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Hi all,
Does anybody know where I can get FIX DMACS Development Software? Is there any available in Web so I can download it freely? If you know, please share the link, I need it urgently to modify my existing system/application.
Thanks in advance.

Bagoes

Hi Bagoes,

It's been a while since I used Intellutions FIX products but here is what I recall.

Originally FIX - DOS based software
FIX ACE - DOS based but used an internal processing board
FIX DMACS - Windows 16 bit
Fix 32 - Windows 32 bit
iFix - last offering which later became Fix Dynamics

The runtime and development software were identical, however there was a hardware dongle which determined whether it would run as runtime only or allow access to the development mode.

Early versions refused to run without the dongle, whereas later versions Fix 32 onwards allowed the system to run in demo mode for two hours without a dongle. When running in demo mode there was access to the development mode and it was possible to develop in chunks of two hours with reboots of the system once the demo mode had expired.

Check the actual version of Fix you have, there is a lot of confusion regarding the naming of the different versions - the Operating System is usually the best guidance. Depending on the version you may have the option of demo mode. I'm led to believe that in later versions the hardware dongle may have been replaced with a software dongle however I never came across this.

I'm going to ask a stupid question here and that is that you are certain you can't access development mode from your current system. I'm asking this because you're under the impression that there are two different versions of the software available, which was never the case in my experience with over ten years of using the product in anger.

Once you start playing with removing hardware dongles, etc life becomes very interesting. I've had a few of them blow on me in the past and with Intellution no longer existing you may find replacing a blown dongle extremely difficult and to the detriment of your plant. Remember if you do feel brave enough to remove a hardware dongle I suggest powering down first, although I would be loathed to remove it until I could establish its age and if it could be replaced - do you have an obselescence issue.

There will still be some integrators out there who may carry some of the software, and you could always enquire of GE Fanuc who bought them out.

It would be useful if you posted the exact version number of the Fix software you are using as this would allow possible sources of help to verify that their versions are compatable with yours. I have a number of versions in my own software library but nothing earlier than Fix 32 (which was the first one shipped on a CD).

It may also be useful if you posted something of the nature of your issue as there were additional toolkits, drivers, utilities that were optional extras and may not have been available with the standard shipped software.

Regards,
Burnikell

iFix (or Fix Dynamics) is not really an upgrade to any of the previous Fix versions. It is really a completely different product.

I think you can download the development softwar from their web site, or get a Cd from a sales rep.

Hi Burnikell,

My Fix Dmacs is Ver 5.0. I can not go to Draw.exe file to modify some displays. It seems to be locked with message: "Unauthorized access attempted". Do I need a dongle?

Regards,
Bagoes

Hi Bagoes,

Version 5.0 of FIX DMACS. I suspect you will need a developer level hardware dongle. Dongles were usually shipped from Intellution and were programmed to provide the licensed functionality purchased. Development being an option in the levels of licensing.

The dongle would sit in the parallel port. Do you have a dongle in that port already - I would expect to find a runtime variant in there.

As I recall FIX DMACS v5.0 was pre-1995 technology running on Windows 3.1. I believe it could run on later versions of the Windows OS but wasn't officially supported.

The FIX DMACS software itself came on floppy disks and occupied about twenty of them.

I'm not sure of where you could pick up the appropriate dongle after all this time, but good hunting.

Regards,

Burnikell

Hi Burnikell,

Thanks a lot for your help.

Bagoes