Revision 1.6 – 23^rd Nov 2011

www.touch-base.com\documentation\API

UPDD API - Files

Operating systems

Windows

Win CE

Mac OS X

Linux

Solaris

Development languages

Java

The UPDD API allows user mode applications to interface directly with the driver and/or the pointer devices handled by UPDD. It is assumed that the reader is familiar with the various functions and parameters of TBUPDD, since that information is not duplicated here.

The UPDD API is supported on all platforms supported by UPDD (and is in fact used by UPDD’s own programs, such as the UPDD Console, test program, calibration tool etc). On each platform the interface is similar to that used natively by that platform itself. For example on Windows systems a DLL based interface, on mac os/x a dylib interface and so on. In all cases the C calling convention is used. This means that the API can be utilised from any programming language that can execute native OS API calls. Examples are provided for C++ as this is the language on which UPDD is built but these should be easily adapted to other languages. If using another language you will probably already know how to make library calls, but in the case of any doubt that you should refer to documentation for your software generation tool. Whilst we can advise in general terms full support of all possible programming tools is outside the scope of normal support. For example Java developers will need to use the Java Native Interface (JNI) as per the example shown below.

Depending on which operating system and client language is used the user has a choice of linking to the API statically or dynamically. For example on Windows both static and dynamic libraries are available, however Visual Basic only supports dynamic linking.

Depending on the OS in use the following files implement the UPDD API:

Operating System	Files						Description
	TBapi.h						function declarations
	Tbapi.lib						lib file used for dynamic linking to TBAPI.DLL
	Tbapi.dll						Dynamically linked library (supplied with the driver)
	Tbapi.bas						contains DLL function declarations, constants and data types and helper functions for VB
	Download						Version			Build (from)	Date
				32bit			4.1.6				13^th July 2010
				32bit			4.1.8			Pre 2030	22^thAug 2010
				32bit			4.1.8			2030	24^thMar 2011
				32bit			4.1.10				10^th Jan 2011
				32bit			5.0.2			0304	1^st Oct 2012
				64bit			5.0.2			0304	1^st Oct 2012
	TBapi.dll and TBapi.h now ship with delivered software package
	TBapi.h						function declarations
	TBapi.dll		4.1.10				Apr 2011		Dynamically linked library
			5.0.2				Oct 2012
	TBapi.dll and TBapi.h now ship with delivered software package
	TBapi.h						Function declarations
	nonwindows.h						declarations of Windows specific constructs for non Windows targets
	nonwininternals.h						declarations of Windows specific constructs for non Windows targets
	libTBApi.a						statically linked implementation for a given target processor
							When linking to libTBApi.a you must also link in /usr/local/lib/libACE.dylib
	Download						Version			Build (from)	Date
		Intel			32bit		4.1.1				1^st May 2009
		PPC			32bit		4.1.1				1^st May 2009
		Intel			32bit		4.1.10				15^th Sept 2010
		Intel			32bit		5.0.2				1^st Oct 2012
	TBapi.h						function declarations
	nonwindows.h						declarations of Windows specific constructs for non Windows targets
	nonwininternals.						declarations of Windows specific constructs for non Windows targets
	libTBApi.so						shared library for a given target processor
	Download							Version		Build (from)	Date
		X86			32bit			4.1.1			1^st May 2009
		X86			32bit			4.1.8			16^th Aug 2010
		X86			64bit			4.1.8			7^th Sept 2010
	TBapi.h						function declarations
	nonwindows.h						declarations of Windows specific constructs for non Windows targets
	nonwininternals.						declarations of Windows specific constructs for non Windows targets
	libTBApi.so						shared library for a given target processor – supplied with the driver
	Please note the libTBApi.so is supplied with the driver and not in the download file
		X86			32bit			4.1.10			1^st Feb 2011
Development Languages specifics
	Java applications will need to use the Java Native Interface (JNI). This can link using our standard Windows DLL or shared library in other unix based OS. Usage of our API within a Java application requires a JNI implementation, an API declaration and usage within the Java application as per this example declaring and using the TBApiInit function call:
	JNI Implementation					JNIEXPORT void JNICALL Java_TBApiClass_TBApiInit (JNIEnv * a, jobject b, jbyte c) TBApiInit(c);
	Declaration					public static TBApiClass api;
	Usage					api = new TBApiClass(); api.TBApiInit((byte)1);

Contact

For further information or technical assistance please email the technical support team at technical@touch-base.com.