Measurement Computing TempBook rev.3.0 - Manual (Page 31)

TempBook User’s Manual Programmer's Guide 5-3
Driver Options
The install disks include several “drivers” to accommodate various programming environments. This
section is intended to help you decide which API and programming language to use in developing your
application.
TempBook applications can be written to either the Standard TempBook API or to the Enhanced Daq* API.
Standard API functions have the tbk… prefix. The Enhanced API is a new format which can be
generically used with the TempBook, WaveBook, DaqBook, DaqBoard, and Daq PC-Card product lines.
Enhanced API functions share the daq… prefix. Generally,
•
If starting with an existing TempBook Application written to Windows 3.1, the quickest port is to use
or re-write code to the Standard API.
•
If writing a new application, it is best to write code to the Enhanced API due to its improved
performance and enhanced feature set (see following).
Standard API (tbk…)
The standard API was originally written for the TempBook’s Windows 3.1 driver. However, it can be used
under Windows 95 in 16-bit mode. The standard API is the only API option available for Windows 3.1 or
DOS applications. Use the Standard API:
•
When developing a new or existing DOS application
•
When developing a new or existing Windows 3.1 application
Enhanced API (daq…)
The Enhanced API for 32-bit systems has several features that are not present in the standard API:
•
Multi-device - can concurrently handle up to 4 devices (including WaveBooks, Daq* products, and/or
TempBooks)
•
Larger buffer - can handle up to 2 billion samples at a time
•
Enhanced acquisition and trigger modes
•
Direct-to-disk capabilities
•
Wait-on-event features
•
Uses multi-tasking advantages of Windows 95/NT
Because of these new features and other improvements, we recommend you use the Enhanced API
whenever feasible. Use the Enhanced API:
•
When developing new or existing Windows 95 applications
•
When developing new or existing Windows NT applications
•
When porting an existing Standard API application to 32-bit mode to take advantage of the Enhanced
API features
Language Support
The following table shows language support for the standard and enhanced API drivers.
Standard API (16-bit) Supported Languages Enhanced API (or 32-bit Standard) Supported Languages
C/C++
Microsoft Visual C++
Borland C++ (v4.0 and greater) C/C++
Microsoft Visual C++ (v2.2 and greater)
Borland C++ (v4.0 and greater)
BASIC
Microsoft Visual Basic (v4.0 and previous)
QuickBASIC BASIC
Microsoft Visual Basic (v4.0 and greater)
Pascal
Turbo Pascal Delphi
Borland Delphi (v2.0)