Virtual MBX Driver Help

Virtual MBX
Driver Help
Virtual MBX Driver for
Modbus, Modbus Plus and
Modbus TCP/IP Networks
Version 7.1
Virtual MBX Driver Help
VIRTUAL MBX DRIVER HELP

Virtual MBX® Driver for Modbus, Modbus Plus and Modbus TCP/IP Networks
Version 7.1 for Windows® 7/Vista/XP/2000/Server 2008/Server 2003
Copyright © 1994-2010, Cyberlogic® Technologies Inc. All rights reserved.
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Document last revision date March 22, 2010
Cyberlogic Technologies Inc. -2-

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ........................................................................................................4
Remote Connectivity ................................................................................................ 4
Compatibility ........................................................................................................... 4
Blending MBX-Supported Networks ........................................................................... 4
What Should I Do Next?......................................................................................7
Learn How the Driver Works..................................................................................... 7
Read a Quick-Start Guide ......................................................................................... 7
Get Detailed Information on the Configuration Editor ................................................. 7
Verify That It’s Working or Troubleshoot a Problem ................................................... 7
Get Information on Related Products ........................................................................ 7
Print a Copy of This Document ................................................................................. 7
Contact Technical Support ........................................................................................ 7
Communication Using the Virtual MBX Driver ....................................................8
Device Drivers for 16-Bit Applications ........................................................................ 8
The Prior Art: 16-Bit Device Drivers ....................................................................... 8
Achieving Compatibility Using the Virtual MBX Driver .............................................. 8
Virtual DOS Machine for 16-Bit Applications ............................................................... 8
Running DOS Applications ..................................................................................... 9
Running 16-Bit Windows Applications .................................................................... 9
Quick-Start Guide ..............................................................................................11
Running Modsoft and MBPSTAT from Shortcuts ....................................................... 11
Running DOS Applications from a Command Prompt ................................................ 11
Configuring Shortcuts for DOS Applications ............................................................. 12
Creating Shortcuts with the Virtual MBX Configuration Editor ................................ 12
Creating Shortcuts with Windows Explorer ........................................................... 14
Configuring Support for 16-Bit Windows Applications ............................................... 20
Configuration Editor Reference ........................................................................22
16-bit Windows Applications Tab ............................................................................ 22
16-bit DOS Applications Tab ................................................................................... 23
Product Version Tab .............................................................................................. 24
Validation & Troubleshooting ...........................................................................26
Virtual MBX Driver Messages .................................................................................. 26
Frequently Asked Questions ................................................................................... 27
Appendix A: DOS Application Shortcuts in Windows Vista ...............................28
Appendix B: MBX Architecture and Companion Products .................................33
MBX Driver ............................................................................................................ 33
Ethernet MBX Driver .............................................................................................. 34
Serial MBX Driver ................................................................................................... 34
MBX Gateway Driver .............................................................................................. 35
Virtual MBX Driver ................................................................................................. 35
MBX Bridge ........................................................................................................... 36
MBX OPC Server .................................................................................................... 36
MBX SDK ............................................................................................................... 36

INTRODUCTION
The Virtual MBX Driver allows all existing 16-bit DOS or Windows 3.x NETLIB/NetBIOS-
compatible applications to run under current Windows operating systems in their original
binary form. This includes programs such as Modsoft, ModLink, MBPSTAT and hundreds
of other custom applications written by software developers and system integrators. With
the Virtual MBX Driver installed, you can execute 16-bit programs exactly the same way
as in their original environment.
These applications can run concurrently with other 16- or 32-bit applications, sharing the
same 32-bit device driver. In addition, you can concurrently execute multiple instances of
the same application. For example, you can run multiple instances of MBPSTAT to
monitor the operation of multiple Modbus Plus networks.
If your computer uses Windows 7, Vista or the 64-bit edition of any Windows version,
refer to Cyberlogic Knowledge Base article KB2010-02 Running 16-Bit Applications for
important information on using the Virtual MBX Driver on your system.
This driver is part of Cyberlogic’s MBX Driver Suite, MBX OPC Server Suite, MBX Bridge
Suite and MBX OPC Premier Suite, providing 16-bit application compatibility for these
products.
Remote Connectivity
The MBX Gateway Driver, which is included with all MBX products, allows applications on
your system to access MBX devices in other computers on your network. Your system will
then have full driver functionality, just as though the MBX device in the other system
were installed in your system. The Virtual MBX Driver is compatible with the MBX
Gateway Driver, providing this remote connectivity to the 16-bit applications in your
system. For more information, refer to the MBX Gateway Driver section.
Compatibility
The Virtual MBX Driver is implemented as part of the Cyberlogic MBX architecture, which
is the foundation used in other Cyberlogic drivers such as the MBX Driver, the Serial MBX
Driver and the Ethernet MBX Driver. Consequently, the Virtual MBX Driver works with all
of these drivers, supporting all DOS and Win16 applications that worked with Modicon’s
original DOS driver.
Blending MBX-Supported Networks

The MBX driver family provides support for all Modicon networks through a common
architecture, with identical programming interfaces. This means that an application that
operates with one of the MBX family drivers will work with the rest of them as well. Thus,
virtually all Modbus Plus compatible software programs can operate over all Modicon-
supported networks with no code modifications. You will find a complete description of
the MBX family in the Appendix B: MBX Architecture and Companion Products.

Migration of existing installations to new hardware products does not require the user to
discard working, proven software solutions. As depicted in the diagram below, a user can
mix Modbus, Modbus Plus and Modbus TCP/IP based hardware products in existing
installations without losing software, network or integration investment.
The MBX family of products includes:

 MBX Driver is Cyberlogic’s device driver for Modbus Plus interface adapters.
 Ethernet MBX Driver provides Modbus TCP/IP communication.
 Serial MBX Driver provides Modbus RTU/ASCII communication.
 MBX Gateway Driver works with the other MBX drivers, giving access to
Modbus, Modbus Plus and Modbus TCP/IP networks from remote locations.
 Virtual MBX Driver works with the other MBX drivers to permit 16-bit legacy
software to run in current Windows operating systems.
 MBX Bridge allows you to bridge any combination of Modicon networks by
routing messages between MBX devices.
 MBX OPC Server connects OPC-compliant client software applications to data
sources over all Modicon networks.
 MBX SDK is a software development kit for MBXAPI and NETLIB compliant
development.


WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT?

The links below will take you directly to the section of this manual that contains the
information you need to configure, use and troubleshoot the Virtual MBX Driver.
Learn How the Driver Works

If you are not familiar with the way that the Virtual MBX Driver works, you should begin
by reading Communication Using the Virtual MBX Driver.
Read a Quick-Start Guide

First-time users of the Virtual MBX Driver will want to read the Quick-Start Guide, which
walks through a typical configuration session, step-by-step.
Get Detailed Information on the Configuration Editor

Experienced users who want specific information on features of the configuration editor
will find it in the Configuration Editor Reference section.
Verify That It’s Working or Troubleshoot a Problem

If you have already configured the driver, you should verify that it operates as expected.
Refer to the Validation & Troubleshooting section for assistance. In case of
communication problems, this section also provides problem-solving hints.
Get Information on Related Products

The MBX family consists of several well-integrated products, which provide connectivity
for Modicon networks in distributed environments. For more information about these
products, refer to the Appendix B: MBX Architecture and Companion Products section.
Print a Copy of This Document

The content of this document is also provided in PDF format. PDF files can be viewed
using the Adobe Reader program, and can also be used to print the entire document.
Contact Technical Support

To obtain support information, open the Windows Start Menu, then navigate to the
MBX product you have installed. From there, select Product Information.

COMMUNICATION USING THE VIRTUAL MBX DRIVER

This section is intended to familiarize you with the main features of the Virtual MBX
Driver.
Device Drivers for 16-Bit Applications

The purpose of the Virtual MBX Driver is to allow legacy 16-bit applications to run under
current Windows operating systems. To do this, it must present the application with an
interface that appears the same as the 16-bit device drivers they formerly worked with.
The Prior Art: 16-Bit Device Drivers
Prior to the introduction of 32-bit Windows operating systems, DOS and 16-bit Windows
applications communicated over Modbus Plus through the use of a DOS device driver
called MBPHOST.SYS (previously called SA85.SYS). This driver implemented the
NetBIOS-style interface used in other standard networks. All NetBIOS commands were
sent to the driver through a pre-selected software vector, typically vector 5C hex.
Some applications communicated to the driver through the direct NetBIOS calls. To
simplify the driver’s interface, Modicon introduced a simpler application programming
interface (API) called NETLIB. This new interface became the standard API for Modbus
Plus communications.
Achieving Compatibility Using the Virtual MBX Driver
The Virtual MBX Driver fully emulates the operation of the DOS-based SA85.SYS and
MBPHOST.SYS drivers from Modicon. Therefore, the SA85.SYS and MBPHOST.SYS drivers
are no longer needed and should not be used.
The Virtual MBX Driver fully supports all NETLIB/NetBIOS features. This includes support
for Data Master/Slave, Program Master/Slave, Global Data and Peer Cop. Once the driver
is installed, any existing DOS or Win16 application can run under current Windows
operating systems without code modifications.
The Virtual MBX Driver uses the MBX Driver, Ethernet MBX Driver and Serial MBX Driver
for all of its local I/O functions. It can also use the MBX Gateway Driver for network-
based installations. At least one of these drivers is required for the proper operation of
the Virtual MBX Driver.
Virtual DOS Machine for 16-Bit Applications

When the user opens a DOS or Windows 3.x application, Windows launches a Virtual
DOS Machine (VDM) instance within the Win32 subsystem. Several copies of the VDM
may run simultaneously without interfering with each other, allowing the applications to
run independently. Each application can then run as it would in a native MS-
DOS/Windows 3.x environment.

When the VDM is launched, it:
1. Allocates memory to create a virtual DOS machine
2. Reads the files …\config.nt and …\autoexec.nt
3. Loads drivers and executes batch files as specified
4. Loads the application and executes it
The config.nt and autoexec.nt files located in the system32 directory are global for the
entire Windows system. If you use a shortcut to launch a DOS application, you can
specify private versions of these files, which may be located in any directory.
Running DOS Applications
Although DOS applications do not require a shortcut to run, we recommend that you use
a shortcut for them. This is important because each time a DOS application is launched,
a separate VDM instance is started. Using a shortcut allows you to specify the
autoexec.nt and config.nt files you wish to use for that instance, allowing you to
configure each VDM for the specific application running in it.
For instructions on how to create these shortcuts, including instructions on how to

configure the paths to the desired autoexec.nt and config.nt files, refer to the
Configuring Shortcuts for DOS Applications section.
If you want to run two common DOS applications, Modsoft or MBPSTAT, you will find
shortcuts for them already configured in the Windows Start menu under the MBX product
you have installed. MBPSTAT is located in the Diagnostics submenu and Modsoft is in the
Applications submenu.
Running 16-Bit Windows Applications
When running 16-bit Windows applications such as Concept, you must use the global
config.nt and autoexec.nt files located in the system32 directory. The reason for this
requirement is that all 16-bit Windows applications run in a single VDM instance, called
the system VDM, and it uses those files. The system VDM will open when the first 16-bit
Windows application is launched, and will stay open until the system shuts down.
Because config.nt and autoexec.nt are processed only when the VDM opens, you must
reboot the system whenever you change the configuration of these files.
Both files must be modified for the Virtual MBX Driver to run correctly.
The config.nt file must contain the following line:
device=%SystemRoot%\System\mbp16.sys
The autoexec.nt must contain the following line:
%SystemRoot%\System\mbp16vec {NetBIOS_vector}

In the above, {NetBIOS_vector} is the software interrupt vector used by the NetBIOS
interface. If a value is not specified here, the default value of 5C hex will be used.
The above modifications to the autoexec.nt and config.nt files can be done with a text
editor, such as Notepad. However, it is much easier to do it by using the Virtual MBX
Configuration Editor. The procedure to do this is found in the Configuring Support for 16-
Bit Windows Applications section. After these changes are made, you must reboot the
system for them to take effect.
Cyberlogic Technologies Inc. - 10 -

QUICK-START GUIDE
Depending on the applications you will use, you may need to configure the Virtual MBX
Driver before using it. The setup program installs shortcuts that will be useful for some
common applications, but you must manually configure others. To accomplish this, you
must run the Virtual MBX Driver Configuration Editor after you install the software.
The following steps show a typical configuration session for the different types of
applications. Use it only as a guideline of how to configure the most common features.
For detailed descriptions of all of the available features, refer to the Configuration Editor
Reference section.
The procedures in this guide are broken into several sections, covering the various types
of applications and approaches you can use for each:
 Running Modsoft and MBPSTAT from Shortcuts
 Running DOS Applications from a Command Prompt
 Configuring Shortcuts for DOS Applications
 Configuring Support for 16-Bit Windows Applications
To begin, go to Running Modsoft and MBPSTAT from Shortcuts.
Running Modsoft and MBPSTAT from Shortcuts

Modsoft and MBPSTAT are two of the applications most commonly used with the Virtual
MBX Driver. The installation program creates shortcuts for both of these applications, and
no additional configuration is normally needed to run them.
MBPSTAT is included with all of the MBX Suites, and is installed as part of the suite
Caution!
installation. Modsoft, however is not included and must be purchased separately from
Schneider. You must install it in the C:\Modsoft directory, or modify the shortcut to
reflect the correct path.
To run MBPSTAT, open the Windows Start menu and navigate to the MBX product you
have installed. Open the Diagnostics sub-menu and select the Mbpstat shortcut.
To run Modsoft, open the Windows Start menu and navigate to the MBX product you
have installed. Open the Applications sub-menu and select the Mbpstat shortcut.
To continue, go to Running DOS Applications from a Command Prompt.
Running DOS Applications from a Command Prompt

Windows allows you to start a DOS application from a command prompt, if you wish. The
installation program creates a shortcut that will open for you a command prompt window

with Virtual MBX Driver support. If you use this shortcut, no additional configuration is
needed.
If you attempt to run an application from a regular command prompt window and if
Caution!
16-bit Windows support is enabled, the application may run, using the global
autoexec.nt and config.nt in the system32 directory. However, not all applications will
run this way, and this type of operation is not recommended.
To open the DOS command prompt window, open the Windows Start menu and
navigate to the MBX product you have installed. Open the Diagnostics sub-menu, and
select the shortcut called Command Prompt with VMBX.
To continue, go to Configuring Shortcuts for DOS Applications.
Configuring Shortcuts for DOS Applications

Although it is possible to run DOS applications from the command prompt, we
recommend that you use shortcuts for all 16-bit DOS applications. This allows you to
configure your application’s Virtual DOS Machine by using private versions of the
autoexec.nt and config.nt files.
Shortcuts can also be created directly from the Windows Explorer. Using Explorer is more
complicated, but it allows you to select custom versions of the autoexec.nt and config.nt
files. If you prefer to use Explorer, follow the Creating Shortcuts with Windows Explorer
section.
Creating Shortcuts with the Virtual MBX Configuration Editor
During the Virtual MBX Driver installation, pre-configured versions of autoexec.nt and
config.nt files are placed in the product directory. In most cases, these files can be used
without any modifications. You can then use the Virtual MBX Configuration Editor to
create shortcuts that point to these pre-configured files. The procedure to do that is
explained in this section.
The pre-configured autoexec.nt is set up for applications that use the standard NetBIOS
vector 0x5C. If your applications use a different NetBIOS vector, you can either modify
the line with MBP16VEC in this file to use the correct vector, or you can create a custom
version of autoexec.nt. If you want to use custom versions of autoexec.nt and config.nt,
skip this procedure and instead go to the Creating Shortcuts with Windows Explorer
section.
As an example, we will create a shortcut to the test4.exe program located in the product
directory.
1. Open the Windows Start menu and navigate to the MBX product you have installed.
Open the Configuration sub-menu and select Virtual MBX Driver.

2. Select the 16-bit DOS Applications tab, then click the Browse button.
By default, the test4.exe is located in \Program Files\Cyberlogic\Virtual MBX Driver

directory.
3. Select the test4.exe program and then click the Open button.
4. Click the OK button. A shortcut will be placed on the desktop. Use Windows Explorer
to edit this shortcut or to move it to a different location.

Under Windows Vista, a generic icon will be assigned to the shortcut. If you wish to
Note
use a different icon, refer to the procedure in Appendix A: DOS Application Shortcuts in
Windows Vista.
To continue, go to Configuring Support for 16-Bit Windows Applications.
Creating Shortcuts with Windows Explorer
This section describes the procedure to configure your application’s shortcut by using
Windows Explorer. This is the method you will use if you need to use custom versions of
autoexec.nt and config.nt.
If you want to use the pre-configured versions of these files that were placed on your
system by the installation program, go back to the Creating Shortcuts with the Virtual
MBX Configuration Editor section.
As an example, we will use the 16-bit test4.exe program located in the product
installation directory.
1. Start Windows Explorer and browse to the product installation directory. By default,
this is \Program Files\Cyberlogic\Virtual MBX Driver.

2. Select test4.exe.
3. Right-click on test4.exe and select Create Shortcut from the context menu. A
shortcut to test4.exe will be created.

4. Select the Shortcut to test4.exe, then right-click and select Properties from the
menu.

5. Select the Program tab.
Your application may require some command line switches, which must be added at
Caution!
the end of the Cmd line field.

6. Append command line switches, if needed, in the Cmd line field.
In this example, the test4.exe program requires node address 2 to operate.
7. Click the Advanced... button. You will see the following screen.
By default, when a new shortcut is created, Windows selects the autoexec.nt and
Caution!
config.nt files located in the system32 directory. To use private copies of these files,
you must modify the directory paths shown in this dialog.

8. Edit the directory paths in the Autoexec filename and Config filename fields.
For this example, we want to use the autoexec.nt and config.nt files that are located
in the product installation directory. Therefore, the correct paths to enter are
%MbpVddRoot%\AUTOEXEC.NT in the Autoexec filename field and
%MbpVddRoot%\CONFIG.NT in the Config filename field.
9. Click the OK button.

10. Select the Misc. tab.
11. Uncheck the Always suspend check box.
By default Windows configures new shortcuts so that the application will suspend when
Caution!
the focus is moved away from its window.
If your application is constantly communicating to some devices, you will want it to run
continuously, even when the focus is moved away. To do that, you must uncheck the
Always suspend check box.
12. Click OK to complete the shortcut configuration.
To continue, go to Configuring Support for 16-Bit Windows Applications.
Configuring Support for 16-Bit Windows Applications

This section shows how to enable or disable support for 16-bit Windows applications.
These applications always use the config.nt and autoexec.nt files located in the system32
directory.
1. Open the Windows Start menu and navigate to the MBX product you have installed.
Open the Configuration sub-menu and select Virtual MBX Driver.
2. Select the 16-bit Windows Applications tab.
3. Select the NetBIOS Vector to match your application’s configuration, normally

vector 0x005C.
4. Check the Support 16-bit Windows Applications box.

When you select Support 16-Bit Windows Applications, the editor modifies the
Caution!
autoexec.nt and config.nt files. After you finish editing, you must reboot for these
changes to take effect.
For more information, refer to the Running 16-Bit Windows Applications section.
5. Click Close.
6. Reboot the computer.

CONFIGURATION EDITOR REFERENCE

Depending on the applications you will use, you may need to configure the Virtual MBX
Driver before using it. The setup program installs shortcuts that will be useful for some
common applications, but you must manually configure others. To accomplish this, you
must run the Virtual MBX Driver Configuration Editor after you install the software.
This section provides a detailed description of each of the configuration editor features. If
you are a new user and want a procedure to guide you through a typical configuration
session, refer to the Quick-Start Guide.
The Virtual MBX Driver Configuration Editor consists of three tabs:

 16-bit Windows Applications Tab
 16-bit DOS Applications Tab
 Product Version Tab
16-bit Windows Applications Tab

Applications written for 16-bit Windows operating systems use the global config.nt and
autoexec.nt files located in the system32 directory. To enable these applications to run
with the Virtual MBX Driver, the config.nt and autoexec.nt files must be modified. This
tab allows you to indicate if these files should be modified to add or remove support for
16-bit Windows applications.
Support 16-bit Windows Applications
Check this box to add Virtual MBX Driver support for 16-bit Windows Applications.

When you select Support 16-Bit Windows Applications, the editor modifies the
Caution!
autoexec.nt and config.nt files. After you finish editing, you must reboot for these
changes to take effect.
For more information, refer to the Running 16-Bit Windows Applications section.
NetBIOS Vector
This box allows you to select the NetBIOS vector to match your application’s
configuration, typically vector 0x005C.
16-bit DOS Applications Tab

Windows provides a Virtual DOS Machine (VDM) to support DOS applications. A separate
VDM instance launches for each DOS application. For proper operation, a shortcut should
be created for each DOS application used with the Virtual MBX Driver.
This tab allows you to browse and identify the DOS applications that you wish to use
with the Virtual MBX Driver and create shortcuts to these applications. The shortcuts will
point to the pre-configured config.nt and autoexec.nt files installed in the Virtual MBX
Driver directory.
The pre-configured autoexec.nt is set up for applications that use the standard NetBIOS
vector 0x5C. If your applications use a different NetBIOS vector, modify the line with
MBP16VEC in this file to use the correct vector, or create a custom version of autoexec.nt
and refer to the Creating Shortcuts with Windows Explorer section.
Browse
Click this button to browse for DOS applications. Then click the Open button to create a
shortcut.

Product Version Tab

This tab shows information about the Virtual MBX Driver installed on your system. This
information, including the version number, may be requested if you call for technical
support. It also tells you if the Virtual MBX Driver has been activated or if it is running in
demo mode.
Product Package
MBX products are sold and installed as packaged suites, such as the MBX Driver Suite,
MBX OPC Server Suite, MBX Bridge Suite and MBX OPC Premier Suite. This field indicates
the suite that is installed on your system.
Activation Status
Most Cyberlogic software products operate in a time-limited demonstration mode until

they are activated. This field tells you whether or not the installed product has been
activated.
If your product requires activation, run the Activation wizard, which you will find in the
Windows Start menu subdirectory for the installed product. You will need the serial
number and password that were assigned when you purchased your license for the
software.
Some OEM versions of MBX products are pre-activated and do not require you to take
Note
any additional activation steps.

License Type
This field shows the licensing mode that the software is operating under. If the type
displayed is 2 Hour Demo, the software will run for only two hours at a time, after which
you must restart the system to obtain another two hours of use. To enable continuous,
uninterrupted operation, you must activate the software.
Version
This field displays the revision level of the Virtual MBX Driver that is installed in the
system. It will help you to determine if the latest updates have been applied.
Serial Number
If you have activated the software by entering the serial number and password, the
serial number used will be shown here. This will help you to determine which license
goes with which of your systems.

VALIDATION & TROUBLESHOOTING

The Virtual MBX Driver Setup program installs shortcuts to the MBPSTAT and Modsoft
utilities. You can use these shortcuts to confirm that the Virtual MBX Driver works. First,
verify that a 32-bit driver—for example, the MBX Driver, Serial MBX Driver or Ethernet
MBX Driver—is installed and properly configured. Then, run Modsoft or MBPSTAT and
choose various selections from the menu to verify that you can communicate.
If you are having difficulties communicating through the Virtual MBX Driver, the following
FAQ section can help you determine the nature of the problem.
Virtual MBX Driver Messages
Registration DLL failed to load. The I/O operations of the Virtual MBX Driver
have been disabled. Reinstall the product.
A necessary registration DLL could not be loaded. This may indicate a corrupted
installation. Repair the existing installation, or remove and reinstall the software.
This is a <Number of Hours>-hour promotional copy of the Virtual MBX Driver.

The driver started at <Start Time> and will stop at <Stop Time>.
This is a time-limited installation of the software. After the stop time, the driver will not
allow any further I/O operations.
This is a promotional copy of the Virtual MBX Driver. The allowed operation
time has expired. The driver has been disabled.
This is a time-limited installation of the software. The stop time has been reached or
exceeded, so the driver will not allow any further I/O operations.
Product license verification failed!. The I/O operations of the Virtual MBX
Driver have been disabled. Reinstall the product.
A registration check indicated that the software’s evaluation time has expired. Run the
Activation Wizard to authorize further use of the software.
The Cyberlogic License Server failed to respond with valid license information.
The I/O operations of the MBX Driver have been disabled. Contact the
manufacturer's technical support.
The driver experienced a problem when it tried to contact the Cyberlogic License Server.
If the license server is not running, start it and then try restarting the driver. If the
license server is already running, contact Cyberlogic Tech Support.

Frequently Asked Questions
When I double-click on the Modsoft or MBPSTAT icons provided with the

Virtual MBX Driver, these programs fail to communicate over Modbus Plus.
The Virtual MBX Driver requires that at least one of the 32-bit drivers (for example, the
MBX Driver, Serial MBX Driver, MBX Gateway Driver or Ethernet MBX Driver) is installed
and properly configured. Refer to the Validation & Troubleshooting section of the help file
for your 32-bit driver for information on how to verify that the driver is operating
properly.
I start my DOS application from the DOS prompt, but it fails to communicate
over Modbus Plus.
To run your application from the command prompt, you must use the Command
Prompt with VMBX shortcut that is located in the Diagnostics sub-menu created by the
installation program. Refer to the Configuring Shortcuts for DOS Applications section for
more information.
My 16-bit Windows application fails to communicate over Modbus Plus.
16-bit Windows applications always use the config.nt and autoexec.nt files located in the
system32 directory. Verify that these files are properly configured. Refer to the
Configuring Support for 16-Bit Windows Applications section for more information.
I have more than one interface card installed in my computer. Can I configure
the Virtual MBX Driver to work with all of them?
Yes. The MBX Virtual Driver is a Windows driver that emulates the old Modicon DOS
drivers. It allows DOS and 16-bit Windows programs to access all of the MBX devices
configured in your system. There is no limit to the number of devices you can have
configured on your system and available through the Virtual MBX Driver.
However, many older applications are capable of accessing only device numbers 0 and 1,
so that may be a restriction that affects you. Note that this is a restriction in the
application, not in the Virtual MBX Driver. If this is an issue for your application, you
must configure one of your devices as device 0 and another as device 1, and the
application will then be able to use those two devices.

APPENDIX A: DOS APPLICATION SHORTCUTS IN WINDOWS VISTA

When you create a shortcut to a DOS application in Windows Vista, the shortcut will use
a generic icon that cannot be changed. If want to use a different icon, you must create a
shortcut that runs the program indirectly by using the CyRunDos.exe program. This
appendix explains how to do that, using MBPSTAT as an example.
1. Right-click on the DOS program for which you want to create the shortcut and select
Create Shortcut from the context menu.
2. Repeat this with the file CyRunDos.exe.

3. Rename the shortcut for the application to give it the name of the file, with no
extension. In this case, the name would be mbpstat.

4. Right-click on the CyRunDos.exe shortcut you created, and select Properties from
the context menu.
5. Edit the Target field to add mbpstat.pif to the end. Notice that there is a space
ahead of the pif name.
6. Click the Change Icon... button.

7. Browse to locate the icon you want to use.
8. Click OK.

9. On the General tab, edit the name of the shortcut to name it whatever you wish.
10. Click OK.
11. Your shortcut will now have the name and icon you selected.

APPENDIX B: MBX ARCHITECTURE AND COMPANION PRODUCTS

The Virtual MBX Driver is part of the Cyberlogic MBX family. This family consists of
several well-integrated products that provide connectivity for Modbus, Modbus Plus and
Modbus TCP/IP (Ethernet) networks in distributed environments.
This section illustrates the layout of the MBX architecture. It includes a description of
each MBX component along with suggested methods for employing them to support
Modicon networks.
The MBX architecture presents a consistent framework

to address different connectivity needs.
MBX Driver
The MBX Driver provides connectivity between Modbus Plus interface adapters and
Windows-based applications. It supports all Modbus Plus interface adapters for ISA,
EISA, MCA, PCI, USB and PCMCIA buses that are compatible with the supported
operating systems. For a complete list of supported adapters, refer to the MBX Driver
help file. Multiple interface cards can be installed at the same time, limited only by the
number of available slots.
The kernel mode device driver of the MBX Driver is the highest-performance Modbus Plus
driver in the industry. The driver operates in either interrupt or polled mode and fully
implements all Modbus Plus features, providing support for Data Master/Slave, Program
Master/Slave, Global Data and Peer Cop. The high-performance native API (MBXAPI) of

the MBX Driver takes advantage of the event-driven, multitasking, multithreaded features
of Windows operating systems.
The driver includes the MBX Gateway Server for remote access by the MBX Gateway
Driver and is fully compatible with all other components of the MBX family.
The MBX Driver is included in the following products:

 MBX OPC Premier Suite
 MBX OPC Server Suite
 MBX Bridge Suite
 MBX Driver Suite
Ethernet MBX Driver

The Cyberlogic Ethernet MBX Driver emulates Modbus Plus over the Modbus TCP/IP
protocol. This allows most Modbus Plus-compatible software to gain instant access to
Modbus TCP/IP-enabled devices without code modifications. It is compatible with all
Ethernet cards supported by Windows.
The Ethernet MBX Driver is included in the following products:

Serial MBX Driver

The Serial MBX Driver provides connectivity to Modbus-compatible devices through
standard serial COM ports. It supports both master and slave node communications for
Modbus ASCII and Modbus RTU protocols.
The Serial MBX Driver is included in the following products:

 MBX Driver Suite (Some OEM versions do not include the Serial MBX Driver.)

MBX Gateway Driver

The MBX Gateway Driver lets applications use MBX devices on remote MBX Gateway
Server nodes as though they were on the local system. The client system running the
MBX Gateway Driver must be a Windows node connected over a standard LAN to another
system running the MBX Gateway Server. It can then access the Modbus, Modbus Plus
and Modbus TCP/IP networks that are connected to the server node.
For example, the MBX Gateway Driver provides complete MBX Driver functionality to the
client node applications, including support for Data Master/Slave, Program Master/Slave,
Global Data and Peer Cop. An interface adapter, such as a PCI-85 card, is not required
on the client node. MBX Gateway Driver nodes can communicate with multiple remote
servers and all Windows-compatible TCP/IP computer networks are supported.
The MBX Gateway Driver is compatible with all other components of the MBX family.
The MBX Gateway Driver is included in the following products:

Virtual MBX Driver

The Virtual MBX Driver enables 16-bit NETLIB/NetBIOS-compatible applications, such as
Modsoft and Concept, to run concurrently with 32-bit applications on the same computer.
It allows multiple 16-bit applications and multiple instances of a single 16-bit application
to run under the latest Windows operating systems.
If your computer uses Windows 7, Vista or the 64-bit edition of any Windows version,
refer to Cyberlogic Knowledge Base article KB2010-02 Running 16-Bit Applications for
important information on using the Virtual MBX Driver on your system.
The Virtual MBX Driver is fully compatible with all MBX components and requires at least
one of these drivers to operate:
 MBX Driver
 Ethernet MBX Driver
 Serial MBX Driver
 MBX Gateway Driver
The Virtual MBX Driver is included in the following products:


MBX Bridge
The MBX Bridge seamlessly routes messages between MBX-compatible devices. For
example, the MBX Bridge can route messages between Ethernet and Modbus Plus
networks, between Modbus and Modbus Plus networks or any other combination of the
supported networks.
Depending on the user’s needs, it requires one or more of the following drivers to
operate:
 MBX Driver
 Ethernet MBX Driver
 Serial MBX Driver
 MBX Gateway Driver
The MBX Bridge is included in the MBX Bridge Suite.
MBX OPC Server

The Cyberlogic MBX OPC Server connects OPC-compliant client applications to Modbus,
Modbus Plus and Modbus TCP/IP networks. It supports the latest OPC Data Access and
OPC Alarms and Events specifications and uses the MBX drivers for connectivity to
Modicon networks.
The MBX OPC Server supports multiple, priority-based access paths for reliable,
redundant communications. It also supports both solicited and unsolicited
communications and uses an advanced transaction optimizer to guarantee minimum load
on your networks. With only a couple of mouse clicks, the MBX OPC Server will
automatically detect and configure the attached networks and node devices. Other
noteworthy features include DirectAccess, Data Write Protection and Health Watchdog.
The MBX OPC Server is included in the MBX OPC Premier Suite and the MBX OPC Server
Suite.
MBX SDK
Software developers can use the MBX Software Development Kit to provide connectivity
to Modbus, Modbus Plus and Modbus TCP/IP networks from their 32-bit C/C++
applications.
The SDK supports two styles of interfaces, NETLIB and Cyberlogic's high-performance
MBXAPI. The NETLIB interface is an excellent bridge for developers who would like to
port their 16-bit applications to the latest Windows environments. Developers of new
applications can use either the NETLIB or the MBXAPI interface. For a complete reference
of all NETLIB library functions, refer to Modicon IBM Host Based Devices User's Guide,
available from Schneider Electric (Order #890 USE 102 00).

Since all MBX family drivers are built on the same MBX architecture, applications
developed with the MBX SDK can be used with all MBX family drivers and can execute
under all current Windows operating systems.

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Virtual MBX

VIRTUAL MBX DRIVER HELP

Document last revision date March 22, 2010

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Blending MBX-Supported Networks

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The MBX family of products includes:

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WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT?

Learn How the Driver Works

Read a Quick-Start Guide

Get Detailed Information on the Configuration Editor

Verify That It’s Working or Troubleshoot a Problem

Get Information on Related Products

Print a Copy of This Document

Contact Technical Support

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COMMUNICATION USING THE VIRTUAL MBX DRIVER

Device Drivers for 16-Bit Applications

The Prior Art: 16-Bit Device Drivers

Achieving Compatibility Using the Virtual MBX Driver

Virtual DOS Machine for 16-Bit Applications

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When the VDM is launched, it:

1. Allocates memory to create a virtual DOS machine

2. Reads the files …\config.nt and …\autoexec.nt

3. Loads drivers and executes batch files as specified

4. Loads the application and executes it

Running DOS Applications

For instructions on how to create these shortcuts, including instructions on how to

Running 16-Bit Windows Applications

The config.nt file must contain the following line:

The autoexec.nt must contain the following line:

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To begin, go to Running Modsoft and MBPSTAT from Shortcuts.

Running Modsoft and MBPSTAT from Shortcuts

To continue, go to Running DOS Applications from a Command Prompt.

Running DOS Applications from a Command Prompt

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To continue, go to Configuring Shortcuts for DOS Applications.

Configuring Shortcuts for DOS Applications

Creating Shortcuts with the Virtual MBX Configuration Editor

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By default, the test4.exe is located in \Program Files\Cyberlogic\Virtual MBX Driver

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To continue, go to Configuring Support for 16-Bit Windows Applications.

Creating Shortcuts with Windows Explorer

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5. Select the Program tab.

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6. Append command line switches, if needed, in the Cmd line field.

In this example, the test4.exe program requires node address 2 to operate.

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9. Click the OK button.