/******************************************************************************
*
*   LabVIEW driver for Host Automation Products line of Ethernet modules
*   --------------------------------------------------------------------
*
*   Files:      readme.txt      This text file
*               dnetudp.llb     The LabVIEW 7.0 driver library
*               dnetudpu.llb    Utility library for above driver, not meant to
*                               be called directly.
*
*   Autor:      Rolf Kalbermatter, CIT Engineering BV, Netherlands
*   Date:       May 11, 2006
*
******************************************************************************
*
*   Copyright 2006 by Rolf Kalbermatter & CIT Engineering
*   All Rights reserved
*
*   Permission is granted to anyone to use this driver library for
*   any purpose on any computer system, subject to the following
*   restrictions:
*
*   1.  This driver is provided on an "as is" basis, without warranty. You
*       indemnify, hold harmless and defend the author and CIT Engineering
*       from and against any claims or lawsuits, including attorney's, that
*       arise or result from the use or distribution of this driver, or any
*       modification thereof.
*
*   2.  You may not remove, alter or suppress this notice from any source 
*       distribution of this driver or any modification thereof.
*
******************************************************************************
*
*   Revisions: 1.0 rk - May 11, 2006
*       First basic implementation to support querying and updating memory
*       locations in Automation Direct PLC family using the ECOM interface.
*
*****************************************************************************/

1. Description
--------------

This library allows to query the local network for attached devices that
implement the Host Automation Products network protcol used by Automation
Direct (Koyo) PLCs and certain Hitachi drives. After having found such
devices you can query some basic information about the device and in the
case of Automation Direct (Koyo) PLCs read and write memory locations using
the CCMRequest protocol message.

Note: addressed broadcast (which would be for instance necessary for initially
setting up a device with an IP address) has not been tested at all since it is
assumed that a user will use the tools provided by the supplier to actually
setup his devices properly before attempting to communicate with the device
from within LabVIEW.

No other functionality of the much broader protocol has been implemented
so far, but the low level functionality is there and written in a way that
it would be a fairly simple task to add more of the protocols functionality
to the library if someone would want this. To do so, it is however advisable
to get the source code to the SDK library from Host Engineering at

   http://www.hosteng.com/Ethernet_SDK.htm

to see how the specific packets need to be formatted. This would also require
some familiarity with C in order to be able to read the SDK source code. 

For an idea on how to use this library, check out the DNET UDP VI Tree.vi in
the dnetudp.llb VI library. While not a fully functional example it should
give you an idea how to use the functions in this library correctly.


2) Installation
---------------

No special installation is necessary. It is recommended to drop the directory
dnetudp inside the ZIP archive with the two LabVIEW library files (*.llb) and
the menu file dir.mnu into the instr.lib directory inside your LabVIEW directory.
On next startup of LabVIEW you should see a new device palatte with the name
"DirectNet UDP" in your Instrument I/O->Instrument Drivers palette.


3. Supported versions and plattforms
------------------------------------

This LabVIEW VI library was created under LabVIEW 7.0 for Windows and does not
use any platform specific LabVIEW features. It is therefore expected to run on
all LabVIEW platforms version 7.0 and higher that have support for UDP
communication.
