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What
is microCommander?
microCommander is software that is totally integrated with
popular microcontrollers to rapidly build, modify, control
and monitor control and automation solutions. It provides
internet connectivity to remote microcontrollers and it also
builds GUIs to interact with these in an intuitive way. For
more information, take the Tour.
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What sort of automation systems can
I build with microCommander?
microCommander is suitable for building just about any control
and automation application, ranging from building control
to industrial process control.
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What
sort of automation systems are not suitable for microCommander?
microCommander
resolves time down to 1/64 sec. Systems that require faster
response times need custom components. Please contact Intec
Automation Inc.
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Is microCommander a compiler?
No. When you develop GUIs
and applicaitons with
microCommander, you do it entirely using a drag & drop,
fill-in-the-blanks interface. This means you don't have to
write even a single line of source code. Instead, all the
functionality you need is wrapped in microCommander's Components
and Visual Controls, which are generated dynamically when
you create them. This approach makes microCommander developement
far easier, faster, and more robust than any other automated
system development toolchain.
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What
do I need to get started using microCommander?
A microCommander Quick Start Kit
(described below) will save time and money: It has everything
you need, including a microcontroller, and, it costs less
than the sum of the individual components. You will also need
relays and sensors to connect your microcontroller to your
system (not included in the dev kit).
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What
is included in a microCommander Quick Start kit?
A
microCommander Quick Start Kit includes:
- The
microCommander software:
- mVisual©,
the application you use build and control your system.
It includes a library of Components
and Visual Controls.
- mTarget©,
a kernel which runs on the microcontroller that lets
you build and control your system
- mServer©,
software that allows you to connect to your microcontroller
over the Internet.
- Target
Setup Wizard©, utility to help you install the
mTarget kernel on your microcontroller/SBC.
- Your
choice of microCommander
supported microcontrollers. Contact
us for other microcontrollers.
- Serial
/ patch cable
- Power
supply
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Does
microCommander come with sensors or relays?
No.
Each system has its own unique sensor and relay requirements.
Either you or a third-party integrator will have supply and
install these devices.
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What
are Components?
Components
are the basic building blocks of your microCommander application:
They enable engineers to quickly configure microcontrollers.
They represent standard and easily understood modules such
as inputs, outputs, timers, scheduler, period lists, job lists,
PID controllers, and more. The control system is built by
dragging and dropping Components and configuring them with
fill-in-the blank forms. See the Components
section for more details.
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What
are Visual Controls?
Visual
Controls represent
controls that you would see on a typical industrial control
panel: LEDs, knobs, switches, dials, thermometers, strip chart
recorders, etc. These controls are connected to the Components
in your system and allow users to monitor and/or control the
values or behaviour of the Components remotely from their
PC. You can select and place Visual Controls to build your
own user interface, the way you like. See the Visual
Controls section for more information.
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Must
the microcontroller always be connected to a host computer?
No.
Once you microcontroller has been programmed, it will continue
to do what it was told to do, reliably and independently.
At this point, a remote PC connected to the microcontroller
merely serves as a window to observe what is going on in the
microcontroller, and, optionally, interact with it.
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Must
I always use the same host PC to interact with my microcontroller?
No.
You can use any PC or laptop PC that has microCommander's
mVisual program on it.
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Can
multiple host PCs access the same microcontroller at the same
time?
No.
Not yet. Access will be denied to all but the first user until
that user logs off.
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Does
microCommander support networking of multiple microcontrollers?
Yes
and no. Using common Ethernet and networking technology (such
as routers) it is possible (and actually quite easy) to build
a LAN (Local Area Network) consisting of multiple microcontrollers.
microCommander's mVisual can be used to connect to each of
these microcontrollers, provided you know their IP address.
What microCommander currently cannot do is connect mVisual
to multiple microcontroller simultaneously or get the microcontrollers
to communicate with each other. Please contact
us if you are interested in either of these features.
Refer to the microCommander Connectivity Guide for more information.
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Can
I use my existing microcontroller software with microCommander?
No.
microCommander takes command of your microcontroller. It does
not share control.
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Can
I become a microCommander Distributor?
Possibly. Contact
us for more info.
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Can
I become a microCommander Integrator?
Possibly. Contact
us for more info.
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Is
quantity pricing available?
Yes. Contact us
for more info.
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Do
you support my favourite microcontroller platform?
microCommander
is available for many platforms including several x86 microcontrollers,
Intec's own F-16 Mite, and Z-World Rabbit SBCs. See the microcontroller
platforms page for a complete listing. You want to use
another microcontroller? Contact
us. A port may already be underway.
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