Information on Analog I/O Driver

1. About the Analog I/O Driver
2. Selection Guide
3. Specification Comparison
4. Features of API-AIO(WDM)
5. Q & A

1. About the Analog I/O Driver

Analog I/O driver is composed of API-AIO(WDM) and API-AIO(98/PC).
API-AIO(WDM) is new driver software for executing analog I/O on Windows. It was developed by the goal of "easy to use" and "high functionality" compared with API-AIO(98/PC) that is a earlier edition.

When you use analog I/O devices, you are suggested to use API-AIO(WDM), but you should pay attention to the operation environment. API-AIO(WDM) is planed to support the new OS and devices, but not support Windows NT4.0, Windows 95, ISA bus and so on. For those environment mentioned above, please use API-AIO(98/PC).
(For details, please refer to 3. Specification Comparison)

2. Selection Guide

Here is the selection guide to help you easily choose the available driver.

3. Specification Comparison

The table shows the specification comparison of the two kinds of driver.

Specifications	API-AIO(WDM)	API-AIO(98/PC)
Support OS	<32bitOS> Microsoft Windows 7 Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Microsoft Windows Vista Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Microsoft Windows XP Professional Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Microsoft Windows Me Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition Microsoft Windows 98 <64bitOS> Microsoft Windows 7 x64 Edition Microsoft Windows Server 2008 x64 Edition Microsoft Windows Vista x64 Edition Microsoft Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition	Microsoft Windows Vista Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Microsoft Windows XP Professional Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51 Microsoft Windows Me Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition Microsoft Windows 98 Microsoft Windows 95
Support Language	Microsoft Visual Basic .NET 2002, 2003 Microsoft Visual Basic Ver5.0, 6.0, 2005(1), 2008(1) Microsoft Visual C++ .NET 2002, 2003 Microsoft Visual C++ Ver5.0, 6.0 Microsoft Visual C++ 2005(1), 2008(1) Microsoft Visual C# .NET 2002, 2003 Microsoft Visual C# 2005(1), 2008(1) Borland Delphi Ver5.0, 6.0 Borland C++ Builder Ver5.0, 6.0	Microsoft Visual Basic Ver4.0, 5.0, 6.0 Microsoft Visual C++ Ver2.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 Borland Delphi Ver4.0, 5.0, 6.0 Borland C++ Builder Ver4.0, 5.0, 6.0 Borland C++ Ver4.50, 5.0
Support Device	PCI Express Bus Board AIO-121601UE3-PE AIO-121601E3-PE AIO-161601UE3-PE AIO-161601E3-PE AIO-163202F-PE AIO-160802L-LPE AI-1616L-LPE AO-1604L-LPE AIO-160802LI-PE AI-1616LI-PE AO-1604LI-PE AI-1664LA-LPE AO-1608L-LPE AO-1616L-LPE	PCI Express Bus Board AIO-121601UE3-PE AIO-121601E3-PE AIO-161601UE3-PE AIO-161601E3-PE
	Card Bus ADA16-32/2(CB)F ADA16-8/2(CB)L	Card Bus None
	PCI Bus Board ADA16-32/2(PCI)F, ADA16-8/2(LPCI)L, ADAI16-8/2(LPCI)L AD16-64(LPCI)LA, AD16-16(LPCI)L, ADI16-16(LPCI)L DA16-16(LPCI)L, DA16-8(LPCI)L, DA16-4(LPCI)L DAI16-4(LPCI)L AI-1204Z-PCI AIO-121602AH-PCI, AIO-121602AL-PCI AI-1216AH-PCI, AI-1216AL-PCI AIO-121601M-PCI AI-1216B-RB1-PCI, AI-1216B-RU1-PCI AD12-16(PCI)E, AD12-16U(PCI)E AD12-16U(PCI)EH AD16-16(PCI)E, AD16-16U(PCI)EH AD12-16(PCI)EV, AD12-16U(PCI)EV AD16-16(PCI)EV, AD16-16U(PCI)EV ADI12-16(PCI) AD12-64(PCI), AD12-16(PCI) ADI16-4C(PCI), ADI16-4L(PCI) DA12-16(PCI), DA12-8(PCI), DA12-4(PCI) DAI16-4C(PCI)	PCI Bus Board AD12-16(PCI)E, AD12-16U(PCI)E AD12-16U(PCI)EH AD16-16(PCI)E, AD16-16U(PCI)EH AD12-16(PCI)EV, AD12-16U(PCI)EV AD16-16(PCI)EV, AD16-16U(PCI)EV ADI12-16(PCI) AD12-64(PCI), AD12-16(PCI) ADI16-4C(PCI), ADI16-4L(PCI) DA12-16(PCI), DA12-8(PCI), DA12-4(PCI) DAI16-4C(PCI)
	PC Card AD12-8(PM)(*This device does not support 64bit OS)	PC Card AD12-8(PM)
	ISA Bus Board None	ISA Bus Board AD12-16(PC)EH, AD12-16U(PC)EH, AD16-16(PC)EH, AD16-16U(PC)EH, ADI12-16(PC), AD12-16(PC), AD12-16LG(PC), AD12-8LT(PC), ADI12-8CL(PC), ADI12-8CL(PC)H, DA12-4(PC), DA12-6LC(PC), DA12-8L(PC), DAI12-4C(PC), DAI12-8C(PC)

(*1) Supports ExpressEdition

4. Features of API-AIO(WDM)

Easy-to-understanding Interface

It can be used simply and easily because of the lineup of functions classified by functionality.

Because that the list of usable devices and functions of getting the number of channels and so on are also prepared, it is easy to make common application.

Moreover, because all kinds of sampling condition have initial values, "try using first" is possible without examining all of the parameters.
For the reasons above, a lot of sampling programs are prepared corresponding to using method.

High-functionality

Analog input E-series (memory on board)
It is possible to set lots of start condition and stop condition of sampling separately on demand.
For example, sampling start and sampling stop can be controlled by using external signal.
Analog input without memory on board
Because of the implemented driver memory, the infinite sampling that uses FIFO memory can be done like analog E-series.
Furthermore, analog trigger (level trigger) can also be used.
PC card (AD12-8(PM))
The number of data in the card memory can be read.
All the analog input
Event occurring at each sampling of specified times
For example, it is possible to make the event occur at every 1000 samplings. Therefore, displaying the current data in graph during the sampling is able to describe the analog input briefly.

Sampling start event
Besides sampling stop event, start event has been added.
For example, if the sampling start condition is set to external signal, it is easy to know when the sampling starts.
Concealing difference between hardware functionality

The difference between hardware is concealed in the driver as possible.
For example, if driver memory is installed in the board without On-Board memory, the functionality corresponding to analog E-series can be realized.
Because API is classified by functionality and not by boards, the correction because of the change of boards is little.

The function interface is common to API of USB device.

Easy to install and set up the driver

After a device is searched out, follow the wizard direction to install the driver.
After installation, you should just make a decision of the device name in property page of device manager.

5. Q & A

Is API-AIO(WDM) compatible with API-AIO(98/PC)?
Will API-AIO(98/PC) not be sold in the future?
Can API-AIO(98/PC) be changed to API-AIO(WDM) if it is being used at present?
Can the two kinds of driver be used at the same time?
What is the advantage in changing API-AIO(98/PC) to API-AIO(WDM)?

Q. Is API-AIO(WDM) compatible with API-AIO(98/PC)?

A. Both API-AIO(WDM) driver and API-AIO(98/PC) driver are not compatible each other.
In API-AIO(98/PC), the using function and functionality are different for the board with/without memory. In API-AIO(WDM), these differences are absorbed and API-AIO(WDM) is developed with the object of same interfaces, so API-AIO(WDM) is not compatible with API-AIO(98/PC).

Please keep on using API-AIO(98/PC) if you still use existing system.
It is suggested to use API-AIO(WDM) in which case such as developing new system and investigating the change of using board.

Q. Will API-AIO(98/PC) not be sold in the future?

A. It will be kept on selling in the future.
Please keep on using API-AIO(98/PC) if you still use existing system.

Q. Can API-AIO(98/PC) be changed to API-AIO(WDM) if it is being used at present?

A. Yes. Uninstall the present driver and install the new driver.

Q. Can API-AIO(WDM) and API-AIO(98/PC) be used at the same time?

A. No. Two kinds of driver can not be used to one board.
For example, if API-AIO(98/PC) is being used, you cannot use API-AIO(WDM) for programming to implement the specific functionality.

Q. What is the advantage in changing API-AIO(98/PC) to API-AIO(WDM)?

A.
Interface not depending on devices
In API-AIO(98/PC), the using functions depend upon whether the board carries memory or not.
The usage of interface doesn't vary with the devices, because API-AIO(WDM) supplies the functions that are classified by each functionality.
For example, when the system that uses PCI bus board on desktop is switched to note PC and PC card, the program only need to do minimal modification.
In the case of developing system using various devices, it is suggested that you use API-AIO(WDM) by all means.
For using analog input E-series
It is the fact that sampling start condition and stop condition can be set separately.
For example, sampling start and stop can be controlled by external signal.
For using type without memory
The long time consecutive sampling that uses the FIFO memory can be done, because the Driver Memory is carried that can be operated as same as On-Board Memory.
Driver not depending on OS
API-AIO(98/PC) uses the respective different drivers in OS of Windows 9X/Windows NT.
Because API-AIO(WDM) is the device driver in WDM (Windows Driver Model), it is the common driver in Windows Me/98, Windows 2000/XP/Vista.
When the created applications are distributed, you don't need to separately distribute driver for NT, 9X.

1. About the Analog I/O Driver

2. Selection Guide

3. Specification Comparison

4. Features of API-AIO(WDM)

Easy-to-understanding Interface

High-functionality

Concealing difference between hardware functionality

Easy to install and set up the driver

5. Q & A