5.1 Command Line Options
The SSP-100 Client Driver for OS/2 supports two methods of configuration: using "system assigned" resources and using "user assigned" resources. Both options provide full PCMCIA compliance and functionality (including "Hot-swapping") but each has some advantages and disadvantages as discussed in the following sections.
5.1.1 Configuring With "System Assigned" Resources
Allowing the OS/2 Plug-and-Play system to assign the hardware resources to the SSP-100 is the ideal choice when only OS/2 programs will access the serial ports. When configuring the hardware, the user simply specifies a list of COM port numbers. When an SSP-100 is inserted into a PCMCIA socket, the client driver will configure the card as a COM port, starting with the lowest available port number in the list.
Configuring a SSP-100 with system assigned resources can be a problem, however, if DOS and/or Windows applications will be accessing the serial ports. This is because most DOS applications write directly to the communications hardware and the Windows' Control Panel also wants to know the hardware configuration of the serial ports. In these cases, the user may want to configure the SSP-100 with "user assigned" resources.
5.1.1.1 Example 1
DEVICE=C:\SSP-100\SSP100.SYS COM3
In example 1, the Client Driver will attempt to configure the SSP-100 as COM3. If COM3 already exists in the system, the SSP-100 will not be configured. Furthermore, only one SSP-100 can be installed in this system.
5.1.1.2 Example 2
DEVICE=C:\SSP-100\SSP100.SYS COM7 COM3
In example 2, the Client Driver will attempt to configure the SSP-100 as COM3 . If COM3 already exists in the system, the Client Driver will attempt to configure the SSP-100 as COM7 . If COM7 already exist already exist in the system, the SSP-100 will not be configured. Up to two SSP-100s can be installed in this system.
5.1.2 Configuring With "User Assigned" Resources
As mentioned in the previous section, allowing the OS/2 Plug-and-Play system to assign the hardware resources to the SSP-100 is ideal for OS/2 programs but can be a
