Bellevue, WA - Microstar Laboratories, Inc. has released version 3.00 of the Accel32 for Linux software. This software compiles a Loadable Kernel Module (LKM) for the GNU/Linux system, extending capabilities for control of the Data Acquisition Processor (DAP) boards to systems using GNU/Linux operating systems with kernel versions in the 4.xx series.
The company released support for the 3.xx kernel series in 2015 and is continuing development and support for the Linux platform. Cutting edge distributions are already starting to use the 4.xx kernel series, and all major distributions are expected to follow.
Accel32 for Linux is offered under the BSD license for free download.
DAP Board Operation under Linux
Linux practitioners are well aware of the benefits of running parallel processes configured by compact scripts. Data acquisition applications become difficult real-time problems if the attention of the host system is slaved to the demands of data acquisition devices -- processing many channels, at ultra-high rates, on a demanding time schedule. Delegating that time-critical work to the DAPL 2000 software system, running on-board in the DAP subsystems, eliminates most real-time concerns from the host application environment. An ordinary graphical desktop environment and generic kernel configuration perform almost as well as a specialized real-time kernel.
Platform Support
DAP boards provide an Intel x86-family embedded processor to support operation of the embedded DAPL 2000 system and data acquisition hardware devices. The DAPL 2000 system is part of the DAPtools software, which Microstar Laboratories provides for operating the DAP boards at no added charge. The DAPL 2000 system provides the configuration scripting and the multitasking real-time control of data acquisition hardware devices.
A host system must provide PCI or PCI-X (extended) I/O bus slots to host the DAP boards. This software runs under 32-bit versions of the GNU/Linux system, which can be installed on 32-bit or 64-bit hardware platforms.
Availability
Accel32 for Linux, version 3.0, is available now for download from the Microstar Laboratories Web site at http://www.mstarlabs.com/software/linux.html