Digitiser configuration
In order for the digitiser to talk to the software it must be configured correctly. This appendix lists configuration settings for some popular digitisers that have been used with the software.
As a general rule the only requirement that the software has is that the digitiser is cable of producing an ASCII format message. It is also preferable to have it operate in point mode as opposed to stream or track mode.
GTCO Digitiser
There are three popular models of GTCO digitisers being used successfully with the software. They are the portable roll up, the Super LII, and earlier model predecessors of the Super LII. The new models are configured by an interactive menu that is printed on the tablet.
GEOVIA has a predefined menu configuration number (27) on these later model digitisers. The procedure for selecting this setup is
- Select S with the digitiser cursor
- Select 2
- Select 7
- Select S again to finish
With the older model GTCO's you have to set the dip switches that are located on the controller box. There are three banks of switches which must set as follows to achieve the same result as setting (27).
SWITCH S1
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | off | baud | 9600 baud |
| 2 | off | baud | |
| 3 | on | baud | |
| 4 | on | baud | |
| 5 | off | parity | no parity |
| 6 | off | parity | no effect |
| 7 | off | stop bits | 1 stop bit |
| 8 | on | data bits | 8 data bits |
SWITCH S2
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | on | cursor button | include button code |
| 2 | on | space | include space between x and y |
| 3 | off | <CR> | no carriage return |
| 4 | on | <LF> | terminate message with a line feed |
| 5 | on | resolution | high resolution (bxxxxx yyyyy) |
| 6 | off | serial port | activate port A and B |
| 7 | off | serial port | |
| 8 | on | beep | digitiser beeps |
SWITCH S3
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | off | ||
| 2 | off | rate | 12 points/sec |
| 3 | off | rate | |
| 4 | off | mode | point mode |
| 5 | ? | mouse type | off=4 button, on =16 button |
| 6 | on | scale | metric |
| 7 | off | format | ASCII |
| 8 | off | DTR | DTR off |
When you are configuring the software as described in Appendix B Digitiser Setup the communication and message format parameters are as follows.
Communications
| parameter | value |
|---|---|
| port | site specific |
| baud | 9600 |
| parity | none |
| # data bits | 8 |
| # stop bits | 1 |
| beep | Y or N |
Format
| parameter | value |
|---|---|
| number format | real |
| message length | 12 |
| X offset | 1 |
| X length | 5 |
| Y offset | 7 |
| Y length | 5 |
Calcomp 9100 Digitiser
The Calcomp 9100 series digitiser has been used successfully with the software in the past. The dip switch settings for both the digitiser process board and the communications interface board are given below.
Digitiser process board
SWITCH S1
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | tablet size | don t alter | |
| 2 | tablet size | don't alter | |
| 3 | on | resolution | 1000 lines/inch |
| 4 | on | resolution | |
| 5 | off | mode | point mode |
| 6 | on | mode | |
| 7 | off | message format | xxxxx,yyyyy,ARC |
| 8 | on | message format |
Communications interface board
SWITCH SW1
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | off | baud | 9600 baud |
| 2 | on | baud | |
| 3 | on | baud | |
| 4 | off | data bits | 8 data bits |
| 5 | on | stop bits | 1 stop bit |
| 6 | on | parity | no parity |
| 7 | off | parity | |
| 8 | off | parity |
SWITCH SW2
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | on | <LF> port A | no line feed |
| 2 | off | echo port B | echo on |
| 3 | off | cursor functions | yes |
| 4 | off | small menu | yes |
| 5 | off | Port A | activate |
| 6 | on | <LF> port B | no line feed |
| 7 | off | ||
| 8 | on | Port B | activate |
When you are configuring the software as described in Appendix B Digitiser Setup the communication and message format parameters are as follows.
Communications
| parameter | value |
|---|---|
| port | site specific |
| baud | 9600 |
| parity | none |
| # data bits | 8 |
| # stop bits | 1 |
| beep | Y or N |
Format
| parameter | value |
|---|---|
| number format | real |
| message length | 15 |
| X offset | 0 |
| X length | 5 |
| Y offset | 6 |
| Y length | 5 |
HP SketchPro Digitiser
The HP SketchPro can operate in a number of different modes. In order to use it with the software it must be set to HP mode. The dip switch settings below describe its operation in HP mode.
SWITCH SW1
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | on | data bits | 8 data bits |
| 2 | off | parity | no parity |
| 3 | on | parity | |
| 4 | off | stop bits | |
| 5 | on | baud | 9600 baud |
| 6 | on | baud | |
| 7 | off | baud | |
| 8 | on | CTS hand shaking | use CTS hand shaking |
SWITCH SW2
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | on | control mode | point mode |
| 2 | off | control mode | |
| 3 | off | increment mode | disable |
| 4 | off | increment mode | |
| 5 | off | proximity | transmit in proximity |
| 6 | off | co-ord format | absolute |
| 7 | off | packet format | ASCII |
| 8 | off | packet format |
SWITCH SW3
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | off | resolution | 1000 lpi |
| 2 | off | resolution | |
| 3 | off | resolution | |
| 4 | off | rate | maximum |
| 5 | off | rate | |
| 6 | off | leading zero | enable |
| 7 | on | transmit <CR> | disable |
| 8 | off | transmit <LF> | enable |
SWITCH SW4
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | off | emulation | HP mode |
| 2 | off | format | high resolution (xxxxx,yyyyy,b) |
| 3 | on | soft keys | enable |
| 4 | on | soft keys | |
| 5 | on | Z axis | no |
| 6 | on | button code | button code A |
| 7 | off | window mode | disable |
| 8 | off | outer window mode | disable |
When you are configuring the software as described in Appendix B Digitiser Setup the communication and message format parameters are as follows.
Communications
| parameter | value |
|---|---|
| port | site specific |
| baud | 9600 |
| parity | none |
| # data bits | 8 |
| # stop bits | 1 |
| beep | Y or N |
Format
| parameter | value |
|---|---|
| number format | real |
| message length | 13 |
| X offset | 0 |
| X length | 5 |
| Y offset | 6 |
| Y length | 5 |
ACECAD Digitiser
ACECAD digitisers are con figured by a template menu that sits on the tablet. The menu options are selected by entering setup mode and then digitising the appropriate option. The options that are currently set can be determined by placing the cursor over the menu item. If there is an audible noise then the option is set otherwise it is not.
To enter setup mode digitise the set button on the menu template.
To exit set mode digitise the save button and then the set button.
The following describes the appropriate settings for each of the menu options.
| menu option | setting |
|---|---|
| emulation | SummaGRAPHICS MM |
| data format | ASCII |
| operating mode | point |
| baud rate | 9600 |
| resolution | 1000 |
| sampling rate | 100 |
| parity | none |
| data bits | 8 |
| origin setting | lower left corner |
| coordinate mode | absolute |
When you are configuring the software as described in Appendix B Digitiser Setup the communication and message format parameters are as follows.
Communications
| parameter | value |
|---|---|
| port | site specific |
| baud | 9600 |
| parity | none |
| # data bits | 8 |
| # stop bits | 1 |
| beep | Y or N |
Format
| parameter | value |
|---|---|
| number format | real |
| message length | 13 |
| X offset | 0 |
| X length | 5 |
| Y offset | 6 |
| Y length | 5 |
OCE G6400 Series Digitiser
OCE G6400 series digitisers have been used with the software successfully in the past. The dip switch settings required for correct communication are given below.
SWITCH DSW1
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | off | remote control | no control commands |
| 2 | off | OAREA | disable points out of active area |
| 3 | off | sampling mode | point mode |
| 4 | on | sampling mode | |
| 5 | off | coordinate mode | absolute |
| 6 | off | sampling rate | 2 points/sec |
| 7 | off | sampling rate | |
| 8 | off | sampling rate |
SWITCH DSW2
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | on | output format | BCD (ASCII) |
| 2 | off | line feed | no line feed (always sends <CR>) |
| 3 | off | increment | exit increment mode |
| 4 | off | increment | |
| 5 | off | increment | |
| 6 | off | resolution | 100 lines/inch |
| 7 | off | resolution | |
| 8 | off | resolution |
SWITCH DSW3
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | off | parity check | no parity |
| 2 | off | parity | |
| 3 | off | stop bits | 1 stop bit |
| 4 | off | CS control | ignore CS signal |
| 5 | off | cursor output code | B type |
| 6 | on | baud | 9600 baud |
| 7 | on | baud | |
| 8 | off | baud |
SWITCH DSW4
| Dip switch | Setting | Purpose | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | on | buzzer | beeps |
| 2 | on | message format | high resolution (xxxxx,yyyyy,b) |
| 3 | off | operating mode | bit pad mode |
| 4 | off | loopback test | normal operation |
When you are configuring the software as described in Appendix B Digitiser Setup the communication and message format parameters are as follows.
Communications
| parameter | value |
|---|---|
| port | site specific |
| baud | 9600 |
| parity | none |
| # data bits | 8 |
| # stop bits | 1 |
| beep | Y or N |
Format
| parameter | value |
|---|---|
| number format | real |
| message length | 13 |
| X offset | 0 |
| X length | 5 |
| Y offset | 6 |
| Y length | 5 |