User`s manual

ThinkCore DA-660 WinCE User’s Manual Introduction
1-5
Obtaining the Firmware Build Version
There are three ways to obtain the firmware version of the DA-660 embedded computer. This
information is particularly important for feature identification.
y Examine the welcome message after you log on to the computer.
y Log on to the Web-based management system (described in a later chapter) to view the system
information.
y Check the firmware version on the LCM display.
Memory and File Systems
The operating system and user applications occupy about 112 MB of the 128 MB of SDRAM. The
kernel image occupies the rest of the space.
DA-660’s internal file system controls access to the ROM, and also provides file storage in the
object store, which is in the RAM. The ROM file system provides persistent storage for
applications and related data, even when the main power supply is lost. The ROM file system
integrates the read-only files that are stored in Flash ROM with the read/write files of both an
application and a user. A child directory named “NORFlash” under the root directory indicates the
ROM storage of the flash memory of size 15.5 MB.
The root directory is a RAM file system of size 15.5 MB. The root directory can be used for
storing temporary files for your applications. Do not place persistent files or applications in the
root directory because they will be deleted when the system is shut down. Instead, place them in
the directory “NORFlash.”
The internal file system supports TFAT (Transaction-Safe File Allocation Table), which is safer
than FAT. TFAT protects the file system from write corruption in critical times, such as power loss.
During power loss, the file state is rolled back. In addition, TFAT is a superset of FAT. This means
that the internal file system of the embedded computer provides the ability to mount external FAT
file systems.
Hive-Based Registry
The registry for DA-660 is a hive-based registry instead of a RAM-based registry. The hive-based
registry stores registry data inside files, or hives, which can be kept on any file system. This
eliminates the need for performing backup and restore on power off.
RS-232/422/485 Serial Ports
The DA-660 embedded computer comes with two embedded serial ports, named COM1 and
COM2. COM1 is hidden inside the box case for debugging purposes when developing firmware.
COM2 is used as the console port. Although the console port can be used when developing
applications (e.g., data acquisition and control), we suggest that you always use the serial ports
located on the front of the device for your applications, and reserve COM2 for console access.
The additional serial ports are named COM3, COM4, etc., reading from left to right. The ports are
designed for reliable, high-speed data transmission. The ports are 3-in-1 (i.e., they can be set for
RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485) to make them suitable for many different applications. Each of the
ports supports a baudrate up to 921600 bps.