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LookoutDirect FAQs
FAQ0001
13-Jan-2003
Q: PC has no NICs, the launch server is locking up.
A: Disable all COMs and Ethernet in ds400.ini file to figure out what is conflicting.
FAQ0002
20-Feb-2003
Q: During installation get "Error 1327: Invalid Drive F:"
A: This error comes from the Windows Installer that National Instruments is
using. The description of the fix for this is on the NI website:
http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/3efedde4322fef19862567740067f3cc/1ebd94e840af860986256af10074854c?OpenDocument
FAQ0003
26-Feb-2003
Q: Will Lookout with Direct Logic Plus work on Win95?
A: Lookout Direct Plus was not designed to work on Win95. If you get it to work
that is good, but if it doesn't work, there is not much help we can offer.
FAQ0004
26-Feb-2003
Q: Having trouble getting Ethernet link to work in Lookout with Direct Logic Plus.
A: Here are some common errors and their solutions:
- "Transport protocol error"
- This means you are using Ethernet as a link and it timed out.
- Make sure you have only one NIC.
- If you have 2 NICs, make sure one has IPX only, and the other has TCP/IP only.
- Disable the WAN network driver: (1) Start --> Control Panel; (2)
Double-click Network icon; (3) Usually has 2 things listed: Local area
connection & Local area connection2; (4) Will see Device Names like:
Intel 8255x x-based Ethernet Adapter & WAN network driver; (5)
Right-click on "WAN network driver" and disable it.
- Locks up and/or gives you "CSMAIN.EXE error"
- This means that the CommServer has accessed a resource on your PC that has a conflict or doesn't exist.
- Try disabling all resources in the ds400.ini file.
- If using Build 16 or earlier, you may need to:
(1) Upgrade to later version; (2) Make sure IPX protocol is loaded for the NIC you are using.
- "Error opening connection to Ethernet device"
- This is usually caused by having 2 NICs. Make sure that one has IPX only,
and the other has TCP/IP only.
FAQ0005
09-Oct-2003
Q: Can't get my Lookout Direct project to talk to a newer CPU (e.g.
DL06, DL260).
A: Normally, to get Lookout Direct to talk to the newer CPUs you must have the
v4.0 CommServer. However, there are ways around this as you will see below:
- Upgrade to Lookout Direct v4.5.1 and import your old project. If
you were using a Lookout Direct v3.8 project this requires some extra work and
there are a few "gotchas." Automation Direct Technical help line should be
able to advise you.
- If you have Lookout Direct v3.8 or earlier, it uses the older v3.0
CommServer.
- To get this older v3.0 CommServer to talk to a newer CPU (e.g. DL06); when
you create the link, pick something similar like a DL250 instead. Then when
Lookout Direct complains about it, just ignore it. This, however, limits you
to a DL250 memory map for the DL06. But in most cases this is not a big issue.
- If you have Lookout Direct v4.5, it uses the older v3.0 CommServer.
- To get this version to talk to the newer CPUs, then download the Lookout
Direct Service Pack from our website, but instead of using the Service Pack
keycode, use your original Lookout Direct v4.5 keycode to install. This will
update the v3.0 CommServer to v4.0 CommServer.
FAQ0006 (see also DL Plus FAQ0003; DirectSOFT FAQ0135)
15-Oct-2002
Q: My DL Plus and Lookout Direct do not support the DL06, DL250-1 nor the DL260
CPUs. If, however, I install DirectSOFT v4.0 (which supports these CPUs) will my
DL Plus and Lookout Direct now be able to talk to them?
A: Here are the general "rules:"
- If your Lookout Direct/DL Plus came only with v3.x of DSCOMM.CBX then they
would use only the v3.x CommServer which does not support the DL06, DL250-1
nor DL260 CPUs. By default the DSCOMM.CBX file is stored in
c:\DirectSOFT32\bin folder.
- If your Lookout Direct/DL Plus came only with v4.x of DSCOMM4.CBX then
they would use only the v4.x CommServer which supports the DL06, DL250-1 and
DL260 CPUs. By default the DSCOMM4.CBX file is stored in
c:\DirectSOFT4\bin folder.
However:
- If you start up DirectSOFT v4.0 (which loads the v4.x CommServer), and
then Lookout Direct v3.8 is started (which wants to use v3.x CommServer), then
Lookout Direct will talk to the DL06, DL250-1 and DL260 by using the
already-loaded v4.x CommServer. In other words, it will not try to load its
preferred v3.x CommServer because it "knows" a CommServer is already loaded.
- If, however, you start up Lookout Direct v3.8 first (which loads the v3.x
CommServer), then it will not talk to the DL06, DL250-1 nor DL260 because the
v3.x CommServer gets loaded first.
FAQ0007 (see also DL Plus FAQ0004)
04-Dec-2007
Q: The DL Plus drivers will not show up; or gettting "CBX file missing."
A: A .CBX file is a driver for Lookout. DL Plus installs one called DSCOMM.CBX
or DSCOMM4.CBX. Try this:
- Close Lookout.
- Search for and delete the LOOKOUT.DAT file. This file contains a list of
all .CBX drivers for Lookout. But if Lookout starts without this file, then it
goes out looking for all the .CBX files and then rebuilds the LOOKOUT.DAT
file.
- Restart Lookout.
FAQ0008
03-Apr-2003
Q: When starting up Lookout I get a "Lookout.EXE" crash.
A: Host Engineering provides the drivers that allow the Lookout software to talk
to the Direct Logic PLCs via what we call a CommServer. Therefore if Lookout is
crashing due to our portion of the software it is easy to prove.
- Using the Windows Explorer, browse to the Lookout folder and double-click
on the CSMAIN.EXE file.
- If it starts up without crashing, then the problem is not with our software.
Therefore you will have to contact either Automation Direct or National
Instruments for help.
- If it crashes or gets an error, note the error and then refer to
DirectSOFT
FAQ0013 for possible solutions.
FAQ0009 (see also DL Plus FAQ0005)
15-Jul-2003
Q: When DL Plus installs, what changes/additions does it make to NI Lookout?
A: DL Plus adds the following:
(1) CommServer - This adds the ability to communicate with DL PLCs.
(2) ElementServer - This adds the ability to understand the element types
of the DL PLCs.
(3) DSCOMM*.CBX driver objects.
(4) METER*.CBX objects.
(5) Some additional Industrial Graphics
FAQ0010
20-Sep-2005
Q: When installing Lookout Direct, what is the password?
A: When the install procedure asks for the password, it really wants your
Product Key.
FAQ0011 (see also DL Plus FAQ0006)
16-Jan-2006
Q: Will DL Plus work in NI Lookout v6.0?
A: DL Plus was written as a driver for NI Lookout v4.5, so this is unknown.
National Instruments may be able to tell you for sure. But we have had customers
upgrade their NI Lookout to v6.02 and this seems to fix problems with DL Plus
driver.
FAQ0012 (see also DL Plus FAQ0007)
23-Jan-2006
Q: Will the newer USB key that comes with Lookout Direct work the same as the
older parallel-port hardware key?
A: Yes. The older parallel-port hardware keys are being phased-out in favor of
the newer USB keys, and the newer keys are functionally equivalent to the old
parallel-port ones.
FAQ0013 (see also DL-Plus FAQ0008; DirectSOFT FAQ0220)
02-Nov-2007
Q: Trying to run LookoutDirect, DirectSOFT and DL-Plus, and getting "Hostxx.DLL
could not be found" error.
A: This is probably due to incompatible CommServer (Csmain.EXE) versions and
Hostxx.DLL versions. The Hostxx.DLL is our extension of Microsoft Foundation
Class Library (MFCxx.DLL) and is used by most of our software products.
Hostxx.DLL is located in the DirectSOFTxx\Bin folder and is shared by DirectSOFT
programming, LookoutDirect and DL-Plus.
- These use Host42.DLL (ship with Csmain.EXE v4.x)
- DirectSOFT v4.x
- LookoutDirect v4.x
- DL-Plus v4.x
- These use Host71.DLL (ship with Csmain.EXE v5.0)
- DirectSOFT v5.0
- These use Host71a.DLL (ship with Csmain.EXE v5.1+)
- DirectSOFT v5.1 and later
- LookoutDirect v5.x
- DL-Plus v5.x
When any of the above applications are started, they load their
version of the CommServer (Csmain.EXE). If another of the above applications is
then started, it does not reload its version of the
CommServer, but tries to use the one already running. This could result in
incompatibilities if caution is not taken as to the order in which the
applications are started up. In other words, if you run an app that uses an
earlier version of Csmain.EXE, and then load one that uses a later version of
Csmain.EXE, the latter app may try to use more advanced functions that the
former Csmain.EXE cannot perform.
Thus if you are going to run multiple versions, you should run the latest one
first.
Furthermore, the latest versions of DL-Plus and LookoutDirect can be
downloaded from our website and you can use your older v4.x keycode to install
them.
FAQ0014 (see also
ECOM FAQ0042; DirectSOFT FAQ0048; DL Plus FAQ0009; DNLoader FAQ0010; DSData
FAQ0005; EZ Ethernet FAQ0008; HA-TADP FAQ0002; NetEdit FAQ0005; SDK FAQ0020)
31-Jan-2008
Q: Why doesn't the ECOM use subnet mask or gateway address like the ECOM100?
A: Since the ECOM doesn't do "master"-type communications, it doesn't use
the subnet mask or gateway address. Whatever talks to the ECOM will be using IPX
or UDP/IP, and the ECOM simply swaps the destination and source addresses in the
telegram and responds in this way, not "caring" about the subnet or gateway.
However, the ECOM100 acts more like a conventional TCP/IP device. The ECOM100
has the capability to be a master and has a full-blown TCP stack inside. Thus,
if it is to transmit to an IP address not on its subnet, it will, of course,
transmit to its configured gateway address instead.
DL Plus FAQs
FAQ0001 (see also EBC FAQ0008)
14-Jan-2003
Q: Can DL Plus software talk directly to EBCs?
A: DL Plus only allows Lookout to talk directly to ECOMs. However, since Lookout has an OPC Client, it could talk directly to KEPDirect EBC I/O Server software which talks directly to
EBCs.
FAQ0002 (see also DirectSOFT FAQ0134)
15-Oct-2002
Q: DL Plus v3.0 installed on PC; loaded DirectSOFT v4.0. Now when clicking on DL
Plus object to add it, then Lookout (NI v3) crashes.
A: Cannot run DirectSOFT v4.0 and DL Plus v3.0 simultaneously. They use two
different CommServers and this will cause a conflict.
FAQ0003 (see also Lookout Direct FAQ0006; DirectSOFT FAQ0135)
15-Oct-2002
Q: My DL Plus and Lookout Direct do not support the DL06, DL250-1 nor the DL260
CPUs. If, however, I install DirectSOFT v4.0 (which supports these CPUs) will my
DL Plus and Lookout Direct now be able to talk to them?
A: Here are the general "rules:"
- If your Lookout Direct/DL Plus came only with v3.x of DSCOMM.CBX then they
would use only the v3.x CommServer which does not support the DL06, DL250-1
nor DL260 CPUs. By default the DSCOMM.CBX file is stored in
c:\DirectSOFT32\bin folder.
- If your Lookout Direct/DL Plus came only with v4.x of DSCOMM4.CBX then
they would use only the v4.x CommServer which supports the DL06, DL250-1 and
DL260 CPUs. By default the DSCOMM4.CBX file is stored in
c:\DirectSOFT4\bin folder.
However:
- If you start up DirectSOFT v4.0 (which loads the v4.x CommServer), and
then Lookout Direct v3.8 is started (which wants to use v3.x CommServer), then
Lookout Direct will talk to the DL06, DL250-1 and DL260 by using the
already-loaded v4.x CommServer. In other words, it will not try to load its
preferred v3.x CommServer because it "knows" a CommServer is already loaded.
- If, however, you start up Lookout Direct v3.8 first (which loads the v3.x
CommServer), then it will not talk to the DL06, DL250-1 nor DL260 because the
v3.x CommServer gets loaded first.
FAQ0004 (see also Lookout Direct FAQ0007)
04-Dec-2007
Q: The DL Plus drivers will not show up; or gettting "CBX file missing."
A: A .CBX file is a driver for Lookout. DL Plus installs one called DSCOMM.CBX
or DSCOMM4.CBX. Try this:
- Close Lookout.
- Search for and delete the LOOKOUT.DAT file. This file contains a list of
all .CBX drivers for Lookout. But if Lookout starts without this file, then it
goes out looking for all the .CBX files and then rebuilds the LOOKOUT.DAT
file.
- Restart Lookout.
FAQ0005 (see also Lookout Direct FAQ0009)
15-Jul-2003
Q: When DL Plus installs, what changes/additions does it make to NI Lookout?
A: DL Plus adds the following:
(1) CommServer - This adds the ability to communicate with DL PLCs.
(2) ElementServer - This adds the ability to understand the element types
of the DL PLCs.
(3) DSCOMM*.CBX driver objects.
(4) METER*.CBX objects.
(5) Some additional Industrial Graphics
FAQ0006 (see also Lookout Direct FAQ0011)
16-Jan-2006
Q: Will DL Plus work in NI Lookout v6.0?
A: DL Plus was written as a driver for NI Lookout v4.5, so this is unknown.
National Instruments may be able to tell you for sure. But we have had customers
upgrade their NI Lookout to v6.02 and this seems to fix problems with DL Plus
driver.
FAQ0007 (see also Lookout Direct FAQ0012)
23-Jan-2006
Q: Will the newer USB key that comes with Lookout Direct work the same as the
older parallel-port hardware key?
A: Yes. The older parallel-port hardware keys are being phased-out in favor of
the newer USB keys, and the newer keys are functionally equivalent to the old
parallel-port ones.
FAQ0008 (see also Lookout Direct FAQ0013; DirectSOFT
FAQ0220)
02-Nov-2007
Q: Trying to run LookoutDirect, DirectSOFT and DL-Plus, and getting "Hostxx.DLL
could not be found" error.
A: This is probably due to incompatible CommServer (Csmain.EXE) versions and
Hostxx.DLL versions. The Hostxx.DLL is our extension of Microsoft Foundation
Class Library (MFCxx.DLL) and is used by most of our software products.
Hostxx.DLL is located in the DirectSOFTxx\Bin folder and is shared by DirectSOFT
programming, LookoutDirect and DL-Plus.
- These use Host42.DLL (ship with Csmain.EXE v4.x)
- DirectSOFT v4.x
- LookoutDirect v4.x
- DL-Plus v4.x
- These use Host71.DLL (ship with Csmain.EXE v5.0)
- DirectSOFT v5.0
- These use Host71a.DLL (ship with Csmain.EXE v5.1+)
- DirectSOFT v5.1 and later
- LookoutDirect v5.x
- DL-Plus v5.x
When any of the above applications are started, they load their
version of the CommServer (Csmain.EXE). If another of the above applications is
then started, it does not reload its version of the
CommServer, but tries to use the one already running. This could result in
incompatibilities if caution is not taken as to the order in which the
applications are started up. In other words, if you run an app that uses an
earlier version of Csmain.EXE, and then load one that uses a later version of
Csmain.EXE, the latter app may try to use more advanced functions that the
former Csmain.EXE cannot perform.
Thus if you are going to run multiple versions, you should run the latest one
first.
Furthermore, the latest versions of DL-Plus and LookoutDirect can be
downloaded from our website and you can use your older v4.x keycode to install
them.
FAQ0009 (see also
ECOM FAQ0042; DirectSOFT FAQ0048; DNLoader FAQ0010; DSData FAQ0005; EZ Ethernet
FAQ0008; HA-TADP FAQ0002; Lookout Direct FAQ0014; NetEdit FAQ0005; SDK FAQ0020)
31-Jan-2008
Q: Why doesn't the ECOM use subnet mask or gateway address like the ECOM100?
A: Since the ECOM doesn't do "master"-type communications, it doesn't use
the subnet mask or gateway address. Whatever talks to the ECOM will be using IPX
or UDP/IP, and the ECOM simply swaps the destination and source addresses in the
telegram and responds in this way, not "caring" about the subnet or gateway.
However, the ECOM100 acts more like a conventional TCP/IP device. The ECOM100
has the capability to be a master and has a full-blown TCP stack inside. Thus,
if it is to transmit to an IP address not on its subnet, it will, of course,
transmit to its configured gateway address instead.
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