I don't think your problem is really a Windows problem per se. In principle
there is no problem whatever with using a serial mouse on COM1 while another
application uses COM2 (or vice versa)---think about the millions of people
who have this configuration for a serial mouse and a modem.
The situation where things get sticky with both WIN3.1 and WIN95 is when you
go to 3 or 4 COM ports, because then they must share an interrupt line.
You said you tried all combinations of port settings, but just to be sure,
did you try the normal configuration with COM1 using i/o address 03F8 and
interrupt 4 and COM2 using 03E8 and interrupt 3? In that configuration you
should also try swapping whether the mouse is on COM1 or COM2, since the
JASCO software may be expecting to use a particular COM port.
You didn't say which version of the JASCO software you are running. The
older DOS versions definitely expected to have at least TWO serial ports
available to them, one for instrument control and a second to drive a pen
plotter. The newer Windows versions I believe only need a single serial
port and deal with printers/plotters through standard Windows printer
drivers. However, it is possible that even the newer software expects two
COM ports, with the second used for controlling the Peltier temperature
controller.
Philip Rea's suggestion is a good one and may indeed solve your problem, but
I also suggest that you talk to John Carriker, the chief service engineer at
JASCO. His e-mail is carriker@jascoinc.com and phone is 410-822-1220.
John Philo
Alliance Protein Laboratories
-----Original Message-----
From: Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities
[mailto:abrf-request@aecom.yu.edu]On Behalf Of Gary A Radke
Sent: Thursday, August 13, 1998 8:14 AM
To: Recipients of ABRF List
Subject: Using both com1 and com2 ports
ABRF,
I am having difficulty connecting a Jasco J-720 spectropolarimeter and a
mouse to my 486 DX 33 computerso that they are both functional. The
previous computer died and the old mouse was bus type. The new computer
doesn't support this architecture, so I must use the com ports. I think
the problem is with Windows (3.1) since I can access either the mouse or
the CD singly but not both together. I have tried changing the com port
addresses and interupts and installed new mouse drivers, but to no avail.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Gary A. Radke
KSU Biotech Core Facility
#207 Burt Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas 66506
Phone 785-532-5956
FAX 785-532-6297
Email Garyr@ksu.edu