This help file is intended to provide a brief overview of iTools, and includes the following topics. 

• Supported Devices provides a definitive list of instruments which are fully supported by iTools. 
• Running iTools outlines the various options for launching the iTools software, and for accessing the available functionality. 
• iTools Features outlines the new functionality provided in this release of the software. 
• Command-line Options lists the various command-line arguments which may be used when starting iTools. 
• iTools Architecture provides a brief technical overview of the iTools implementation. 
• Release Notes provides a full version history for iTools. The iTools ReadMe file contains additional Release Notes. 
• iTools ActiveX Controls gives an overview of an ActiveX Control which is provided with this release, and which allows iTools functionality to be accessed from many third-party applications. 

View Supported Instruments in the Release Notes

Link provides a full version history for iTools. The iTools ReadMe file contains additional Release Notes.

iTools may be launched in any of the following ways: 

• By starting the iTools application itself. By default, the Setup program will have created a Program Group called “Eurotherm iTools” containing an “iTools” icon. Selecting this icon will launch the application. 
• By opening an instrument clone file directly from the Windows Explorer or Shell. The iTools Setup program copies three such clone files onto the user’s computer. Each is accessible from the iTools Program Group. A clone file may be recognized by its filename extension, .UIC, or by its icon: 

or

• By opening a view of a connected on-line device from the Eurotherm Network Explorer. Each device attached to a Modbus port in the Eurotherm Network Explorer will present a command, ‘Open in iTools’, on its File menu and Context menu. 

It is not necessary to run the iTools Modbus Server separately. This, and any other required components will be loaded automatically as needed. 

See also Command-Line Options. 
Opening Views onto Additional Devices 

Views of additional devices may be opened in any of the following ways: 

• By enabling Background Scanning for new devices. This can be achieved from the iTools main menu or toolbar. 

• By selecting the “Add Devices” command from the iTools menu or toolbar. This will display a list of available devices (both real and simulated) to select from. 
• By opening a view of either a real or a simulated device from the Eurotherm Network Explorer (see the third bullet point above). The same copy of the iTools application is used to display all open device views, just as one copy of, say, Microsoft Word, can handle multiple open documents simultaneously. By dragging a device’s icon out of the Eurotherm Network Explorer and dropping it onto the iTools window. 

In this iTools release, simulated devices are distinguished from real devices by the use of a different color for the panel LEDs (white rather than yellow), and by the prefixing of the panel’s device type label with the letters “SIM”. 
Opening Views onto Additional Clone Files 

Views of additional clone files may be opened in any of the following ways: 

• By selecting the “Open Clone File” command from the iTools menu or toolbar. This will display a standard File Open dialog for file selection. 

• By opening a clone file directly from the Windows Explorer or Shell, e.g. by double-clicking the file. 
• By dragging a file out of the Explorer and dropping it onto the iTools window. 

There are two different types of view which show the set of available devices: Device Panel Views (also known as device faceplates, towards the top of the iTools main window) and the Device Browser (to the left of the main window). Both of these views may be shown or hidden as required - see the View menu. 

The functionality of iTools may be accessed by various means: 

• The main iTools menu bar. 
• The iTools toolbar. 
• Context-sensitive pop-up menus accessed by clicking with the right mouse button. 
• Double-clicking a device faceplate (or a device listed in the browser) will show the parameter lists for that device, and double-clicking a parameter in a list will allow the value of that parameter to be modified. 

Link provides a full version history for iTools. The iTools ReadMe file contains additional Release Notes.

POSSIBLE ISSUES RELATED TO VERSION 5.00

Command-line options are not case-sensitive. 
/AddAll 

Causes faceplates for all devices known to the iTools Server to be displayed on startup. Devices identified later, e.g. by the Server scanning the network, will not be added. See also /Scan. 
/NoPurge 

Devices which had been known to the Modbus Server but which are no longer present are normally purged when iTools starts up. Using the /NoPurge option will prevent this. 
/NoSplash 

Prevents the iTools splash screen being displayed on startup. 
/NoWarn 

Suppresses the warning messages which iTools normally generates when loading a device of an unsupported type and/or version. 
RegServer 

Updates the Windows Registry with all settings required by iTools. This is performed automatically by the iTools Setup program. 
/Scan 

Enables a Background Scan for new devices. As additional devices are detected by the iTools Server during execution, corresponding faceplate views are displayed in the iTools main window. This functionality can also be enabled or disabled from the iTools main menu. 

See also /AddAll. 
/Server:servername or /Server 

Specifies the location of the computer running the iTools Server application. Using this option will cause iTools (client) to try connecting to the remote server machine using DCOM, instead of using the server on the local computer. 

If servername is not specified on the command line, a dialog box prompts for the name of the remote server. 

Please note that the iTools Server must be installed and registered on the local (client) computer, even when connecting to a remote server using DCOM. 

Important: please note that this option is provided as a convenience to the user, but is not officially supported by Eurotherm. 
/UnregServer 

Removes from the Windows Registry all settings added by iTools.