[ale] This _should_ be simple...

[Keith Hopkins]

Geoffrey wrote:

> Keith Hopkins wrote:
> 
>>Thompson Freeman wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I've grazed the linuxdoc HOWTOs, and browsed around, so I _should_ have
>>>either found the trick or at least a clue. The background...
>>>
>>>Yesterday I was in CompUSA, and rather on impulse purchased an APC
>>>Back-UPS CS 350 for my machine. The ups has an USB port, cable included,
>>>and I've got 3 appropriate ports on the computer - so hardware shouldn't
>>>be an issue. The interesting part is that the APS software (downloaded
>>>from their web site), wants to know what serial port to talk to in order
>>>to talk to the ups. I imagine that I perform a symbolic link somewhere in
>>>/dev to get this serial device, and then configure the software, but I'm
>>>clueless about how to declair a serial port through the USB devices.
>>>
>>>I'm running RH7.1, and have not automated setting up the USB system (I'm
>>>still insmod'ing things when I bootup.)
>>>
>>>Anybody have a clue I might borrow for a few minutes?
>>>
>>>Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>I'm thinking you have the wrong software.  It is probably for the older UPSes which actually have serial ports.
>>
> 
> usb - universal serial bus.
> 


And one has nothing to do with the other, above the concept of a serial stream of data and the name itself.


> Anyway, you should have usb devices under /dev/usb
> 
> I've got a usb scanner and access my sony camcorder via usb.  You might
> have to upgrade your kernel for the latest greatest usb support. 
> There's a usb list as well as the usb web site:
> http://www.linux-usb.org/
> 


But since the software comes from APC, the latest version for RH7.1 is "PowerChute plus v4.5.3 for RedHat v7.1".
This version does not support USB.

ftp://ftp.apcftp.com/software/unix/linux/pcplus/453/pc453ig.txt
A quick look at the installation guide shows us:

  h. Specify a serial port:

                 1) /dev/ttyS0
                 2) /dev/ttyS1
....
   These are not USB ports.  But plain old serial ports.

The Release Notes, ftp://ftp.apcftp.com/software/unix/linux/pcplus/453/pc453rn.txt.
The User's Guide, ftp://ftp.apcftp.com/software/unix/linux/pcplus/453/pc453ug.pdf

Saving Grace:
   from http://www.apcc.com/products/back-ups_cs/index.cfm?tab=features#anchor1
     First USB and Serial USB   Ships with an USB cable, but user can mail in for a serial cable for Windows 95, 98, and 2000.

   So, just maybe, the USB port can be plugged into a regular serial port using their special cable.

   Otherwise, you are looking at getting UPS software that supports USB ports and (for now) is not from APC.

That Said:
   You can check out Geoffrey's reference (http://www.linux-usb.org/), under "HID Power"
   Experimental     Alan Cox kernel patches; user space UPS tools in NUT
   These are the known USB UPSes:
0463  MGE UPS Systems
	ffff  Ellipse UPS
051d  American Power Conversion
	0002  Back-UPS Pro 500

   This looks to be your best bet for using the USB cable.  Check out http://www.exploits.org/nut/

Not That Lost in Tokyo,
   Keith

P.S. If you know a way to convert the signaling the software is looking for to signals the USB UPS understands, THAT I would be interested in seeing.



> 
>>Lost in Tokyo,
>>   Keith
>>
> 
> --
> Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at denali.atlnet.com
> 
> "...the system (Microsoft passport) carries significant risks to users
> that
> are not made adequately clear in the technical documentation available."
> - David P. Kormann and Aviel D. Rubin, AT&T Labs - Research
> - http://www.avirubin.com/passport.html
> 




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