Windows PcLink
Windows
PcLink is a simple utility to transfer packages to and from a MagicCap
device. The program appears to the user as two icons, one little icon on
the taskbar (near the clock and the volume settings of Windows) and a bigger
icon on the desktop. The Big Icon can be moved around the screen to be
placed where the user prefers (I like the top-right corner of the screen)
The Little Icon is stuck there and can not be moved anywhere.
From both icon it is possible to access to a pop-up menu which is used
to access to the settings of the application, and can be used to perform
all the tasks that PCLink can perform. The menu allows also to hide one
of the two icons. From the pop-up menu it is also possible to choose which
serial port to use to connect with the MagicCap device.
These are all the available commands on the PopUp Menu:
-
Selection of the serial port to be used.
Since only the available serial port are shown quit any program that
uses the serial port before to start PCLink
-
Open Connection
-
Hide one of the Icons.
The menu refers to the big icon as Window Icon (because it is in a
window) and to the little icon as TaskBar Icon (because it is in the taskbar)
-
Connect at Startup.
If it is selected as soon as PcLink starts it will attempt to connect
to the device. (this attempt times out in 60 seconds).
-
PcLink destination folder.
Allows to select in which folder PcLink saves the incoming
packages.
-
Selection of the file to be sent
-
Quit. Exit from PCLink
Connecting to MagicCap:
Normally WinPcLink is not connected to the serial port (in this way
it does not keep the serial port busy).
So to Open Connection to MagicCap it is
necessary to put PcLink in a stand-by state where it waits for the device
to bring-up the link. There are 3 ways to do this:
-
Double clicking on the big icon.
-
Single clicking on the big icon.
-
Choosing "Open Connection" in the pop-up menu.
At this point PcLink is waiting for MagicCap to connect, this status is
clearly indicated by a sleeping rabbit (well the rabbit is in the hat but
it is sleeping). Now on the device the user should go in the store-room
and tap (once) on the computer icon.
If everything goes fine (read: the serial cable is properly connected)
the computer icon will show a successful connection. And on the pc the
icon will show that rabbit coming out from the hat.
Sending
a package to MagicCap (install or restore):
As for connecting there is more than one way to send a package to MagicCap.
-
Dropping the package icon on the Big Icon of PcLink.
-
Choosing "Select file to send" in the pop-up menu.
It is possible to send more than a package a time grouping them together
and dropping all them on
the PcLink icon. Unfortunately since Windows does not allow drag &
drop on the taskbar it is not possible to drop files on the little icon.
Sending
a package to the PC (backup):
To select where the packages received from MagicCap will be saved the
user should use the "PcLink Destination Folder" item in the pop-up menu.
It will open a directory piker window which allows to select the folder
which will be used as destination folder for the MagicCap packages.
To send a package to the pc it is necessary to operate on the device.
Go in the store-room and drop the package on the computer icon.
Disconnecting to MagicCap:
Again there are 3 ways to do disconnect:
-
Double clicking on the big icon.
-
Single clicking on the big icon.
-
Choosing "Close Connection" in the pop-up menu.
Quitting
PcLink:
The only way to quit PcLink is choose "Quit" in the pop-up menu.