DALI User Manual: Getting Started

Quick Start

This section is a quick guide to getting started with DALI development. Each of these steps are covered in detail in other sections of this manual. This process will set up the DALI server with Virtual Board emulation which will emulate A/D, D/A, and Digital I/O board features without a real board being required. This lets you write your first application and learn DALI features without needing to set up real DAQ hardware. A DALI license is not required to use DALI in this mode.

1. Install DALI

Download the DALI package to your development system and install it following the instructions in the Installation section of this manual.

2. Start the DALI server

Run the DALI server on your development system following the instructions in the Installation section of the manual. The DALI server is now ready to accept requests for communicating with the Virtual Board over the Internet.

3. Run a demo program

The demos directory comes with example programs which you can run to see the DALI server in action. Try running one of the demo programs on the same machine as the DALI server. Then try running it on a separate machine.

Some of the demos connect over the Internet to the Diamond Systems labs where you can control a real device and see the results in real-time on a webcam. You can even modify this demo to control this device in different ways.

4. Write your own program

Diamond Systems offers a simple C/C++ client API for writing low level software such as console programs or integration with existing software. Windows developers can use the MFC / ActiveX client instead for developing desktop or browser based GUI applications. Diamond Systems also sells a Java Development Kit for DALI as a separate product. Since DALI uses an open protocol you can even develop your own client for languages we don't provide client software for. The latter option is covered in the DALI Internals section of this manual.

Choose an API which works best for you and try writing your own DALI client software. The demos come with source code which you can use as the basis for your own project.

5. Get Licensed

When you are ready to have DALI control real hardware, you'll need to contact Diamond Systems Sales to obtain a DALI license. See the Licensing section of this manual for more information. With a real license you'll be able to run DALI on a system which uses real DAQ features rather than the Virtual Board.

6. Configure DALI for your hardware

See the Server Configuration section of this manual for information on configuring DALI to use your real DAQ hardware. Copy the DALI software to your embedded system. Done!