User`s manual
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Introducing the CYDAS UDR (Universal Driver)
Library
Congratulations and thank you for selecting the CYDAS Universal Driver (UDR) Library. We believe it is the
most comprehensive and easiest-to-use data acquisition software interface available anywhere. As easy as
CYDAS UDR Library is to use, significant documentation and explanation is still required to help new users
get going, and to allow previous users to take advantage of all the package's powerful features.
The fast changing nature of the software industry makes it very difficult to provide a totally up to date user
guide in written form. Adding to this complexity are the new features and functions that are constantly being
added to the library. To provide the most complete information possible and at the same time keep the
information current, the CYDAS UDR Library documentation is offered in four parts:
CYDAS UDR Library User's Guide: The User's Guide provides a general description of the UDR
Library, offers an overview of the various features and functions, and discusses and how they can be used
in different operating systems and languages. The User's Guide also provides board-specific information
relating to the features and functions that are included with the CYDAS UDR Library.
CYDAS UDR Library Function Reference: The Function Reference contains detailed information
about the CYDAS UDR Library functions, usage, and options. This document is available on our website,
on this software CD, and C:\MCC\Documents (by default) after software is installed.
Example programs: The examples programs demonstrate the use of many of the most frequently used
functions, and are valuable learning tools. They are written for many popular languages. Each example
program is fully functional, and provides an ideal starting place for your own programming effort. You
can cut and paste from the example programs to create your own programs. It's easier to cut-and-paste
pieces from a known, working program than to start writing everything from scratch.
Readme files: The best way to get the latest, most up to date information is through Readme files. We
incorporate this information into our documentation as quickly as we can, but for the latest, greatest
information, read the Readme file.
CYDAS UDR Library overview
The CYDAS UDR Library is the software that you need to write your own programs for use many of
CyberResearch’s data acquisition and control boards. The library is universal in three ways:
Universal across boards: The library contains high level functions for all of the common operations for all
boards. Each of the boards has different hardware but the CYDAS UDR Library hides these differences from
your program. So, for example, a program written for use with one A/D board will work "as is" with a
different A/D board.
Universal across languages: The CYDAS UDR Library provides the identical set of functions and arguments
for each supported language. If you switch languages, you will not have to learn a new library, with new
syntax, and different features.
If you are programming for the .NET framework, you will find that the CYDAS UDR Library for .NET has
the same "look and feel" as the CYDAS UDR Library for 32-bit windows applications, and is just as easy to
program.
Languages supported by the CYDAS UDR Library, at the time this manual was published, are listed in the
following table. Both 16- and 32-bit versions are supported where applicable.