Instruction Manual Unitrain-i

UniTrain-I System

Instruction manual

UniTrain-I System SO4203-2A Interface SO4203-2B Experimenter 3rd Edition

www.lucas-nuelle.com

www.unitrain-i.com

LUCAS-NÜLLE GmbH • Siemensstraße 2 • D-50170 Kerpen

UniTrain-I System

Contents

Preface .............................................................................................................................................. 1 Name and Address of manufacturer .................................................................................................. 1 Legal information ............................................................................................................................... 1 Liability limitations .............................................................................................................................. 1 Copyright/authorisation ...................................................................................................................... 1 1. Correct usage ................................................................................................................................ 2 2. Safety instructions ......................................................................................................................... 2 3. Overview ........................................................................................................................................ 3 4. Initial installation of software .......................................................................................................... 4 5. Handling ......................................................................................................................................... 5 6. Interface control elements and connections .................................................................................. 7 7. Experimenter control elements and connections ......................................................................... 11 8. Technical data ............................................................................................................................. 13 9. Manufacturer's note ..................................................................................................................... 15

UniTrain-I System

Preface This instruction manual is written to be read, understood and complied with in every respect by persons intending to use the training system. It contains basic tips and instructions to be observed during assembly, operation, maintenance, disassembly and disposal involving the training system. For that reason, this manual must be read through carefully before assembly by any teaching staff, students or other users. Only the information in this manual can prevent errors and ensure faultless operation. Name and Address of manufacturer Manufacturer and servicing address

LUCAS-NÜLLE GmbH Siemensstr. 2 D-50170 Kerpen Tel.: +49 (0) 22 73 5 67-0 Fax: +49 (0) 22 73 5 67-30 www.lucas-nuelle.com www.unitrain-i.com

Legal information Liability limitations LUCAS-NÜLLE GmbH accepts no liability for any damage occurring due to the following:       

Inappropriate or incompetent use Irresponsible or incorrect assembly and/or commissioning by operators or third parties Subsequent modifications by operators or third parties Natural wear and tear Negligent or incorrect handling, servicing or maintenance Actions not in keeping with the instruction manual Use of inappropriate materials

Copyright/authorisation This instruction manual is authorised for the use of teaching staff and students. The instruction manual contains specifications and drawings of a technical nature. These may not be reproduced distributed, utilised without permission for competitive advantage or passed on to others either in part or in full. The making of copies, including extracts, is expressly permitted to users of the training system, but only for internal use in connection with the operation of the equipment.

1

UniTrain-I System

1. Correct usage The UniTrain-I system is a computer-based training and experimentation system for vocational and further training and education in the areas of basic and advanced electrical engineering and electronics. Its multimedia courses combine cognitive and hands-on (haptic) training units into a comprehensive unified concept, specifically enabling students to acquire skills in the handling of equipment. Starting with basic courses and advancing to cover a huge variety of electrical engineering and electronics topics, a wide range of multimedia courses is available for study in school or in professional and advanced training courses. With the fixed voltages, the adjustable AC and DC voltages, the variable three-phase system along with countless virtual instruments, all the power resources and measuring equipment needed to perform experiments are available. These short circuit-proof sources use safe extra-low voltage and therefore provide the electronics novice with a secure learning and experimenting environment. All devices are intended for indoor use only.

2. Safety instructions

Interface and Experimenter are designed in accordance with Protection Class III and are intended exclusively for low-voltage operation: •

Only use the included power supply unit SO4203-2A and, where appropriate, the extended power supply unit SO4203-2D. Other power supply units are potentially hazardous and may cause destruction of the Interface.

•

Opening power supply units is life threatening

•

Defective or damaged power supply units should immediately be disconnected from the mains and sent away for repair

•

Never supply the devices with voltages other than those from the power supply units SO4203-2A or SO4203-2D.

•

Never measure voltages in excess of 25V RMS or 60V DC at the analog inputs

•

Observe the limiting values of all inputs and outputs

•

Make sure that the Interface and Experimenters are placed on a firm, level surface (e.g. a table) when connecting them together. Ensure that the Interface and Experimenters are not tilted when they are joined together to avoid bending the pins of the 96-pin terminal strip.

•

When extracting experiment cards from the Experimenter, grip the cards underneath on the left-hand side only to avoid trapping fingers on the IrDa interface housing.

2

UniTrain-I System

3. Overview The UniTrain-I Interface is the central unit of the UniTrain-I system and provides the inputs, outputs, relays and measuring equipment necessary for experiments. It contains its own microprocessor and a memory chip for measured data. The USB interface is for connecting the experimenting hardware to the computer and transferring measured data to the computer and adjustment data to the interface. It is also possible to update the firmware (interface operating system) at any time via the USB port. Operation and adjustment of the hardware and real-time measurements in actual experiments are performed using virtual instruments (VI) displayed on a computer monitor. The "virtual" controls on realistic laboratory equipment make it possible to implement "classic" laboratory procedures. The virtual instruments (VIs) are provided with the VI-starter package or the optional LabSoft software. The LabSoft software is included with the courses that accompany the experiment cards. It augments the system, making it into a powerful experimenting platform for autonomous or guided experiments. UniTrain-I Interface is designed for connection to one or more UniTrain-I Experimenters. The UniTrain-I Experimenters supply more fixed or variable experiment voltages and contain an infrared interface. The UniTrainI Interface, the UniTrain-I Experimenters and the experiment cards are connected to each other via a bus (96-pin connector). The Experimenters serve three different functions •

A holder for Eurocard-sized experiment cards. Unitrain courses are available with experiment cards for a variety of different experiments, from Ohm's law, electrical engineering/electronics and digital technology to power electronics, automatic control technology and communications engineering using the Eurocard format.

•

Breadboard experiment system (with an optional supplement: SO4203-2C); an infinite number of different experiments on all topics of electrical engineering and electronics is possible with wired components and ICs.

•

Docking station for multimeters (e.g.: MetraHit One Plus or LN Multi 13S) for communication between the real and virtual multimeter.

Includes UniTrain-I Interface SO4203-2A UniTrain-I Experimenter

UniTrain-I Interface, standard power supply unit, mains cable, USB cable, CD-ROM with the basic virtual instruments and VI starter UniTrain-I Experimenter

SO4203-2B

3

UniTrain-I System

4. Initial installation of software The CD included with the Interface contains the basic VIs (virtual instruments) with which most measurements and experiments can be performed. The VI Starter program is also available for launching the instruments separately.

Requirements To use the software you need: •

A personal computer with a running version of Microsoft® Windows Vista, 7, 8 or 8.1

•

CD-ROM drive for installing software

•

Unused USB port for the Interface

•

At least 500MB of hard disc space for installing LabSoft. VI Starter needs about 50 MB.

Installation Note: If a LabSoft course is included, use the CD provided with the course to install the software. The CD supplied with the Interface is only needed if VI Starter is to be installed as well.

• • •

Place the CD in the CD-ROM drive. If your computer is configured to run CDs automatically, the window with the installation wizard will appear automatically. If this is the case, you can go straight to the next step. Select "Run" from the Start menu. Enter the following command into the box that appears d:\cdstart.exe (the letter "d" at the beginning of this command may need to be replaced by the actual drive letter for your CD drive). Click on the text "Install software" to start the installation.

Important: To install the software, it is necessary to have the Windows Installer set up on your system. If this is not available, it will be installed from the CD before the actual software is set up. •

Follow the instructions given by the Setup wizard.

The installation program copies the necessary files to your hard disk and adds a program group to the Start menu.

Important: The first time you connect the Interface to the USB port, your computer will recognise the new hardware and activate a wizard. You will be asked to enter a source path for a suitable driver. You should enter the path to the CD ROM drive since the driver is located in the root folder of the CD provided. When installing under Windows Vista warnings from the operating system may appear during configuration of the driver. Ignore these warnings and continue with the installation.

A detailed description of how to install the software is provided in the section entitled “Instructions for installing LabSoft“.

4

UniTrain-I System

5. Handling Connect the interface to one or more Experimenters. The number of Experimenters which can be connected is not limited and depends on the experiment. However, in most cases it does not exceed four.

Warning: Make sure that the Interface and Experimenters are placed on a firm, level surface (e.g. a table) when connecting them together. Ensure that the Interface and Experimenters are not tilted when they are joined together to avoid bending the pins of 96-pin terminal strip.

Equip the experimenter with the necessary experiment cards or with the breadboard and/or multimeter. Set up the experiment and connections in accordance with the experiment instructions. Connect the standard power supply to the socket at the rear of the Interface (see Chapter 6 Interface connection no. 10). Both power supply sockets are protected against polarity reversal. If you require the variable voltage outputs V1, V2 and V3, then connect the additional power supply unit to the appropriate socket on the rear of the interface (see Chapter 6 Interface connection no. 9).

5

UniTrain-I System

Connect one or both power supplies to the mains. Thanks to the power supplies' wide input range, they can be used worldwide without any changes to the operation of the equipment. Connect the Interface to an unused USB port of the computer Run the VI Starter or LabSoft software. All the virtual instruments are now at your disposal and you can start working.

TIP: When using an Experimenter as a docking station for multimeters it is best if you use the Experimenter connected as far as possible to the right-hand side.

6

UniTrain-I System

6. Interface control elements and connections

1

2

3

4

9

10

11

12

5

6

7

8

7

UniTrain-I System

1.

Relay field Relays can be used for general switching tasks, e.g. for discharging a capacitor. Of the total 8 relays, the first 4 are also connected to 2-mm sockets for experiments to be wired manually. Warning: For Eurocards with fault simulation capabilities, feeding voltage to the relays can result in malfunctions.

2.

Digital outputs D0 to D7 Of the total of 16 digital outputs, the first 8 are also connected to 2-mm sockets for experiments to be wired manually. The common earth for the digital outputs is available on the Experimenter (section E7) or analog output field (section I7).

3.

Digital inputs D0 to D7 Of the total of 16 digital inputs, the first 8 are also connected to 2-mm sockets for experiments to be wired manually. The common earth for the digital inputs is available on the Experimenter (section E7) or analog output (section I7).

8

UniTrain-I System

4.

96-pin terminal strip

Description of 96-pin terminal strip

Pin

Row A

Row B

Row C

1

Internal interface RxD

Digital input bit 0

GND

2

Internal interface TxD

Digital input bit 1

GND

3

NC

Digital input bit 2

Data bus1 bit 0

4

NC

Digital input bit 3

Data bus1 bit 1

5

NC

Digital input bit 4

Data bus1 bit 2

6

NC

Digital input bit 5

Data bus1 bit 3

7

Fault switch 8 NO contact

Digital input bit 6

Data bus1 bit 4

8

Fault switch 8 changeover contacts

Digital input bit 7

Data bus1 bit 5

9

Fault switch 8 NC contact

Digital input bit 8

Data bus1 bit 6

10

Fault switch 7 NO contact

Digital input bit 9

Data bus1 bit 7

11

Fault switch 7 changeover contacts

Digital input bit 10

Data bus1 bit 8

12

Fault switch 7 NC contact

Digital input bit 11

Data bus1 bit 9

13

Fault switch 6 NO contact

Digital input bit 12

Data bus2 bit 0

14

Fault switch 6 changeover contacts

Digital input bit 13

Data bus2 bit 1

15

Fault switch 6 NC contact

Digital input bit 14

Data bus2 bit 2

16

Fault switch 5 NO contact

Digital input bit 15

Data bus2 bit 3

17

Fault switch 5 changeover contacts

Digital output bit 0

Data bus2 bit 4

18

Fault switch 5 NC contact

Digital output bit 1

Data bus2 bit 5

19

Fault switch 4 NO contact

Digital output bit 2

Data bus2 bit 6

20

Fault switch 4 changeover contacts

Digital output bit 3

Data bus2 bit 7

21

Fault switch 4 NC contact

Digital output bit 4

Data bus2 bit 8

22

Fault switch 3 NO contact

Digital output bit 5

Data bus2 bit 9

23

Fault switch 3 changeover contacts

Digital output bit 6

COM variable voltages

24

Fault switch 3 NC contact

Digital output bit 7

Variable voltage V3

25

Fault switch 2 NO contact

Digital output bit 8

Variable voltage V2

26

Fault switch 2 changeover contacts

Digital output bit 9

Variable voltage V1

27

Fault switch 2 NC contact

Digital output bit 10

Reserved IRDA_TX

28

Fault switch 1 NO contact

Digital output bit 11

Reserved IRDA_RX

29

Fault switch 1 changeover contacts

Digital output bit 12

-15V

30

Fault switch 1 NC contact

Digital output bit 13

-15V

31

+5V

Digital output bit 14

GND

32

+5V

Digital output bit 15

+15V

5.

Analog differential amplifier input - BNC socket and simultaneously 2-mm sockets A+ and A-.

6.

Analog differential amplifier input - BNC socket and simultaneously 2-mm sockets B+ and B-.

7.

High-speed analog output - BNC socket and simultaneously 2-mm sockets S and GND. The analog output is normally used for the function generator.

8.

Status display, LED lights when power is being provided by the power supply.

9

UniTrain-I System

9.

Connection to extended power supply SO4203-2D The extended power supply is only necessary for experiments using the outputs V1, V2 and V3. See Experimenter, section 5

10. Connection of main power supply SO4203-2A The main power supply must be connected to the Interface here and provides isolated voltages for the Interface's own electronics as well as for the experiments. Voltage outputs for experiments are also available from the Experimenter. 11. On/off switch An on/off switch disconnects the Interface from the supply of power from the SO4203-2A and SO4203-2D power supplies. 12. Connection to USB port To operate VIs on the computer, a USB port is needed. Connect the Interface to the computer using the USB cable provided.

10

UniTrain-I System

7. Experimenter control elements and connections

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

11

UniTrain-I System

1.

Button for ejecting experiment cards.

2.

96-pin terminal strip for connecting experiment cards For pin assignment see Chapter 6, Interface, section I 4

3.

96-pin terminal strip for connecting Experimenter to Interface or other intervening Experimenter For pin assignment see Chapter 6, Interface, section I 4 (pins 27c and 28c are not connected, though)

4.

Breadboard seating (SO4203-2C) Hold the breadboard (SO4203-2C) in your hand such that the lugs are on the right-hand side. Insert the breadboard into the Experimenter such that the lugs are pressed into the appropriate openings in the Experimenter and such that the entire breadboard is supported.

5.

Track for UniTrain-I experiment cards Insert the UniTrain-I experiment cards into the track from above until you hear and feel the connectors snapping into place. Warning: When removing the cards, only reach in under the left-hand side of the cards as otherwise you could injure your finger(s) on the IrDa interface.

6.

Three variable voltage outputs V1, V2 and V3 with common earth COM. These power outputs are intended as an adjustable DC, AC and 3-phase supply unit. In contrast to conventional supply units for alternating or 3-phase current, which use fixed-ratio or variable transformers, here it is possible to finely adjust both the amplitude and the frequency. To ensure maximum latitude when performing experiments, this power supply is absolutely electrically isolated from the rest of the UniTrain-I system. To optimize the efficiency, the output voltages are reached using a switched-mode power supply unit. To achieve this, the output voltages are operated in the switching mode at high frequency and pulse width modulated in accordance with the desired waveform and frequency. The three-phase LC filter reconstructs the desired low-frequency output voltage and suppresses the high-frequency modulation or clock frequency.

7.

96-pin terminal strip for connecting to other Experimenters For pin assignment see Interface, section I 4

8.

Fixed voltage outputs

9.

Recess for multimeter

10. Infrared interface with transmitter and receiver diode 11. Status display 12. Connection for standard power supply unit: The Experimenters can also be operated without the Interface. To supply fixed voltages for the experiments, the standard power supply unit may be connected to socket E 11 on the side. Then the three fixed voltages +15V, +5V and –15V are available via the terminal strips and 2mm sockets. If the Experimenter is to be connected to an Interface, this connection is not available because then the standard power supply unit must be connected to the Interface.

12

UniTrain-I System

8. Technical data

Standard power supply unit Supply voltage

100-250 V; 1.0-0.5 A; 50-60 Hz

Interface outputs

5V, 1A; 15 V 0.4 A; -15 V / 0.4 A via 1.5m cable and 8-pin DIN connector

Experimenter outputs

5V, 1A; 15 V 0.4 A; -15 V / 0.4 A via 1.5m cable and 8-pin DIN connector

Mains connection

via supplied mains cable for non-heating appliances 1.5m

Interface Housing

Material ABS, dimensions: 28cm x 18cm x 9cm Weight 1.2 kg

Processor

32-bit processor, clock frequency 20 MHz 256 KB RAM 256 KB FLASH

Inputs/outputs

34 2-mm sockets Analog signals also via 3 BNC sockets Standard power supply unit via 8-pin DIN socket Additional power supply unit via 6-pin DIN socket USB interface 96-pin terminal strip, female, for connecting Experimenter

High-speed analog output/ Function generator

High-speed analog output for periodic or single output of freely programmable voltages Waveforms: square with adjustable pulse-duty factor, triangular, sinusoidal, freely programmable (arbitrary) Output voltage:

±10 V

Output impedance:

50 Ω (max. ±200 mA)

Frequency range:

0...1 MHz

Analog power supply unit

Three analog power outputs for periodic or single output of freely

outputs

programmable voltages. Intended primarily as adjustable DC, AC or 3-phase power supply unit. Waveform: sinusoidal, freely programmable (arbitrary) Output voltage:

± 20 V DC or 14 V RMS

Output current: max.

1 A DC or 2 A AC (total current)

Frequency range:

0...150 Hz

Clock frequency: 10 kHz ... 35 kHz Tapped from 96-pin terminal strip or 2-mm sockets on Experimenter Analog inputs

Two high-speed differential measurement inputs Input sockets:

A and B to BNC and 2-mm sockets

Input impedance:

diff.1 MΩ || 30pF

Maximum voltage:

diff. 100 V

2 x AD converters:

sampling frequency up to 2 x 40 MS; resolution 10 bit

Measurement ranges:

10V/div, 5V/div, 1V/div, 500mV/div, 200mV/div, 100mV/div, 50mV/div, 20mV/div (sampling oscilloscope)

13

UniTrain-I System

±50V, ±20V, ±10V, ±5V, ±2V, ±1V, ±500mV, ±200mV, ±100mV (voltmeter) Memory:

2 x 16K x 10 Bit

Triggering

from A or B, rising or falling edge. Adjustable pre- or post-trigger

Digital outputs/digital

16 digital outputs for controls or as programmable digital signal source for

signal generator

testing digital circuits Outputs:

16 outputs, 8 of which to 2-mm sockets

Output voltage:

TTL / CMOS protected with 240 Ω

Output current:

max. 3 mA with respect to GND

Maximum voltage:

-15 V...15 V

Clock frequency

0...100 kHz

Digital inputs/digital

16 digital inputs for detecting binary states and for use as a digital analyzer

analyzer

Inputs:

16 inputs, 8 of which to 2-mm sockets

Input voltage:

TTL- / CMOS-compatible, open = 0

Maximum voltage:

±15 V

Sampling frequency:

up to 100 kHz

Triggering:

arbitrary combinations of input state (low, high,

don’t care) Memory: Relays

2K x 16-bit

8 available (changeover) relays for use as a keyboard-operated switch or fault simulator, 4 of which to 12 2-mm sockets Contact rating: 1 A / 24V DC

Interfaces

USB 1.1

Experimenter Housing

Material ABS, dimensions: 28cm x 18cm x 9cm

Inputs and outputs

8 each to 2-mm sockets

Weight 0.6 kg 1 DIN socket, 8-pin for connecting the standard power supply unit 96-pin VG terminal, male, for connection to the interface 96-pin VG terminal, female, for connecting the experiment card 96-pin VG terminal, female, for connecting other Experimenters Infrared interface (RxD and TxD) Functions

Holder and connection for UniTrain-I experiment cards Holder for breadboards Docking station for multimeters

14

UniTrain-I System

9. Manufacturer's note The electronic compatibility (EMC) of the UniTrain-I system was tested in conjunction with the standard and extended, power supply unit. In this configuration, the system meets the following protection requirements specified by European law concerning the electromagnetic compatibility of appliances. The interference emitted by the UniTrain-I system remains below the permitted maximum value. The interference emitted by other devices will not infringe upon the minimum guaranteed performance level of the UniTrain-I system. Exposure to strong RF fields in the immediate vicinity (e.g. from mobile phones) may cause malfunctions.

. Test range

European standard

German standard

Emitted interference

EN 55011

VDE 0875-11

Class A, Group 1

Class A, Group 1

EN 50082-1

VDE 0839-82-1

Immunity to interference

Copyright © 2014 LUCAS-NÜLLE GmbH. All rights reserved.

All texts, illustrations and programs were compiled with the greatest possible care. However, the company LUCAS-NÜLLE GmbH, translators and authors cannot accept liability or responsibility for any erroneous data or their consequences. These operating instructions are protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The document must not be reproduced in any form by means of photocopy, microfilm or any other electronic procedure, or be transferred into a language utilizable for machines, particularly data processing systems, without the express written consent of LUCAS-NÜLLE GmbH. In the event that alterations are performed by anyone other than a party authorized by LUCAS-NÜLLE GmbH, the manufacturer's liability and any warranty claims are null and void.

LUCAS-NÜLLE GmbH Address: Siemensstraße 2 • D-50170 Kerpen (Sindorf) Postal address: Postfach 11 40 • D-50140 Kerpen Tel.: +49 2273 567-0 • Fax: +49 2273 567-30 • www.lucas-nuelle.com

15

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

Contents Preface .................................................................................................................................... 3 Name and address of manufacturer ........................................................................................ 3 1 Legal information .................................................................................................................. 4 1.1 Liability limitations ........................................................................................................ 4 1.2 Copyright/authorisation ................................................................................................ 4 2 Local installation ................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 System requirements ......................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Before starting ................................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Installing the software ........................................................................................................ 5 2.4 Running LabSoft .............................................................................................................. 11 3 Network installation ............................................................................................................ 14 3.1 System requirements ....................................................................................................... 14 3.2 Before starting ................................................................................................................. 14 3.3 Installing the server ......................................................................................................... 15 3.4 Installing a client .............................................................................................................. 22 3.5 Testing the network installation........................................................................................ 26 3.6 LabSoft Manager ............................................................................................................. 28 4. Error Messages and Faults ................................................................................................ 29

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

Preface These software installation instructions are written to be read, understood and complied with in every respect by persons intending to use the training system. These software installation instructions describe the installation of LabSoft at a single workplace computer (local installation) or in a local computer network (LAN). An existing LAN is assumed and its construction is not dealt with here. A local network can be set up as a peer-to-peer configuration (e.g. classroom network with teacher and students' PC workplaces) as well as in a client-server architecture (central server and network connections in the classrooms). The training courses are each installed on a central server (PC). The results achieved by the users can also be saved in the central server. This provides a central administration of the courses and the user on a single computer. Access to the courses and the administration can be made from any computer (clients) in the network. For that reason, these software installation instructions must be read through carefully. Only the information in these software installation instructions can prevent errors and ensure faultless operation. Name and address of manufacturer Manufacturer and servicing address

LUCAS-NÜLLE GmbH Siemensstr. 2 D-50170 Kerpen Tel.: +49 (0) 22 73 5 67-0 Fax: +49 (0) 22 73 5 67-30 www.lucas-nuelle.com www.unitrain-i.com

3

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

1 Legal information 1.1

Liability limitations

LUCAS-NÜLLE GmbH accepts no liability for any damage occurring due to the following:       

Inappropriate or incompetent use Irresponsible or incorrect assembly and/or commissioning by operators or third parties Subsequent modifications by operators or third parties Natural wear and tear Negligent or incorrect handling, servicing or maintenance Actions not in keeping with the instruction manual Use of inappropriate materials

1.2

Copyright/authorisation

The making of copies, including extracts, is expressly permitted to users of the training system, but only for internal use in connection with the operation of the equipment.

4

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

2 Local installation 2.1 System requirements PC: Operating system: Microsoft Windows® Vista, 7, 8 or 8.1 Hardware: As recommended in the Microsoft specification for the relevant operating system plus: •

CD- or CD / DVD drive for the installation

•

1 free USB connection for the LN training system

•

At least 500 MB free hard disc space, 1 GB is recommended for the installation of LabSoft and the courses

•

Java 2 runtime environment SE (Standard Edition) 1.3 or higher (www.java.com)

•

Adobe Flash player 11 or higher (www.adobe.com)

•

Adobe Flash reader 10 or higher (www.adobe.com)

2.2 Before starting Ensure that you have the necessary access rights to the computer for the installation. Administrator rights are required for the installation. Consult your system administrator to obtain the rights necessary.

2.3 Installing the software The CDs for all courses that are to be installed are required. The course CDs can be used in any order – the sequence is not important. 1.

Insert a course CD in the CD-ROM or CD/DVD drive of the computer. If automatic startup (autorun) is active, the installation wizard is displayed. If the wizard window is not displayed automatically, switch to "My Computer" or "Windows Explorer" and select the CD-ROM or CD/DVD drive. Start the installation routine by double clicking the file "setup.exe“ in the main directory of the CD

5

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

Note: If the user management window is displayed, simply click "Yes". If the account you are using does not possess administrator rights, you will also need to enter a user name and password for an account which does.

2.

Select the language preferred for the installation of the software and click "Next".

Note: The language selection refers to the language of the course to be installed. The LabSoft program is basically installed with all available languages. 3.

Click "Next" to proceed with the installation. Read the information in the next window. It contains notes on the installation instruction on the CD and how to load the master solutions. In order to proceed with the installation you have to acknowledge that you have read the installation instructions.

6

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

4.

Click "Next". In the next window, select the type of installation. Select "Typical" for a standard installation. Select "Custom" if you wish to change the paths for the installation of the program components.

IMPORTANT: In the "Typical" form of installation, the program components (the LabSoft program, the courses and the user data) are saved in the folder "C:\Program Files". For subsequent operation of LabSoft, it is important to ensure that all Windows users who wish to work with LabSoft have read access to the directories with the course data and read and write access to the directories with the user data. In the standard settings for

7

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

Windows, administrator rights are required for write access to data in "C:\Program Files". Therefore, these rights need to be set for the user by the system administrator. Alternatively, using a custom installation, the course and user data can be installed to a different directory (recommended). Important note: In the lower selection box, you can specify Windows users who may access the LabSoft installation. Select "Everyone who uses this computer (all users)" to enable all users who work on this computer under Windows to use the program. Note: The selection window for the type of installation is displayed only upon initial installation of LabSoft on a PC. If LabSoft is already installed and it is only additional courses which need to be installed, the setup wizard detects the existing installation and installs the components using the same type specified with the first installation of LabSoft. 5.

Click "Next". The next window starts the installation. Click "Back" if settings previously made are to be changed. Click "Next" again to start the installation. The installation process may take a few minutes.

6.

After this, the drivers for the LN training systems will be installed. During installation, a windows security prompt may be displayed. Click "Install" to install the software for the equipment and continue the installation.

8

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

7.

When the installation has finished, the next window is displayed. Click "Finish" to complete the installation.

9

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

8.

Now, insert the CD's, one after the other, for the courses that are to be installed on the computer and start the installation as described above. LabSoft detects the existing installation and automatically installs into the paths previously specified.

10

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

2.4 Running LabSoft Start LabSoft by way of the "Start“ button in your Windows task bar. Providing that you have not changed the settings for the program symbol during the installation, the Start symbol will be found under: Start  Programmes  LabSoft  LabSoft

From the pull-down menu, select the language preferred for the program and click "OK". Note: If the language selection window is deactivated for future operation, LabSoft will always start with the selected language. To activate the language selection window again press the "Shift" key while LabSoft is starting up. In the next window, enter a user name, for example "test" and (optionally) a password for this user. Note: For the user name, LabSoft does not differentiate between upper and lower case letters.

Now click "OK". In the next window, click "Yes" so that a file with the user data can be created. LabSoft then starts. This window is only displayed the first time that a new user logs in.

11

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

In the next window, select the course category to be displayed in the LabSoft navigation window of (LabSoft version 3.54 and higher). Confirm with "OK".

The courses are now shown in the selected category at the left of the navigation window. Click on the relevant plus sign or double-click a course to see the course pages. To change the category, click on the symbol in the menu bar for the course category (open book) and select the new category.

12

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

The following window is displayed when no LN training system is connected to the computer.

Click "Run program in simulation mode". LabSoft then starts without any support for a training system. Measurements using the virtual instruments are then not possible. Note: The window is also displayed if the driver for the connected training system has not been installed. Note: Information for operating LabSoft will be found in the online help (menu option Help).

13

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

3 Network installation 3.1 System requirements Server: Operating system: Microsoft Windows® Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, Server 2003, Server 2008 Hardware: As recommended in the Microsoft specification for the relevant operating system plus •

Suitable network adapter for the LAN connection

•

CD or CD/DVD drive for the installation (optional)

•

At least 500 MB of free hard disc space, 1 GB is recommended for the installation of LabSoft and the courses

Note: A computer with a Linux operating system can also be used as a server. Notes for the installation in a network with a Linux-based server will be found in the section, "3.3 Server installation" Client: Operating system: Microsoft Windows® Vista, 7, 8 or 8.1 Hardware: As recommended in the Microsoft specification for the relevant operating system plus: •

Suitable network adapter for the LAN connection

•

CD or CD/DVD drive for the installation

•

1 free USB port for the training system

•

At least 500 MB of free hard disc space (1 GB recommended) for the installation of LabSoft

•

Java 2 runtime environment SE (Standard Edition) 1.3 or higher (www.java.com)

•

Adobe Flash player 11 or higher (www.adobe.com)

•

Adobe Flash reader 10 or higher (www.adobe.com)

3.2 Before starting Ensure that you have the necessary access rights to the computers in your network for the installation (server and clients). Administrator rights are required for the installation. Consult your system administrator to obtain the rights necessary.

14

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

Before the installation, consider where (in which directories on the server) the course and student data are to be saved.

Important note: For later operation of LabSoft, it must be ensured that the clients (student PCs) have permanent read access to the directories with the course data, as well as read and write access to the directories with the user data. If necessary, these rights must be enabled by the network administrator.

Access rights to server Course data

User data

Configuration file

Client (teacher)

Read and write

Read and write

Read and write

Client (student)

Read

Read and write

Read

The following sections "Installation of the server" and "Installation of clients", assume that the server is present and available in a LAN as a network drive, with drive letters or a server name ("UNC names" - Unified Naming Convention). 3.3 Installing the server Start the network installation by installing the server. For this, you require the CDs for all the courses that are to be installed on the server. You may start with any course CD. Important note: If possible, use a client PC for installing the data on the server. In this way, you can ensure that with the installation, the correct paths (drive letters) are saved in the LabSoft configuration file. Also, at the same time, you can install the LabSoft program on the client PC you are using. Note: You must start installing the software on the server because for installation on the clients, the configuration file for LabSoft needs to be present on the server already. 1.

Insert a course CD in the CD-ROM or CD/DVD drive of the computer from which you wish to carry out the installation of the server. This can be any computer (client) within the network. If automatic start-up (autorun) is active, the installation wizard is displayed. If the wizard window is not displayed automatically, switch to "My Computer" or "Windows Explorer" and select the CD-ROM or CD/DVD drive. Start the installation routine by double-clicking the file "setup.exe" in the main directory of the CD.

Note: If the user management window is displayed, simply click "Yes". If the account you are using does not possess administrator rights, you will also need to enter a user name and password for an account which does.

15

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

2.

Select the language preferred for the installation of the software and click "OK".

Note: The language selection refers to the language of the course to be installed. The LabSoft program is basically installed with all available languages. 3.

Click "Next" to proceed with the installation. Read the information in the next window. It contains notes on the installation instruction on the CD and how to load the master solutions. In order to proceed with the installation you have to acknowledge that you have read the installation instructions.

16

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

4.

Click "Next". In the following window, select the type of installation. Select "Custom" for installation on the server. In the lower selection box, you can specify Windows users who may access the LabSoft installation. Select "Everyone who uses this computer (all users)" to enable all users who work on this computer under Windows to use the program.

Note: If the installation is made from a computer which will later be used as a "client PC“, then "All users" needs be selected. If "Only for me" is selected, only the current user of Windows (whoever made the installation) can access the program.

17

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

Important Note: The selection window for the type of installation is displayed only upon initial installation of LabSoft on a PC. If LabSoft is already installed on this computer, the setup wizard detects the existing installation and installs the components in accordance with the type specified upon initial installation of LabSoft. The following pane is also skipped. In order to reinstall fully, the old version of LabSoft and all courses need to be deinstalled using the Windows control panel (Add/Remove Software) before a new installation can be started. 5.

Click "Next". In the next window, you can now specify the path for the program components to be installed. Important note: The paths to the directories on the server can be specified in various ways, by stating a drive letter or via so-called "UNC paths" If the path on the server was assigned using a drive letter, then click on the field after the path to select the drive required and the directory in the network. If the path on the server was specified using a "UNC path" (recommended), then the path must be directly entered in the window. Example of "UNC-path": \\server name\directory name\course directory Both forms of path specification are allowed, the advantage of the "UNC" method being that the server on a local network has the same name for all clients. If the path specification is given with a drive letter, the letter for the server may be different on another client. This can lead to errors in network operation of LabSoft. If drive letters are used in the path specifications, it must be ensured that all clients use the same drive letter for the server and therefore the same path for the program components.

18

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

The following paths should be given for a network installation: Folder for program files: Enter the memory location for the LabSoft program here. Select a location on the local hard disc of the client PC where application programmes are usually installed. Folder for courses: Select the directory on the server where the courses are to be saved. Folder for user files: Select the directory on the server where the user data for LabSoft is to be saved. Folder for configuration file: Select the directory on the server where the configuration file for LabSoft ("labsoft.config“) is to be saved. Important note: Make a note of the path for the configuration file. This needs to be entered for installations on other clients. Important note: All clients must have the necessary rights for accessing the files on the server (see also: 2.2 Before starting). Notes for using Linux servers As an alternative, a server using a Linux operating system can also be used for saving the course and user data. To allow the Linux server to provide the necessary services for the Windows clients, a so-called Samba server (software) needs to be installed on the server and configured. Client access rights to the data saved on the server needs to be provided under Windows, as well as in the configuration of the Samba server. The installation of the Samba server depends on the Linux operating system in use, details of which will not be included in this users' guide.

19

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

Important note: Installation of the server from a Windows client is mandatory, since the installation wizard (Windows) will not start on a Linux system. Important note: When using a Linux server, the paths must be entered in the form of UNC specifications. Also it is necessary to add a "file" entry before the path for the course directory. If paths cannot be specified this way during installation, the entry can be made afterwards with the aid of the LabSoft Manager (see section 2.6). Example for UNC-path and Linux Server: file:\\server name\directory name\course directory 6.

Click "Next". The next window starts the installation. Click "Back" if settings made previously are to be changed. Click "Next" again to start the installation. The installation process may take a few minutes.

7.

After this, the drivers for the LN training systems will be installed. During installation, a windows security prompt may be displayed. If you are installing from a computer to which an LN training system will later be connected, click "Install" to install the software for the equipment and continue the installation. If you do not need the drivers to be installed on this particular machine, click "Do not install".

20

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

8. When the installation has finished, the next window is displayed. Click "Finish" to complete the installation.

9.

Now install the courses that are to be installed on the server one after the other. Note: LabSoft detects the existing installation and automatically installs the relevant course in the directory specified upon initial installation. A selection for the installation path is not shown.

The installation of the server (and the first client) is finished. Now, you can continue with the installation on the other clients.

21

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

3.4 Installing a client Any course CD can be used when installing on a client, since the only components to be installed are on all course CDs. 1.

Insert a course CD in the CD-ROM or CD/DVD drive of the client computer where LabSoft is to be installed. If automatic start-up (autorun) is active, the installation wizard is displayed. If the wizard window is not displayed automatically, switch to "My Computer" or "Windows Explorer" and select the CD-ROM or CD/DVD drive. Start the setup wizard by double-clicking the file "setup.exe" in the main directory of the CD.

2.

Follow the instructions on the screen displayed by the setup wizard in the same way as when installing the server as far as the window "Choose Setup Type“. Note: This selection window is displayed only upon initial installation of LabSoft on a computer. If LabSoft is already installed on this computer, the setup wizard detects the existing installation and installs the components according to the same type specified upon the initial installation of LabSoft. The next window is also skipped. In order to reinstall fully, the old version of LabSoft and all courses need to be deinstalled using the Windows control panel (Add/Remove Software) before a new installation can be started.

3.

Now, select "Client" for the installation of the client. In the lower selection field, select "Everyone who uses this computer" to enable all users registered in Windows access to the LabSoft program. Click "Next". In the next window, you can now specify the path for the program components to be installed.

22

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

4.

Click on the box after the path details to open the directory required or enter a "UNC path" directly.

Folder for program files: Enter the memory location for the LabSoft program here. Select a location on the local hard disc of the client PC where application programmes are usually installed. Configuration file: Enter the configuration file on the server ("labsoft.config“) with path details exactly the same as that used during the installation of the server. Important note: The clients must have read access to this file.

5.

Click "Next". The next window starts the installation. Click "Back" if settings made previously are to be changed. Click "Next" again to start the installation. The installation process may take a few minutes.

23

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

6.

After this, the drivers for the LN training systems will be installed. During installation, a windows security prompt may be displayed. Click "Install" to install the driver software for the equipment and continue the installation.

24

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

7.

When the installation has finished, the next window is displayed. Click "Finish" to complete the installation.

Installation on the first client is now finished. Proceed with the installation on the other clients.

25

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

3.5 Testing the network installation Start LabSoft on the clients by way of the "Start" button on your Windows task bar. The Start symbol will be found under: Start  Programmes  LabSoft LabSoft Select the language preferred for the program from the pull-down menu and click "OK".

In the next window, enter a user name, for example "test", and (optionally) a password for this user.

Click "OK". In the next window, click "Yes" so that a file with the user data can be created. LabSoft then starts. This window is only displayed the first time a new user logs in.

26

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

In the next window, select the course category to be displayed in the LabSoft navigation window. Confirm with "OK".

The courses are now shown in the selected category at the left of the Navigation window. Click on the relevant plus sign or double-click a course to see the course pages. To change the category, click on the symbol in the menu bar for the course category (open book) and select the new category.

The following window is displayed when starting LabSoft for the first time or in the case where a UniTrain-I Interface is not connected to the computer.

27

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

Click "Run program in simulation mode". LabSoft then starts without any support for a training system. Measurements using the virtual instruments are then not possible. Note: The window is also displayed if the driver for the connected training system has not been installed. Note: Information for operating LabSoft will be found in the online help (menu option Help).

3.6 LabSoft Manager LabSoft Manager allows for administration of an existing LabSoft installation and is a helpful tool, particularly with network installations. Users, user groups and courses can all be organised and managed. It is also possible with the help of the LabSoft Manager to subsequently change or correct the paths for course and user data previously specified upon installation. LabSoft Manager is included on each course CD in the "Tools" directory and can be started from the CD (cd_drive:\tools\manager\labman.exe). It is recommended however, to copy the Manager directory to the server so that the manager is always available. Information about operation of LabSoft Manager can be found in the online help (menu option Help  Help Topics). LabSoft Manager can be used to edit the LabSoft configuration file. The configuration file needs to be registered when LabSoft Manager is started for the first time. To register the configuration file, select the required configuration file from the menu under File  Open (confirm with "Open"), then click the menu option File  "Register File". Note: Since the LabSoft configuration file can be changed with LabSoft Manager, only authorised persons (teachers, system administrators) should be allowed access.

28

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

4. Error Messages and Faults "Unable to load configuration file.“

Possible Causes Wrong path for configuration file

Remedy Correct the path details with the LabSoftManager. Alternatively, deinstall LabSoft on this PC and re-install the software (see Client Installation). The configuration file is damaged or has Copy a backup of the configuration file in the been deleted. directory. If necessary, consult your system administrator. The connection to the network is Check the network connection / network interrupted hardware and repair if necessary, before starting LabSoft again. The Windows User has no read access to Change the rights of the User to "Read" or the directory or the file consult your system administrator..

29

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

"The folder 'User name' cannot be created. Cannot access the network".

Possible Causes The connection to the network is interrupted

Remedy Check the network connection / network hardware and repair if necessary, before starting LabSoft again.

"Unable to create the folder 'User name'. Access is denied".

Possible Causes Remedy The Windows User has no write access to Change the rights of the User to "Read and the directory or the file Write" or consult your system administrator.

30

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

"Cannot create or open the file with the User name".

Possible Causes The User has already started LabSoft on another Client-PC The connection to the network is interrupted

Remedy Close LabSoft on the other Client-PC and try again Check the network connection / network hardware and repair if necessary, before starting LabSoft again. The Windows User has no write access to Change the rights of the User to "Read and the directory or the file Write" or consult your system administrator. The file with the User data is damaged or Copy a backup of the User data in the has been deleted. directory. If necessary, consult your system administrator.

The Navigation window for displaying the course, remains blank

31

Users' Guide, LabSoft Local and Network Installation

Possible Causes The Windows User has no read access to the course directory or files The connection to the network drive with the course data, is interrupted The path detail for the courses in the configuration file is incorrect

Remedy Change the rights of the User to "Read" or consult your system administrator. Check the network connection / network hardware and repair if necessary, before starting LabSoft again. Correct the course path details in the configuration file with the LabSoft Manager.

In the Navigation window for displaying the courses, no course is shown even though they have been installed. Possible Causes The file imsmanifest.xml for the course is not in the course directory or it is damaged

Remedy Re-install the missing course

A course page is not displayed

Possible Causes The Windows User has read rights to the course directory, but not to its subdirectory or files The html-file for the course page is not in the given directory or it is damaged

Remedy Extend the read rights of the User to include the sub-directory and files in the course directory or consult your system administrator. Check whether the file is in the given directory and that it can be opened in the Internet Explorer. If necessary, move or correct the html-file. Alternatively, re-install the course

32