Adding Peripheral Hardware to a HAL Configuration

Peripheral hardware includes such devices as RADs, DRs, and EXPs. You can add a device to a HAL configuration in both online mode and offline mode. The behavior of Halogen differs slightly depending on the mode you are in.

First, open the HAL configuration

1. Open the configuration as follows:

• To work in offline mode, open the configuration file in which you want to add a peripheral device.

  From the File menu in the application toolbar, click Open: In the dialog box that opens, browse for and then select the configuration file that you want. Click the Open button.

  note: If you are creating a new configuration file, click the New button in the application toolbar.

• To work in online mode, connect to the HAL device to which you want to add peripheral hardware.

  1. From the Device menu in the application toolbar, click Connect:
  2. In the Connect to Device dialog box that appears, find the HAL device you want:
  3. Click the Connect button associated with that HAL device.

2. Click the Hardware tab to display the Hardware Workspace. Note that the Hardware Workspace displays by default when you first open a configuration file or connect to a HAL device.

To add an EXP device to a HAL configuration:

1. In the Hardware Palette on the left, find the EXP device you want to add. (See below for an alternate method for choosing a device.)
2. Click and drag the device from the Hardware Palette. As you do so, Halogen highlights the areas in the EXP Navigation Panel where you can drop the device.

To add the new EXP to the end of the current chain of EXP devices, drop the device onto the empty port:

To insert the new EXP before a device already in the EXP chain, drop it on the insert region just above the existing device:

If you are in online mode and the correct physical hardware is not actually connected to that port, Halogen displays a Mismatch or Missing message similar to the following:

tip: If you don't need to specify the port to which the device should be connected, you can add the device by simply double-clicking it in the Hardware Palette. Halogen adds it to the end of the EXP chain.

3. Configure the device as necessary. You may want to customize the device name.

To add a RAD or DR device to a HAL configuration:

1. If your configuration contains one or more Expansion Units (EXPs), highlight the HAL or EXP that you intend to add the RAD or DR to by clicking on it in the EXP Navigation panel:

This brings the HAL or EXP device into view in the Hardware Map:

tip: If you drag a RAD or DR to the EXP Navigation Panel and hover over the port area for a device, after a few seconds Halogen automatically highlights the HAL or EXP device. This brings it into view in the Hardware Map:

2. In the Hardware Palette on the left, find the peripheral device you want to add. (See below for an alternate method for choosing a device.)
3. Click and drag the device from the Hardware Palette. As you do so, Halogen highlights the ports where you can drop the device. Drop the device onto the appropriate port. If you are in online mode and the correct physical hardware is not actually connected to that port, Halogen displays a Mismatch or Missing message similar to the following:

tip: If you don't need to specify the port to which the device should be connected, you can add the device by simply double-clicking it in the Hardware Palette. Halogen adds it to the next available compatible port.

tip: You can also drop the device on a RAD or DR port area for a device in the EXP Navigation Panel. Halogen adds the new device to the first available port.

4. Configure the device as necessary. You may want to customize the device or channel names and/or configure its parameters.

Alternate method for selecting a hardware device:

1. In the EXP Navigation Panel or Hardware Map, locate the port to which you are connecting a device.
2. Click the small down arrow on the right side of the bar representing the port:
3. In the device picker dialog box that displays, select the device you want:

warning! If you are working in online mode (you are connected to a live device) and you decide to change the configured device model on a port, you will be disconnected from HAL if the previous model configured on that port is included in your Processing Map. If the previous model is not used in your Processing Map, however, you will not be disconnected. You can also add a device to an open port without being disconnected.

Yet another method for selecting a hardware device (and a true shortcut!):

• If you don't need to select the specific port to which the device is connected, you can add a device to the Hardware Map by simply double-clicking it in the Hardware Palette. Halogen adds it to the next available matching port. For example, if you are adding RADs, locate the RAD you want in the palette, double-click it, and Halogen adds it to the next available RAD port. If no more RAD ports are available on the HAL, Halogen automatically adds an EXP1x (if it does not already exist) and adds the RAD to its next available port.