Using SeaCOM, SeaMAC, and SeaIO with 3rd party Software:      Version 2.03.17



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***               TestPoint                                                 ***
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It is very easy to use any Sealevel Systems' SeaCOM RS-232 or RS-422 card with TestPoint.  
Install the card as per the directions in SeaCOM.hlp or your manual, and use 
the device manager to find out what port(s) the card is installed as.  In 
TestPoint, drag a "COM" icon into your program.  Change the "COM #" box to the 
right number, and all other parameters can be left on default. Please see the 
SeaCOMEcho.tst example program for a simple example of piping a SeaCOM port to 
a Text Display object. RS-485 cards with autoenable turned on also work well 
with TestPoint, although the SeaCOMEcho.tst isn't as appropriate.  ISA cards
without autoenable should be connected through calls to the API, as described
below for SeaIO and SeaMAC.

Sealevel Systems' SeaIO Digital I/O and SeaMAC Synchronous communications boards work with a wide 
range of 3rd party software. For example, TestPoint uses object-oriented, 
drag-and-drop technology to bring both power and simplicity to data acquisition 
and test & measurement.

Some but not all SeaIO cards are based on the 8255 chip, but of course all 
SeaIO cards work with the SeaIO API.  Integrating the SeaIO API is easy, and 
can give capabilities beyond the ordinary "DIO" object as found in TestPoint.

First install the SeaIO card and use the Control Panel applet to set up ports 
for input or output.  Do this before opening the ports in TestPoint.

The method of attaching external APIs, (or any arbitrary .DLL,) to TestPoint is 
given in chapter 23 of the manual.  For each call into the DLL, a separate 
"CODE" icon is brought into your list of objects.  The "DLL filename" is 
SeaIO32.dll, and the "Subroutine Name" is any of the calls listed in the API.  
(Include the underscores, but not the parentheses in the "Subroutine Name.")    

Refer to the chart on page 23-3, for the parameter types; i.e. USHORT 
parameters are "byte", PBYTE parameters are "var byte", and DWORD values are 
"dword".  Important Note:  The second parameter in SeaIO_OPEN() is a pointer 
to a handle, a common structure in C or C++.  The correct way to reference 
this in TestPoint is NOT with the hwnd object, but rather with a "var dword."  
Call SeaIO_OPEN with the second parameter as the name of a container, possibly 
named "hDevice."  Use this container (or variable) in all subsequent SeaIO 
calls. Please see the example SeaIOsimple.TST, distributed with SeaIO or 
available on our website.

The SeaMAC API is handled in the same way, as shown in the example 
SeaMACEcho.TST.  The call to SeaMAC_PortOpen will have three parameters, of 
types "word, word, var dword" with the third parameter again being a handle 
which is used throughout your application.  A SeaMAC card can be a very cost 
effective and high performance way to connect existing equipment that uses 
Synchronous communications to a TestPoint development environment.   

For details on Sealevel Systems' products, contact Sealevel Systems at 864.843.4343, via email at sales@sealevel.com, or via the web at www.sealevel.com.