BioAPI Reference Implementation: Installing

Framework and MDS Installation

First of all, the BioAPI framework and MDS must be installed. This may be accomplished with the installer from the web site, using mds_install to install MDS and mod_install to install the framework (bioapi100.dll). Alternately, there is a set of batch files prebuilt to handle typical installation tasks.

You can check whether the installation was successful by running the MDSEdit utility. There should be exactly one H Layer record; if there are no records, installation was unsuccessful or incomplete. If there are more than one, then somehow two different versions of the framework are installed, and very likely to cause conflicts.

BSP Installation

Next, your BSP must be installed. The mod_install utility takes care of this. This installation procedure adds your BSP to the MDS so that applications can find it. Use MDSEdit again to check that it worked; a record should be added to the BSP and device keys.

mds_install

The mds_install application has the following usage:
Usage: mds_install [-u] -s file [-d path]
  -u            Uninstall the module.
  -s file       Source file to install; no extension if installing, file name
                        only when uninstalling or refreshing
  -d path       Destination path; required for install.

The source files must include a path to the DLL to install, if it is not in the current directory. The destination of MDS must be in the search path, typically the system directory (e.g. C:\Windows\System\ or C:\Winnt\System32\).

See the contents of the batch files for examples of how to use this in practice.

mod_install

The mod_install application has the following usage:
Usage: mod_install [-fiur] -s file [-d path]
  -f            Unused option reserved for future use.
  -i            Install the module.
  -u            Uninstall the module.
  -r            Refresh the installation information.
                        ** Options -i, -u, and -r are mutually exclusive. **
  -s file       Source file to install; no extension if installing, file name
                        only when uninstalling or refreshing
  -d path       Destination path; required for install.

The source files must include a path to the DLL to install, if it is not in the current directory. The destination of the framework (bioapi100.dll) must be in the search path. The destination of a BSP may be anywhere; MDS remembers where, and the framework uses this to locate and load the BSP at runtime.

See the contents of the batch files for examples of how to use this in practice.

mod_install does its work partly by calling the installation function in your BSP. See the BSP section of Use.htm for more details on how to create a BSP.

Installing with a Batch File

In the build directory, there are a collection of scripts to be used to install and uninstall the framework, MDS and various modules. If run with no parameter (e.g. "install_nt4"), they will (un)install the release version. You may also provide a parameter (e.g. "install_nt4 debug") to specify another version to (un)install. Those batch files with "_apps" in the name (un)install only the MDS and the framework, while the others install the MDS, the framework, and the two provided BSPs (password and dummy).

Testing the installation

After using MDSEdit to ensure that MDS is installed and BSP records are created, you can run the sample application. This is a very simple utility that allows you to select which BSP to use, and enroll and verify using that BSP. The password BSP handles enrollment and verification properly; the "dummy addin" BSP returns an error code for any function called.

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