Weird problem [LIN Channels and .NET Framework]

[K.Wagner]

Hello everybody,

if you are having problems using the LIN channels after a sucessful installation of the PCAN-USB Pro package, maybe these lines can help you to solve the problem.

The LIN part of the device needs the .NET Framework 2.0 from Microsoft to work. This is part of the latest operating systems from Microsoft like Windows Vista or Windows 7. In older systems like Windows XP this must be installed manually.

Fortunately the PCAN-USB Pro Setup program let you install the .NET Framework in case it cannot be found:

PCAN-USB Pro Setup asking for requisites

Install.png (67.42 KiB) Viewed 18141 times

Nevertheless, due to some unknown behavior , it is possible that a .NET Framework 2.0 can get corrupted, causing problems to the part of PLIN using .NET, avoiding in this manner the communication with the LIN channels of a PCAN-USB Pro device. The most usual symptoms for this are:

1. You are using Windows XP
2. The PCAN-USB Pro package was successfully installed without having to install .Net (you didn't see a Window like in the picture above).
3. The Leds of the LIN channels remain off, even after reboot, or
4. the LIN channels can work for some time and then no more (this is an even more weird case).

The only known solution for this is to reinstall .NET Framework 2.0:

1. Uninstall PCAN-USB Pro: (This is not necessary but highly recommended) Go to Windows control panel and open the "Add or Remove Programs" window. Search and select the PCAN-USB Pro software and click the button "Remove". Follow the instruction to uninstall the product.
   

   

   Uninstalling PCAN-USB Pro

   PCAN-USB Pro.png (39.37 KiB) Viewed 18141 times

2. Uninstall .NET: go to Windows control panel and open the "Add or Remove Programs" window. Search and select the Framework 2.0 and click the button "Change/Remove". Follow the instruction for uninstall/repair the product (You can choise to repair or to uninstall the product. Both of them should work but we recommend to uninstall it andinstall it again. It is up to you ).
   

   

   Uninstalling .NET

   Dot Net.png (37.54 KiB) Viewed 18141 times

3. If you have repared .NET (not uninstalled), please go to the next point. If you have deinstalled it, then you can use the setup file for .Net 2.0 delivered within the PCAN-USB Pro package (Disk\Microsoft\dotnetfx.exe) to install it again. Execute it and follow the instructions.
4. If you have uninstalled the PCAN-USB Pro, run the executable PCANUSBProSetup.exe again. If you didn't, please reboot your system.

Now, after having followed these steps, you should be able to communicate on the LIN network using the PCAN-USB Pro. . If you're not please contact support@peak-system.com.

[K.Wagner]

Hello everybody,

we have received some new reports about this problem under Window XP. It seems to be an incompatibility from .Net Framework 2.0 with further updates and Service Packs, as .Net 3.5. In some cases is possible that the problem persists, even after reinstalling the .Net Framework.

In that case, there is a workaround that can help. Those of you still experimenting problems after reinstalling the Framework, can try to use a PLIN version we have compiled with the .Net Framework 3.5.

Follow these stepts:

1. Download this Package (PLIN-Manager + PLIN-View Pro) for the .NET Framework 3.5:

   PLIN for .Net 3.5.zip

   PLIN compiled for .Net Framework 3.5

   (533.05 KiB) Downloaded 1365 times

   • Folder Manager: Contains the PLIN-Device Manager, PLinMng.exe
   • Folder PLIN-View Pro: Contains the .Net 3.5 Version of the PLIN-View Pro.
2. Be sure that the "PLIN Manager" is not running
   1. Open the Service-Manager from Windows (Control Panel\Administrative Tools\Services).
   2. Search and select the entry "PLIN Device Manager".
   3. If the manager is running, stop it, e.g. doing a right-mouse click over the selected item and clicking "Stop"
3. Extract from the zip package the file PLinMng.exe and copy it into the Windows\System32 folder, replacing the existing file.
4. Look for the PLIN-View Pro installation folder, commonly C:\Program Files\PEAK-System\PCAN-USB Pro\PLIN-View Pro.
5. Extract from the zip package the files "PlinViewPro.exe" and "Interop.PLINSymbols.dll" and copy them into the PLIN-View Pro installation folder, replacing the existing files.
6. Restart your computer.

Note that even when this workaround seems to solve the problem, we are still delivering the files for the Framework 2.0 within the installer. This is because this problem only occur on "some" Windows XP systems, and depending on a random .Net incompatibility, that we cannot identify.

Take also in account, that you should do this only if you are experimenting problems within Windows-XP systems. If you are experimenting problems with any other operating-system, please contact our support at support@peak-system.com

[K.Wagner]

Dear users,

after several tests and researches we were able to find the reason for this issue (LIN Manager + .Net on computers with Windows XP) The problem lies on events registration done using the .Net component EventLog.

The PLIN Manager, trhough the component mentioned before, was creating a custom log for event logging corresponding to the LIN environment. This log was created at install time as a "circular" log which a size of 1MB, which means that at the moment the log becomes full, it starts to delete older entries to write the new ones again.

The event registration with EventLog propertly work on Windows Vista, and Seven; but it seems to fail on computers using XP with certain user rights configurations, so that the log file behaves itself different than configured, when it becomes full. The workaround installing .Net again worked for some machines because the .Net re-installation changed also some parameters for the EventLog functionality, but some other times even this was not a help.

To avoid this problem in the future, we will take the Event-Logging part out of the service but until the new version is released, here is a new workaround for the problem:

1. Go to the Control pannel and search for "Administrative Tools"
2. In Administrative tools, start the Event Viewer tool
3. Look for the entry PEAKLog (left side list) and open its properties.
4. Clear the log (by clicking the buttont "Clear Log") and be sure the configuration is as follow:
   

   

   PEAKLog Configuration

   EventLog-Config.jpg (103.85 KiB) Viewed 17815 times

We want to emphasize that this problem only occurs on Windows XP computers that have certain user rights.
Even when this issue is not directly our fault, we want to apologise for the inconvenients caused and to thank you for your patience.