Detailed Contents
Preface
1 Microsoft Language Utilities
2 Board Installation
3 Operating System Setup
4 Installing Software
5 Configuration Utility
6 Setting up the Video Tape Recorder
7 Other Software
8 Other Hardware
The DigImage software is designed to act both as a stand-alone "shrink wrapped" system and as a development platform for more specialised or customised image processing. To achieve these ends, the installation disks contain both complete executables for the system and an extensive set of Fortran linkable object files and libraries. Complete documentation is provided for both these aspects of DigImage. Refer to the System Overview and Development System documentation for details.
With versions of DigImage prior to version 1.5 the system was supplied as object files which were then linked together during installation. The rationale for this was to enable the full range of supported video recorders to be used and reduce the number and size of the installation disks. The draw back was that it was essential that the user had already installed the LINK.EXE utility supplied with Microsoft Fortan, MASM and other high-level languages. Typically the user would have Microsoft Fortran version 5.0 or 5.1 installed which they would subsequently use in any software development.
The situation has changed to allow the main DigImage executables to use the more advanced dynamic overlay facilities available with later versions of LINK.EXE. As many users may not have a copy of this later LINK.EXE, DigImage is pre-linked and supplied as executable code in addition to the object and library files. For user-developed code, support is provided for both the old Static Overlays and the newer Dynamic Overlays with the installation procedure automatically detecting whether the installed LINK.EXE supports Dynamic Overlays. A secondary benefit of this change is that the system may now be installed even if there is no LINK.EXE present. There are thus three possible states of the system prior to installation of DigImage. These are summarised below. In each case the installation procedure is the same and is detailed in the remainder of this guide.
If there is no LINK.EXE installed on the computer, or it can not be located on the MS-DOS PATH then the system will be loaded from the installation disks, using the supplied executables. The object and library files will also be installed, but will be of little value in the absence of MicroSoft Fortran and LINK.EXE. The system will be set up as though an older style LINK.EXE were being used.
The supplied executable files provide support for the Panasonic AG-7350 SVHS VTR only. If you are using the earlier AG-7330 or the JVC BRS-822 machines, then please contact DL Research Partners for appropriate executable files.
The LINK.EXE utility supplied with MicroSoft Fortran versions 5.0 and 5.1 and MASM versions 5.0 and 6.0 support only the older style Static Overlays. If DigImage detects one of these older LINK.EXE utilities then the installation procedure will set up the system for use with this form of LINK.EXE. The executables, however, will be copied from the installation disks so that the newer Dynamic Overlay technology is used in the core modules.
The supplied executable files provide support for the Panasonic AG-7350 SVHS VTR only. If you are using the earlier AG-7330 or the JVC BRS-822 machines, then please contact DL Research Partners for appropriate executable files. In the mean time the installation procedure will link the system using the older style Static Overlays.
The Link.EXE utility supplied with the more recent MicroSoft high level languages such as C version 7.0, Visual C++ version 1.5 and MASM version 6.1 supports Dynamic Overlays. This newer technology offers significant speed improvements over the Static Overlays provided with the earlier languages and allows DigImage to run in less memory than previously possible. You may determine whether or not you have one of these newer copies of LINK.EXE by typing
LINK /?
If the response from LINK.EXE includes the /DYNAMIC switch in the list then it provides support for Dynamic Overlays. This is the method DigImage uses to determine the type of LINK.EXE installed. Note that if there is more than one copy of LINK.EXE installed then DigImage will use the first one located. Thus it is important to ensure that this is the one you wish to use.
The object library files will be configured automatically for use with the newer Dynamic Overlays.
As with the other two options, the installation procedure will installed the distributed executables for the Panasonic AG-7350 SVHS VTR. If the installation procedure detects one of the other supported videos, then it will automatically link the correct control routines using Dynamic Overlays. There is thus no need to request updated executables.
If you change to a different version of LINK.EXE, then simply run DIGILINK.BAT from the DigImage directory after installing the new utility. The system will then reconfigure itself so that future DigiMake operations use the newer Dynamic Overlays. To forcibly relink the core modules, type
DIGILINK FORCE
in the DigImage directory.
DigImage documentation page
DigImage home page
Stuart Dalziel's home page