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Parallel link cable for Texas Instruments handhelds
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===================================================
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Author: Romain Lievin
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Homepage: http://lpg.ticalc.org/prj_tidev
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INTRODUCTION:
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This is a driver for the very common home-made parallel link cable, a cable
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designed for connecting TI8x/9x graphing calculators (handhelds) to a computer
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or workstation (Alpha, Sparc). Given that driver is built on parport, the
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parallel port abstraction layer, this driver is independant of the platform.
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It can also be used with another device plugged on the same port (such as a
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ZIP drive). I have a 100MB ZIP and both of them work fine !
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If you need more information, please visit the 'TI drivers' homepage at the URL
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above.
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WHAT YOU NEED:
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A TI calculator of course and a program capable to communicate with your
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calculator.
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TiLP will work for sure (since I am his developer !). yal92 may be able to use
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it by changing tidev for tipar (may require some hacking...).
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HOW TO USE IT:
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You must have first compiled parport support (CONFIG_PARPORT_DEV): either
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compiled in your kernel, either as a module.
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This driver supports the new device hierarchy (devfs).
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Next, (as root) from your appropriate modules directory (lib/modules/2.5.XX):
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modprobe parport
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insmod tipar.o
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If it is not already there (it usually is), create the device:
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mknod /dev/tipar0 c 115 0
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mknod /dev/tipar1 c 115 1
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mknod /dev/tipar2 c 115 2
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You will have to set permissions on this device to allow you to read/write
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from it:
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chmod 666 /dev/tipar?
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Now you are ready to run a linking program such as TiLP. Be sure to configure
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it properly (RTFM).
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MODULE PARAMETERS:
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You can set these with: insmod tipar NAME=VALUE
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There is currently no way to set these on a per-cable basis.
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NAME: timeout
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TYPE: integer
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DEFAULT: 15
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DESC: Timeout value in tenth of seconds. If no data is available once this
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time has expired then the driver will return with a timeout error.
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NAME: delay
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TYPE: integer
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DEFAULT: 10
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DESC: Inter-bit delay in micro-seconds. An lower value gives an higher data
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rate but makes transmission less reliable.
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These parameters can be changed at run time by any program via ioctl(2) calls
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as listed in ./include/linux/ticable.h
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Rather than write 50 pages describing the ioctl() and so on, it is
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perhaps more useful you look at ticables library (dev_link.c) that demonstrates
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how to use them, and demonstrates the features of the driver. This is
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probably a lot more useful to people interested in writing applications
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that will be using this driver.
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QUIRKS/BUGS:
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None.
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HOW TO CONTACT US:
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You can email me at roms@lpg.ticalc.org. Please prefix the subject line
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with "TIPAR: " so that I am certain to notice your message.
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You can also mail JB at jb@jblache.org. He packaged these drivers for Debian.
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CREDITS:
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The code is based on tidev.c & parport.c.
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The driver has been developed independantly of Texas Instruments.
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