• Windows Vista Programs Cap2009.exe and Cap1.exe  tutorial
• Windows Vista Programs Summary
• PC Requirements
• Cap2009 Features

1 - Windows Vista Programs Cap2009.exe and Cap1.exe


  Cap2009.exe screen shot


         with Cap2009.exe: - Use this for pc's running Vista and/or .NET 2.0 tutorial
              The (beta v2.17) functionality is similar to it's predecessor (Cap2002.exe). 
              Major differences are that the older MSCOMM32.OCX is not used and .NET v2.0 is, and 
              the com port is selected automatically and an intermediate file (ctcap.txt)
              is used to insert processor data possibly obtained by other means. The four buttons 
              are used in order from top to bottom. 

              "Start" - Navigate to the sub folder only. Click on ct.dat to select.

              "Capture" - (optional) uses the 1st available com port to read processor data into 
                        the intemediate file ctcap.txt. This part is complete when the panel 
                        turns green. IMPORTANT: THE DATA STILL MUST BE ADDED TO THE DATABASE. 

              "Type1" or "Type2" (depending on your processor)
                        This also turns the panel green and displays a "good reading" message 
                        in the middle. If you create your own ctcap.txt file by other means 
                        (with 17 complete lines to allow for discard of the first), 
                        the "Capture" button is not used.  

              Most cases will be done this way:
              1) Click Start. Navigate, if necessary to sub folder. Click on ct.dat.
              2) Click Capture to load processor data into ctcap.txt. Wait 3 minutes for green display.
              3) Click Type II to add data to database. (Type I is for an older processor.)
              4) Display should be green and say "We have a good reading 1".
                 If the display is green and says "Update Pending", there were less than 
                 17 lines in the ctcap.txt file and the database update did not, and will not occur.

              If processor data is cutpasted into ctcap.txt from an Ethernet/Web interface, skip step 2.    


  Cap1.exe screen shot


         with Cap1.exe: You may need to use this along with Emu2002.exe on pc's running Vista.
              Run Cap1.exe in the sub directory. It uses the 1st available com port to read 
              processor data into a small file called ctcap.txt. This take 3 minutes and
              puts 16 plus 1 extra line in ctcap.txt (17 lines total).
 
              1) Navivate into sub directory
                 Navigate back up to the micromtr directory.
                 Emu2002.exe may then be used to add this observation to the database.  
              1) Choose the subdirectory (like in Cap2002.exe)
              2) Click the "ctcap.txt" button at the bottom and nothing else.
                 The "Read" and "Init" buttons will only corrupt your data with random fake readings. 
              3) Display should be green and say "We have a good reading 1".
                 If the display is green and says "Update Pending", there were less than 
                 16 lines in the ctcap.txt file and the database update did not, and will not occur.




2 - Windows Vista Programs Summary



           A) GET DATA FROM PROCESSOR:

              M2CAP.EXE - A DOS program that still works in Vista DOS window by typing M2CAP 1 17. 
                          Runs in mm01 sub directory and produces 17 lines in CT.DAT. 
                          Copy or cutpaste to ctcap.txt. Assumes COM1 port. M2CAP 2 17 for COM2.
                          This requires the MSCOMM32.OCX file to be installed.

              Cap1.exe  - Minimal .NET console program finds first active COM port and produces 17
                          lines in ctcap.txt. Runs in mm01 sub directory by clicking on it. Takes 3 minutes.


              Cap2009.exe - .NET COM support and formatting.



           B) FORMAT RAW PROCESSOR DATA INTO DATABASE (mm.db1):

              Cap2009.exe - .NET COM support and formatting. Requires 17 lines in ctcap.txt.

              Emu2002.exe - A "what if" program that fakes processor data can be used
                            to format raw processor data in ctcap.txt to mm.db1 database.
                            Accepts 16 or 17 lines in ctcap.txt.
                            

3 - PC Requirements
          

           7/31/2008 - A "virgin" pc was ordered from www.newegg.com costing $185. It was a Compaq
                       desktop unit with an Intel Celeron processor running Vista Home Deluxe.
                       1 x ($184.99) DESKTOP PC COMPAQ|SR5210NX GN571AAR - Retail $184.99
 
           1) No .NET tools were seen in the Control Panel(classic view)/Administrative Tools page.

           2) MSCOMM32.OCX did not exist in Windows\System32\. 

           3) No entry for Ports (COM & LPT) was seen in Control Panel(classic view)/System/Device Manager.
              This normally appears between Network adaptors and Processors.
              An entry for Modems was present and had a fax modem using COM3. THIS HAD TO BE DISABLED.
              This normally appears between Mice and other pointing devices and Monitors.


           A zipped default cd "micromtr" folder was downloaded and unzipped in the download area and a
                shortcut to the main "micromtr" folder was sent to the desktop.

           A Sewell USB-to-Comm adapter was installed. DO NOT connect the USB end until the driver is
                  installed. DO NOT use the cd driver since it recommends finding and downloading the latest
                  Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port driver 3.2.0.0. for Vista. 

           1) Cap2002.exe produced the following error message: 
              Component 'MSCOMM32.OCX' or one of its dependencies not correctly registered. a file is       
              missing or invalid

           2) Cap2009.exe hung and needed to be aborted with Task Manager (Cnt Alt Del).

           3) Cap1.exe (in test sub folder) enumerated COM3 and another COMx (depending on where the 
              adapter was plugged in. It hung but could be ended by the red X at the upper right corner. 

           Simplest solution so far:
           
           1) Disable the fax modem. The COM3 disappeared from the enumeration.

              Now Cap1.exe and Cap2009.exe work properly.

           2) Download, unzip, and install the Cap2002 Install Shield. Ignore the resulting version 1.10
              placed in the Program Files directory. THIS CHANGES YOUR COMPUTER by updating the registry.

              Now Cap2002 works properly. This is the mainstream capture utility and has more features
              than the others that are still in beta testing.
              

4 - Cap2009 Features

           1) The "port#" box can be used to change processor connections to
              different comports beyond the 1st available. Change for each capture. 

           2) The "code" box can be used with switching devices to change processor connections to
              a single comport. Codes are sent as the Capture (2nd button) begins.

           3) Program uses a global "parm.txt" file to store switch codes and associated processor ID's.  




5 - Windows 7

         

           01/07/2010 


           A "virgin" pc was purchased at Walmart. It is an Emachines
           Et1331g-03w running Windows 7 home edition. A usb-to-serial adaptor was attached
           and the driver self-installed.

           Cap1 and Cap2009 ran successfully. 

           Cap2002 experienced the same difficulty the MSCOMM32.OCX file. 
           The remedy described above for Vista is expected to work.