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M2i.60xx / M2i.60xx-exp Manual
Overview
Generation modes
Generation modes
Your card is able to run in different modes. Depending on the selected mode there are different registers that each define an aspect of this
mode. The single modes are explained in this chapter. Any further modes that are only available if an option is installed on the card is
documented in a later chapter.
Overview
This chapter gives you a general overview on the related registers for the different modes. The use of these registers throughout the different
modes is described in the following chapters.
Setup of the mode
The mode register is organized as a bitmap. Each mode corresponds to one bit of this bitmap. When defining the mode to use, please be
sure just to set one of the bits. All other settings will return an error code.
The main difference between all standard and all FIFO modes is that the standard modes are limited to on-board memory and therefore can
run with full sampling rate. The FIFO modes are designed to transfer data continuously over the bus to PC memory or to hard disk and can
therefore run much longer. The FIFO modes are limited by the maximum bus transfer speed the PC can use. The FIFO mode uses the complete
installed on-board memory as a FIFO buffer.
However as you’ll see throughout the detailed documentation of the modes the standard and the FIFO mode are similar in programming and
behaviour and there are only a very few differences between them.
Replay modes
Commands
The data acquisition/data replay is controlled by the command register. The command register controls the state of the card in general and
also the state of the different data transfers. Data transfers are explained in an extra chapter later on.
The commands are splitted into two types of commands: execution commands that fulfil a job and wait commands that will wait for the oc-
currence of an interrupt. Again the commands register is organized as a bitmap allowing you to set several commands together with one
call. As not all of the command combinations make sense (like the combination of reset and start at the same time) the driver will check the
given command and return an error code ERR_SEQUENCE if one of the given commands is not allowed in the current state.
Register
Value
Direction
Description
SPC_CARDMODE
9500
read/write
Defines the used operating mode, a read command will return the currently used mode.
SPC_AVAILCARDMODES
9501
read
Returns a bitmap with all available modes on your card. The modes are listed below.
Mode
Value
Description
SPC_REP_STD_SINGLE
100h
Data generation from on-board memory repeating the complete programmed memory either once, infinite or for a
defined number of times after one single trigger event.
SPC_REP_STD_CONTINUOUS
4000h
Data generation from on-board memory repeating the complete programmed memory infinitely after one single trig-
ger event.
SPC_REP_STD_MULTI
200h
Data generation from on-board memory for multiple trigger events. Each generated segment has the same size. This
mode is described in greater detail in a special chapter about the Multiple Replay option.
SPC_REP_STD_GATE
400h
Data generation from on-board memory using an external gate signal. Data is only generated as long as the gate sig-
nal has a programmed level. The mode is described in greater detail in a special chapter about the Gated Replay
option.
SPC_REP_STD_SINGLERESTART
8000h
Data generation from on-board memory. The programmed memory is repeated once after each single trigger event.
SPC_REP_STD_SEQUENCE
40000h
Data generation from on-board memory splitting the memory into several segments and replaying the data using a
special sequence memory. The mode is described in greater detail in a special chapter about the Sequence mode.
SPC_REP_FIFO_SINGLE
800h
Continuous data generation after one single trigger event. The on-board memory is used completely as FIFO buffer.
SPC_REP_FIFO_MULTI
1000h
Continuous data generation after multiple trigger events. The on-board memory is used completely as FIFO buffer.
SPC_REP_FIFO_GATE
2000h
Continuous data generation using an external gate signal. The on-board memory is used completely as FIFO buffer.
Register
Value
Direction
Description
SPC_M2CMD
100
write only
Executes a command for the card or data transfer.
