The VR Computer
Software Suite
FEATURES
Pro Dive dive logging software
Proplanner decompression planning software
DecoBooks for VR Computers (separate PIN required, item UG10)
Screensaver and Logo Generator Tool (separate PIN required, item UG9)
PIN upload facility
Security data upload facility
VR DAN Dive Log Converter
IMPORTANT NOTES:
VR Software Suite features 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are only compatible with Windows XP and Windows XP Professional.
In PC link mode you have the option to connect to your PC via infra red (IR) link or by Hard Wire Cable.
Choose Full = 0 IR = 1 in the PC link screen if connecting to your PC by Infra Red link.
Choose Full = 0 IR = 0 in the PC link screen if connecting to your PC by cable.
The Hard Wire Cable PC Link Option can be used with all VR2s but can only be used with VR3s that have a 7 pin I/O port.
PRO DIVE DIVE LOGGING SOFTWARE
Installation Instructions
Before you start, uninstall any previous versions of Pro Dive and Prolog that you may have on your PC.
Click on Add/Remove Programmes in your PC’s Control Panel
Find ProDive; Click on it
Click on Remove
Follow screen instructions
Once the uninstall is complete or if there was no previous version on you PC, insert the CD-Rom
The CD will check Access Compatibility then the start-up screen will show.
Click on Pro Dive
Click “NO” on Uninstall Prior Version.
Follow screen instructions.
The VR Comms Wizard
When you open the programme to download dives for the first time you will see the VR Comms Wizard which guides you through setting up the communications link between your PC and your VR computer. You need to have your VR computer in PC link mode to run the Wizard.
If you are upgrading from a previous version of Prolog or Pro Dive you may not see the Wizard. But even if the Wizard does not appear when you open Pro Dive you may need to run it in order to set up communications
a. after upgrading your VR computer
b. when installing Pro Dive on a new PC
c. if you experience problems downloading dives from your VR computer
You can run the wizard at any time by selecting Tools\Utils\VR Wizard from the main Pro Dive Menu.
Using the VR Comms Wizard
Start the Comms Wizard and follow the on screen instructions.
The Wizard shows where your Pro Dive folder is on your PC. You must select the com port which the VR computer download link is connected to and click the next button. (If you do not know which com port to choose, first try the one the Wizard suggests, (usually Com 1) followed by the alternatives.
Turn on your VR computer, (a short push on both switches will bring up the DiveNow legend and will give you five minutes to work without the unit shutting down to save battery power.) Select PC LINK on your VR computer and connect your 7 pin cable or, if using the IR link, place your IR link close to or touching the area on the VR computer where the IR signal beams out.
In VR3s built before June 2003, the IR signal beams out of the centre of the top of the screen near the logo.
On VR3s built from June 2003 onwards, i.e. those with software version V2.1C and beyond or where the silver switch circlips can be seen on the underside of the VR3, the Infra Red signal beams out of the bottom right hand corner of the screen.
On VR2s the signal beams out from the rear of the screen on the side opposite the I/O port.
When the VR computer is in range the green light on the Wizard will flash about once a second.
After a few seconds the Wizard will
test the connection,
check the PC settings
download one dive from your VR computer
shut down the VR computer.
When it is complete the Wizard will tell you to click the finish button.
Fault Finding
If the red light does not illuminate or the green light does not go solid the communication has failed. If using the IR link, sometimes simply turning the link 180 degrees will resolve this.
If the settings are OK but the Wizard does not complete its task, this means that it has been unable to download a dive because you do not have your VR computer’s downloading capability activated. Either,
- you have purchased Pro Dive but do not have the activating pc= PIN, or
- you have the pc= PIN but have not installed it or
- you have no dives apart from the factory test dive in your logbook, or
- you are using our USB infra red link or a USB to serial converter cable and this has created a virtual com port that the Wizard cannot identify; in which case see the guidelines below.
Special Procedures for setting up the C35 USB infra red link
It is often the case that the VR Wizard cannot read the virtual Com Port created by the PC for the USB link so cannot complete its process. Instead of running the Wizard therefore, do this.
Ensure your C35 USB Infra Red link is plugged in and the Drivers have been installed.
Find out what Com Port has been assigned to the link by going to My Computer/ View system information / System properties / Hardware / Device Manager / Ports
In your Pro Dive menu bar go to Tools then Options and change the Com Port setting to the number of the Com Port assigned to the Infra Red Link in the Device Manager. You will now be able to connect.
One of the functions of the Wizard is to match the Pro Dive programme to the Software Version of your VR computer. As the Wizard is not completing its sequence, you have to do this manually; as follows:-
Go to your Pro Dive Directory, Double click on the Vrfirm.dat file to open it
(if you can only find a VRFirm1.dat file then rename it VRFirm.dat before you open it.)
Or Search for Files/Folders in your PC's menu bar, type in VRFIRM.DAT then click search now.
If your PC asks you which programme to use to open it, choose Word, WordPad or Notepad.
You will see a number of rows of text: click on the end of the last line of text and press ENTER to move your cursor to the start of the next new line.
Type in the software version listed on the bottom line of the start up screen on your VR3, (this will look something like V2.1CXR) (Capital letters must be capitalized). Add a comma, then the number 2.
Ifyour VR computerhas Version 3 .0 software loaded, omit the final capital letter. (So, ifthe bottom line on the start up screen reads V3.03aB, you should type in V3.03a,2).
Save and exit the screen.
Setting up your VR computer to Download Dives
When you turn on your VR3/VR2 to download dives, a short push on both switches will bring up the DiveNow legend and will give you five minutes to work without the unit shutting down to save battery power.
Set your VR computer to PC link screen in the OPTIONS menu
If using an IR Link ensure that Full = 0, IR = 1 in this screen. If it is not 0, make it 0 by a short push on both switches.
Choose Full = 0 IR = 0 in the PC link screen if connecting to your PC by cable
Downloading Dives and Uploading Gas Profiles
With the link to your VR computer in place click on the VR3 symbol on your Pro Dive menu bar. Your PC will start listening for your VR computer on the Com port you have selected. When you are connected you will first see the words “Connecting to VR3” then “Connected” at the bottom left of the PC screen. The two symbols to the right of the VR3 symbol on the Pro Dive menu bar will turn yellow.
To upload a gas profile to your VR computer click on the “two tanks” symbol.
To download dives from your VR computer click on the “Dive Log Page” symbol. and follow on screen instructions. When the box next to the dive number has a tick inside it, the dive is set to download.
Further Information
To learn more about how to use Pro Dive, go to Help on the Pro Dive menu bar and click on Contents in the drop down menu. If you are encountering difficulties, you may find the solution on our website Go to FAQ and select Prolog in the search panel.
Changes from previous versions of Pro Dive
Former Prolog users and those who have previous experience of Pro Dive will find a log of changes from previous versions of the software on the file named release.txt which is accessible on the Software Suite CD. Right click on the CD drive and scroll down to Explore.
INSTALLATION OF OTHER FEATURES
Installing VR PC Link
Insert VR Software Suite CD Rom into your PC’s CD/DVD drive
Click Browse CD from the Installation screen
Go to VR PC Link folder
Double Click setup.exe to Open
Follow installation instructions
Close set up window when installation is complete
Enter VR PC Link via the desktop icon or via the icon in the VR programme folder.
Installing VR DAN Converter
Insert VR Software Suite CD Rom into your PC’s CD/DVD drive
Click Browse CD from the Installation screen
Go to VR DAN folder
Double Click setup.exe to Open
Follow installation instructions
Close set up window
(YOU WILL NEED TO RESTART YOUR PC TO COMPLETE INSTALLATION)
Enter VR DAN via the desktop icon or via the icon in the VR programme folder.
Installing Proplanner
Insert VR Software Suite CD Rom into your PC’s CD/DVD drive
Click Browse CD from the Installation screen
Go to Proplanner folder
Double Click setup.exe to Open
Follow installation instructions
Close set up window when installation is complete
Enter Proplanner via the desktop icon or via the icon in the VR programme folder.
DECO BOOKS AND MORE GAMES
Please note: You must have purchased and installed in your VR Computer both the C11 Download PIN (which comes as part of the C5 Software Suite package) AND the UG 10 Deco Books PIN in order to use this feature
After you have bought and installed the DecoBooks PIN, go to your VR computer’s OPTIONS MENU and scroll down until Games is highlighted. Then a long push of the right switch takes you into the screen where you will see four options, Octopus, Book, Buddies and Wreck Find.
Octopus, Buddies and Wreck Find are your game options, (see details below). Book is your DecoBooks viewing screen. A short push of the left switch scrolls through the options. A long push of the right switch takes you into the option you have selected. The number next to Book option shows how many characters are currently loaded. The VR computer can take a maximum of 20000 characters at a time, (around 40 pages).
You scroll through pages using the left and right switches. A single short push scrolls one page. A long push scrolls 1000 characters. The number (in this case 0) in the lower menu area shows the cursor position in the file. When you have finished reading and leave the screen, your VR computer will remember where you left off and return you to the same point in the file when you next open the screen. A short push of both switches returns you to the Dive Screen.
The book-viewing screen shows text from the book that has been uploaded into the dive computer. You can download text (.txt) files from any source to your PC. If files are in another format save them as .txt files in Notepad before transferring them to your VR computer. Please note that you can only transfer and store in the VR computer 20,000 characters at one time so divide large texts such as novels into named parts (not exceeding 20 KB in size) to avoid confusion.
DecoBooks
Enter VR PC Link via the desktop icon or via the icon in the VR programme folder.
Click on the white button next to Book Upload. Follow the on screen instructions
Select a .txt file from your PC and check it appears in File Name box.
The maximum size of file that can be downloaded is 20KB.
Ensure your VR computer is in PC Link mode and
Connected appears at top of the PC link window on the PC.
Click Book Upload.
Buddies Game
The idea of this game is essentially the same as the card game Pairs.
You as the player are seen on the screen as “?”.
Use the left and right switches to move around the screen. Short switch pushes move you left and right, a long push on the left switch jumps up a row, a long push on the right switch drops down a row. When you are over a particular card a short push of both switches will turn the card over and reveal a letter or symbol. Once that letter or symbol is revealed, your task is to find the same card in another position and reveal it with the next turn of a card. If you are unsuccessful both cards turn face down again. If you are successful the selected cards disappear.
The aim of the game is to find all the pairs until no more cards remain. Each attempt to find a pair is recorded as a try in the bottom left hand corner. The best score, i.e. the lowest number of attempts needed to clear the screen, is displayed in the bottom right of the screen.
A long push on both switches exits Games.
Wreck Find Game
There are pieces of a shipwreck hidden in the sand. You as the wreck-finder are seen on the screen as “?”.
Use the left and right switches to move around the screen. Short switch pushes move you left and right, a long push of the left switch jumps up a row, a long push of the right switch drops down a row.
When you think you might be over a piece of wreckage a short push on both switches will reveal what is hidden below you. Each piece of wreckage is shown as a cross. When you have found all ten pieces of wreck, the game finishes. The idea is to find them all in the fewest number of trys.
The number of trys so far in the current game is shown in the bottom left of the screen. The best (lowest) score is displayed in the bottom right of the screen.
It is mostly a game of chance but if you are a true wreck-finder you can bring in an element of skill to find the wreckage more quickly and get a better score, (think “Battleships”!!)
A long push on both switches exits Games.
Screen Saver
Please note: you must have purchased and installed in your VR Computer both the C11 Download PIN (which comes as part of the C5 download kit) AND the UG 9 Screen Saver PIN in order to use this feature
Logo/Screen Saver allows customisation of a screen on the VR computer with a simple bit-map image that will appear when the VR computer starts up and goes into screen saver mode.
Enter VR PC Link via the desktop icon or via the icon in the VR programme folder.
Click on the white button next to Logo. Follow the on screen instructions
Select a Bitmap (.BMT/.BMP ) file from your PC and check it appears in File Name box.
The Bitmap must be 102 x 64, (see creating Screen Savers and Logos below)
Ensure your VR computer is in PC Link mode; then a short push on the right switch makes the screen go blank.
Connected appears at top of the PC link window on the PC.
Click Logo Send.
The legend Command Sent tells you that the logo/screensaver has been sent to your VR computer.
Wait until the link disconnects and reconnects before commencing another function or quitting pclink.
Creating Screen Savers and Logos
Use your PC’s Paint to design and edit your own logo or screensaver
If you are downloading a logo to use, the file must be converted to a Monochrome Bitmap measuring 102 x 64. To check the file size, open the file in Paint, go to Image then Attributes. To adjust the size, go to Image Sketch / Skew and experiment using horizontal and vertical stretch .
To design your own logo to use as a screen saver Open your Paint programme then go to the File drop down menu and open the Sharka Bitmap file that we provide with the PCLink software
You can find this at My Computer/Hard Drive (C:)/Program Files/VR/PC Link
Once it is open, click on Save As, give the new file a new name and open it as a Monochrome Bitmap. Erase the image and build you own using the programme tools. Do not adjust the image size. (go to Image in the menu bar then click on Attributes in the drop down menu. You will see the size of the file is 102 x 64. This is the correct size.)
It is highly recommended that, to make the design stand out more prominently, you use black and white for the design and background colours or, in any event, colours that contrast strongly.
Pin upload (PIN Send)
When you bought your VR computer you received a PIN corresponding to the software level purchased (e.g. Open Circuit Trimix). To activate the software at this level the PIN needs to be installed, unless you purchased an Open Circuit Air/Nitrox unit, in which case the level is activated at the time of purchase. You still receive the PIN however, to use in case you want to change your security information, (see below). If you upgrade to a higher level or buy features for your VR3, you will receive further PINs that need to be installed in the VR computer to activate the new upgrade or feature purchased.