Official Starrsoft WIN500 Software Thread

[scan-pa]

Official Starrsoft WIN500 Software Thread.

This thread is to report & Discuss anything related to The WIN500 software.


Starrsoft WIN500 Software: http://starrsoft.com/ Version 1.07 is now Available **** updated on 11/27/2007

System Requirements
In order to run Win500, you'll need the following:

* A copy of the Win500 program
* A PSR-500 Scanner
* The blue GRE USB Scanner Programming cable that came with your PSR-500.
* A Windows (2000, XP, Vista) PC. Sorry - 95, 98, and Me are not supported.

 

[kevins669]

Ok, so I have set up to replicate "option 1." It connects via the mapped port, but nothing shows in the LCD window. If i try to read from radio, it starts to read, but times out. A connection problem, or something else?

I am going to play around with the audio as you suggested in option 2 in your last post....

-- Kevin

 

[DonS]

Ok, so I have set up to replicate "option 1." It connects via the mapped port, but nothing shows in the LCD window. If i try to read from radio, it starts to read, but times out. A connection problem, or something else?

I am going to play around with the audio as you suggested in option 2 in your last post....

If "option 1" refers to running Win500 on the "Remote Desktop client" machine, where the scanner is physically connected to the "server" and you're mapping the server's COM port to a COM port on the client... that was a hassle to set up. I think I had to do something on the server (a 'net use' command comes to mind), but I don't remember exactly what it was.

 

[kevins669]

If "option 1" refers to running Win500 on the "Remote Desktop client" machine, where the scanner is physically connected to the "server" and you're mapping the server's COM port to a COM port on the client... that was a hassle to set up. I think I had to do something on the server (a 'net use' command comes to mind), but I don't remember exactly what it was.

Ok... I will play around with that later. Finally no freezing or rain here, so I am off to wash the truck.

Thanks!

-- Kevin

 

[DonS]

I've added handling of multiple cables to the 'experimental' version (I also bumped the version number to 1.74):
http://www.starrsoft.com/software/win500/win500_ex.zip

Since having multiple cables connected to the PC at one time always depended (function of FTDI hardware and drivers) on your changing the serial number(s) of the cable(s), Win500 now distinguishes between the cables, and allows you to choose which one to use, based on the cables' serial numbers.

The first time you run the program with multiple cables installed and try some scanner communications (download, upload, V-Scanner, Monitor/Control), you'll be prompted to select the serial number of the cable to use from a list of detected cables. You'll also have the option of "remembering" that serial number for future operations (at present, the only way to "unremember" that serial number is by closing Win500 and editing the INI file, changing the "RememberCableSN" item to "N"). In the future, I'll probably add a UI element to do this "unremembering".

 

[DonS]

I've changed the "Configuration" menu's "Find serial port" item to "Programming cables". Selecting that item will show you all of the GRE-made USB programming cables currently connected to your machine (and not already in use).

This feature is only useful if you have (or had)) multiple cables connected to the PC and told Win500 to "remember" a particular selected serial number. This feature lets you change the remembered serial number and/or clear the "remember" option (so you'll be prompted each time).

Version number is still 1.74. EXE file time stamp is now 15:02 PST.

 

[DonS]

OK, I think I have the last couple of bugs ironed out. The current version is 1.74 with an EXE time stamp of 15:54 PST.

If I don't hear that this "doesn't work", it will become the "main release version" sometime tomorrow (25 Jan 2009).

 

[DonS]

Well, I'm confident enough with my multi-machine testing that it works.

It's now the "official released" version 1.74, at the main Win500 web site

 

[kevins669]

Well, I'm confident enough with my multi-machine testing that it works.

It's now the "official released" version 1.74, at the main Win500 web site

I'll go try out the new release, but the previous one worked fine on XP Pro, XP MCE, Server 2003, and Vista Ult x64.

Great job, Don. You and the other s/w authors here always exceed expectations.

... Now that you got a WM5 version working, try making an app to run on my regular Sprint phone

-- Kevin

 

[kevins669]

So I guess using the new version effectively eliminates the ability to connect to the remote pc with the cable and radio, using Win500 on the remote pc (as discussed in the earlier post?)

If so, I will hang on to 1.73 for a while...

Also, when there is a cable error, the new version brings up two error dialog boxes - I think it should only be the second one...

-- Kevin

 

[fmon]

I opened the winzip and found 1.74 with a date of 1/22/09. Still has Find PSR... in configuration menu. The ini is the same also. Did get a new date for dll file.

 

[DonS]

I opened the winzip and found 1.74 with a date of 1/22/09. Still has Find PSR... in configuration menu. The ini is the same also. Did get a new date for dll file.

The EXE in the current Win500.ZIP file (http://www.starrsoft.com/software/win500/win500.zip) is version 1.74, with a date/time stamp of 24 Jan 2009 18:26 PST. It doesn't have the "Serial Port..." or "Find PSR-500/600..." items in the Configuration menu.

 

[DonS]

So I guess using the new version effectively eliminates the ability to connect to the remote pc with the cable and radio, using Win500 on the remote pc (as discussed in the earlier post?)

If this refers to:
* PC #1 physically connected to scanner via USB cable
* PC #1 is "Remote Desktop server"
* Connecting to PC #1 from PC #2
* PC #2 is "Remote Desktop client" logged into PC #1
* Running Win500 on PC #2 via "re-mapped COM port"

then yes, the new version eliminates that option.

If, however, Win500 is running on PC #1, on the machine into which the USB/Scanner cable is plugged, then the new version of Win500 works just fine.

 

[kevins669]

If this refers to:
* PC #1 physically connected to scanner via USB cable
* PC #1 is "Remote Desktop server"
* Connecting to PC #1 from PC #2
* PC #2 is "Remote Desktop client" logged into PC #1
* Running Win500 on PC #2 via "re-mapped COM port"

then yes, the new version eliminates that option.

If, however, Win500 is running on PC #1, on the machine into which the USB/Scanner cable is plugged, then the new version of Win500 works just fine.

Ok, that is fine. I have been playing around with the com port mapping for a while, and, while cool, I will just stick to using the app in the RDC itself. Since I have to be connected via RD anyway, I might as well use it in there.

But, it was still cool.

Thanks!

-- Kevin

 

[04Z1V6]

Windows Vista

Don is it possible to make a windows side bar that would emulate the LCD. It would be like having the detached LCD as a side bar widget or if it possible can you resize the LCD in Win500.

 

[fmon]

The EXE in the current Win500.ZIP file (http://www.starrsoft.com/software/win500/win500.zip) is version 1.74, with a date/time stamp of 24 Jan 2009 18:26 PST. It doesn't have the "Serial Port..." or "Find PSR-500/600..." items in the Configuration menu.

In my previous, I downloaded the 1.74 zip from your Win500 page and it was indeed dated 1/22/09 and had the Find PSR... in the conf minu. This link does have the correct file and date. However, every check I've used with file locks the program either using download or upload to scanner or clicking the new replacement in conf menu.

This image is what I get and it stays as such until I finally cancel the operation. Then the program locks, requiring rebooting of PC.

Edit: Using XP SP3

 

[smason]

Another Remote Desktop -ism. The audio devices are re-mapped to the local machine and Win500 running on the server can no longer "see" the audio inputs on that server machine. I run into this all the time: I am often connected to my primary PC via Remote Desktop. Win500 is running on that primary PC. If, for some reason, I need to stop/restart the Win500 server, I have to go upstairs to the office and do it there - I can't restart the Monitor/Control process remotely, since the audio device is no longer present (I get a "WAVEIN" error from Windows).

You can tell your RDP client to "leave sound at remote computer" to eliminate that problem.

 

[DonS]

You can tell your RDP client to "leave sound at remote computer" to eliminate that problem.

Yes, we got through that a few posts back

 

[fmon]

In my previous, I downloaded the 1.74 zip from your Win500 page and it was indeed dated 1/22/09 and had the Find PSR... in the conf minu. This link does have the correct file and date. However, every check I've used with file locks the program either using download or upload to scanner or clicking the new replacement in conf menu.

This image is what I get and it stays as such until I finally cancel the operation. Then the program locks, requiring rebooting of PC.

Edit: Using XP SP3

Don,

Win500 download is correct this AM. I Un/reinstalled FTDI drivers to solve above. However, both cables are listed as 0412 but can only use one at a time.

GRE has a note regarding changing one cable to 0413 but I'm not sure how to do this using the "tools menu". Could this be in System Tools ?

Reload 1.73 works with both cables. Edit: one cable just quit with a warning note, but the other stayed active.

 

[DonS]

Win500 download is correct this AM.

I'm guessing you had something caching "bad" files between you and the web server.

I Un/reinstalled FTDI drivers to solve above. However, both cables are listed as 0412 but can only use one at a time.

GRE has a note regarding changing one cable to 0413 but I'm not sure how to do this using the "tools menu". Could this be in System Tools ?

No, it's a tool called "MPROG" that you can download from FTDI. The instructions on the GRE web site are pretty accurate.

Reload 1.73 works with both cables. Edit: one cable just quit with a warning note, but the other stayed active.

It would never work reliably with both cables plugged in if the cables have the same serial number, unless Windows was basing its COM port assignment choices (in part) on which USB socket was used. In order to (reliably) get different COM port assignments for multiple cables plugged in at once, you have to change one of their serial numbers via the FTDI MPROG tool.

The new version of Win500 has the same requirement: in order to distinguish between the cables, they have to be "different". I could've used the "USB port number" as a criteria, but that won't follow the cable. Here, I've re-assigned all 4 of my cables to new serial numbers; each cable now has a sticker indicating its serial number. Makes it very easy for me to choose the "right" cable at any given time.

 

[fmon]

The new version of Win500 has the same requirement: in order to distinguish between the cables, they have to be "different". I could've used the "USB port number" as a criteria, but that won't follow the cable. Here, I've re-assigned all 4 of my cables to new serial numbers; each cable now has a sticker indicating its serial number. Makes it very easy for me to choose the "right" cable at any given time.

Thanks, I ran the the Mprog 3.5 program and have both scanners listed as 0412 and 0413 using Win500 1.74. Scanners download/Upload but not simultaneously nor will they run remote at same time. Though neither is a problem because most of my use is up/download.

I noted when plugging second cable in, the new port in Device Manager changed from 10 to 12.