NOTE: Please consult the PI-API release notes delivered in electronic format (readme.txt) for the latest information as well as bug fixes and enhancements.
Run the PI-API installation program (for example, piapi132p_i32.exe) to install the PI-API and related programming files. The version in this case is 1.3.2. The installation program will show you the directory path of your PIPC directory if you already have one, or prompt you for the location in which to create the directory.
The next installation screen will prompt for the default PI Server, port, and user name. If this is an upgrade, the current default PI server will be shown. The default PI server may be changed here if necessary. For a new installation, these will become the default PI Server settings located in the pilogin.ini file.
The next dialog is for service installation. It is only displayed if the installation is done on Windows NT or 2000 (not Windows 9x) and the buffer server has not been previously installed. Previously installed services are not modified. The installation of bufserv as a service requires a user with sufficient privileges in order to create shared memory and semaphores for buffering data. The username entered will be verified for existence when leaving this screen. If the check box entitled "Enable buffering" is checked it will cause the piclient.ini file to be created if needed and buffering will be enabled the next time bufserv is started (BUFFERING=1 in piclient.ini). If the check box entitled "Set auto start service option" is checked the bufserv service auto-start on reboot option will be enabled. By default, the bufserv service is installed to start manually. The control panel may be used to change the startup option.
The installation creates a log of all files installed on the system located in PIHOME\dat\setuppiapi.log. Typically, the following programs and files are installed under the PIPC directory:
bin - apisnap.exe, bufserv.exe, bufutil.exe, pilogsrv.exe, uninstall.exe, pistart.bat, pistop.bat, sitestrt.bat, sitestop.bat, API_install.doc, readme.txt
dat - pilogin.ini, piclient.ini
%WINDIR%\system32 - piapi32.dll, pilog32.dll, sdkreg.dll and if needed msvcrt.dll
bin\crt_old - A backup of the previous C run time libraries.
%WINDIR%\symbols\dll - piapi32.dbg, pilog32.dbg, sdkreg.dll
%WINDIR%\symbols\exe - apisnap.dbg, bufserv.dbg, bufutil.dbg, pilogsrv.dbg
library - piapi32.dll, piapi32.lib, pilog32.dll, pilog32.lib, pilogin.hlp
include - piapi.h, piapi32.bas, piapix.h, piba.h, pidefs.h, pidgstat.h, pigridtp.h, pilogex.h, pisql.h, pistatus.h, piutil32.bas
examples - basic and c subdirectories
The PI-API DLL version accessed by programs may be located in the system directory, a directory specified in the PATH environment variable, the current directory or paths entered in the registry. If the DLL version that a program is using is not the version just installed, ensure that all of a system's previous DLL copies are found and renamed. This may also be done from a command shell using the dir command with the /s option starting at the root of each disk. For example:
c:
cd \
dir /s piapi32.dll
