Virtually Read Me Document



virtuallY

Abroham Neal Software

virtuallY is similar to a USB hub, in that it has one connection (in the hub analogy) to your main data source (the computer’s integrated USB port) and provides similar ports to other users of the main data source.

So virtuallY needs a data source. It usually will be a program (but could be a physical comm. Port which we will examine in a moment). The users of this main port will either be other programs on the same computer or devices that are attached to real comm ports

For using programs on your computer, you will need one of the many virtual comm. Port programs, available on the internet. The most popular free virtual comm. Port program is Phil Covington’s vCom available at his website (). The programmers at MixW also provide a virtual comm. Port program (). The most popular commercial virtual comm. Port program is a suite of programs by Eltima (). virtuallY has been tested with vCom and the Eltima software but should work with any of the programs.

I will show you how to use virtually by example, my own configuration. At my shack, I have a Flex Radio Flex5000a which is a software defined radio. The “black box” (the physical part of the transceiver) connects to my computer via a firewire connection. A software program, PowerSDR, provides all of the radio control functions (as well as the processing duties of the transceiver.

My objective is to have PowerSDR send and receive CAT information to my logging program (DX4WIN, see it at ) and my Steppir controller box (which is connected to physical comm port 6).

My Steppir controller cannot communicate faster than 2400 baud (your mileage may vary), so I have to: 1. either run all of the CAT communications at 2400 baud, or somehow slow down the speed so that the Steppir controller can talk at 2400 baud while PowerSDR and DX4WIN speak at a faster rate. In this exercise, I am running 57600 baud from PowerSDR and DX4WIN, while running 2400 baud to the Steppir box.

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The first thing to do is to download and install virtually. You can download it from http:files/virtuallymsi.msi (this link might change in the future so check back on the website for the link when its updated).

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After downloading it, run the program to install virtuallY.

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Then the usual “installation location” dialog box. Due to the fact that I am dual-booting between windows XP and Vista, the path reflects D: drive but your path should be the default Program Folder on your root drive.

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Okay, now you should have a desktop icon for virtuallY plus in your programs Start Menu you should see virtuallY.

Next step is to use the vComconfigurator from Phil Covington to define 2 null modem cables, which is represented by virtual comm port “pairs (one to connect to each program so it appears as a cable). In the diagram below, I have defined two comm port cable pairs, one uses virtual comm ports 1 and 2, the second virtual cable includes comm ports 3 and 4. You can see from the device manager in the diagram that I also have 2 real comm ports, 5 and 6. My Steppir controller is connected to comm port 6.

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Make sure to click both the “Save Configuration” and the “Update Drivers” buttons to activate the two virtual null modem cables.

Using vComConfigurator we now have defined, two virtual port pairs. I have shown the device manager on the left to show I have 2 physical ports on my computer, comm 5 and 6. In the vcomconfigurator, I have defined 2 pairs of virtual null cables, comm 1 and comm 2 make one virtual cable, comm 3 and comm 4 make the second cable.

Okay, so we know what we want to connect, how do we do it with virtually?

If you haven’t done so yet, start PowerSDR. In the Setup menu, select CAT Control tab. If the “Enable Cat” checkbox is clicked, turn it off so we can change the values. Since I want to use one of my virtual null cables, we will define one “end” of it to PowerSDR. So, select comm 1 in the Port dropdown. You can set the speed to whatever you want (just remember what it is because you need to tell virtuallY what the speed is!). I use 57600 baud, My Cat control tab looks as below.

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Click the Enable CAT checkbox, hit OK down at the bottom to return to the PowerSDR main screen. Then start the radio.

Double-click the virtuallY icon on your desktop (or click on the virtuallY program in your Start menu). In the port configuration dialog box, we will set the input port for the CAT virtual cable, the virtual cable port for DX4WIN and the physical comm port that talks with my Steppir controller.

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Since the virtual null cable I used to define to PowerSDR was comm port 1, the other “end” of it should be defined as the Cat Input port to virtuallY. Hence, we defined comm 2 as the input port.

To talk with my Steppir controller, it is connected to physical port 6, so I just define that port as Cat Output2. My controller seems to only work at 2400 baud, so I select that speed in the Cat 1 Output section. virtuallY will allow you to have a 57600 baud speed coming into it and talk at 2400 baud to the Steppir controller.

To talk with DX4WIN, I will need to use the second virtual null modem cable (since both powerSDR and DX4WIN are running in the same computer and only use comm ports for communication). Therefore, we will define one end of the second virtual cable to Cat Output 2, so we use comm3 at whatever speed we wish DX4WIN to use. In this example I am showing that we can use the maximum speed which is 57600.

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Okay, now everything seems setup, next step is to click the Open Ports button on the virtuallY configuration screen. At that point, everything should be working. If not, you will get a dialog box telling you there is an error with a comm port and which comm port isn’t working.

If no error messages appear, click the minimize button and the program will go to the system tray area of your task bar (bottom right of your screen).

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If you right click (or double-click) on the systray icon, you can quit virtually or re-open the configuration window.

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That’s should put you in business! If you see problems or have suggestions please let me know at neal@.

Thanks!

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