HomSoft Software Installation

To install HomSoft, i.e., the Homer Windows Visualization and Control Software, use the installation file downloaded from the web site or copied from another medium, such as USB flash disk. The procedure follows a standard routine for installing Windows programs, as described below.

HomSoft consists of:

  • Homer executables: these are the core HomSoft components.

  • Additional executables (e.g., Homer simulation HoSim.exe, file transfer Dwnload.exe).

  • Auxiliary files: they define the Homer unit behavior.

  • Documentation.

To Install HomSoft from USB Flash Disk

  • Insert the USB flash disk into your PC.

  • If the installation does not start automatically:

  • Locate the Setup.exe program. It is usually found in a folder such as

    HomSoft_5001\Volume\

  • Run the Setup.exe program (e.g., by double-clicking its icon).

  • Follow the instructions on your screen (normally respond by clicking  Next  or  Finish ).

To Install HomSoft from Installation Package

Installation software (in particular software upgrades) will be available in the form of a new installation package, which can typically be downloaded from a web site or sent to you via e-mail in the form of a zip file. After unzipping, the files are structured the same way as described in the previous section.

To install/upgrade the software, run the installation as described above, you only have to locate the Setup.exe program in the unzipped data package and run it.

In case of upgrades, the installer will add new subfolders to the S-TEAM installation folder.

Homer Executables

Homer executables are a group of basic Windows Visualization & Control programs, also referred to as HomSoft applications. They can be run one at a time. They fall in two categories:

  • Full-fledged programs.

  • Reduced-functionality servicing programs.

Full-Fledged HomSoft Applications

In the case of Homer Autotuner, the full-fledged HomSoft applications are Tu_rs.exe (communication via RS232 or RS422) and Tu_can.exe (communication via CAN Bus).

In the case of Homer Analyzer, the full-fledged applications are, respectively, Ho_rs.exe and Ho_can.exe.

Starting one of these programs will be referred to as starting HomSoft.

A full-fledged HomSoft application can communicate with a Homer device only if this Homer device is equipped with the HomSoft option (please refer to Homer datasheet to learn about the Homer options).

Reduced-Functionality Applications

The reduced-functionality HomSoft applications are also referred to as HomTool. They are complimentary, i.e., they do not need a Homer device to be equipped with the HomSoft option.

In the case of Homer Autotuner, the HomTool applications are named TuTool_rs.exe (communication via RS232 or RS422) and TuTool_can.exe (communication via CAN Bus).

In the case of Homer Analyzer, the applications are, respectively, HoTool_rs.exe  and HoTool_⁠can.exe.

If you start HomTool, a dialog pops up warning you that this is not a full-fledged HomSoft application. You can switch off this dialog by clicking the  Do not Show Again  button. (Note: You can reintroduce it only by editing or deleting the line ShowToolWarning in the application’s Ini File, located in the User Folder.)

Some examples of what HomTool can and cannot do are listed below.

What HomTool Can Do

  • Switch autotuning ON and OFF.

  • Trigger All Stubs Home and Single Tuning Step procedures.

  • Read actual tuning stubs insertions.

What HomTool Cannot Do

  • Display the received (measured) quantities graphically in Display Windows (although such windows can be visible).

  • Save results and, hence, perform waveform determining.

  • Perform data logging.

  • Run tuning stubs scenarios and related operations.

  • Run DDE Server.

S-TEAM Installation Folder

The installation or upgrade procedure will copy the files to subfolders of S-TEAM installation folder, which may be typically

c:\Program Files\S-Team\

c:\Program Files (x86)\S-Team\

HomSoft is installed in a subfolder, also named HomSoft, within the S-Team installation folder.

HomSoft Folder

In HomSoft folder, a structured subfolder for each particular SW version will be created, containing the basic Windows application files (Tu_rs.exe, Tu_can.exe), Help system files, documentation, and other files. Particularly, the Server subfolder contains copies of Homer internal programs (e.g., SrvHo.exe, SrvDld.exe) best matching the given HomSoft version. If your Homer is driven by older firmware, you may wish to upload the new servers to the Homer (see section Transferring Files, subsection Upgrading Server Program).

In this way, different HomSoft versions are sorted in the S-TEAM Installation Folder. The shortcuts created by the installer will point to the latest installation (regardless of the version).

Example

An example of the installation folder structure is shown below (a backslash and bold type denotes a folder).

c:\Program Files\S-Team

\HomSoft (HomSoft software folder)

\Ver5030 (Folder for HomSoft Version 5.0.3.0)

\Documents (Documentation, sample codes)

\Demo (HoSim simulation program and accompanying files)

\DDE Sample DDE client

\HomerHelp (Online Help for Homer)

\Server (Archive for server programs optimal for this HomSoft version)

u_rs.exe (HomSoft executable file – RS232)

u_can.exe (HomSoft executable file – CAN)

uTool_rs.exe (Reduced funcionality version of Tu_rs.exe)

uTool_can.exe (Reduced funcionality version of Tu_can.exe)

Dwnload.exe (File transfer program – RS232 only)

HomerList.cfg (Sample MultiCAN configuration file)

(HTML CHM Help system)

(Some other files)

\Ver5020 (Folder for HomSoft Version 5.0.2.0)

...

User Folder

The User Folder is the default location for reading and writing data by HomSoft applications.

  • Most importantly, for each HomSoft application type, the User Folder contains its HomSoft Ini File, a file to which a majority of HomSoft settings is automatically stored on its termination. When you start a HomSoft application the next time, its Ini File is loaded back and the program as well as the connected Homer unit appear in the same state as when you left them.

  • Also, all user-created files (user setups, results in any form, log files, etc.) are by default written to this directory.

The User Folder is located within a user’s domain, typically

c:\Users\<username>\S-Team\HomSoft

The folder is created automatically when starting HomSoft for the first time. To open the folder in Windows Explorer, click the Files|Open User Folder menu item.

Analogously, the HoSim Homer simulation user folder is

c:\Users\<username>\S-Team\HoSim