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-
-
-
-
- === WHAT IS IT ===
-
- This is a driver for a Summa MM1201 format graphics tablet. This is a 12x12
- format tablet. It is adjustable for size, however, and I expect that it will
- function on other Summa tablets, and on compatibles.
-
- === WHAT FILES YOU NEED ===
-
- Simply summa.sys. That's it.
-
- === HOW TO INSTALL ===
-
- 1. Copy, move or place the "summa.sys" file provided to your "X:\os2"
- directory, where "X:" is the drive where os2 resides.
-
- 2. Edit \config.sys (the os/2 version config.sys). Locate the line:
-
- DEVICE=D:\OS2\MOUSE.SYS <...>
-
- (<...> means may have more on the command line). Place a REM <space> in front
- of that. You can of course remove it later to reactivate this line. Type the
- following lines in IN THE ORDER SHOWN on the next lines:
-
- DEVICE=X:\OS2\SUMMA.SYS
- DEVICE=X:\OS2\MOUSE.SYS TYPE=SUMMA$
-
- Where "X:" is the drive where os/2 resides.
-
- 3. Assuming you have a Summa 12x12 or strict compatible, you can now reboot
- and use the tablet instead of the mouse
- NOTE THAT THIS IS FOR A TABLET WORKING ON COM1: ONLY.
-
- === RATHER LONG WINDED DISCUSSION ===
-
- IBM instituted a system of "layered" drivers with os/2. So summa is a driver
- that "plugs into" another driver, in this case "mouse.sys". Mouse.sys is the
- generic IBM driver that comes with os/2 and is installed by the original
- install program. The "type=xxx" thing tells mouse.sys that it is to plug into
- an existing driver to get basic mouse position movements.
- It's quite possible that you may already have a driver plugged into mouse.sys,
- i.e., there is already a "type=xxx" following mouse.sys. It means that you
- are using a mouse that was not supported by mouse.sys, and are already using
- an alternative driver. Not a problem. Find the driver load statement
- mentioned in the "type=xxx", and rem that out too (YOU MUST, OTHERWISE THE
- DRIVERS WILL AGREE TO FIGHT !).
- If you are not using the mouse on COM1, your line for summa.sys should appear
- as follows:
-
- DEVICE=X:\OS2\SUMMA.SYS SERIAL=COMn
-
- Where you replace that little "n" with the com port you are using. I beleive
- that the port address, and IRQ that you set up in the "DEVICE=X:\COM.SYS"
- statement (see the os/2 documentation, the os/2 FAQ, etc. to see how to set
- up com3 or com4). The baud rate, stop bits and similar parameters are set up
- to match the summa tablet regardless of the COM.SYS setting.
- The following options may appear on the summa.sys command line AFTER ANY
- "SERIAL=COMn" TEXT:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- /a - Sets the tablet to ABSOLUTE mode.
-
- /r - Sets the tablet to RELATIVE mode (mouse emulation mode).
-
- /xl:n - Sets the lower X limit of the tablet aperture, n = number.
-
- /yl:n - Lower Y limit aperture.
-
- /xh:n - Upper X limit aperture.
-
- /yh:n - Upper Y limit aperture.
-
- I'll discuss how these are used in a minute.
- What devices are going to be able to use this driver ? I have the original
- MM1201. Looking about at the computer shops, I see plenty of tablets that say
- "summa compatible" on the box, whatever that means. I guess we are going to
- find out.
- he basic summa tablet interface defines a set of commands to be sent to the
- tablet. The tablet can even send an "ID" string to the computer. I used NONE
- of the fancy stuff, but instead I just send the minimum required to set the
- tablet up in the proper mode, then receive the "reports" sent back from the
- tablet after that. I beleive that this gives a good chance that other
- "compatible" tablets will function. Here, in a nutshell, is how the tablet is
- operated:
-
- 1. We set up COMX for 9600 baud, odd parity, one stop bit.
-
- 2. We send a AUTOBAUD command byte to the tablet. This must be done since
- the tablet expects that upon power up.
-
- 3. We send a RESET command byte to the tablet.
-
- 4. We send a STREAM MODE command byte to the tablet. This causes the
- tablet to send reports back continuously. The default mode is to send reports
- back only if a button is pushed.
-
- 5. We accept reports back from the tablet.
-
- If any errors are detected in the data sent back from the tablet, the whole
- reinitalization is done again.
- here is no real way to reliably reset a summa tablet. It is possible for a
- previous application to have put the tablet in a mode where we cannot reset
- it. In this case, you must manually power the tablet down, and restart os/2.
- f you turn tablet power off while os/2 is running (accedentally or on
- purpose), or you forget to turn the tablet on until you have already started
- os/2 (I do this a lot), THE TABLET IS HOSED. Shut down os/2, cycle power on
- the tablet, and restart os/2. This is bacause you MUST let the os/2 driver
- initalize the tablet. There are jumpers inside a summa tablet, and probably
- compatibles, that configure some of the defaults mentioned above. You may
- have to reset those jumpers back to the factory configuration to get the
- driver to work if they have been changed.
-
- SETTING UP THE TABLET
-
- Ok, you don't have a summa 12x12. You biggest problem is that you may not have
- an exact 12 x 12 positioning surface, or your tablet may not have the same
- resolution as the 12x12. The tablet sends back the position in "counts" for
- the X and Y position. The basic MM1201 format allows for a maximum count of
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- 16383, or 14 bits of position information. You must determine the maximum X
- and Y counts that the tablet will generate. You can find this by simple
- math. For instance, the summa 12x12 defaults to 500 lpi ( lines per inch)
- (note that we DO NOT change the default for that tablet; see above):
-
- Summa 12x12
- --------------------------
- lpi = 500
- Size X = 11.7"
- Size Y = 11.7"
- Counts X = 11.7x500 = 5850
- Counts Y = 11.7x500 = 5850
-
- Since the count returned from the tablet is 0-n, we use 5849 as the maximum
- value of the tablet return.
- nother way to do this same thing is to find the "tablet test" program that
- comes with the tablet. Running that will give you a readout of what the
- tablet is returning continuously. Position to the edges of the tablet
- (maximum is right edge for X, and top edge for Y). You should then see the
- maximum count on the display. I recommend you do this anyway to verify your
- math and the tablet specifications you used.
- Once you have determined the above, use the config.sys line:
-
- DEVICE=X:\OS2\SUMMA.SYS /XH:5850 /YH:5850
-
- Which is the default mode of the driver (by fairly amazing coincidence, all
- the tablet defaults match MY tablet).
- Typical mistake: You used the SPECIFIED MAXIMUM lpi for your calculations.
- This may not match what the tablet is set up to do by default.
-
- HOW THE APERTURE WORKS
-
- What if you do nothing about the aperture, say leave it set at the default,
- and you have a 20"x20" tablet ? Nothing bad will happen. You can think of
- the aperture this way:
-
-
-
-
-
-
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- ----------------------------------------------
- | ^ |
- | "virtual" aperture | |
- | | |
- |<------------- 16384 ---------------------->|
- | | |
- | | |
- | | |
- | | |
- | | |
- | | |
- | | |
- | | |
- |--------------- | |
- | | |
- | | 16384 |
- | | |
- | Your tablet | | |
- | | | |
- | | | |
- | | | |
- | | | |
- | | | |
- | | \/ |
- ----------------------------------------------
-
- So that the MM1201 format can accomodate a 32"x32" tablet maximum given the
- same resolution.
- If you use the defaults on a tablet larger than that, you will find that only
- the 12x12 square in the lower left hand corner of your tablet will be active.
- If you use a tablet smaller than 12x12, you will find that you can only reach
- the lower left corner of the os/2 screen, etc. Anyways, the point is that you
- can just try it and use trial and error to "fix" the aperture.
- You may find that you wish to adjust the aperture to be different than the
- size of the tablet on purpose. This is why I included both lower and upper
- limits on the aperture. Using the limits, you can "project" the screen onto
- any part of your tablet. For instance:
-
- DEVICE=X:\OS2\SUMMA.SYS /XL:2000 XH:4000 YL:2000 YH:4000
-
- Would "project" the screen onto a small square in the middle of a 12x12
- tablet. Why would you want to throw away active area of your tablet ? The
- number one reason is because of ASPECT RATIO. If you are like everyone else,
- you have a 4:3 aspect ratio monitor (i.e., the picture on your monitor is not
- square). But os/2 will automatically fit the tablet data to the screen. The
- result is that with a 12x12 (square) tablet, you must move the position
- further in Y than in X to get the same distance on the screen.
- Time to digress !
- Graphics tablets must be the most misunderstood and mislabeled devices I know
- of. They are often sold under the name "digitizers", as the original purpose
- was to copy drawings into the computer by tracing the outlines. You would put
- the "puck" over a line on a drawing, press the button, trace the line, then
- release at the line end. Your drawing program would follow this and enter
- that line. Do all of the lines, you have converted a printed drawing to
- computer data. I have tried doing just that. It works, but frankly I would
- rather be torn between two tractors.
- In order to enter drawings this way, you must have an EXACT MATCH between the
- aspect ratios of the screen and your tablet. If not, what you enter will be
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- distorted.
- Note that your display DOES NOT HAVE TO ACTUALLY BE the right aspect ratio.
- If you measure it, you will find that it does not typically EXACTLY meet the
- 4:3 ratio, because you have fiddled with the controls to make the picture fill
- the screen, etc. It only matters that os/2 THINKS that you have a 4:3 aspect
- ratio, because that is how the drawing program you use will demension the
- drawing. This is because os/2 allways scales what is drawn to look good
- (boxes square, circles round) on the given screen aspect
- Graphics tablets STARTED as "digitizers". Indeed, I can't think of what else
- you would use a full drafting table size tablet for. However, the more common
- use nowdays is as a "super mouse". You use the tablet such you can point
- accurately to a given spot on the tablet, and hit a given spot on the screen,
- everytime.
- Having used both, I can tell you that they involve to entirely different modes
- of use. When people point with a mouse (which can be done quite rapidly and
- accurately), they typically start moving and watch the cursor onscreen. From
- there it is much like guiding a missile. You "track in" to the desired
- location by a series of corrections.
- A graphics tablet is the same, only different. You start using it like a
- mouse, but you rapidly begin using it at a higher level. Typically, you
- develop a "feel" for the tablet, such that you simply "go" directly to the
- desired location like SNAP ! After spending a few days entering schematics
- with a tablet, I can outperform anyone using a mouse (and sometimes seem to
- outperform several plotters !).
- The feel can be so specific that changing to another tablet that is not
- adjusted the same can make you have to start all over.
- You can get adjusted to the "feel" of an aspect ratio mismatch. But you may
- find that it is much more natural to have your aspect ratio matched. Then
- your hand movements directly match what you see on the screen.
- In fact, if you measure your true screen size, you can adjust the aperture
- such that the tablet "image" is a direct match.
- Ok, so lets do one, say a 12x12 tablet:
-
- 3/4 = 0.75 - To find what multipled by the X demension will give
- the Y demension.
-
- 0.75*5850 = 4387 - The Y demension for 4:3 aspect ratio.
-
- Check that:
-
- 4/3 = 1.333.... - The aspect ratio, divided out.
-
- 5850/4387 = 1.33 - Matches !
-
- So use the following command line:
-
- DEVICE=X:\OS2\SUMMA.SYS /YH:4386
-
- Will give you a perfectly aspected (is that a word ?) screen "image" at the
- lower half of the tablet. Better still is:
-
- DEVICE=X:\SUMMA.SYS /YL:1462
-
- Why ? 1462 is 5850-4387. It means, give us the right aspect ratio, but place
- the resulting aperture at the TOP of the tablet. This gives you the bottom of
- the tablet to rest the puck on (and your hand). Don't laugh, try reaching for
- the bottom of the screen and keeping the puck on the tablet as well.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- BUTTONS
-
- About time I got to that, eh ? Here is the button layout on a standard summa
- puck:
-
- ----------
- | ** |
- | * * |
- | * * |
- | ** |
- | |
- | |
- | /\ |
- | /1 \ |
- | /\ /\ |
- |/2 \/4 \|
- |\ /\ /|
- | \/3 \/ |
- | \ / |
- | \/ |
- | |
- | |
- | |
- | |
- | |
- | |
- | |
- ----------
-
- Ok, so here are the buttons for os/2:
-
- (1) - The "select" or "left mouse" button. Selects objects, double click
- will activate objects.
-
- (2) - The "menu" or "right mouse" button. Opens the object's system menu.
-
- (3) - The absolute/relative toggle, discussed in a minute.
-
- (4) - The "middle mouse button". I never seen it do a dammed thing under
- os/2. Opens doors under wolfenstein though !
-
- If you have the pen cursor plugged in, you will get the following:
-
- Tip button - Select or left mouse.
-
- Barrel button - Menu or right mouse.
-
- Tip and barrel - Abs/rel toggle.
-
- You cannot get the 4th button in this mode.
-
- ABSOLUTE/RELATIVE MODE
-
- Ain't nothin' more useless than a graphics tablet configured as a mouse. Oh,
- it makes a good one. You can even get software emulated "skating" of the
- mouse, although you do have to pick the puck up rather high. Take my advise.
- If you are going to do this, save a couple of hundred bucks and buy a danged
- mouse. However, if you really have a burning desire to see your tablet
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- emulate a mouse, do this:
-
- DEVICE=X:\OS2\SUMMA.SYS /R
-
- It will come up in relative mode. Similarly:
-
- DEVICE=X:\OS2\SUMMA.SYS /A
-
- Will bring the tablet up in absolute mode. But this is the default !
-
- DYNAMIC ABSOLUTE/RELATIVE MODE CHANGE
-
- Yes, I have arranged for one of the buttons to toggle you into/out out
- relative mode. This is a REALLY STUPID WASTE OF A PERFECTLY GOOD BUTTON, AND
- WILL DISAPEAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. It will instead go to os/2 as a regular
- button (yes ! os/2 does support up to 5 buttons). I also plan to assign one
- of the buttons as a "double click" button as the windows driver does.
-
- OS/2 VERSIONS
-
- Oh, I forgot to tell you. Os/2 does not quite handle absolute positioning
- mode correctly yet. This is why I included the "hot button" to toggle the
- abosolute/relative mode. IBM knows this, and is working on it, I understand
- as part of their "pen aware" os/2 project (pens, or touch screens are also
- absolute position devices).
- So I'm going to list the problems you can expect with the existing os/2
- versions:
-
- OS/2 1.X
-
- God, I'd love to find out if that works. Can someone write me if they try it
- ?
-
- OS/2 2.0/OS/2 2.0 with CSD
-
- Yeech ! Absolute mode works fine on the PM desktop. Seamless windows behave
- bazzarely, windows fullscreen is dead as a doornail, dito DOS sessions.
- Switch to relative mode when running the above, or better yet file OS/2 2.0 in
- "ye olde round file".
-
- OS/2 2.1
-
- Getting better. PM works. Windows works, seamless or fullscreen, with full
- abosolute positioning. Yeah IBM ! DOS apps that treat the mouse as an
- absolute position device, i.e., just get screen coordinates from the mouse
- driver, work fine. Programs that treat the mouse as (GADS !) a MOUSE, are
- toast. They actually KINDA work. What IBM did is to mess up and simulate the
- mouse EXACTLY from the tablet data. If you pick up the puck and move it
- (skate it), os/2 sees the new position, and feeds the DOS program so
- many clicks to make it look as if you have moved the mouse that far. Really
- cool, but really disables skating. What that a problem you say ? Weellll,
- since the program does not connect the mouse movement to the true demensions
- of the screen, you will not be able to reach certain areas of the screen.
- They will simply be "off the edge" of your tablet.
- Also, many programs (esp. games) require skating. Wolfenstein for instance,
- needs to skate for forward movement. Bottom line: If you are having troubles
- with DOS/Mouse programs, just hit that ole' 3rd button, and get into relative
- mode.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- USING OS/2 TO CONFIGURE THE TABLET
-
- Quite a bit of stuff can be done from the os/2 system/mouse menu. For
- instance, the speed of movement in relative mode can be adjusted (it has no
- effect in absolute mode). Also the buttons can be changed.
- You will find that in relative mode, the cursor moves much too fast,
- especially in a DOS screen. Beleive it or not, this is actually the right
- speed that os/2 requires for the tablet (specified in "mickeys/inch"). I tried
- turning it ALL THE WAY DOWN in the driver. It's still to dang fast. The
- problem is that IBM didn't consider a device like a tablet, which has VASTLY
- more resolution than a mouse when they wrote the interface.
- Turn the speed of the mouse to SLOW and try that. If it is unbearable, write
- me, and I will provide a division option in the driver.
-
- DOS PROGRAMS THAT USE THE TABLET
-
- There are apps that directly access a tablet through the COM port, such as
- Autocad(TM) by Autodesk. That won't work anymore. You will have to make a
- choice between using the tablet exclusively for that program, and I presume
- using a mouse for OS/2 PM, or using the tablet for OS/2 PM and letting the
- program work in mouse mode. If you configure the program for mouse mode, and
- the program uses the mouse driver in absolute mode (as screen coordinates),
- you will effectively get the same functionality. Unfortuna tely, this is
- unlikely if the program uses an SVGA mode (since the standard mouse driver
- knows nothing about these modes).
- Other alternatives are:
-
- 1. Use the windows version of the product (absolute positioning is built
- into the windows system).
-
- 2. Ask the maker about an os/2 native or os/2 "aware" program.
-
- IN CONCLUSION
-
- I paid a good chunk of money to get the most popular tablet for CAD work on a
- PC. Since OS/2 2.0 came out, I have been using it as a $350 mouse pad for the
- $12 mouse I was forced to buy.
- On the bright side however, if the tablet makers HAD come out with a driver,
- it probabally would have been designed to only work with one makers tablet.
- This way, the solution is generic, or can be.
-
- YOUR HELP IS NEEDED !
-
- If you get this driver to function on ANY tablet, please write me ! Even if
- it is a 12x12 summa and you did nothing to get it to run. I NEED:
-
- 1. Your parameters you used to run your tablet. What limits did you use
- ?
-
- 2. What maker and type is your tablet ? Do you operate it with a pen, a
- puck or ?
-
- This information will be collected and placed in the next version
- documentation. You will save someone else A LOT of trouble this way.
- Even if you only tell me "I got it working" I can use your "head count" as
- proof when talking to IBM that the absolute mode is in use out there.
- Finally, suggestions, improvements, etc. are welcome.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- SCOTT A. MOORE
- samiam@netcom.com
- (408) 452-8860
- ExaByte Corp.
- 2043 Zanker Rd.
- San Jose, CA. 95131
-
- ADDENDUM - TABLETS/DEVICES REPORTED TO WORK WITH THIS DRIVER
-
- Please note: all the information provided here is based on user feedback. I
- have no direct knowledge that any information here is correct. I have placed
- the information just as given me, and you should use this as ADVICE not gospel
- instructions.
- The maximum counts should be used minus one, as discussed in the text above.
- For instance, given the maximum X and Y counts as 5850, the proper settings
- are:
-
- /xh:5849 /yh:5849
-
- The information provided here is what I could use if you are kind enough to
- send me tablet information. In particular, people need to know the maximum
- count size of the tablet. This can help someone who is not a computer genius
- get their tablet running.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- TABLET: Ultima 16
-
- TYPE: ?
-
- MAKER: GTCO
-
- SIZE X: ?
-
- SIZE Y: ?
-
- COMMENTS: No other information was provided on this device.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- TABLET: Genius
-
- TYPE: ?
-
- MAKER: ?
-
- SIZE X: 12 inches, 5850 counts
-
- SIZE Y: 12 inches, 5850 counts
-
- COMMENTS: Tablet was set to run in Summa compatible mode.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- TABLET: Screenplay model DT-3503
-
- TYPE: ?
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- MAKER: Seiko
-
- SIZE X: 11 inches, 5500 counts
-
- SIZE Y: 11 inches, 4125 counts
-
- COMMMENTS: The switch settings to setup the tablet in Summa compatible mode
- were given as:
-
- SWITCH NUMBER
- BANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
- --------------------
- DSW1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- DSW2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
- DSW3 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
- DSW4 0 0 1 0
-
- Users are requested to send in the exact count size of the tablet.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- TABLET: Acecat
-
- TYPE: minitablet, mouse replacement
-
- MAKER: ?
-
- SIZE X: 5 inch, 3000 counts
-
- SIZE Y: 5 inch, 4200 counts
-
- Users are requested to send in the exact count size of the tablet.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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