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Identifying Data Formats and Operating Modes

Comdump.exe may be used to view the touch data stream. The appearance of the data stream gives clues to the format of the data. Comdump may be used with an existing older controller to determine its data format and characteristics, and thus to determine which command text files need to be sent to a more modern controller to get it to emulate the older data format. Comdump may also be used to check the format of a modern controller that has been sent commands, to see if the desired format has been achieved.

Important Notes

  • Comdump is a DOS application, which means it has to be run from a command line. Because of DOS navigation logistics, it is important that comdump.exe be saved to the root of the hard drive (in Windows, save to the icon of the C: drive, not one of the folders on the drive).
  • In order to use comdump, the COM port that the touchmonitor is connected to must be available for use. That means that the Elo driver needs to be removed or disabled and any Hyper Terminal session must be disconnected or closed.
  • Comdump needs to use either COM1 or COM2.

If you are running a Hyper Terminal session you can click the Disconnect icon (icon of a phone with the receiver off the hook) to allow use of the comdump program. To use the Hyper Terminal session again after running comdump, hit the Esc key on the keyboard to terminate comdump, then Alt-Tab to Hyper Terminal, then select Send Text File from the Hyper Terminal Transfer menu (no need to reconnect – it will be done automatically).

Running comdump.exe

Get to a command prompt

  • Start, All Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt.

Get to the root directory

  • Type cd\ and hit the Enter key.
    • Be sure to use the backslash key, above the Enter key.
    • The prompt should then be C:\>.

Start comdump

  • For a COM1 connection, type comdump 1 and hit the Enter key.
  • For a COM2 connection, type comdump 2 and hit the Enter key.

The comdump window should open. When you touch the screen, data should scroll in the data area. You will then examine the data to look for a repeating pattern, indicating packets of data. The data packets should fit one of the formats below:

  • SmartSet binary data packet:
    • the first two bytes are always [55] [54].
    • data repeats every 10 bytes.
    • this format is very distinctive and should be easy to see.
    • this is the Elo modern data format.
  • 4002 binary data packet:
    • Data repeats every 6 bytes.
    • Early 1990's data format.
  • 140 binary data packet:
    • Data repeats every 4 bytes.
    • 1980's data format.

If the data does not fit any of the above formats (11, 13 or 16 byte data packets), hit the M key on the keyboard to toggle to ASCII data display, then touch the screen again.

  • SmartSet ASCII data packet (16 bytes if viewed in hex format):
    • three columns of 4-digit coordinates.
    • third column does not exceed 255.
  • 4002 ASCII data packet (16 bytes if viewed in hex format):
    • three columns of 4-digit coordinates.
    • third column does not exceed 15.
  • 140 ASCII data packet (11 bytes if viewed in hex format):
    • two columns of 4-digit coordinates.
  • 140 ASCII data with touch flags packet (13 bytes if viewed in hex format):
    • Should display two columns of 4-digit coordinates plus one with T or U.
      • T = touch, U = untouch.

In general, data that does not fit any of the formats above is an indication of a non-Elo touch controller.