Barber-Colman

Provide a software package that will acquire parameters from Barber-Colman MAQ series controllers via the RS485 serial port and display the parameters on a PC. Also be able to graph parameters on the PC screen, chart parameters on a printer, and log parameters to a file. Finally, be able to select a particular control existing in the serial daisy chain and give it new parametric settings.

A software package previously designed by OMNI was modified to use the Barber-Colman syntax and the RS485 hardware protocols. This package was written in "C" with special interrupt driven serial communications drivers as the heart of the software. The package required instant response to the serial port of the PC and could not tolerate a polled approach to handling the communications.

The resultant software package was presented by Barber-Colman to it’s nation sales force and was well received. Via development of the LoopMaster program for Barber-Colman, OMNI has been awarded official sanctioned third party software developer status for the MAQ series of controls.

ANSI C
MS-DOS based computer
EPSON printer
Burr Brown RS485 to RS232 interface