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Linux Driver Installation

 

This document describes how to enable communication between a Piccolo Xpress or VetScan VS2 analyzer and Linux.  In this document you will install a driver that makes a Piccolo Xpress or VetScan VS2 analyzer available as a virtual communications port in Linux.

  

Installation requires the following:

§  Piccolo Xpress or VetScan VS2 Blood Chemistry Analyzer

§  PC with Linux (kernel version 2.6.9 and above)

§  PC with an available USB port

§  USB cable with Type A and Type B adapters (small and big ends).

§  Abaxis Driver CD or the file "Abaxis Driver CD.zip" (download from the Abaxis web site).

 

Note 1:  The driver is already included in the Linux OS (kernel version 2.6.9 and above).  The driver is also available on the Abaxis Driver CD in the Linux folder.

Note 2:  Driver installation in Linux requires root account privileges.

Note 3:  The screen shots in these instructions are from a typical Ubuntu Linux installation. Some of the dialog boxes shown may vary slightly in other versions of Linux.

Note 4:  USB Cables are available from Abaxis Technical Support 1-800-822-2947. 

 

Driver Installation

1.  Turn ON the PC.

 

2.  Connect the large end of the USB cable (Type A connector) to the Linux computer.

 

3.  Connect the small end of the USB cable (Type B connector) to the Analyzer.

 

4.  Turn ON the analyzer.

 

5.  Open a Terminal window in Linux

6.  Login as root.

7.  Navigate to the directory /etc/udev/rules.d.

8.  Create and open a file named 99-usbftdi.rules.  

 

 

9.  Type the following text into the file.

# For Abaxis Blood Chemistry Analyzer with Vendor ID = 0x0403, Product ID = 0xcd18

SYSFS{idProduct}==”cd18”, SYSFS{idVendor}==”0403”, RUN+=”/sbin/modprobe –q ftdi_sio product=0xcd18 vendor=0x0403”

10.  Save and close the file.

 

 

11.  Terminal > Type sudo udevcontrol_reload rules > Enter.

If the command udevcontrol_reload is not recognized restart the computer or use the commands:

Terminal > Type stop udev > Enter.

Terminal > Type start udev > Enter.

 

 

12.  Confirm the USB Port is recognized as a Serial Port on the computer. 

Terminal > Type dmesg | grep FTDI > Enter.

Identify the analyzer as FTDI USB Serial Device converter > Record the Communications Port where the Analyzer is installed (e.g. ttyUSB0).

 

 

13.  Configure any PC applications (e.g. minicom or CuteCom) to communicate with the analyzer over the virtual communication port recorded in Step 12.

CuteCom is configured with the parameters: Device ttyUSB0 (port recorded in step 12), Baud rate: 9600, Data bits: 8, Stop bits: 1, Parity: None.

 

Note:  You may need to uninstall the "brltty" port before the USB to Serial driver will work in Ubuntu Linux.  Terminal > Type sudo apt-get remove brltty > Enter.

 

 

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