User`s guide

MBX Driver Help
Cyberlogic Technologies Inc. - 5 -
INTRODUCTION
The MBX Driver provides device driver support under Windows for all Modbus Plus
interface adapters from Schneider Electric. This includes support for popular cards such
as SA85, PCI-85 and PCMCIA 416NHM21234, as well as the TSXCUSBMBP USB adapter.
Since 1994, the MBX Driver has been the driver of choice for most automation engineers,
and is used with virtually all Modbus Plus compatible software programs. This includes
both 32-bit Windows and 16-bit legacy DOS/Windows applications.
The driver operates in either interrupt or polled mode and supports all current Modbus
Plus interface adapters for PCI, ISA, EISA, MCA, PCMCIA and USB buses that work with
the supported operating systems. Multiple interface cards can be installed at the same
time, limited only by the number of available slots. Full implementation of all Modbus
Plus features provides support for Data Master/Slave, Program Master/Slave, global data
and Peer Cop.
This driver is part of Cyberlogic’s MBX Driver Suite, MBX OPC Server Suite, MBX OPC
Premier Suite, MBX OPC Enterprise Suite and MBX Bridge Suite, providing Modbus Plus
connectivity for these products.
Remote Connectivity
The MBX Driver includes the MBX Gateway Server. When enabled, the MBX Gateway
Server allows other computers on your network access to the MBX devices on your
system. The remote system, which can be any Windows node running the MBX Gateway
Driver, will then have full MBX Driver functionality just as though the MBX device in the
server system were installed in the remote system.
Running 16-Bit Software
The Virtual MBX Driver, which is included with all MBX products, allows all 16-bit
NETLIB/NetBIOS-compatible applications, such as Modsoft, to run concurrently with all
32-bit applications in the same computer. For more information, refer to the Virtual MBX
Driver section.
Compatibility
The MBX Driver is implemented as part of the Cyberlogic MBX architecture, which is the
foundation used in other MBX family drivers such as the Ethernet MBX Driver, the Serial
MBX Driver and the MBX Gateway Driver. Consequently, these drivers consistently
support identical programming interfaces: MBXAPI and NETLIB. Supporting these existing
standards protects the software and R&D investments of end-users and OEMs.
Software developers can use the MBX Software Development Kit (MBX SDK) to obtain
connectivity to Modbus, Modbus Plus and Modbus TCP networks for their applications.
Applications developed with the MBX SDK can be used with all MBX family drivers and
can execute under all current Windows operating systems.