With other equipment
If you wish to connect the software to electronic equipment (sounder,
navigation computer, automatic pilot, etc.), it is necessary to configure the
input/output driver so that it recognizes the data connected.
The computer is fitted with a RS 232 type port used for data acquisition: this
is the Com 1 port on PC computer, or the Modem port on Macintosh.
It is moreover possible to install an internal PCI board, or a PCMCIA board which make available Com 1... up to Com 8 on PC computer, or Port 1... up to Port 8 on Macintosh.
Firstly, physically connect the different equipment using the appropriate
leads to the input/output ports (see paragraph below Cable diagram).
When MaxSea is installed (see previous paragraph Installation), the installation software copies the SeaDriver software into the system file (communication driver with the inputs/outputs).
SeaDriver indicates to MaxSea what type of equipment is connected, what format it uses
and what data it uses.
Using SeaDriver, the user can configure the input/outputs, check data acquired and if need be
modify the geodesy used by the positioner.
When MaxSea is run, SeaDriver is automatically opened. SeaDriver can however be used alone to configure or check the inputs and outputs.
Running SeaDriver under Windows
The SeaDriver software is in the Accessories folder from the Program folder of the Start menu.
Select SeaDriver software icon to run it.
Running SeaDriver under MacOS
The SeaDriver software is in the System folder.
Launch the SeaDriver software from the desktop by double-clicking its icon.
Connecting electronic equipment
Caution! Under Macintosh, if you use an external SCSI unit for the additional
input/output ports (and not the internal PCI board), select SCSI External unit from the SeaDriver menu. If you are using an internal PCI board, check that the function is not activated (a mark is displayed before the item when it is active).
Select Input/Output configurations from the SeaDriver menu.
The displayed dialog box can be used to:
ð indicate the ports used by the devices connected to the computer,
ð indicate the standard used for each connected port (NMEA, CIF, etc.),
ð change the title of the displays associated to each one of the input/output
ports.
Note: if you wish to connect an automatic pilot, see paragraph below.
Imagine that you have connected a navigation computer in NMEA 183 format on
the modem port of the computer and that you wish to acquire this information
(position, heading and speed over ground, force and direction of the wind, etc.).
ð Selecting the input/output port
In this example select the modem port by clicking the Modem box, a pop-up menu appears (selected by default from the NMEA 183 standard).
If the connected equipment uses a format different from NMEA 183, click the
pop-up menu to call it up and choose the standard used on this input/output port.
If you wish you can change the title associated to this input/output port. To
do this modify the corresponding text zone and give it, for example, the title GPS (6 characters maximum).
-------------->
ð Selecting data
To select data available on the port chosen, click Data in the dialog box. A new dialog box appears with the title POSITION.
Select, in this example, the Modem box to indicate the position is sent to this port by the connected equipment
and that you wish to acquire this information, a pop-up menu appears on the
same line.
Call up this pop-up menu to select the position chain sent by the connected
equipment (for example, for the position: $ -- GLL ... <CR> <LF>).
Note: refer to the relevant technical documentation to obtain all the information
concerning standards and chains used by the different equipment that you wish to
connect.
Note: you can indicate a correction for each datum received from the connected
equipment.
Then, to select the other data entering this port, click Next>>, and proceed as above.
Note that the dialog box has changed title (POSITION has been replaced by SURFACE SPEED).
This information does not concern us, click Next>> again. The title of the dialog box then displays BOTTOM HEADING. As before, select the Modem box, then choose from the bottom heading chain from the corresponding pop-up
menu (for example $ -- VTG ... <CR> <LF>).
By clicking Next>>, you can review in a similar manner all data available, and select as above
that which is of interest to you.
Finally, click OK in order to confirm the configuration chosen.