Hardware Configuration Files

Important: Use the information described in this page carefully.

Introduction

SuperLab uses configuration files to describe the features of hardware products, e.g. response pads and I/O cards.  These files are stored in the Plug-Ins/Config folder within the SuperLab folder.  Here is an example:
 

[DeviceInfo]
DeviceID = 10
DeviceName = PCI-DIO24

[Port0]
PortName = Port A
NumberOfLines = 8
BitFormat = Parallel
DefaultIoDirection = Input
IoDirectionChangeablePerGroup = Yes
IoDirectionChangeablePerLine = No
UseableAsDigitalOutput = No
UseableAsResponse = Yes

[Port1]
PortName = Port B
NumberOfLines = 8
BitFormat = Parallel
DefaultIoDirection = Output
IoDirectionChangeablePerGroup = Yes
IoDirectionChangeablePerLine = No
UseableAsDigitalOutput = Yes
UseableAsResponse = No

 

The [DeviceInfo] Section

The [DeviceInfo] section is required and accepts the following keywords.  Both are required:
 

Keyword

Values

Default Value

DeviceID

1000-1999 for Measurement Computing devices
2000-2999 for National Instruments devices
3000-3999 for Cedrus Corporation XID devices

None, it is required

DeviceName

A text string, e.g. "PCI-DIO24" or "RB-530"

None, it is required

 

The following keywords apply only to XID devices (e.g. RB-730, SV-1, or Lumina):
 

Keyword

Values

Default Value

XidProductID

Device ID stored internally, returned by the XID "_d2" command

None, it is required

XidModelID

Model ID stored internally, returned by the XID "_d3" command

None, it is required

 

The [PortN] Sections

You can have as many [PortN] sections as necessary, with N starting at zero, e.g. [Port0], [Port1], and so forth.  The numbering is important because this is what SuperLab uses to "talk" to the I/O device.

The following tables summarizes the keywords that SuperLab recognizes.  None of them are required:
 

Keyword

Values

Default Value

PortName

A text string, e.g. "Port A" or "Accessory Connector"

The same as the section name, e.g. "Port1"

NumberOfLines

The number of lines for this port (1 to 8)

8

BitFormat

Parallel or Serial

Parallel

DefaultIoDirection

Input or Output

Output

IoDirectionChangeablePerGroup

Yes or No.  If Yes, this port's lines can be configured as either input or output as a set

No

IoDirectionChangeablePerLine

Yes or No.  If Yes, individual lines within this port can be made as either input or output

No

UseableAsDigitalOutput

Yes or No.  If Yes, this port will appear in the Event Editor dialog when the user sets the event type to "Digital Output"

No

UseableAsResponse

Yes or No.  If Yes, this port will appear in the Participant Input dialog when the user chooses to create a response

No

IoLinesPrefix

A text string, e.g. if you set the value to "PA", the names of the I/O lines in SuperLab will appear as "PA0", "PA1", and so forth.

None

IoLinesBaseNumber

The first number to use in an I/O line's name, e.g. if you set the value to 1 and the value of IoLinesPrefix to "AC", the lines will be named "AC1", "AC2", etc.

0 if this keyword has never been used, otherwise it is the last value specified

DebouncingTime

The time during which SuperLab should ignore all input on an I/O after input has been detected.

0

File Names

Configuration files must have the extension ".devconfig".  When starting up, SuperLab looks for the following file patterns in the Plug-Ins/Config folder within the SuperLab folder: