Data Bus

Buffer

Address

Decoder

Interrupt

Selector

Level

Address
Selector
Switch

Direction

Control

L
A
T
C
H

Rear Connector

D
R
I
V
E
R

B
U
F
F
E
R

PA
PB
PC

Interrupt Input

Interrupt Enable
+5V

-5V
+12V

-12V
Common

Digital I/O

24 Lines of

Referring to the block diagram, the PIO-24 is a high-current, 24-line, parallel, dig­ital I/O interface board for the IBM PC or PC-compatible. The board emulates an
8255 Programmable Peripheral Interface Control Word MODE 0. (While the Keithley
PIO-12 also uses an 8255 Programmable Peripheral Interface chip, it drives much less
current than the PIO-24.)

The PIO-24 and computer with DriverLINX software requires:

• an IBM PC or compatible AT (386, or Pentium CPU) with minimum of 2 MB
of memory

• at least one floppy disk drive, and one fixed disk drive

• Microsoft Windows 95/98, or Windows NT 4.0 or higher

• a compiler supporting Microsoft Windows development

• a mouse is highly recommended.

Introduction 1-3

The following software is available for operating PIO-24 boards:

•

PIO-24 standard software package

— Shipped with PIO-24 boards.
Includes DriverLINX for Microsoft Windows 95/98 or Windows NT and
function libraries for writing application programs under Windows in a high­level language such as Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Basic; Borland
Delphi support files; utility programs; and language-specific example
programs.

•

DriverLINX

— the high-performance real-time data-acquisition device driv-

ers for Windows application development including:

DriverLINX API DLLs and drivers supporting the PIO-24 hardware

•

•

AIO Panel —

A DriverLINX program that verifies the installation and
configuration of DriverLINX to your PIO-24 board and demonstrates
several virtual bench-top instruments

•

Learn DriverLINX —

an interactive learning and demonstration program

for DriverLINX that includes a Digital Storage Oscilloscope

Source Code —

•

DriverLINX Application Programming Interface files —

•

for the sample programs

for the PIO-24

compiler

DriverLINX On-line Help System —

•

provides immediate help as you

operate DriverLINX

Supplemental Documentation —

•

on DriverLINX installation and config­uration; analog and digital I/O programming; counter/timer program­ming; technical reference; and information specific to the PIO-24
hardware

.

The major features of PIO-24 board are as follows:

• Three TTL/CMOS-compatible, digital I/O ports: PA, PB, and PC. PA and PB
are both byte wide (8-bit) and are usable as inputs or outputs. PC is also byte
wide but is adaptable for use as two separate 4-bit ports: PC Lower and PC
Upper, each of which is usable as an input or output.

• An interrupt input channel with a corresponding interrupt-enable line. Inter­rupts can be directed to any of six interrupt levels available on the PC Bus.
PIO-24 interrupts are unlatched and edge-sensitive.

• The PIO-24 performs a 10-bit I/O address decode and communicates with the
PC Bus as an 8-bit peripheral. The address map uses four consecutive I/O
addresses. Multiple PIO-24s may be installed in a computer at different Base
Addresses.

• +5V, +12V, and -12V power levels from the PC supplies are provided on the
rear connector. The 37-pin D connector of the PIO-24 is pin-compatible with
the PIO-12 and is usable with all the accessories of the PIO-12.

1-4 Introduction

Product change notice

A component change was implemented in March 1999, reducing the input load
current of the PIO-24 digital I/O card for improved consistency. The input load cur­rent on the newly designed board is now
specification of
drive current, such as the ERB-24, were accidentally being turned on when power
was first applied to the PIO-24. The specific change involved changing parts U3, U6,
and U9, the digital input latches. The older design used 74LS373 octal tri-state
latches, which had a higher input load current than the 74HCT373 parts that are now
being used. In existing designs using the PIO-24, this reduction in input load current
will generally cause no problems. However, if the existing design depends on this
input load current being near the -450µA limit, this change is important. The reduc­tion in input load current reduces the possibility of the input state being driven high if
the input is floating. Figure 1-2 shows an application monitoring a contact switch that
would be a problem as a result of the new design, and Figure 1-3 shows the correct
implementation of this application that would work with either design.

Figure 1-2

Poor implementation of monitoring a digital input

≤

-450µA. This change was made because some devices having low

≤

-2µA, which continues to meet the product

<450uA

R=unknown

PIO-24

In Figure 1-2, the digital input would probably float high with an older design
board because of the higher input load current. When the switch is closed, the input
will be pulled low. While this would work on an older design of the PIO-24, this is a
poor implementation because the input load current can vary from one board to the
next. In the case of a new design board, this would not work because of the lower load
current.

Figure 1-3

Better implementation of monitoring a digital input

PIO-24

In Figure 1-3, the digital input is guaranteed to be pulled high because of the 10k
ohm resistor. This implementation would work on both the old and new design of the
PIO-24 and is the preferred implementation to avoid dependence on a specific level of
input load current.

Introduction 1-5

+5 Volts

10k ohm

Applications

Applications for the PIO-24 include all parallel digital I/O activities such as
communicating with peripherals, operating relays, reading switch inputs, etc.
Keithley Instruments applications engineers welcome inquiries into installation,
operation, and applications of the PIO-24. To inquire, dial [phone] and ask for
technical support.

Accessories

Accessory products available for the PIO-24 include the SFC-37 Mating Connec­tor, the C-1800 Flat Cable, the STA-U Screw Connector Panel, and the mechanical
and solid-state relay board Models ERB-24, ERA-01, SRA-01, and SSIO-24.

1-6 Introduction

Specifications

Table 1-1

Specifications

Parameters Minimum Maximum

LOGIC INPUTS & OUTPUTS

Input low voltage -0.5 +0.8V
Input high voltage 2.0 5.0V
Input low load current PA, PB & PC - -0.4mA

INTERRUPT ENABLE/
(10Kohm Pull-up Resistor included)

INTERRUPT - 0.4mA

Input Load High Current PA, PB, PC - 70µa
INTERRUPT ENABLE/ - 20µa
INTERRUPT - 20µa

Output low voltage PA, PB, PC

(Isink = 64mA)

Output high voltage PA, PB, PC:

Bus Loading Power Consumption 400mA typ. @ +5V
ENVIRONMENTAL

Operating Temperature Range: 0˚ to 70˚C

Storage Temperature Range: -40˚ to 100˚C

Humidity: 0 to 90%

Size: Half Slot

- -0.9mA

- 0.55V

Isource = 15mA 2.0V
Isource = 3mA 2.7V

Noncondensing

Connections

Figure 1-4 shows a rear view of the 37-pin D male I/O connector. The mating con-

nector is a 37-pin D female (Part No. SFC-37).

Figure 1-4

I/O connector, rear view

Introduction 1-7

Dig. Com.

Dig. Com.

+12V

Dig. Com.

Dig. Com.

PC Power SuppliesPB Port

Dig. Com.

Interrupt Enable

Interrupt Input

+5V

-12V

-5V

PB0
PB1
PB2
PB3
PB4
PB5
PB6
PB7

19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12

11

10

37

PA0

36

PA1

35

PA2

34

PA3

33

PA4

32

PA5

31

PA6

30

PA7

29

PC0
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20

PC1

PC2

PC3

PC4

PC5

PC6

PC7

Dig. Com.

+5V

9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

PA PortPC Port

Upper Lower

2

Installation

2-2 Installation

General

This chapter contains instructions for installing the PIO-24. The chapter begins
with procedures for unpacking and inspection and follows with descriptions of the
options and methods for setting all configurable parameters. Hardware installation is
the final topic.

Unpacking and inspecting

After removing the wrapped board from its outer shipping carton, proceed as
follows:

1. Place one hand firmly on a metal portion of the computer chassis (the com­puter must be turned OFF and grounded) to discharge static electricity from
the package and your body, thereby preventing damage to board components.

2. Carefully unwrap the board from its antistatic wrapping material.

3. Inspect the board for signs of damage. If any damage is apparent, return the
board to the factory.

4. Check the contents of your package against its packing list to be sure the order
is complete. Report any missing items immediately.

You may find it advisable to retain the packing material in case the board must be

returned to the factory.

Switch and jumper settings

The PIO-24 contains a switch for setting Base Address and jumper pads for select­ing Interrupt Level and board location. Each is shown in Figure 2-1 and described in
the following subsections.

Figure 2-1

Switch and jumper layout

Installation 2-3

INTERRUPT LEVEL

234567X

BASE ADDRESS

98765432

ON

12345678

Base address switch

The Base Address switch is preset at the factory for 300 Hex, as shown in

Figure 2-2.

Figure 2-2

Diagram of the base address switch (S2)

12345678

ON

SLOT

J8

Address

Line

Address Line Values:

A9
A8
A7
A6
A5
A4
A3
A2

Decimal Hex

512
256
128

64
32
16

8
4

Switch settings indicate a value of

512 + 256 = 768 Decimal

or

200 + 100 = 300 Hex

200
100

80
40
20
10

8
4

2-4 Installation

The factory-preset Base Address of 300 Hex is within the address range shown in
the following table as
without conflict, thereby eliminating any need for address selection and configura­tion. However, if you have a need to change the Base Address from its preset value,
you must select an address within a range of 200 to 3FC Hex (512 to 1020 Decimal).
In addition, the address must be on a 4-byte boundary and must not conflict with
addresses already in use for other devices. As an aid to selecting a usable 3-digit Hex
number, Table 2-1 is an industry-standard I/O address map for the full 000 to 3FF
range.

Table 2-1

I/O address map

Hex Range Usage Hex Range Usage

000 to 1FF Internal system 380 to 38C SDLC comm.
200 to 20F Game 380 to 389 Binary comm. 2
210 to 217 Expansion unit 3A0 to 3A9 Binary comm. 1
220 to 24F Reserved 3B0 to 3BF Mono dsp/LPT1:
278 to 27F Reserved 3C0 to 3CF Reserved
2F0 to 2F7 LPT2: 3D0 to 3DF Color graphics
2F8 to 2FF COM2: 3E0 to 3E7 Reserved
300 to 31F Prototype card 3F0 to 3F7 Floppy disk
320 to 32F Hard disk 3F8 to 3FF COM1:

387 to 37F LPT1:

Reserved

. This default value will function in most computers

J8 slot jumper

This jumper pad offers two selections: J8 Slot or Off, as shown in Figure 2-1.
Placing a jumper on the upper pins enables the board to occupy the J8 slot of an IBM
PC-XT (the J8 slot is rightmost on the PC-XT motherboard). Placing the jumper on
the lower two pins simply turns this option off.

Interrupt level selection

You may select one of six Interrupt Levels (IRQ2 to IRQ7) from the PC Bus, or
you may disable the Interrupt Levels. Each choice is jumper-selectable on a pad
located as shown in Figure 2-1. Postions 2 to 7 on the pad correspond to IRQ2 to
IRQ7, respectively. Position X disables the Interrupt Levels.

Installing and configuring
DriverLINX for PIO-24 boards

Installation 2-5

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT

As a precaution against a system crash the first time you install
and test any new hardware, you should exit all other programs
and, if you use a disk cache, disable write caching. If the sys­tem does crash and you’re using disk compression software or
a disk cache utility, and as a precaution after any crash, run
the utility that checks the directory structures.

Before you begin installing any hardware or software for the
PIO-24, read the

Guide

and the

Keithley PIO Series

DriverLINX software. They are accessed from the DriverLINX
CD-ROM after you have installed Adobe Acrobat.

Before installing DriverLINX

1. Inventory your PIO-24 board’s configuration settings.

2. Determine the resources your PIO-24 board requires.

3. Inventory your computer’s resources already allocated to other installed
devices.

4. Determine whether your computer has sufficient resources for your PIO-24
board.

5. Determine whether your PIO-24 board can use your computer’s free
resources.

6. Set any jumpers/switches to configure your PIO-24 board to use your com­puter’s free resources.

7. Set any other jumpers/switches to configure your PIO-24 board the way you
want the board to operate.

8. Install your PIO-24 board into an appropriate free slot in your computer.

DriverLINX Installation and Configuration

Using DriverLINX with your Hardware—

manuals that are packaged with the

2-6 Installation

Selecting the DriverLINX components to install

Installing DriverLINX

For your convenience in installing and un-installing just the DriverLINX compo­nents you need, the DriverLINX CD Browser will assist you in selecting the compo­nents to install:

•

Install Drivers

for configuring your hardware and running third-party data-acquisition appli­cations that require DriverLINX.

•

Install Interfaces

programs that you will need to develop custom applications for DriverLINX
using C/C++, Visual Basic, Delphi, and LabVIEW.

•

Install Documentation

mentation for DriverLINX that you can read, search, and print using the
Adobe Acrobat Reader.

•

Install Acrobat

Reader for the DriverLINX electronic documentation.

1. Insert the DriverLINX CD-ROM into your computer’s CD-ROM Drive.

2. Start the DriverLINX setup program. On most systems, wait a few seconds for
automatic start-up. Otherwise, run the setup.exe program from the CD-ROM.

3. The DriverLINX CD-ROM Browser Map window appears on the screen.
Click ‘Install Drivers,’ and follow the series of on-screen instructions.

— This required component installs only the files you need

— This optional component installs the files and example

— This optional component installs electronic docu-

— This optional component installs the Adobe Acrobat

NOTE

To display an explanation of a menu option on the DriverLINX CD browser
map that appears next and on subsequent setup screens, place the mouse
pointer over the menu item. A star next to a menu item means that the
was selected previously.

4. Select ‘Read Me First,’ and follow the instructions.

5. Select ‘Install Documentation.’ If you do not have Adobe Acrobat installed on
your computer, install it by selecting ‘Install Adobe Acrobat.’

6. Open the manuals appropriate to the PIO-24 installation and read them before
installing your PIO-24 board or configuring DriverLINX:

• Installation and Configuration

• Using DriverLINX with Your Hardware—Keithley PIO Series

• DriverLINX Technical Reference Manual

• DriverLINX Digital I/O Programming Guide

• DriverLINX Analog I/O Programming Guide

• DriverLINX Counter/Timer Programming Guide

• Appendix, I/O Port, Interrupt, and DMA Channel Usage

• Other manuals appropriate to your installation.

item

Configuration with DriverLINX

Follow the DriverLINX on-screen instructions for installation of drivers and

interfaces. Refer to the

DriverLINX with Your Hardware—Keithley PIO Series manuals.

DriverLINX Installation and Configuration Guide and Using

Installation 2-7

NOTE

specify the base address and interrupt level by setting switches on the board.

Be sure to note and follow all programming differences between installa­tions for Windows NT and Windows 95/98.

Before you configure DriverLINX for operation with the PIO-24 board, you must

Hardware installation

WARNING

1. Turn off power to the PC and all attached equipment.

2. Remove the cover of the PC as follows: First remove the cover-mounting
screws from the rear panel of the computer. Then, slide the cover of the com­puter about 3/4 of the way forward. Finally, tilt the cover upwards and
remove.

3. Choose an available option slot. Loosen and remove the screw at the top of the
blank adapter plate. Then slide the plate up and out to remove.

4. Hold the PIO-24 board in one hand placing your other hand on any metallic
part of the PC/AT chassis (but not on any components). This will safely dis­charge any static electricity from your body.

5. Make sure the board switches have been properly set (refer to the preceding
section).

6. Align the board connector with the desired accessory slot and with the corre­sponding rear-panel slot. Gently press the board downward into the socket.
Secure the board in place by inserting the rear-panel adapter-plate screw.

7. Replace the computer's cover. Tilt the cover up and slide it onto the system's
base, making sure the front of the cover is under the rail along the front of the
frame. Replace the mounting screws.

8. Plug in all cords and cables. Turn the power to the computer back on.

Any attempt to insert or remove a board with the computer power
on could damage your computer.

You are now ready to make any necessary system connections.

2-8 Installation

Using power from the PIO-24

Power from the PC's internal supply is available on the PIO-24 rear connector. In
the applications this board is likely to see, the availability of PC internal power is a
convenience. However, you are advised
avoid the following conditions:

1. Short circuits, overloads, or the application of other external voltages. All of
these conditions may damage the PC system board and result in costly repairs.
The PC power supply is designed to shutdown on a short circuit, but you
should not rely on this characteristic.

2. A power draw in excess of the capacity of the PC power supply and its inter­nal loads (see
connector and trace width limitations, Keithley recommends that you limit
power draw to 1A from the +5V and +12V supplies (if available). The -12V
and -5V supplies are capable of much lower loads.

In situations where the PIO-24 is used with a dedicated peripheral (for example, a
switch pad) and the cabling and design loads are fixed, you may find it more feasible
to use the PIO-24 power outputs. In most other cases, however, you are advised to
power external devices from their own supplies.

IBM PC Technical Reference Manual

not

to use PC's power unless you can safely

). Because of PC board

NOTE

NOTE

set appropriately and that you have noted the switch settings so that you can match
these settings when you program the configuration using DriverLINX. Refer to the

DriverLINX Installation and Configuration Guide
Hardware—Keithley PIO Series

installing boards.

Typically, base addresses between 300h and 370h are available for use.
However, keep in mind that a network board, a sound board, a CD-ROM,
or other data acquisition board may use a base address within this space.

DriverLINX allows you to set base addresses between 200h and 3FCh. If
you are using your PIO-24 board, you must make sure that the four adja­cent I/O addresses, needed for the PIO-24, are not used by other devices in
the computer.

If switches on the board are changed after the software has been installed,
the software will need to be reconfigured.

Before installing a PIO-24 board in your computer, make sure that the switches are

and

Using DriverLINX with Your

manuals.

Refer to the documentation provided with your computer for more information on

3

I/O Address Map

3-2 I/O Address Map

General

The PIO-24 uses four locations in I/O address space as shown in Table 3-1. Note
that the PIO-24 requires a full block of four I/O addresses.

Table 3-1

PIO-24 locations

Location Function Type

Base Address +0 PA Port Read/Write

Base Address +1 PB Port Read/Write

Base Address +2 PC Port Read/Write

Base Address +3 Control Write only

4

Configuring DriverLINX

4-2 Configuring DriverLINX

General

After you have successfully installed the PIO-24 board in your computer, start
Windows to run DriverLINX. For detailed instructions on installing DriverLINX, see
the documentation provided on the DriverLINX CD-ROM; especially the

DriverLINX Installation and Configuration Guide and Using DriverLINX with Your
Hardware—Keithley PIO Series manuals.

NOTE Be sure to note and follow differences in programming between Windows

NT and Windows 95/98 as appropriate for your system.

Run “Learn DriverLINX” (LearnDL.exe) from the DriverLINX program group to
tell DriverLINX how you configured your PIO-24 board and to verify that everything
is properly installed and configured.

1. Start Windows as you normally would and select the Program Manager win­dow. Install DriverLINX if you have not previously done so.

2. Either select the “Learn DriverLINX” icon created when you installed Driver­LINX or enter “<drive>:/DRVLNX/LEARNDL” in the Command Line edit
box. The command line edit box is activated by selecting the Run... option.
<drive> is the letter of the hard disk drive where DriverLINX is installed.

3. Immediately after loading Learn DL, the Open DriverLINX DLL dialog box
appears. Select the name of the hardware-specific DLL from the list for your
PIO-24 board. The name is an abbreviation of the board’s model number.

4. From the main menu bar of Learn DL, select the Device menu and choose

Select....

5. Select the Logical Device you wish to configure and then click on the OK
button (return).

6. Again select the Device menu and then choose the Configure... option to dis­play the Device Configuration Dialog Box.

7. From the Model list, select the model name for the PIO-24 board you are
configuring.

8. If the value displayed in the Address edit box is not correct, type the correct
value into the box. You may enter the address in decimal or hexadecimal using
the c-notation for hex, (that is, 768 decimal = 0x300 hexadecimal).

Configuring DriverLINX 4-3

9. Choose the correct options for the Analog, Digital, and Counter/Timer Sec­tions by first clicking on the appropriate radio button in the middle of the dia­log box and then completing the group of dialog fields in the lower third of the
dialog box. Be sure to click on both the Input and Output radio buttons for the
Analog and Digital groups to see all the dialog fields.

10. After you have made your selections, save the configuration parameters by
clicking on the OK button. This will create or update the configuration for
DriverLINX.

11. Repeat the preceding steps, starting at step 5, for each Logical Device you
wish to configure.

You can use DriverLINX to verify board operation:

1. To physically initialize the PIO-24, select Device/Initialize from the main
menu in Learn DriverLINX.

2. The first time the PIO-24 is initialized, or after a configuration change,
DriverLINX runs a diagnostic program to verify the operation and accuracy of
the configuration settings.

After you install the PIO-24 board and configure DriverLINX for the desired
PIO-24 configuration, you can attach an accessory board and wire the appropriate sig­nals to the board. Before writing your application program, you can test the functions
of the PIO-24 board using the DriverLINX AIO Panel.

4-4 Configuring DriverLINX

I/O bit tests

General information

1. Start the AIO Panel as follows:

a. In the Start menu, click Programs.

b. Find the DriverLINX ➧ Test Panels folder, under which you should find

the AIO Panel entry.

c. Click on the AIO Panel entry. The Analog I/O Panel should appear,

similar to the example in Figure 4-1. (If you have other DriverLINX

devices installed in addition to the digital input/output card you are test-

ing, they will also be listed. In that case, select the desired digital I/O

card and the proper device number before proceeding.)

Figure 4-1

An AIO Panel example

NOTE The “Driver Selection” column will show the actual DriverLINX driver(s)

you have installed.

2. On the AIO Control Panel, click the DIO tab.

Figure 4-2

DIO channel tab example

Configuring DriverLINX 4-5

NOTE The on-screen digital I/O controller works as follows:

• Channels 0 to 15 refer to the 8-bit general-purpose registers of your
digital input-output card. (Depending on which card is used, the num­ber of valid 8-bit registers will vary.) Bits displayed on the Digital
Input Panel and the Digital Output Panel are numbered 0-7 for
every channel. Refer elsewhere in this manual for a description of the
available ports and their direction.

• Invalid channels and settings appear as dark gray squares. For
example:

- Non-existent channels always appear as dark gray squares.

- Channels configured as inputs will appear as dark gray squares on

the output panel.

4-6 Configuring DriverLINX

• Valid channels and settings appear as white squares when OFF and

• The two-digit numeric displays under Input Bits and Output Bits

• To configure a valid channel either for input or output, use the Digital

• To turn ON output-channel bits, use the Digital Output Panel. First

• To read an input-channel bit, use the Digital Input Panel. First select

green squares when ON. (When the manual is printed in black and
white, valid channels and settings appear as white squares when OFF
and as light gray squares when ON.)

show the hexadecimal values of the adjacent bit patterns.

Channel Configuration Panel. Click on either the Input or Output
square below the channel number. Note: this selection will be disabled
for channels which are fixed as input or output by hardware design.

select the channel number of the bits to be turned on by clicking on the
appropriate square under Channels. Then, turn ON a bit by clicking
the appropriate square under Output Bits. Turn OFF a bit in the same
way.

the channel number to be checked by clicking the appropriate square
under Channels. Then, read the numbered bit under Input Bits. OFF
input bits appear as black dots and ON input bits appear as green
dots. (When the manual is printed in black and white, OFF input bits
appear as black dots and ON input bits appear as light gray dots.)

3. Under Digital I/O Configuration Panel, configure channels as shown in

Figure 4-3. (Actual channels available will vary according to your hardware.)

Figure 4-3

Configuring the digital I/O channels as inputs and outputs

KEITHLEY

Channel Configuration

123456789101112131415

0

Input

Output

NOTE For clarity when the manual is printed in black and white, the control col-

ors in Figure 4-3 and subsequent drawings will be shown as follows:

Color on Actual

Illustration

BLACK DARK GRAY Invalid

WHITE LIGHT GRAY OFF

GRAY GREEN ON

Digital I/O Configuration Panel

Panel Function

4. In the Digital Output Panel under Channels, click on a channel (here, chan­nel 0) as shown in Figure 4-4.

Figure 4-4

Configuring channel 0 for output bit pattern A

Configuring DriverLINX 4-7

KEITHLEY

Channels

1234567

0

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

5. In the Digital Output Panel under Output Bits, set the bits of the channel as
desired as shown in Figure 4-4. (Click on each bit position to turn it ON or
OFF.)

6. In the Digital Input Panel under Channels, click on a channel to select it and
display the logical state of its input lines.

Output set test

The output set test checks whether logic levels measured at all output pins agree
with output bit patterns set by software, using a DriverLINX graphical interface (AIO
Panel).

NOTE This test is performed without user circuits being connected to the outputs.

Perform the output set test as follows:

Digital Output Panel

Output Bits

76543210

55

1. Ready the following equipment:

• A digital voltmeter (DVM) or a digital multimeter (DMM) set to measure
voltages, or a logic probe capable of reading TTL logic levels.

• A suitable accessory and cable for the board being tested.

2. Turn OFF the host computer.

3. Connect the cable and accessory to your board.

4. Turn ON the host computer and boot Windows 95/98/NT.

5. Click the Windows 95/98/NT Start tab.

4-8 Configuring DriverLINX

6. Start the AIO Panel as follows:

a. In the

b. Find the

the

c. Click on the

similar to the example in Figure 4-5. (If you have other DriverLINX
devices installed in addition to the digital input/output card you are test­ing, they will also be listed. In that case, select the desired digital I/O
card and the proper device number before proceeding.)

Figure 4-5

An AIO Panel example

Start menu, click Programs .

DriverLINX ➧ Test Panels folder, under which you should find

AIO Panel entry.

AIO Panel entry. The Analog I/O Panel should appear,

7. On the AIO Panel, click the DIO tab.

NOTE To read an input-channel bit, use the Digital Input Panel. First, select the

channel number to be checked by clicking the appropriate square under
Channels. Then, read the numbered bit under Input Bits. OFF input bits
appear as black dots and ON input bits appear as green dots. (When the
manual is printed in black and white, OFF input bits appear as black dots
and ON input bits appear as light gray dots.) Further information about
this panel, how to make changes, and how to interpret displays, is given in
“I/O Bit Tests” of this section.

8. Under Digital I/O Configuration Panel, configure the output channels to be

tested as shown in Figure 4-6. (Actual output channels available will vary
according to your hardware.)

Figure 4-6

Configuring the digital I/O channels as inputs and outputs

Configuring DriverLINX 4-9

KEITHLEY

Channel Configuration

123456789101112131415

0

Input

Output

NOTE In Figure 4-6 and subsequent drawings of digital I/O controller panels, the

squares below invalid channels are colored black instead of dark gray—for
clarity when the manual is printed in black and white.

9. In the Digital Output Panel under Channels, click on an output channel
(channel 0 in this example) as shown in Figure 4-7.

Figure 4-7

Configuring channel 0 for output bit pattern A

KEITHLEY

Channels

1234567

0

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Digital I/O Configuration Panel

Digital Output Panel

Output Bits

76543210

55

10. In the Digital Output Panel under Output Bits, set the bits of channel 0 for

bit pattern A as shown in Figure 4-7.

4-10 Configuring DriverLINX

11. Measure the voltage between signal ground and each bit of the output port
with a DMM or DVM. Make measurements at the cabled mating connector of
your accessory.

12. Each bit set to ON in the
corresponding I/O terminal, reading typically about 4 volts (minimum of 2.2
volts) at a DMM/DVM. Each bit set to OFF in the
logic-low signal at the corresponding I/O terminal, reading typically about
0 volts (maximum of 0.8 volts) at a DMM/DVM. Do one of the following:

NOTE The typical values shown are valid for boards with TTL compatible out-

puts. For boards with relay outputs (REL-16, PDISO-8, and PIO-32) the
output will be a relay contact closure. For boards with open collector out­puts (PIO-HV) use a pull up resistor to an appropriate voltage to detect
output state. Refer to the hardware description in this user’s guide for more
details on the output’s electrical specification.

• If the bit patterns set on the AIO Panel do not agree with the logic levels
measured at the I/O terminals, the board is not functioning properly. Stop
here, and determine why.

• If the bit patterns set on the
sured at the I/O terminals, then repeat steps 9, 10, and 11 for remaining
output channels.

13. In the
test (channel

AIO Panel should output a logic-high signal at the

AIO Panel should output a

AIO Panel agree with the logic levels mea-

Digital Output Panel under Channels , click on the output channel to

in this example) as shown in Figure 4-8.

0

Figure 4-8

Configuring channel 0 for output bit pattern B

KEITHLEY

Channels

1234567

0

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

14. In the

Digital Output Panel under Output Bits, set the bits of channel 0 for

bit pattern B as shown in Figure 4-8.

15. Measure the voltage between signal ground and each bit of the output port
with a DMM or DVM. Make measurements at the STA-50 terminals or the
cabled mating connector that is connected to the selected CONN-3160-D1
50-pin connector.

Digital Output Panel

Output Bits

76 5 432 1 0

AA

Configuring DriverLINX 4-11

16. Again, each bit set to ON in the AIO Panel should output a logic-high signal

at the corresponding I/O terminal, reading typically about 4 volts (minimum
of 2.2 volts) at a DMM/DVM. Each bit set to OFF in the AIO Panel should
output a logic-low signal at the corresponding I/O terminal, reading typically
about 0 volts (maximum of 0.8 volts) at a DMM/DVM.

NOTE The typical values shown are valid for boards with TTL compatible out-

puts. For boards with relay outputs (REL-16, PDISO-8, and PIO-32) the
output will be a relay contact closure. For boards with open collector out­puts (PIO-HV) use a pull up resistor to an appropriate voltage to detect
output state. Refer to the hardware description in this user’s guide for more
details on the output’s electrical specification.

• If the bit patterns set on the AIO Panel do not agree with the logic levels

measured at the I/O terminals, the board is not functioning properly. Stop
here, and determine why.

• If the bit patterns set on the AIO Panel do agree with the logic levels

measured at the I/O terminals, and you have performed an output set test
for all ports, the board is functioning properly.

17. Repeat steps 13, 14, and 15 for additional output channels.

Input read test

A similar test of input circuitry can be performed by applying an input signal of
suitable type to each input line and verifying that the appropriate input indicator
changes state. Refer to the hardware description in this user’s guide for more details
on the input’s electrical specifications.

5

Programming

5-2 Programming

General

whenever the PC Bus RESET line is asserted, all ports are initially set up in the Input
Mode.

set by the Control Register. The PC Port can also be used as a byte-wide port, or it can
be split into two ports of four bits (nibble wide). The PC0-3 Lines are known as PC-
Lower, and the PC4-7 Lines as PC-Upper. Directions of the PC Upper and Lower
ports are independently programmable. Detailed port descriptions are as follows:

The PIO-24 emulates the Intel 8255 PPI Control Word Mode 0. On power up or

The PA and PB Ports are byte-wide, and the direction of all lines within a port is

• Port A — Consists of one 8-bit data output latch/buffer and one 8-bit data
input latch.

• Port B — Consists of one 8-bit data output latch/buffer and one 8-bit data
input buffer.

• Port C — Consists of one 8-bit data output latch/buffer and one 8-bit data
input buffer. This port can be divided into two 4-bit ports under the Mode
Control.

Control Byte

At power-up or after a system reset, all PIO-24 lines are configured as inputs. The
Control Byte is an 8-bit (byte) hexadecimal number used to configure the direction of
the PIO-24 ports: PA, PB, PC (lines 0-3) and PC (4-7). The controlling PIO-24 soft­ware program must output the Control Byte to the PIO-24 to change the directions
(input or output) of the ports. It is important to note that there is one byte to control
four ports and that when a port is initialized as an output port its lines are in a reset
state. The Control Byte is output to the PIO-24 address location at base address+3.

Programming 5-3

To simplify your selection of a Control Byte to match your choice of port direc­tions, use Table 5-1. This chart summarizes information from the Intel Peripheral
Data book on control words and their port directions for Mode 0.

Table 5-1

Mode 0 control words and port directions

Port C

Control Byte Port A Port B

80h
81h
82h
83h
88h
89h
8Ah
8Bh

90h
91h
92h
93h
98h
99h
9Ah
9Bh

When a port is programmed as an output, you can return the data that is present on
the output lines by reading the same location. Note that this reflects the actual state of
the output lines: if one or more is shorted, you are actually reading back the state of
the output lines.

Out
Out
Out
Out
Out
Out
Out
Out

In
In
In
In
In
In
In
In

Out
Out
In
In
Out
Out
In
In

Out
Out
In
In
Out
Out
In
In

(0 - 3)

Out
In
Out
In
Out
In
Out
In

Out
In
Out
In
Out
In
Out
In

Port C
(4 - 7)

Out
Out
Out
Out
In
In
In
In

Out
Out
Out
Out
In
In
In
In

Selecting an application programming interface

The PIO Series supports two different device driver interfaces to best match your
programming needs. The supported driver interfaces are:

• DriverLINX — An interface that is hardware and operating system indepen-

dent and supports multi-tasking, multi-threading applications.

• Direct I/O — An interface that is operating system independent and supports

single-tasking, single-threaded access to an Intel 8255-like function call
interface.

5-4 Programming

DriverLINX interface

interface be used. The DriverLINX interface has the following advantages:

For maximum portability and versatility, it is recommended that the DriverLINX

• Hardware independence — DriverLINX supports ISA, PCMCIA, and PCI

digital I/O boards with a common interface as well as digital ports on analog
I/O and counter/timer boards.

• Operating system independence — DriverLINX supports Windows 95/98

and Windows NT with a common interface.

• Shared hardware access — DriverLINX allows multiple processes or

threads to cooperatively share hardware resources.

• Multi-tasking, multi-threading support — DriverLINX provides the syn-

chronization and coordination for multi-tasking, multi-threading applications
to safely access shared hardware resources.

• Portability — DriverLINX supports older and newer hardware with a

common interface for 16- and 32-bit applications on Windows 95/98 and
Windows NT.

• Versatility — DriverLINX supports a wide variety of programming styles

and languages including C/C++, Visual Basic, Delphi, and LabVIEW.

• Background I/O — DriverLINX supports background I/O using interrupts or

other techniques so your application can overlap processing and data
acquisition.

• Full hardware support — DriverLINX supports all the hardware’s features.

The DriverLINX interface has a few disadvantages compared to the alternative

interfaces:

• Software modifications — Existing applications will require rewriting to use

DriverLINX.

• No direct hardware access — Before Windows NT, Microsoft discouraged,

but nevertheless allowed, direct application program access to hardware.

• Speed of single-value I/O — Applications, especially those ported from

DOS, that depend on rapid software polling of I/O ports will notice that the
operating system time cost for multi-tasking, multithreading synchronization
is higher than direct hardware access.

While writing your application to use a multi-product (portable application pro­gramming interface is the best long-term solution) you should consider the alternative
API only for special purpose or short-term needs.

Direct I/O application programming interface

The Direct I/O interface uses the methods of an ActiveX Automation object to

access the PIO hardware. This interface has the following advantages:

• Operating system independence — Both Windows 95/98 and Windows NT

support this interface.

• Intel 8255 emulation — This interface uses the I/O address map and pro-

gramming protocols of Intel’s 8255 chip.

• Fast hardware access — This interface provides the fastest access to the

hardware registers of the two interfaces.

• Versatility — Most Windows compilers and scripting languages support

ActiveX Automation objects.

• Native hardware register access — For special-purpose applications, this

interface also supports product-specific access to the hardware registers.

• Speed of single-value I/O — The I/O performance of this interface is the

fastest of the two interfaces when using early binding to the interface.

The Direct I/O interface also has disadvantages:

• Incompatible with DriverLINX — Applications cannot use this interface

with DriverLINX for the PIO Series either in the same or another application.

• 32-bit only interface — 16-bit applications cannot use this interface.

• Non-exclusive hardware access — This interface does not synchronize or

coordinate hardware access among threads or processes.

• 8-bit I/O only — The Intel 8255-based methods only support 8-bit hardware

access.

• Supports subset of hardware features — This interface does not support

using interrupts.

• ActiveX Interface — Using Automation objects in some C++ compilers is

more difficult than in Visual Basic.

Programming 5-5

Installing the Direct I/O Driver

The normal DriverLINX installation automatically installs the Direct I/O Driver.

This driver is a registered ActiveX object that resides in KISAPIO.DLL.

This driver requires that you install the DriverLINX kernel drivers as it uses their
services. On Windows NT, the kernel driver is KMBPIO.SYS. On Windows 95/98, it
is KMBPIO.VXD. Follow the normal DriverLINX installation and configuration pro­cedures to install these kernel drivers.

5-6 Programming

Configuring the Direct I/O Driver

using the DriverLINX Configuration Panel utility. The Direct I/O driver does not
require any separate configuration.

Programming the Direct I/O Interface

This control is compatible with Microsoft Visual C++ and Visual Basic as well as
other ActiveX-hosting languages.

8255 chip. Consult an Intel hardware manual or DriverLINX manual for information
on programming the 8255 chip.

IISAPIO Intel 8255 interface

Object Browser to see the VB syntax (see the next subsection, Using the Direct I/O
Driver in Visual Basic).

The Direct I/O Driver requires that you configure a DriverLINX Logical Device

The Direct I/O Interface is an ActiveX Automation object hosting one interface.

The methods of the control’s interface, ISAPIO, access the 8-bit ports of an Intel

The following syntax descriptions are shown in C/C++. For Visual Basic, use the

• HRESULT Open Device(long Device);

Opens a PIO device
Device is the DriverLINX Logical Device number of the PIO board to open.

• HRESULT CloseDevice();

Closes a previously opened PIO device.
The number of CloseDevice calls must match the number of OpenDevice
calls.

• HRESULT Read(short Offset, unsigned char * Result);

Reads an 8-bit value from the PIO board.
Offset is the value of the register to read relative to the base I/O address.
Result is the value read from the register.

• HRESULT Write(short Offset, unsigned char Value);

Writes an 8-bit value to the PIO board.
Offset is the value of the register to write relative to the base I/O address.
Value is the output to write to the register.

• HRESULT OpenCount(long *Count);

Returns the number of times a client has called OpenDevice for this Logical
Device. Count is the address of the value for the result.

• HRESULT Device(long *LogicalDevice);

Returns the Logical Device number if the device is open. Otherwise it returns

-1. LogicalDevice is the address of the value for the result.

Programming 5-7

Using the Direct I/O Driver in Visual Basic

The following instructions are for Version 5 of Microsoft Visual Basic. If you have
a different version, consult the Visual Basic documentation.

1. From VB’s P

2. Scroll through the A
I/O Library.

3. Check Keithley ISA PIO Direct I/O Library and then click OK.

4. From VB’s V

5. Search for KISAPIOLib.

6. The Object Browser shows the VB syntax for the KISAPIO class.

roject menu, select References....

vailable References, looking for Keithley ISA PIO Direct

iew menu, select Object Browser to display a list of libraries.

Creating a simple Visual Basic application

1. Create a Visual Basic form.

2. Add the following source code to declare, open, close, read, and write a PIO
device:

Option Explicit
Dim PIO As New KISAPIO
Private Sub Close_Click()
PIO.CloseDevice
End Sub
Private Sub btOpen_Click()
PIO.OpenDevice (Val(tbDevice))
End Sub
Private Sub btRead_Click()
tbValue=Hex(PIO.Read(Val(tbAddr)))
End Sub
Private Sub btWrite_Click_()
Dim v As Byte
v=Val(tbValue)
PIO.Write Val(tbAddr), v
End Sub

6

Troubleshooting

6-2 Troubleshooting

General

If your PIO-24 board is not operating properly, use the information in this chapter
to isolate the problem. If the problem appears serious enough to warrant technical
support, refer to Technical support on page 6-6 for information on how to contact an
applications engineer.

Using the DriverLINX Event Viewer

The DriverLINX Event Viewer displays the Windows system event log. Applica­tions and hardware drivers make entries in the system event log to assist in predicting
and troubleshooting hardware and software problems.

DriverLINX uses the event log to report problems during driver loading or unex­pected system errors. The event log can assist in troubleshooting resource conflicts
and DriverLINX configuration errors. If you are having trouble configuring or initial­izing a Logical Device, check the event log for information from the DriverLINX
driver.

Using the DriverLINX Event Viewer, you can view, save and e-mail DriverLINX
event log entries under Windows 95/98 or Windows NT. DriverLINX event log
entries can help you or technical support troubleshoot data-acquisition hardware and
software problems.

Device initialization error messages

During device initialization, DriverLINX performs a thorough test of all possible
subsystems on PIO-24 boards as well as the computer interface. If DriverLINX
detects any problems or unexpected responses, it reports an error message to help
isolate the problem. The device initialization error messages fall into three basic
categories:

• “Device not found” — Board address does not match hardware setting or

conflicts with another board. Verify the board’s address settings. Also, do not
confuse hexadecimal with decimal addresses in the DriverLINX Device
Configure dialog box.

• “Invalid IRQ level” or “Invalid DMA level” — Selected level does not

match hardware setting, conflicts with another board’s IRQ/DMA levels, or is
dedicated to the computer’s internal functions (COM port, disk drive
controller, network adapter, etc.)

• “Hardware does not match configuration” — Operating mode/range switch

or jumper setting does not match selection(s) made in the DriverLINX Device
Configuration dialog box.

Problem isolation

If you encounter a problem with a PIO-24 board, use the instructions in this sec-

tion to isolate the cause of the problem before calling Keithley for technical support.

If your board is not operating properly after using the information in Table 6-1,

continue with the next two sections to further isolate the problem.

Table 6-1

Troubleshooting information

Symptom Possible Cause Possible Solution

Board does
not respond

Intermittent
operation

Base address is incorrect or not
consistent with what the pro­gram is addressing.

The interrupt level is incorrect
or not consistent with what the
program is addressing.

The board configuration is
incorrect.

The board is incorrectly aligned
in the accessory slot.

The board is damaged. Contact the Keithley Applications

The most common cause of this
problem is that the I/O bus
speed is in excess of 8 MHz.

Vibrations or loose connec­tions exist.

The board is overheating. Check environmental and ambient

Electrical noise exists. Provide better shielding or reroute

Troubleshooting 6-3

Check the base-address switch
setting on the board against the
setting shown in the DriverLINX
configuration. If the base address is
set correctly, make sure no other
computer device is using any of the
I/O locations beginning at the
specified base address. If necessary,
reconfigure the base address.

Make sure no other computer device
is using the interrupt level specified
in your program. If necessary, reset
the interrupt level.

Check the remaining settings in the
DriverLINX configuration.

Check the board for proper seating.

Engineering Department.

Reduce the I/O bus speed to a maxi­mum of 8 MHz (to change the I/O
bus speed, run BIOS setup). See
your computer documentation for
instructions on running BIOS setup.

Cushion source of vibration and
tighten connections.

temperature. See the documenta­tion for your computer.

unshielded wiring.

6-4 Troubleshooting

Table 6-1 (cont.)

Troubleshooting information

Symptom Possible Cause Possible Solution

Data
appears to
be invalid

Computer
does not
boot.

System
lockup

The most common cause of this
problem is that the I/O bus
speed is in excess of 8 MHz.

Reduce the I/O bus speed to a maxi­mum of 8 MHz (to change the I/O
bus speed, run BIOS setup). See
your computer documentation for
instructions on running BIOS setup.

An open connection exists. Check wiring to screw terminal.

Another system resource is
using the specified base
address.

Reconfigure the base address of the
PIO-24 board. Check the I/O
assignments of other system
resources and reconfigure, if
necessary.

Board not seated properly. Check the installation of the board.

The base address setting of the
PIO-24 board conflicts with
that of another system resource.

The power supply of the host
computer is too small to handle
all the system resources.

Check the base address settings of
your system resources; each address
must be unique.

Check the needs of all system
resources and obtain a larger power
supply.

A timing error occurred. Restart your computer.

Testing the board and host computer

To isolate the problem to the PIO-24 board or to the host computer, use the follow-

ing steps:

CAUTION Removing a board with the power ON can cause damage to your

board and/or computer.

1. Turn the power to the host computer OFF, and remove power connections to
the computer.

2. While keeping connections to accessories intact, unplug the cable to the main
I/O connector of the PIO-24 board.

3. Remove the board from the computer and visually check for damage. If a
board is obviously damaged, refer to Technical support on page 6-6 for infor-
mation on returning the board.

4. With the PIO-24 board out of the computer, check the computer for proper
operation. Power up the computer and perform any necessary diagnostics.

At this point, if you have another PIO-24 board that you know is functional, you
can test the slot and I/O connections using the instructions in the next section. If you
do not have another board, refer to the instructions on page 6 before calling Keithley
Instruments for technical support.

Troubleshooting 6-5

Testing the accessory slot and I/O connections

When you are sure that the computer is operating properly, test the computer
accessory slot and I/O connections using another PIO-24 board that you know is
functional. To test the computer accessory slot and the I/O connections, follow these
steps:

1. Remove computer power again, and install a PIO-24 board that you know is
functional. Do not make any I/O connections.

2. Turn computer power ON and check operation with the functional board in
place. This test checks the computer accessory slot. If you were using more
than one board when the problem occurred, use the functional board to test
the other slot, as well.

3. If the accessory slots are functional, use the functional board to check the I/O
connections. Reconnect and check the operation of the I/O connections, one at
a time.

4. If operation fails for an I/O connection, check the individual inputs one at a
time for shorts and opens.

5. If operation remains normal to this point, the problem is in the PIO-24
board(s) originally in the computer. If you were using more than one board,
try each board one at a time in the computer to determine which is faulty.

6. If you cannot isolate the problem, refer to the next section for instructions on
obtaining assistance.

6-6 Troubleshooting

Technical support

Before returning any equipment for repair, call Keithley for technical support at:

Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time

An applications engineer will help you diagnose and resolve your problem over the
telephone. Please make sure that you have the following information available before
you call:

PIO-24 board configuration Model

Computer Manufacturer

Operating system Windows version

Software package Name

Compiler (if applicable) Language

1-888-KEITHLEY

Serial number

Revision code

Base address setting

Interrupt level setting

Number of channels

Output signal (V or I)

Mode (uni. or bip.)

Output span

Number SSH-8 boards

Number EXP boards

CPU type

Clock speed (MHz)

KB of RAM

Video system

BIOS type

Windows mode

Serial number

Version

Invoice/Order number

Manufacturer

Version

Troubleshooting 6-7

Accessories Type

Type

Type

Type

Type

Type

Type

Type

Type

If a telephone resolution is not possible, the applications engineer will issue you a
Return Material Authorization (RMA) number and ask you to return the equipment.
Include the RMA number with any documentation regarding the equipment.

When returning equipment for repair, include the following information:

• Your name, address, and telephone number.

• The invoice or order number and date of equipment purchase.

• A description of the problem or its symptoms.

• The RMA number on the

Repackage the equipment, using the original anti-static wrapping, if possible, and
handle it with ground protection. Ship the equipment to:

NOTE If you are submitting your equipment for repair under warranty, you must

include the invoice number and date of purchase.

To enable Keithley to respond as quickly as possible, you must include the
RMA number on the outside of the package.

outside of the package.

ATTN.: RMA# _______
Repair Department
Keithley Instruments, Inc.
28775 Aurora Road
Cleveland, Ohio 44139

Telephone 1-888-KEITHLEY
FAX [phone]

Index

A

Acrobat

for DriverLINX installation 2-5

address

configuration in DriverLINX 4-2

analog output range

configuration in DriverlINX 4-3

B

base address

set before configuration 2-7

browser map

DriverLINX installation 2-6

C

cache

disabling for software
installation 2-5

CD ROM

DriverLINX installation 2-6

compiler

required for supporting Windows
development 1-2

computer

needed for PIO-24 and
DriverLINX 1-2

computer resources

determination for installation 2-5

configuration

using DriverLINX 2-7

counter/timer

configuration in DriverLINX 4-3

E

error messages

device initialization 6-2

event log

used to detect errors 6-2

event viewer

in DriverLINX 6-2

I

I/O bit tests 4-4

General information 4-4
Input read test 4-11
Output set test 4-7

interfaces

installing for applications 2-6

interrupt level

set before configuration 2-7

L

Learn DriverLINX

description 1-3
using for configuration 4-2

logical device

configuration in DriverLINX 4-2

M

manuals

DriverLINX 2-6

memory

requirement for computer 1-2

Microsoft Windows

versions supported 1-2

P

Product change notice 1-4

D

device

menu in DriverLINX 4-2

DriverLINX

API DLLs

description 1-3
configuration with 2-7
event viewer 6-2
installing and configuring 2-5
using to verify board operation 4-3

drivers

installing for applications 2-6

R

RMA

obtaining for material return

S

shipping instructions

for returning material 6-7

switches

setting prior to installation 2-5

6-7

T

technical support

instructions for using 6-6

V

verify

board operation

using DriverLINX 4-3

Specifications are subject to change without notice.
All Keithley trademarks and trade names are the property of Keithley Instruments, Inc. All other trademarks and

trade names are the property of their respective companies.

Keithley Instruments, Inc. 28775 Aurora Road • Cleveland, Ohio 44139 • 440-248-0400 • Fax: [phone]

1-888-KEITHLEY (534-8453) • www.keithley.com

Sales Offices: BELGIUM: Bergensesteenweg 709 • B-1600 Sint-Pieters-Leeuw • 02-363 00 40 • Fax: [phone]

CHINA:

Yuan Chen Xin Building, Room 705 • 12 Yumin Road, Dewai, Madian • Beijing 100029 • 8610-6202-2886 • Fax: [phone]

FINLAND: Tietäjäntie 2 • 02130 Espoo • Phone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]
FRANCE: 3, allée des Garays • 91127 Palaiseau Cédex • 01-64 53 20 20 • Fax: [phone]
GERMANY: Landsberger Strasse 65 • 82110 Germering • 089/84 93 07-40 • Fax: [phone]
GREAT BRITAIN: Unit 2 Commerce Park, Brunel Road • Theale • Berkshire RG7 4AB • 0118 929 7500 • Fax: [phone]
INDIA: Flat 2B, Willocrissa • 14, Rest House Crescent • Bangalore 560 001 • 91-80-509-1320/21 • Fax: [phone]
ITALY: Viale San Gimignano, 38 • 20146 Milano • 02-48 39 16 01 • Fax: [phone]
JAPAN:

New Pier Takeshiba North Tower 13F • 11-1, Kaigan 1-chome • Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0022 • 81-3-5733-7555 • Fax: [phone]

KOREA: 2FL., URI Building • 2-14 Yangjae-Dong • Seocho-Gu, Seoul 137-888 • 82-2-574-7778 • Fax: [phone]
NETHERLANDS: Postbus 559 • 4200 AN Gorinchem • 0183-635333 • Fax: [phone]
SWEDEN: c/o Regus Business Centre • Frosundaviks Allé 15, 4tr • 169 70 Solna • 08-509 04 679 • Fax: [phone]
SWITZERLAND: Kriesbachstrasse 4 • 8600 Dübendorf • 01-821 94 44 • Fax: [phone]
TAIWAN: 1FL., 85 Po Ai Street • Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C. • 886-3-572-9077• Fax: [phone]

© Copyright 2001 Keithley Instruments, Inc.

Printed in the U.S.A.

4/02