TMC420 Backup Utility

Operating Instructions

31946 A

© 2001 – 2006 Telesis Technologies, Inc.

All rights reserved
 TMC420 Backup Utility

Table Of Contents

License Agreement......................................................................................................................... ii

Product Usage .............................................................................................................................. iii

Using This Document..................................................................................................................... iv

Printed Documentation ............................................................................................................... iv

Customer Support.......................................................................................................................... v

Installation and Setup .................................................................................................................... 1

Getting Started ........................................................................................................................... 1

Interface Cable Specifications ....................................................................................................... 2

Recording Controller Parameters ................................................................................................... 3

Setting Up Communications.......................................................................................................... 4

Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 5
System Capabilities ..................................................................................................................... 5

Main Window Features ................................................................................................................. 6

Operations .................................................................................................................................... 7
Backing Up Files.......................................................................................................................... 7

Backing Up Parameters ................................................................................................................ 8

Downloading Files ....................................................................................................................... 8

Downloading Parameters.............................................................................................................. 9

Deleting Files.............................................................................................................................. 9

Displaying Information ................................................................................................................. 10

Files and Directories .................................................................................................................. 10

Software Version....................................................................................................................... 11

Status and Progress .................................................................................................................. 11

Refreshing the Display ............................................................................................................... 11

Multiple Controllers ...................................................................................................................... 12

Changing Controllers ................................................................................................................. 12

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TMC420 Backup Utility

License Agreement

License Agreement for Telesis Software

IMPORTANT: The subject programs are licensed by Telesis Technologies, Inc. to end-users for
their use only on the terms below. Accepting and using these programs indicates your
acceptance of these terms. This is a legal agreement between you, the end user, and Telesis
Technologies, Inc.

GRANT OF LICENSE. Telesis Technologies, Inc. (Telesis) agrees to grant to you a non-exclusive license to use
the Telesis software/firmware program (the program) subject to the terms and conditions of this license
agreement.

DEFINITION OF TERMS. The term software refers to a computer program stored on a floppy diskette, hard,
drive, magnetic tape, or paper tape that must be loaded into the computer's memory to be executed. The
term firmware refers to a computer program stored in semiconductor memory (ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM,
NVRAM, etc.) that is an integral part of the computer's memory. Together, these forms of computer programs
are referred to as the program.

COPYRIGHT. The program and documentation are owned by Telesis and is protected by United States copyright
laws and international treaty provisions. The program contains trade secrets and proprietary property of
Telesis. You may make one copy of the program solely for backup or archival purposes provided that the copy
clearly displays the Telesis copyright notice. Additional copies may be made when authorized to do so in
writing by Telesis. In addition to any other right of Telesis, Telesis has the right to terminate this license if the
terms of the license are violated.

RESTRICTION ON USE AND TRANSFER. The marking system software may be installed on only one computer for
the purpose of operating a Telesis marking head. However, the software and its help files may be installed on
an unlimited number of computers for the purpose of pattern design or for training. You may not distribute the
programs or documentation to a third party. You may transfer the license and complete package (retaining
nothing) if the transferee agrees to the terms of this License Agreement. Neither the program nor the
documentation may be changed or translated without express written permission of Telesis. You may not
reverse engineer, de-compile or disassemble the program.

WARRANTY for the subject program is covered under the Telesis Standard Terms and Conditions of Sale.

TERM. The license is effective until terminated. It will be terminated if you fail to comply with any term or
condition of this License Agreement. You may terminate this License Agreement at any time. In the event of
termination, you agree to destroy the program and documentation together with all copies and related
material.

YOUR USE OF THIS PROGRAM acknowledges that you have read this License Agreement and agree to its terms.
This agreement is complete and supersedes any other agreement that may have related to the subject matter
of this agreement.

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 TMC420 Backup Utility

Product Usage

Telesis Technologies, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Telesis) has prepared this document for use by its
personnel, licensees, and potential licensees.

Telesis reserves the right to change any product and any specification described in this document, as well as
information included herein, without prior notice. The reader should consult Telesis to determine whether such
changes have been made.

In no event shall Telesis be liable for any incidental, indirect, special, or consequential damages whatsoever,
including but not limited to lost profits, arising out of, or relating to this document or the information it
contains, even if Telesis has been advised, has knowledge, or should have knowledge of the possibility of such
damages.

Although the information presented in this document has been tested and reviewed, this document does not
convey any license or warranty beyond the terms and conditions set forth in the written contracts and license
agreements between Telesis and its customers.

Telesis expressly warrants the equipment it manufactures as set forth in the Standard Terms and Conditions of
Sale. Telesis makes no other warranties, expressed or implied, including and without limitation, warranties as
to merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

The software described in this document is licensed from and is proprietary to Telesis or its licensors. All
information contained in this document is confidential and proprietary to Telesis or its licensors. Refer to your
License Agreement for restrictions on use, duplication, or disclosure.

Telesis is a registered trademark of Telesis Technologies, Inc.

Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the USA and/or other countries.
Belkin is a registered trademark of Belkin Components, Ltd.

Copyright © 2001 - 2006 Telesis Technologies, Incorporated — All rights reserved

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Using This Document

This document is an interactive HTML Help file that is accessible from the utility software. It describes the
features of the software as it applies to operating Telesis Marking Systems. This document should be used in
conjunction with the Operation Manual and Supplement that were supplied with your system. Such documents
provide additional and specific information about operating the system software and hardware.

Note: This file displays best at 1024 x 768 screen resolution.

This document contains detailed information about the utility software tools and commands. It is designed to
be used as a reference tool in your everyday work with the marking software. This document assumes you
have a working knowledge of your computer and its operating conventions, including how to use a mouse,
standard menus, and commands. If you need to review these techniques, refer the documentation that came
with your computer.

Printed Documentation
This document is also available in printed form. When requesting a printed copy from Telesis, please refer to
the document number: 31946 (Revision A)

For your convenience, a printable version of operating instructions for the marking system software is available
on the software installation CD. It is also located in the PC directory where the marking system software is
installed.

The file name is: 31946A.PDF

The portable document format (PDF) file may be opened and printed using Acrobat® Reader®, (version 3.0 or
higher). You can download Acrobat® Reader® from the Adobe® website at: www.adobe.com

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Customer Support

Telesis Customer Support offers the following assistance.

• Phone Support - Telesis Customer Support offers free phone support to answer questions during
normal business hours.

• On-Site Service - Telesis can send Customer Support professionals to your facility to perform
equipment start-up, repair, maintenance, and training.

• Service Contracts - As part of your Service Contract, you receive periodic maintenance and quick
on-site customer support if a problem should occur.

• Factory Service - Telesis Customer Support can repair defective parts in our factory to save you
money.

Contact us for more information on any of these services. If you need parts for the marking system, be sure
to specify the marking head model number and serial number when ordering. You may contact Telesis at one
of the following locations:

United States
Telesis Technologies, Inc.
P.O. Box 1000
Circleville, Ohio, USA 43113
Tel: ++1 (740) 477 5000
Fax: ++1 (740) 477 5001
Email: sales@telesistech.com
Email: technical_services@telesistech.com

The Netherlands
Telesis Europe B.V.
Innsruckweg 104
3047 AH Rotterdam
The Netherlands
Tel: ++31 (0)10-462 21 36
Fax: ++31 (0)10-462 38 63
Email: telesis.europe@wxs.nl

England
TelesisEagle
Colyton
Devon, UK EX24 6LU
Tel: ++44 (0) 1297 551313
Fax: ++44 (0) 1297 551319
Email: support@telesiseagle.co.uk
Email: sales@telesiseagle.co.uk

France
Telesis Systèmes de Marquage
BP 438
77 481 Provins Cedex
France
Tel: ++33 (0)1 60 67 12 96
Fax: ++33 (0)1 60 58 07 45
Email: gerbad@telesistech.com

Germany
Telesis MarkierSysteme GmbH
Wülfingstrasse 6
D-42477 Radevormwald
Germany
Tel: ++49 (0) 2191-60 90 8 0
Fax: ++49 (0) 2191-60 90 8 88
Email: info@telesistech.com

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 TMC420 Backup Utility

Installation and Setup

Getting Started
This utility is used to backup files from, and download files to, the TMC420 Controller. The controller must be
connected to a PC via a serial communications cable. The PC runs the Backup Utility software to transfer
Telesis Pattern (PAT) files, Telesis Font (TFF) files, and Telesis parameter (PARAMS.DAT) files between the PC
and the controller.

These procedures must be performed prior to backup/download operations.

Instructions:

1. Obtain or create an interface cable. See Interface Cable Specifications.

2. Position the controller power switch to OFF.

3. On the controller, connect the interface cable to the Host port.

4. On the PC, connect the interface cable to an available serial port.

5. Retrieve the controller parameters. See Recording Controller Parameters.

6. Configure the Backup Utility Port parameters. See Setting Up Communications.

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Interface Cable Specifications

Obtain a standard RS-232 PC-to-PC cable with one DB25S connector and one suitable connector to mate with
your PC serial port. Use Telesis Part No. 20799, Belkin® Part No. F3X171-10, or equivalent.
or
Create an interface cable per the following specifications:
1. Use shielded cable.

2. Use connectors with metal back shells or shielded back shells.

3. Terminate the cable shield as follows:

a. Terminate the shield to either the DB25S back shell (at the controller-end of the cable) or to
the serial port back shell (at the PC-end of the cable), but not at both locations.
b. Pull the shield back and over the back shell grommet.
c. Clamp the back shell onto the shield.
This should provide a solid, metal shield around the cable, all the way to the case.

4. Wire the cable per the following diagram.

After the interface cable is connected, record the controller parameters.

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Recording Controller Parameters

You must configure the communication parameters for both the PC and for the TMC420 Controller. The
parameter settings must be identical for the devices to communicate.

Perform the following to record the communication parameters for each controller connected to the PC.

1. Position the controller power switch to ON. (switch located on controller back panel.)

2. Place the controller in Supervisor mode:

a. From the Operator’s main screen, press F1 (LEVEL).
The controller display will prompt you for a password.
b. Type the supervisor password in the text box.
If a password has not yet been defined, leave the password box blank.
c. Press F1 (ACCEPT) to enter the password.
The controller will display the Supervisor main screen.

3. From the Supervisor main screen, press F7 (SETUP).

4. From the Setup screen, press F3 (HOST).

The system will display the controller’s communication parameters.

5. Record the parameter settings for the following: Baud, Parity, Bits, Stop Bits, and ID.

6. Press the ESC key to return to the Supervisor’s main screen.

7. Configure the Backup Utility Port parameters. See Setting Up Communications.

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Setting Up Communications
The Port parameters identify where the interface cable is physically connected to the PC and define
communications between the PC and the controller (or controllers). Up to 31 controllers may be networked to
one computer using RS-485 communications. Once the port is identified, you will not need to change this
setting unless the interface cable is moved to a different port on the PC.

You must properly configure the Backup Utility software to communicate with each
controller connected to the PC.

1. From the Backup Utility main window, select the Port button.

2. Using the Port Number drop-down list, identify where the interface cable is connected to the PC.
• Select the PC Port identifier (COM1 through COM8), as applicable.
• If no controller is connected to the PC, select None/Demo. (Skip to Step 5, below.)
3. Set the Station ID parameter to identify the desired controller.
• Enter 0 (zero) if only one controller is connected to the PC.
• Enter 1 through 31, as applicable, if multiple controllers are networked to the PC.
4. Set the communication parameters (Baud, Parity, Data Bits, Stop Bits) to match the settings of the
controller you are configuring. See Recording Controller Parameters.

5. Select the OK button.

Note: The controller you specify will remain selected until you change it.

6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for each controller connected to the PC.

After the communications parameters have been defined, you may:

Backup Files
Backup Parameters
Download Files
Download Parameters
Delete Files

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Overview

System Capabilities
The Backup Utility software is designed for Telesis marking systems that use the TMC420 Controller. The
software runs on your PC, or other host computer, in the Windows® environment (Windows®95 or later).

The TMC420 Controller is limited by the number of files it can retain at any one time; namely, 75 pattern files
and one user-defined font file. The Backup Utility software takes advantage of the convenience, flexibility, and
storage capacity of the PC to overcome these limitations.

File Backup. The Backup features allow you to copy files from the controller’s random-access memory (RAM)
and store them on the PC. This allows for virtually unlimited backup and storage of files used by the TMC420
Controllers. Additionally, the file structure of the PC allows you to organize your files into meaningful groups
and store them in separate directories.

File Download. The Download features allow you to copy marking system files from storage locations on the
PC to the controller’s RAM. Once downloaded, these files may be used in your marking applications.

File Deletion. The Delete feature further helps you to manage your marking system by allowing you to delete
files stored on the PC or in the controller’s RAM.

Multi-Drop Networking. Up to 31 controllers can be networked to one computer using RS-485

communications. Multi-drop networking gives you central access from your PC to any networked controller. A
separate directory can be created and maintained on the PC for each controller. Files stored on the PC can
then be downloaded to the controller from which they came, or to any other controller on the network.

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Main Window Features

Position the mouse over the image below to display a summary of the main window features.
Click on a feature to display more detailed information.

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Operations

Backing Up Files
The Backup File feature copies selected files from the controller to a directory on the PC.

1. Use the Filters drop-down list to identify the type of file you wish to backup.
• Select PAT to display Telesis Pattern Files.
• Select TFF to display Telesis Font Files.
2. Specify where you want the backup to be stored on the PC.

In the Path box, type the complete path-name of the location, then press Enter.
or
Use the Computer Drives drop-down list to select the desired drive;
Select the PC directory from the Computer Directories pane.

3. Select the files that you wish to backup from the Controller Files list.

To select a single file, simply click on the desired file.

or
To select multiple files in a continuous range: hold down the SHIFT key, click the first file in the
range, click the last file in the range.
or
To select multiple files randomly: hold down the CTRL key, click the desired files.

4. Click the Files Backup ( Files Å ) button.

Note: If a file with the same name exists in the directory, you will be given the option to continue
the backup (overwrite the file) or cancel the backup before the file is overwritten.

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Backing Up Parameters
The Backup Parameters feature copies the PARAMS.DAT file from the controller to the PC.

1. Specify where you want the PARAMS.DAT file to be stored on the PC.

In the Path box, type the complete path-name of the location, then press Enter.
or
Use the Computer Drives drop-down list to select the desired drive;
Select the PC directory from the Computer Directories pane.

2. Click the Parameters Backup ( Parameters Å ) button.

Downloading Files
The Download File feature copies selected files from the PC to the controller.

The controller can store up to 75 patterns in random access memory. You must
account for the number of patterns already stored in the controller. If you
download patterns from the PC and attempt to exceed this limitation, the download
operation will fail.

1. Use the Filters drop-down list to identify the type of file you wish to download.
• Select PAT to display Telesis Pattern Files.
• Select TFF to display Telesis Font Files.
2. Specify where the files to be downloaded are located on the PC.

In the Path box, type the complete path-name of the location, then press Enter.
or
Use the Computer Drives drop-down list to select the desired drive;
Select the PC directory from the Computer Directories pane.

3. Select the files that you wish to download from the Computer Files list.

To select a single file, simply click on the desired file.

or
To select multiple files in a continuous range: hold down the SHIFT key, click the first file in the
range, click the last file in the range.
or
To select multiple files randomly: hold down the CTRL key, click the desired files.

4. Click the Files Download ( Files Æ) button.

Note: If a file with the same name exists in the controller, you will be given the option to continue
the download (overwrite the file) or cancel the download before the file is overwritten.

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Downloading Parameters
The Download Parameters feature copies the PARAMS.DAT file from the PC to the controller.

1. Specify where the PARAMS.DAT file to be downloaded is located on the PC.

In the Path box, type the complete path-name of the location, then press Enter.
or
Use the Computer Drives drop-down list to select the desired drive;
Select the PC directory from the Computer Directories pane.

2. Click the Parameters Download ( Parameters Æ ) button.

Deleting Files
The Delete Files feature allows you to remove files from the controller or from the PC.

1. Use the Filters drop-down list to identify the type of file you wish to delete.
• Select PAT to display Telesis Pattern Files.
• Select TFF to display Telesis Font Files.
2. If you wish to delete files from the PC, specify where the files to be deleted are located.

In the Path box, type the complete path-name of the location, then press Enter.
or
Use the Computer Drives drop-down list to select the desired drive;
Select the PC directory from the Computer Directories pane.

3. Select the files that you wish to delete.

To delete files from the PC, select files from the Computer Files list (left side).
To delete files from the controller, select files from the Controller Files list (right side).

To select a single file, simply click on the desired file.

or
To select multiple files in a continuous range: hold down the SHIFT key, click the first file in the
range, click the last file in the range.
or
To select multiple files randomly: hold down the CTRL key, click the desired files.

4. Click the Delete button.

The system will prompt you to continue or to cancel the operation.
• Select Yes to delete the files.
• Select No to cancel the operation.

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Displaying Information

Files and Directories

The main window displays files stored on the PC and files that reside in the controller.
Files in the PC are shown in the Computer pane (left side of main window).
Files in the controller are shown in the Controller pane (right side of main window).

Filtering Files. The Filter drop-down list (near the center of the main window) allows you to choose which
files are displayed. You may display either Telesis Pattern (PAT) files or Telesis Font (TFF) files. Only the
selected type of files will be displayed.

Locating Controller Files. The controller does not have a directory structure. However, if multiple controllers
are networked to the PC, you may display their files by selecting their Station ID.

Locating PC Files. Files on the PC may reside on various drives, in different directories, and in various sub-
directories. The Computer pane allows you to select the drive and directory path on the PC. The directory path
identifies where the backup files will be stored, where the files to be downloaded to the controller reside, and
where the parameter file is located. To change directories on the PC:

Type the complete path-name of the desired location in the Path box, then press Enter.
or
Use the Computer Drives drop-down list to select the desired drive;
Select the PC directory from the Computer Directories list.

Selecting Files. To backup, download, or delete files, you must first selected them from the appropriate list
(Computer pane or Controller pane).

To select a single file:

click on the desired file.
To select a continuous range of files:
hold down the SHIFT key,
click the first file in the range,
click the last file in the range.
To randomly select multiple files:
hold down the CTRL key,
click the desired files.

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Software Version
If you should need to contact Telesis Customer Support for assistance, it’s important to let us know what
version of software you have installed on your PC.

To display this information:

1. Click on the TMC420 BACKUP icon (in the upper, left corner of the program’s title bar).

2. From the drop-down menu, select About TMC420 Backup Utility…

The system will display the software information window.

3. Record the complete Software Item number and Version number.

4. Select the OK button to close the window.

Status and Progress

The Status box displays a summary of the current activity. It identifies the current file being backed up,
downloaded, or deleted -- as applicable.

The Progress box displays a bar graph showing the completion percentage of the current activity for each
file.

Refreshing the Display

As you backup, download, or delete files, or as pop-up windows are displayed on the main window, you may
need to periodically refresh the display. When you refresh the display, the system repaints the information on
the PC screen.

To refresh the display:

Click on the Refresh button (near the middle of the main window).

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Multiple Controllers

Changing Controllers
The Backup Utility software will communicate with only one controller at a time – the one identified by the
Station ID parameter. Any controller tasks you perform from the Backup Utility software will affect only the
specified controller. Ensure the Station ID parameter corresponds to the controller you wish to access.

You must properly configure the Backup Utility software to communicate with each
controller connected to the PC.
See Setting Up Communications.

To access a different controller networked to the PC:

1. From the Backup Utility main window, select the Port button.

2. From the Port Setup window, set the Station ID parameter to identify the desired controller.

3. Select the OK button.

Note: The controller you specify will remain selected until you change it.

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