FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can I get the drivers I need?

A: You can download all our drivers from our BBS (510-651-1224), from CompuServe (GO ELOTOUCH), from our Web site (www.elotouch.com/library.html), or our FTP site (ftp.elotouch.com in the /pub/elotouch directory). Drivers and manuals may also be ordered by contacting Elo or through the Web site (www.elotouch.com/manuals.html).

Q: Do you have drivers for Windows 95?

A: Yes, we have a true 32-bit driver for Windows 95, MonitorMouse for Windows 95. It installs easily and is the recommended driver for Windows 95.
The 16-bit DOS and Windows 3.x drivers will also run under Windows 95. However, these drivers should only be used with Windows 95 if you will be using an old Elo touchscreen controller (models E271-14x, E2x1-280, E281x-400x), or running DOS programs in full screen mode. Otherwise, install MonitorMouse for Windows 95 (32-bit drivers). Do not use a combination of the 16-bit and 32-bit drivers.

Q: What operating systems do you have drivers for?

A: We currently have drivers for Windows NT (works with all versions including 4.0), Windows 95, Windows 3.1 & 3.11, DOS, OS/2, and Macintosh. We also can put you in touch with 3rd parties who may have drivers for other operating systems, as well as give you machine-independent sample source code in C for writing your own low-level interface.

Q: How much memory is required for Elo drivers?

A: The amount of memory is insignificant, about the same as a mouse driver.

Q: Can I use both my touchscreen and mouse at the same time with the Elo drivers?

A: Yes. Elo drivers work with your existing mouse drivers.
DOS and Windows 3.x: You must first install MOUSE.COM along with ELODEV.EXE and MONMOUSE.COM in AUTOEXEC.BAT. (For touchscreen only operation, load NOMOUSE.COM instead of MOUSE.COM).
Other: Configure the mouse normally before installing the touchscreen drivers.

Q: I want to run multiple monitors, maybe each with a touchscreen, on one PC. Can I do this in Windows?

A: Yes, see the MonitorMice press release and contact Technical Support at 1-800-489-9935 for more information.

Q: What is the response time for the touchscreen?

A: Both AccuTouch and IntelliTouch touchscreen controllers sense the quickest possible tap (contacts of only 30ms). Response time is perceived as immediate unless the application does not give proper feedback. See the AccuTouch controller and IntelliTouch controller specifications for details.

Q: How often is it necessary to recalibrate?

A: You should never have to recalibrate Elo touchscreens. If possible, cover the monitor’s controls so someone does not accidentally adjust the image size or position.

Q: How reliable is a touchscreen?

A: There is no standard way of measuring MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) for a touchscreen, but AccuTouch touchscreens have been tested to more than 35 million touches in one spot with a stylus similar to a finger, and IntelliTouch touchscreens have been tested to more than 50 million touches. Warranties for AccuTouch touchscreens are 5 years, and 10 years for IntelliTouch touchscreens. The touchscreen controller MTBFs are typically 2-4 times longer than that of the display. See the AccuTouch touchscreen, IntelliTouch touchscreen, AccuTouch controller, and IntelliTouch controller specifications for details.

Q: Are fingerprints and dirt a problem on touchscreens?

A: Dirt and fingerprints do not affect the operation of a properly sealed AccuTouch or IntelliTouch touch display. Use bright, patterned background colors to minimize the visual effects of dirt and fingerprints. See 10 Tips for Touchscreen Applications for more information.

Q: What can I use to clean the touchscreen?

A: Any standard glass cleaner can be used to clean the touchscreen. Always spray the glass cleaner on the cloth or towel and then clean the touchscreen. Glass cleaner sprayed directly on the monitor could possibly leak inside a non-sealed unit and cause damage.

Q: Will vinegar or ammonia hurt the touchscreen?

A: No, but be careful that liquids do not leak inside non-sealed units. Again, spray the cloth and then clean the touchscreen.

Q: Which should I use, a serial or bus controller?

A: Most new customers purchase monitors with an internal serial controller installed along with the touchscreen. One cable connects the touchscreen to an available COM port. Serial controllers may also be used with a Macintosh computer (connected to the Modem or Printer port).
Elo also offers external serial and PC-Bus controllers. The external serial controller must be mounted somewhere, and power must be supplied, so there are more cables than the internal serial controller. The PC-Bus controller is installed in an ISA slot and may be used if a COM port is not available. Note the IntelliTouch PC-Bus and ADB controllers are no longer recommended as their performance does not match the new serial controller.

Q: What COM ports can I put my touchscreen on?

A: Windows NT and Windows 95: The COM port can be changed to any value such as COM4 by editing the base port and IRQ for the Elo driver in the Registry (see the Readme file).
DOS and Windows 3.x: COM 1-4 may be specified on the ELODEV command line, along with the IRQ. See COM34.TXT for more information.
Currently, the IRQ for the COM port cannot be shared by any Elo driver.

Q: Can I use an Elo touch monitor on a Macintosh?

A: Yes, all Elo touch monitors may be used on a Macintosh. Touch monitors with internal serial controllers are recommended. You will need a special serial cable that connects to the Modem or Printer port (P/N 012261), a VGA adapter (P/N 510553; also available in most computer stores), and the MonitorMouse for Macintosh driver. Note the IntelliTouch ADB controller is no longer recommended as its performance does not match the new serial controller.

Q: How far away can the touchscreen be from the computer?

A: It depends on the touchscreen controller configuration.
The cables for the PC-Bus controller come in six and nine foot lengths. With IntelliTouch, you must stick to the six or nine foot limit when using a PC-Bus controller. With AccuTouch, you can build your own straight-through cable and easily extend up to 50 feet. Noise from long cables will be indicated by excessive coordinate jitter.
If you use a serial controller, either internal or external, then the distance between the serial controller and the PC can be almost any distance. Short-haul modems can be used as necessary beyond 50-200 feet. Note that VGA cable lengths will probably be the limiting factor.

Q: Will touchscreens contribute to EMI/RFI emissions? What about UL?

A: All touch systems have electronics that can potentially contribute to system EMI/RFI. Systems designed with Elo components can typically pass FCC Class A and EN550022, now required for the European CE mark. Standard EMI suppression techniques may be necessary to satisfy the requirements.
The integration of a touchscreen voids the display manufacturer’s agency approvals including FCC, UL, and CE. The manufacturer’s agency approval markings must be removed. All Elo touch monitors and displays have been recertified for the appropriate agency approvals. See the individual touch monitor specifications for details.
For more information on North American and European regulatory agency compliance, see FAQs on agency approvals.

Q: I need to move the touchscreen to another system. How can I undo the changes made by the Elo INSTALL/SETUP program?

A: Windows 95: See the Readme file.
DOS and Windows 3.x: All changes made to the AUTOEXEC.BAT and SYSTEM.INI files during installation are documented. The original lines are preserved and commented out so that you can easily undo any changes. See the DOS and Windows Driver Guide for specifics on uninstalling the Elo software.
Other: Contact Technical Support at 1-800-489-9935.

Q: I downloaded your DOS and Windows 3.x drivers and when I try to run the INSTALL program I get an error message that says that the disk may be corrupted. Why is this happening?

A: You may not have used the -d flag when unzipping the driver files. The -d flag tells PKUNZIP to uncompress the subdirectories in the ZIP file. If these subdirectories are missing, the installation program reports a corrupted disk.

Q: I just loaded the DOS and Windows 3.x touchscreen driver program. The touchscreen works in Windows but my mouse doesn’t work anymore. What happened?

A: You may not have had a DOS mouse driver loaded when you ran the touchscreen installation program. If the touchscreen installation program does not see a DOS mouse driver loaded, it assumes that you do not have a mouse on the system so it puts NOMOUSE.COM in the AUTOEXEC.BAT. To fix this problem, replace the NOMOUSE.COM line with MOUSE.COM or MOUSE.EXE and reboot.

Q: I never needed a DOS mouse driver before. Where can I get one now?

A: On our BBS, (510) 651-1224, in File Area #4 - DOS section. We recommend Microsoft MOUSE.COM 8.20 or Logitech 6.20 with our DOS and Windows 3.x drivers as they occupy less memory than some of the later mouse drivers. DOS mouse drivers are not needed with Windows 95 or Windows NT.

Q: What is the file NOMOUSE.COM for?

A: Our DOS and Windows 3.x drivers require that a DOS mouse driver be loaded. If you do not have a mouse attached to the system, a standard mouse driver will not load. In its place, load the Elo NOMOUSE.COM driver. NOMOUSE.COM should be loaded in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file before ELODEV.EXE and MONMOUSE.COM.
You may have both MOUSE.COM and NOMOUSE.COM in AUTOEXEC.BAT. That way MOUSE.COM will load if a mouse is reconnected. Otherwise, NOMOUSE.COM will load.

Q: In the Windows 3.x Touchscreen Control Panel, why are some or all of the buttons and options gray or "dimmed" out?

A: This indicates that MOUSE.COM (or NOMOUSE.COM), ELODEV.EXE, or MONMOUSE.COM did not load properly. Reboot the PC and watch the boot messages to see what did not load. It may be necessary to put a PAUSE statement after the MONMOUSE command to see what is occurring. Run \TOUCH\TUTORIAL, which may also indicate which driver is not loaded. The touchscreen must work as a mouse under DOS (as in DOS EDIT) before it will work in Windows. See Appendix B - Troubleshooting, in the DOS and Windows Driver Guide for more information.

Quick Start - Technical Support - File Download Library - Frequently Asked Questions

10 Tips for Touchscreen Applications

Touch Monitors | Software | Manuals | Warranties

Please send questions or comments about Elo TouchSystems to eloinfo@elotouch.com.
Please send questions or comments about this web site to webmaster@elotouch.com.

Q:	How can I get the drivers I need?
A:	You can download all our drivers from our BBS (510-651-1224), from CompuServe (GO ELOTOUCH), from our Web site (www.elotouch.com/library.html), or our FTP site (ftp.elotouch.com in the /pub/elotouch directory). Drivers and manuals may also be ordered by contacting Elo or through the Web site (www.elotouch.com/manuals.html).
Q:	Do you have drivers for Windows 95?
A:	Yes, we have a true 32-bit driver for Windows 95, MonitorMouse for Windows 95. It installs easily and is the recommended driver for Windows 95. The 16-bit DOS and Windows 3.x drivers will also run under Windows 95. However, these drivers should only be used with Windows 95 if you will be using an old Elo touchscreen controller (models E271-14x, E2x1-280, E281x-400x), or running DOS programs in full screen mode. Otherwise, install MonitorMouse for Windows 95 (32-bit drivers). Do not use a combination of the 16-bit and 32-bit drivers.
Q:	What operating systems do you have drivers for?
A:	We currently have drivers for Windows NT (works with all versions including 4.0), Windows 95, Windows 3.1 & 3.11, DOS, OS/2, and Macintosh. We also can put you in touch with 3rd parties who may have drivers for other operating systems, as well as give you machine-independent sample source code in C for writing your own low-level interface.
Q:	How much memory is required for Elo drivers?
A:	The amount of memory is insignificant, about the same as a mouse driver.
Q:	Can I use both my touchscreen and mouse at the same time with the Elo drivers?
A:	Yes. Elo drivers work with your existing mouse drivers. DOS and Windows 3.x: You must first install MOUSE.COM along with ELODEV.EXE and MONMOUSE.COM in AUTOEXEC.BAT. (For touchscreen only operation, load NOMOUSE.COM instead of MOUSE.COM). Other: Configure the mouse normally before installing the touchscreen drivers.
Q:	I want to run multiple monitors, maybe each with a touchscreen, on one PC. Can I do this in Windows?
A:	Yes, see the MonitorMice press release and contact Technical Support at 1-800-489-9935 for more information.
Q:	What is the response time for the touchscreen?
A:	Both AccuTouch and IntelliTouch touchscreen controllers sense the quickest possible tap (contacts of only 30ms). Response time is perceived as immediate unless the application does not give proper feedback. See the AccuTouch controller and IntelliTouch controller specifications for details.
Q:	How often is it necessary to recalibrate?
A:	You should never have to recalibrate Elo touchscreens. If possible, cover the monitor’s controls so someone does not accidentally adjust the image size or position.
Q:	How reliable is a touchscreen?
A:	There is no standard way of measuring MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) for a touchscreen, but AccuTouch touchscreens have been tested to more than 35 million touches in one spot with a stylus similar to a finger, and IntelliTouch touchscreens have been tested to more than 50 million touches. Warranties for AccuTouch touchscreens are 5 years, and 10 years for IntelliTouch touchscreens. The touchscreen controller MTBFs are typically 2-4 times longer than that of the display. See the AccuTouch touchscreen, IntelliTouch touchscreen, AccuTouch controller, and IntelliTouch controller specifications for details.
Q:	Are fingerprints and dirt a problem on touchscreens?
A:	Dirt and fingerprints do not affect the operation of a properly sealed AccuTouch or IntelliTouch touch display. Use bright, patterned background colors to minimize the visual effects of dirt and fingerprints. See 10 Tips for Touchscreen Applications for more information.
Q:	What can I use to clean the touchscreen?
A:	Any standard glass cleaner can be used to clean the touchscreen. Always spray the glass cleaner on the cloth or towel and then clean the touchscreen. Glass cleaner sprayed directly on the monitor could possibly leak inside a non-sealed unit and cause damage.
Q:	Will vinegar or ammonia hurt the touchscreen?
A:	No, but be careful that liquids do not leak inside non-sealed units. Again, spray the cloth and then clean the touchscreen.
Q:	Which should I use, a serial or bus controller?
A:	Most new customers purchase monitors with an internal serial controller installed along with the touchscreen. One cable connects the touchscreen to an available COM port. Serial controllers may also be used with a Macintosh computer (connected to the Modem or Printer port). Elo also offers external serial and PC-Bus controllers. The external serial controller must be mounted somewhere, and power must be supplied, so there are more cables than the internal serial controller. The PC-Bus controller is installed in an ISA slot and may be used if a COM port is not available. Note the IntelliTouch PC-Bus and ADB controllers are no longer recommended as their performance does not match the new serial controller.
Q:	What COM ports can I put my touchscreen on?
A:	Windows NT and Windows 95: The COM port can be changed to any value such as COM4 by editing the base port and IRQ for the Elo driver in the Registry (see the Readme file). DOS and Windows 3.x: COM 1-4 may be specified on the ELODEV command line, along with the IRQ. See COM34.TXT for more information. Currently, the IRQ for the COM port cannot be shared by any Elo driver.
Q:	Can I use an Elo touch monitor on a Macintosh?
A:	Yes, all Elo touch monitors may be used on a Macintosh. Touch monitors with internal serial controllers are recommended. You will need a special serial cable that connects to the Modem or Printer port (P/N 012261), a VGA adapter (P/N 510553; also available in most computer stores), and the MonitorMouse for Macintosh driver. Note the IntelliTouch ADB controller is no longer recommended as its performance does not match the new serial controller.
Q:	How far away can the touchscreen be from the computer?
A:	It depends on the touchscreen controller configuration. The cables for the PC-Bus controller come in six and nine foot lengths. With IntelliTouch, you must stick to the six or nine foot limit when using a PC-Bus controller. With AccuTouch, you can build your own straight-through cable and easily extend up to 50 feet. Noise from long cables will be indicated by excessive coordinate jitter. If you use a serial controller, either internal or external, then the distance between the serial controller and the PC can be almost any distance. Short-haul modems can be used as necessary beyond 50-200 feet. Note that VGA cable lengths will probably be the limiting factor.
Q:	Will touchscreens contribute to EMI/RFI emissions? What about UL?
A:	All touch systems have electronics that can potentially contribute to system EMI/RFI. Systems designed with Elo components can typically pass FCC Class A and EN550022, now required for the European CE mark. Standard EMI suppression techniques may be necessary to satisfy the requirements. The integration of a touchscreen voids the display manufacturer’s agency approvals including FCC, UL, and CE. The manufacturer’s agency approval markings must be removed. All Elo touch monitors and displays have been recertified for the appropriate agency approvals. See the individual touch monitor specifications for details. For more information on North American and European regulatory agency compliance, see FAQs on agency approvals.
Q:	I need to move the touchscreen to another system. How can I undo the changes made by the Elo INSTALL/SETUP program?
A:	Windows 95: See the Readme file. DOS and Windows 3.x: All changes made to the AUTOEXEC.BAT and SYSTEM.INI files during installation are documented. The original lines are preserved and commented out so that you can easily undo any changes. See the DOS and Windows Driver Guide for specifics on uninstalling the Elo software. Other: Contact Technical Support at 1-800-489-9935.
Q:	I downloaded your DOS and Windows 3.x drivers and when I try to run the INSTALL program I get an error message that says that the disk may be corrupted. Why is this happening?
A:	You may not have used the -d flag when unzipping the driver files. The -d flag tells PKUNZIP to uncompress the subdirectories in the ZIP file. If these subdirectories are missing, the installation program reports a corrupted disk.
Q:	I just loaded the DOS and Windows 3.x touchscreen driver program. The touchscreen works in Windows but my mouse doesn’t work anymore. What happened?
A:	You may not have had a DOS mouse driver loaded when you ran the touchscreen installation program. If the touchscreen installation program does not see a DOS mouse driver loaded, it assumes that you do not have a mouse on the system so it puts NOMOUSE.COM in the AUTOEXEC.BAT. To fix this problem, replace the NOMOUSE.COM line with MOUSE.COM or MOUSE.EXE and reboot.
Q:	I never needed a DOS mouse driver before. Where can I get one now?
A:	On our BBS, (510) 651-1224, in File Area #4 - DOS section. We recommend Microsoft MOUSE.COM 8.20 or Logitech 6.20 with our DOS and Windows 3.x drivers as they occupy less memory than some of the later mouse drivers. DOS mouse drivers are not needed with Windows 95 or Windows NT.
Q:	What is the file NOMOUSE.COM for?
A:	Our DOS and Windows 3.x drivers require that a DOS mouse driver be loaded. If you do not have a mouse attached to the system, a standard mouse driver will not load. In its place, load the Elo NOMOUSE.COM driver. NOMOUSE.COM should be loaded in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file before ELODEV.EXE and MONMOUSE.COM. You may have both MOUSE.COM and NOMOUSE.COM in AUTOEXEC.BAT. That way MOUSE.COM will load if a mouse is reconnected. Otherwise, NOMOUSE.COM will load.
Q:	In the Windows 3.x Touchscreen Control Panel, why are some or all of the buttons and options gray or "dimmed" out?
A:	This indicates that MOUSE.COM (or NOMOUSE.COM), ELODEV.EXE, or MONMOUSE.COM did not load properly. Reboot the PC and watch the boot messages to see what did not load. It may be necessary to put a PAUSE statement after the MONMOUSE command to see what is occurring. Run \TOUCH\TUTORIAL, which may also indicate which driver is not loaded. The touchscreen must work as a mouse under DOS (as in DOS EDIT) before it will work in Windows. See Appendix B - Troubleshooting, in the DOS and Windows Driver Guide for more information.