GTCO Surface-Lit AccuTab - Users Guide - Manual (Page 51)

Surface-Lit AccuTab 51
If you are programming for the AccuTab product line, the topics listed below will be useful:
 Coordinate Formats
 Measurement Scales
 Digitizing Modes
 Controlling the Alarm Using Remote Commands
 Programming Examples
These topics refer to commands that put AccuTab in a different operating state. The
Remote Commands section contains detailed information about remote commands.
Command emulations for CalComp and Summagraphics digitizers are invoked
automatically when a particular format is selected via the Custom Configuration Card or
the AccuSet Menu selection. However, only AccuTab commands are referenced in this
section.
Coordinate Formats
Coordinate format refers to the way AccuTab encodes XY coordinate information before it
sends the data out through a communication interface. The AccuTab and your application
program must speak the same coordinate “language” for information to be properly
transferred.
You have three basic format choices to make:
 GTCO versus CalComp or Summagraphics emulation
 Binary versus ASCII coordinates
 Coordinate resolution
The topics below describe the formats available and show you how to select them. If you
are developing your own software, these sections will also help you choose a format that
suits your needs.
Binary Formats
Binary formats encode coordinate information compactly. Binary coordinate formats are
shorter than ASCII formats, transmit faster and take up less space if stored. On the other
hand, binary formats cannot be directly displayed on a terminal or printed-they must be
converted first into displayable characters.