Legacy MiniPAC, WinIPAC, and Win 7

[Fred Smythe]

Right now I have my control panel (built in fall of 2004, so I am assuming it is a legacy 28-input MiniPAC) connected to a Win 7 machine. I also have the old (Version 1.0.16) and new (1.2.154) versions of WinIPAC installed. Both are set to run as admin.

Settings for old version of WinIPAC: I-PAC-2, new chipset, both download timers set in the middle. Here's the WINIPAC.INI for it:

Code: [Select]

[TIMER VALUES]
Download Delay:50
TimeOut Delay:4953
Page Delay:250

[IPAC]
IPAC Model:2
Debug Mode:0
Keyboard Mode:1
For the new version: Legacy MiniPAC selected, connected to USB, download timer set to 5 seconds. Here's the WINIPAC.CFG for that:

Code: [Select]

[BOARD TYPE] 2
[USB MODE] True
[DOWNLOAD SPEED] 50
[TIMEOUT] 5047
(I edited Download Speed myself because I thought that was the issue and the default wasn't working.)

The nutshell is: programming via the old WinIPAC works. Programming via the new one is met with "PROGRAMMING IPAC...Driver installed OK...Failed to program device"

Anyone have any ideas what I might be doing wrong? I had heard at one time that the new WinIPAC wasn't supposed to work with my MiniPAC, but then there appears to be a setting for it, so I'm a little confused.

Thanks for any help!

-- Chris

[Dizzle]

I had similar problems, but it was with the new minipac and Windows XP.  First make sure that your connection type is correct, then try selecting different board types in WinIPAC (I had to choose IPAC instead of MiniPac for mine for some reason, but it programmed fine after that).

[Fred Smythe]

I had similar problems, but it was with the new minipac and Windows XP.  First make sure that your connection type is correct, then try selecting different board types in WinIPAC (I had to choose IPAC instead of MiniPac for mine for some reason, but it programmed fine after that).

Thanks for the idea, but it doesn't seem to matter. My three options are 32, 56, and 28-input boards, and they all throw the same error regardless of how I have it set.

[Dizzle]

Can you still program it through the notepad and CTRL+ALT+P?

[Fred Smythe]

Can you still program it through the notepad and CTRL+ALT+P?

Ostensibly, but I can't think of why I would need to. I can still program it through the older version of WinIPAC. The question is one of, if I can do that, why can't I through the newer version.

[Forces21]

Hi,

Just thought I'd check but are you using the Minipac in USB or Keyboard mode, reason for asking is that in the new version of the .ini file you have keyboard mode:1, so if you are using USB this may be the problem? Maybe should say 0 ? Might be worth a try?

Anyhow best of luck

Forces21

[Hoopz]

Email Andy at Ultimarc.

[Fred Smythe]

Just thought I'd check but are you using the Minipac in USB or Keyboard mode, reason for asking is that in the new version of the .ini file you have keyboard mode:1, so if you are using USB this may be the problem? Maybe should say 0 ? Might be worth a try?

That's the old version of the file. That's the one that works.

The new version of the file seems to have that as a true/false value for USB Mode.

Email Andy at Ultimarc.

I was going to, but Andy himself suggests at Ultimarc's site that I might get a faster response asking here. But I'll pass it along to him there too.

[Fred Smythe]

Can you still program it through the notepad and CTRL+ALT+P?

Ostensibly, but I can't think of why I would need to. I can still program it through the older version of WinIPAC. The question is one of, if I can do that, why can't I through the newer version.

Actually, I just looked into this. It'a a MiniPAC, so there's no passthrough. Just a....well, mine's a legacy one so it's a PS/2-style connector that can be set via jumper to be PS/2 or USB, I'm pretty sure.

[Dizzle]

Can you still program it through the notepad and CTRL+ALT+P?

Ostensibly, but I can't think of why I would need to. I can still program it through the older version of WinIPAC. The question is one of, if I can do that, why can't I through the newer version.

I was just curious to see if the thing could be programmed at all.  But then, you mentioned that you can program it through the older WinIPAC so I guess my question was pointless 

I know Andy checks these forums out, but he's always been super quick on answering emails.

[Fred Smythe]

I was just curious to see if the thing could be programmed at all.  But then, you mentioned that you can program it through the older WinIPAC so I guess my question was pointless 

Naw, I totally appreciate it. Really I was quite pleased to learn that I can at least still program it. I'd just like to avail myself of the benefits of the newer software.

I dropped Andy a mail and we shall see what he has to say.

[Forces21]

Hi,

Just thought I'd check but are you using the Minipac in USB or Keyboard mode, reason for asking is that in the new version of the .ini file you have keyboard mode:1, so if you are using USB this may be the problem? Maybe should say 0 ? Might be worth a try?

Anyhow best of luck

Forces21

Yep got it the wrong way around, but does that mean that the old version is programming as a keyboard (ps/2 connection) not USB?
Just a Thought?

[Fred Smythe]

Yep got it the wrong way around, but does that mean that the old version is programming as a keyboard (ps/2 connection) not USB?
Just a Thought?

Oh, possible. I didn't think that was an option since it's connected as USB, but that could be, especially since the Num Lock light on my wireless receiver (for the actual keyboard connected...this is my work computer) blinks like a mofo when it's programming (on the version of WinIPAC that works). I'll switch that when I get in and see what happens.

[Fred Smythe]

...and, yeah, no go. It was a decent idea, but now it comes up "PROGRAMMING...Timeout." Probably 'cause it's actually trying to address it through the PS/2 port. I wonder if I dug up a USB to PS/2 adapter and tried plugging it in that way if anything interesting would happen. Hmm.

[Turnarcades]

I've had several programming issues with various combinations of Mini-Pac/Winipac versions as they've evolved, up to now when the issues seem resolved. You may do well to use an older version of the Winipac utility and programming one board from another PC first, then moving it back to the PC in your cab. This helped me recently when the Mini-Pacs evolved into a custom version of the U-HID board and I still had old Mini-Pacs and old versions of Winipac installed elsewhere.

[Fred Smythe]

Andy got back to me. Seems there's legacy, and there's LEGACY, and we're pretty sure what I have is LEGACY and therefore only can be programmed with the older utility. Not heartbreaking, and kinda expected really, so I'm good. At least I know what to expect. I'm asking him if he happens to have the schematic handy so I can see how the pinout compares to the newer boards...if it's close it might be worth upgrading the board one day. (Really, the wiring job badly needs to be redone...it's a mess right now. )