VC should always load, it scans your system for available ports and lists them. Even without any active ports is should load.
Gommert
Butel Software
All fixed Gommert!
It turned out being a conflict with the Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge built into my Icom R2500 receiver.
If that receiver was on (which enables the port in Win 7), The VC window would not open in ARC536Pro Version 0.98 Build 8 for anything. In fact, I learned that it hung ARC536Pro when the R2500 was on and the VC window would not open. I'd need to force it closed with Task Manager.
I later learned that simply turning the R2500 off also allowed ARC536 to continue running and open the VC window.
I tried uninstalling and reinstalling the Silicon Labs driver but no luck.
I also tried three different versions of the SilLabs driver but still no luck.
If I turned the R2500 off (which removes the active port in windows device manager), the VC window opened fine in ARC536 Pro.
Go figure.
I then recalled something that I think is correct. Something I recalled was that your comm routine does not search for ports above port 99.
So I renumbered the Silicon Labs CP210x port to 200 instead of 13 or 30 (I'd tried both). I'll be darn, that worked!!
I can now leave the R2500 on or off and the VC window now opens just fine in the latest build of ARC536 Pro!
Did something change in the com port routine between this latest version of ARC536Pro and the prior version? I figure something must have as the older version worked fine even with the R2500 powered on.
There appears to be some conflict with the Silicon Labs CP210x UART Bridge driver (any version) and ARC536Pro's comm routine.
Moving the Silicon Labs port to a high number above 100 fixes the problem.
Luckily, the Icom control software allows use of port numbers all the way up to 256 or it can use the radio's serial number for direct access bypassing port numbers. I also have another control software package called Radio Control made in Austria. That software address's the R2500 by the units serial number so it also still runs the R2500 even on Com 200.
I do notice a small amount of lag before the VC window opens that did not exist in the previous version but I think that is just ARC536 scanning for active ports each time you click and open the VC window.
That lag existed with the R2500 off and it's Silicon Labs driver removed or with the R2500 on and the driver installed. I assume that is just the way the comm routine works in ARC536 now. It's nothing bad at all though and the lag is maybe 2 or 3 seconds before the VC window opens.
That lag could also be caused by the large amount of Com ports I have installed.
So, all is now good and VC is working just fine with the new version!
It still remembers my 536 com port and auto starts the VC feature as well when I click the VC button.
Thanks for your reply which made me take the time to troubleshoot the issue!