M200 Updates/Modifications

The following is a listing of the updates and modifications that have been made to the Model 200 and PlayBack software in the last three years. For those users who haven't modified in over a year, this will give you an idea of what your software version may be missing.

2000

  • New support for DMT CAPS probe (8/9/2000).
  • New function to convert double to float (DTOF) (1/17/2000).

1999

  • New function to check formula range (IR) (6/7/99).
  • Support for ATI and CSAT3 Sonics with byte trigger (6/4/99).
  • Modified Integer Data function to allow for byte swapping (6/4/99).
  • Support for new PCI video cards from Colorgraphic (Evolution and Predator). new software version to indicate PCI video support (3/29/99).
  • Fixed ASCTBL to save *.CFG files (3/29/99).
  • Fixed 2DGADV acquisition to do .25 and 2.5 micro second timing (3/29/99).
  • Modified acquisition manager to allow IRQ 9 during the File Manager. This was necessary to allow the Adaptec SCSI interface and 2GB Jaz drive to work with the M200, using IRQ 9 (3/17/99).

1998

  • Added new option to SYSTBL.TXT to control the printer busy time out (1/23/98).
  • Changed all text tables to use a formula pointer rather than a factor structure. This saves memory and speeds up processing (1/20/98).
  • The C Compiler generated invalid function call for 386 code with /G3 option. To fix this problem, replaced the /G3 with /G2 option, which generates 286 code instead. This fixed the problem with the UDP broadcast for the PlayBack (2/3/98).
  • Support for new Exabyte drive, Eliant 820 (2/7/98).
  • Added UDP sleep option to allow PlayBack software to wait between transmitting UDP buffers (2/13/98).
  • New functions to compute the average AVG(), minimum MIN() and maximum MAX() values of an array of values (2/10/98).
  • Modified Date() an DateTime() functions to allow for 4 digit year (2/25/98).
  • Modified Serial DADS Data acquisition (type 65). Parameter 2 is the terminator character for the sentence. Use either a 10 for line feed or a 13 for carriage return (3/9/98).
  • New acquisition type to acquire data from the Serial interface connected to the SPP100 probe (3/11/98).
  • New entry in board table to setup serial interface for the SPP100 (3/11/98).
  • New SPP100Data() function to retrieve individual elements from the SPP100 data block (3/11/98).
  • Modified Sums1D(), CMD1D() and REF1D() function to work with SPP100 data (3/11/98).
  • The M200 software incorrectly incremented the date at the end of each month. This problem has been fixed (3/17/98).
  • The DOS clock would not increment past midnight while the M200 was running. There have also been reports that the DOS clock loses some time (This may be possible because the M200 shuts down the system clock under certain occasions). To avoid these problems the M200 now writes the current date and time from the M200 time to the DOS system clock (3/17/98).
  • Fixed a problem with the number of bytes for the insert table feature. It had 16 bytes instead of 18. This is not a serious problem unless someone assumes data size for time to be 18 bytes (4/5/98).
  • Changed TIFF file name format to YYMMDD##.TIF (4/16/98).
  • New feature for 'CMD2G' command to allow it to set/clear individual bit to the probe command byte (4/16/98).
  • Modified ASCTBL.TXT to allow for new features. The new ASCII output features include creation/termination of files during run time and selecting where samples go (4/16/98).
  • ASCTBL.TXT data field allows formulas with index (5/21/98).
  • Modified 'TAS2D' and 'TAS2G' commands to prevent the user from entering a value of zero for frequency. Made similar modifications to the control manager to prevent using a value of zero for the frequency internally (6/3/98).
  • Modified 'SUMS2D' function to use blank slices instead of the marker to find particles. Added capability to count zero area particle in first bin. Two methods for sizing particles using either the X (TAS independent) or Y (TAS dependent) dimensions (8/10/98).

1997

  • Modified LOOKUP function to return to result space and perform lookup on an array of values (2/24/97).
  • New COMMAND function (2/27/97).
  • New INS429BIN function to handle ARINC 429 Binary serial data (4/9/97).
  • Fixed bug with window on command (4/30/97).
  • Fixed bug with MAXSIZ function (4/30/97).
  • New command to create a graphics TIFF file from a window, "WND # TIF [filename]" (5/7/97).

1996

  • New command to center map display (1/12/96).
  • Cross added to vector window (1/12/96).
  • Change for all Exabyte drives except the EXB8200 drive. If the rewind option is not specified when starting the M200 the system performs a space forward command to the end of data. This means that now you can write data to the beginning of an Exabyte type or to the end of the data but not in between. This change was done to avoid the potential problem of writing over existing data (1/31/96).
  • Unload command issued before prevent/allow command cause the tape not to unload from drive after quit command. This prevent/allow is now called before the unload command (1/31/96).
  • The SUMS2D function showed a few counts on the last bin when there were no large particles. This problem showed up only for a few buffers where the last data on the buffer was a blank slice and there were no images slices just before the blank slice. This problem has been fixed (2/2/96).
  • The SUMS2D function has been improved to count images separated by blank slices. Before only images separated by time slices were counted (2/2/96).
  • Several changes were made to the NMEA and TANSVEC software for the LORAN/GPS interface. The LORAN/GPS interface must also be modified to swap the NMI and IRQ signals (2/12/96).
  • Modifications/corrections made to telemetric manager (3/25/96).
  • PlayBack support for telemetric manager (3/27/96).
  • Modified X minimum display for X vs. Y Plots and Histograms (5/29/96).
  • Support for Northstar M1, M2, M3, GPS60 and GPS600 (6/5/96).
  • Support for TNL2000 and TNL3000 (6/14/96).
  • Modified 2 micro second wait routine to work with 486DX4/100 (6/17/96).
  • New INSINI acquisition types (6/17/96).
  • New INSINI control functions (6/17/96).
  • Modified INSPOS to return radians (6/17/96).
  • New remainder operator added to formula manager (6/21/96).
  • Modified window 'on' command (6/22/96).
  • Support for FMS7000, FMS5000, R-5000, Star 5000, R-50v and R-50i (6/27/96).
  • Modified 2D Grey advanced acquisition type for elapsed time clock source (7/2/96).
  • Modified SUMS2D function (8/14/96).
  • Fixed/updated position plot display (8/21/96).

1995

  • New Plot Probe Distributions (PPDTBL.TXT).
  • New Acquisition type for BC620AT time.
  • New Acquisition type for DRV11 data.
  • New Acquisition type for Novatel GPS.
  • Updated ASCII manager (ASCTBL.TXT).
  • Updated Printer manager (PRTTBL.TXT).
  • PlayBack supports serial port for data source.
  • Strip chart option for shifting left or right (SYSTBL.TXT).
  • Improved documentation with examples for tables and functions.
  • Improved documentation with equations for appropriate functions.
  • Split Model 200 command/status window (status window is type 255).
  • Improved drive status display with MB/S field.
  • Window commands to turn windows and elements on/off automatically.
  • Window types updated to implement window individuality.
  • Support for EXB8505 drive.
  • New keyboard handler. BIOS keyboard handler is no longer used.
  • Changed query command display.
  • New commands (SYNC BC620AT, PPD commands, etc...).
  • Improved time search command for hard disk files in PlayBack.
  • Histograms updated to have XSize and bin numbers.
  • Plot TY displays modified/updated for efficient display.
  • New options for drive names.
  • PaintJet printer support.
  • New 1D counter acquisition type.
  • Support for TansVector GPS.
  • New Acquisition type for PMX data.
  • Updated Volts function.
  • Improved LOG displays to be able to work with any limits.
  • Modified/updated several functions (SUMS1D, SUMS2D, SUMS2DG, SUMS2DGADV, CONCS, AREAS, IVAR1DADV, MASSES).
  • New board initialization for BC620AT, COM, NOVATEL (BRDTBL. TXT).
  • Serial address supported for printer table. Printer data can be sent over Serial Interface.
  • PlayBack buffer size changed to 16KB default. Use '/b#' command to change default.
  • Changed 'NOP' instructions to wait for two micro seconds.