MCEdit V4.

xx

User’s Manual

This manual may have different with the latest software.

20011.3
Chapter 1 Install and setup...................................4
1.1 Install the software......................................4
1.2 Connect computer and LED screen — Serial Port...........4
1.3 Connect the computer and LED screen — Ethernet..........5
1.4 Config firewall..........................................5
1.5 Setup — Serial Communication...........................7
1.6 Setup — network communication.........................9
Chapter 2 Operation interface................................12
2.1 Toolbar...............................................12
2.2 Program list...........................................14
2.3 Program item property..................................14
2.4 Simulating display......................................14
Chapter 3 Parameters setting.................................15
3.1 The hardware’s property of LED screen...................15
3.2 LED screen’s size and color settings......................17
Chapter 4 Making program.....................................17
4.1 Add program..........................................17
4.2 Program Playing property...............................18
4.3 Add word, excel file and image...........................18
4.4 Delete program item....................................19
Chapter 5 Sending program....................................20
5.1 Organize data.........................................20
5.2 Transfer file(s).........................................20
Chapter 6 Design real-time screen............................22
6.1 Background Words.....................................23
6.2 Clock time item........................................23
6.3 Countdown............................................23
6.4 Temperature and Humidity..............................23
6.5 Serial Data............................................24
Chapter 7 Running info、update and security mechanism........25
7.1 Running Info..........................................25
7.2 Update...............................................25
7.3 Security Mechanism....................................27
 Chapter 1 Install and setup

1.1 Install the software

MCEdit is green software, you just need double click MCEdit to lanuch
the software.

1.2 Connect computer and LED screen — Serial Port

If using serial communication, the PC’s RS232 interface should be

connected to LED screen’s RS232, or RS485 interface, the cable
should exchange PIN2 and PIN3 at the two ends.
1.3 Connect the computer and LED screen — Ethernet

Besides serial communication, PC can also connect LED screens

via Ethernet.
Below diagram is a RJ45 connector, and its first PIN and the lines’
order of 568A and 568B in EIA/ TIA standard.

Whether PC is directly connected to LED screen or PC is connected

to LED screen through router, HUB, then the two terminals of the
cable both should be 568B.

1.4 Config firewall

WindosXP firewall and the anti-virus program maybe will shut off
some of PC’s program or functions, so it is very important to make
the correct firewall settings to make the LED screen work well, the
user can go to: [Start] -> [Setup] -> [Control Panel], double click
“Windows firewall”, the Firewall settings interface will be as below:
Don’t check the box before “don’t allow exception” as in the
below red ellipse.
Go to [exception], click [add program], add MCEdit.exe, check in the
box before MCEdit.exe.
1.5 Setup — Serial Communication

CL3000 supports both serial and net communications.

The default serial port settings for both CL3000 are: COM1, the
baud rate: 38400. To use serial port for communication following the
blow steps:
Step 1: Use the serial cable with PIN2 and Pin3 exchanged to
connect the controller’s COM1 with PC’s serial port.
Step 2: In the software, go to [tool] -> [Option], first to setup
[LED], in the below dialog box, check the box before
“Transfer data by serial port”.
 Step 3:In the software, go to [Tool] -> [Option] -> [PC serial port],
setup PC’s serial port number, baud rate, Net Timeout
(time delay) and Retry times, then click [ok].

Step 4: In the menu, click [Run Time information] to get the

running information (which means the communication
has got through, it can use serial port to communicate
and control the LED screen).

So far, it is ok to run CL3000 by sending/ receiving data through

serial port.
 It can setup the LED controller’s serial port through Ethernet
while setting up the LED screen’s hardware, it also has 4 steps
as below:
Step1: In the menu, go to [tool] -> [option], setup [LED], don’t
choose “transfer data by serial port”.
Step2: Go to [LED Serial port], to setup controller’s serial
port: [Data bit] is 8, [Stop bit] is 1, [Check bit] choose
None, [Same Check] leave blank, mark the check
before [Data Transfer], then click [OK].
Step3: Go to [Tool] -> [Option] -> [LED], choose “Transfer
data by serial port”.
Step4: Go to [PC serial port], setup the same parameters as
the settings in step2, and setup the [Time out] and
[Retry times] according to the actual communication
distance and the interference from the environment,
then click [Ok].

1.6 Setup — network communication

First of all, it needs to get PC’s net parameters. In the PC’s local
connection, right click property, to find TCP/ IP connection, click
[Property], to find and remember the subnet mask parameters.
Then run MCEdit, in the menu, go to [Tool] -> [Option] ->
[Parameter], the dialog box is as below:

When searching in the same net segment, then just clear the edit
box, then click [Seek]; if searching across net segment, need input
the LED’s IP address, then click [seek]. When the controller finds out
the LED screens, it will show all the LED screen’s IP addresses in
the window as in the above dialog box, then double click the IP line
in need, to setup the net parameters.
For across net visiting, the router or the exchanger’s firewalls maybe
have shut off the LED screen’s UDP port. In this case, it is needed to
apply for UDP port from net management.

At first, input the local IP subnet mask code into the subnet mask
box, setup the LED’s IP according to local IP address (PC’s IP) and
subnet mask code.
Subnet mask and IP address both have 4 segments. If one segment
of the subnet mask is 255, then the segment in the same location in
LED’s IP will be as same as the one of local IP. In the above dialog
box, the first 3 segments are all 255, so LED’s IP and local IP both
have the same value in their first 3 segments, the first 3 segments
are all 10.1.1, only the last segment is different. The Local IP’s last
segment is 142, LED’s last segment is 127.
The name below the gateway in the above box, is used to name
each LED screen, which is easy for users to remember.
 Chapter 2 Operation interface

Run MCEdit, you can see the following GUI

2.1 Toolbar

The tool bar in the software has 4 kinds of buttons as below:

1. For program manipulation: [New],[Load],[Save] and [Exit]

 [New]: Clear the displaying programs, create a new
programs in the file.
 [Load]: Download the prepared programs.
 [Save]: Save the current edited programs.
 [Exit]: Exit SuperComEdit program.

2. For program item manipulation: [add], [Delete]

 [Add]: Create a new program, its interface will match
 the full screen, which can have multiple areas, and
each area can have multiple items.
 [Delete]: Delete one item in one area, and it is not able
to delete one area, (but the user can move the area
dividing line to get different sizes of areas).

3. For editing manipulation: it includes [Cancel], [Add File],

[Add Timer], [Add RTF], [Add Text], [Add Table]. Click on one editing
button, then click on one displaying area, then can do the related
editing manipulation.
 [Cancel]: After clicking on one editing buttons, and the
user wants to cancel this editing manipulation,
just click on [Cancel], it will cancel the editing
manipulation.
 [Add Image]: Add one or more programs in one area,
which can be images, text file, FLASH and
word file.
 [Add Timer]: Add clock timer in one area.
 [Add RTF]: Add a RTF item in one area, can directly
input the contents in the area, and right click
the area, where can choose the font, color, and
choose the text alignment.
 [Add Text]: Add one text file in one area, similar as
RTF file, but it cannot adjust the individual font
and color, or part of the words, but it can enable
the compacting layout of words.
 [Add Table]: Add one table in one area.

4. For the system manipulation: it includes [Preview], [Transfer]

and [Runtime Info]
 [Preview]: Display the programs on the
monitor, when the LED screen is
not connected, it can show the
 displaying effect.
 [Transfer]: Transfer data.
 [Run Tim Info]: Display the running information
and update the screen’s player.

2.2 Program list

Program list is in the left part of the dialog box, has 3 levels:
The highest level is the program file name, if it is a new made
program, then highest level is “new program’;
The second level is of areas, each program consists of one or
multiple areas. Each area can display multiple items.
The third level are displaying items, which can be word, excel, BMP
or JPG image, RTF, TEXT file and real-time screen items.
If one displaying item is a word file, double click it, it will
automatically run the word program, and arrange the page layout
according to the actual displaying size of the word file.
If one displaying item is an image, (BMP or JPG), double click on it,
then it will automatically run the Windows paint program to edit the
image.
If it is a real-time screen item, then double click on it, it will start the
real-time screen editor.

2.3 Program item property

In the software, it can choose playing methods, moving

speed and staying time and schedule. For the image file, it can
choose [stretch] to make the picture fit the display window.

2.4 Simulating display

In the right part of the operating interface is an simulatting

 display.
For a RTF or TEXT file, it can be directly input and edited in the
editing box; right click inside the box, it can set the font and its color.
If it was a RTF file, then it is able to revise or change just part of the
words’ font, sizes and colors.
If in one area, the item is a clock file, then this area will display the
requested time;
If in one area, the item is a word file, then this area will display a
word file.

Chapter 3 Parameters setting

Before the initial running of MCEdit, it has to setup the related

parameters. Before setting up the parameter, it needs to power on
the controller, and connect the communication cable. If just to
practice making the displaying program in the software, then it is not
necessary to power on the controller and connect the
communication cable, in this situation, you can only setup the LED’s
size (width x height).
In the MCEdit operating interface, go to [Tool] -> [option] to setup the
parameters.

3.1 The hardware’s property of LED screen

The hardware parameter should be setup by professional engineers.

If the parameter was incorrectly set, it may damage the LED screen.
So it should be very careful to setup or revise the hardware
parameters. Before accessing to parameters’ setting interface, the
software will ask the user for the password, if the password was
wrong, the dialog box will go back to LED parameters setting
interface, and not allow revision or settings of the hardware
parameters.

In the above dialog box, we can choose the Driver route type, the
route type is described in the format: xx-Pyy [-nn-mm].
‘xx’ means scanning mode, it can be one of 16(1/16 scanning),
08(1/8 scanning) 04(1/4scanning), 02(1/2 scanning), or 01 (static
mode), ‘yy’ indicates the row number which one signal port provides,
normally it can be 02, 04, 08, 16; but very few can be 01. Referring
to the different connection method between LED and IC pins, ‘nn’
and ‘mm’ can have multiple choices, ‘nn’ is for columns, ‘mm’ is for
the rows. (Please refer to the lights panel in the website for more
details)
Sometimes the sequences of the connected PINs are different, this
will make the displaying patterns incorrect, so we can exchange the
sequences for some columns and rows to get the correct displaying.
Scanning duty cycle is to adjust proportion of the high-level and low
–level of the clock time. This can be very useful when the data signal
need be transferred to the furthest end of the LED board.
3.2 LED screen’s size and color settings

LED setting is a very common setting. Before you make the

displaying programs, the LED screen size should be setup, and
when the LED screen is connected, a color bar will display.

Chapter 4 Making program

4.1 Add program

Click on [Add] button on the tool bar, the dialog box with templates
of displaying layouts as below:
When users double click on one layout template, the schedule will
be added one program with this layout. Choose the item, and click
on [Property] button, to setup the brightness, power on/off time
schedule and special effect.

4.2 Program Playing property

One program can consists of several (up to 3) areas, and each area
can display multiple images, word file, RTF file, TEXT file and real-
time screen.
Every program item in each area be played orderly and
independently.
The user can drag the dividing line to adjust the areas size.

4.3 Add word, excel file and image

In the tool bar, click on [Add files] button, then click on area where
the file need be placed, then to choose the file,
From the top left window of the above dialog box, to find the file
location, and in the below column, show all the files and displaying
programs, and double click on one program, then it will be added to
the right window; or users just choose several programs together,
and click ‘+’, then all the chosen programs can be added to the list in
the right column.
On the top right area of the above interface, it can setup the files’
entering mode, moving speed and the staying time. For an image
file, it can choose [stretch] to automatically fit the LED screen.

4.4 Delete program item

In the program list, click on the programs item, then click on [Delete],
the programs item will be deleted.
 Chapter 5 Sending program

5.1 Organize data

On the tool bar, when clicking on the [Transfer file(s)] button, MCEdit
start to organize data. It will divide the Word, RTF and excel file into
several files for displaying.

5.2 Transfer file(s)

After the data is rearranged, it will show the transfer management

window.

In the left part of the interface are the well organized files (under PC
C:\MC3000.tmp directory), and the user can just choose part of the
files to transfer. If no file was chosen, then it will automatically
transfer all the files.
 Chapter 6 Design real-time screen

Click on the [Add timer] button in the tool bar, then click on the area
where the time items need be placed, or double click on the clock
items in the program, the clock displaying interface will be as below:

In the time displaying interface, the upper part is tool bar, the lower
window is an imitating display.
The most left button on the tool bar is [Load background], and
[Font]. “Load background’ can have an image as the background of
the time displaying interface. “Font” is used to setup the displaying
words, and its sizes and colors.
On the tool bar, [Font] button are followed with: [Text], [Year],
[Month], [Date], [week], [Hour], [Minute], [Second], [Temperature],
[Humidity], [Countdown], [Data from Serial port]. And the most right
3 buttons are [Delete], [Save] and [Exit]
6.1 Background Text

On the tool bar, click on [Text], then in the below imitating display,
click on the place where the words should be input, and there is an
editing box below the tool bar, where can input the words. These
words will not be changed while displaying.

6.2 Clock time item

On the tool bar, click on [Year], [Month], [Date], [Week], [Hour],

[Minute], or [Second], then click on the area in the imitating display
where the clock items should be input. These clock items’ data are
read from the LED controller.
Note: [hour] need choose the time zone. When you place [Hour]
item in the displaying area, the system will automatically choose the
time zone, but the user can also specify the time zone.

6.3 Countdown

On the tool bar, click on [Counter], then in the imitating display, click
on the place where the countdown items need be input.
In the countdown property, the user can choose “Hide lead-zero’, ‘Bit
number’, countdown direction.

6.4 Temperature and Humidity

On the tool bar, click on [Temperature] or [Humidity], and in the

imitating display, click on the area where they need be input.
Note: it needs the hardware to support for the temperature and
humidity displaying.
6.5 Serial Data

On the tool bar, click on [Data from serial port], then in the imitating
display, click on the place where the serial data want to be input, the
item will be added.
This item can choose to display the data from whichever serial port,
which data from the serial port, and bit number.
It need setup the related the hardware of the serial port before the
serial data can be displayed. In the menu, go to [Tool] -> [Option]
where the parameters can be set.

Data displaying protocol: the leading code is ASII code “N”, it is a

displaying string less than 8 groups of data, which ends with the
Enter key(0dH+0aH) to skip to another line, each group is divided by
“,”. Except for the ASCII code “0”-“9”, it still can use “+”, “-“, “.” and
space.
Clock time checking protocol: the leading code is ASII code “T”, it
is a 14 digits time data, which ends with the Enter key (0dH+0aH)
“T06091902101328“+0dH+0aH
The year has 2 digits, Sun is “00”.
Nx1,x2,… …, xn+[Enter]
Here N is the character ’N’, x1-xn are 8 groups of ASII digits, each
group can only consists of space, decimal, ‘+’, ‘-‘ and the digit ‘0’- ‘9’.
X1-xn is divided by ‘,’.
It don’t have to be 8 groups of data, it can be less than 8.
 Chapter 7 Running info、update and security mechanism

7.1 Running Info

On the tool bar, click on [Runtime info], it will show the system’s
running info as below:

The dialog box shows the software version, hardware version, SD

card status, LED source supply status, the driver of current playing
programs, and the current programs serial number, temperature,
humidity and brightness sensors data, the controller’s clock time.

7.2 Update

LED screen’s playing software should agree with program’s making

software (MCEdit), otherwise it cannot work well with each other.
While running the program, it reminds the box, which shows the
conroller’s playing software is later than the program’s making
software, in this case, PC need download the latest the version of
program’s making software.

While running the program, it shows the dialog box, which means
the program’s making software is later than the controller’s playing
program, in this case, it just need go to [Runtime info], and when the
[update] is active, then click it to update.
7.3 Security Mechanism

In the parameter setting interface, choose [Parameter], click on

[Seek], all the LED screens in the LAN will show their MAC address
and IP address in the list, double click on the LED which need set,
then it will show the below dialog box:

After the IP address, subnet mask, and gateway are correctly setup,
it can setup a password in order to prevent unauthorized person
revising the related parameters. If the password is invoked, then
before revision of the net parameters, the system will ask for and
verify the password. If the password is incorrect, then the
parameters cannot be set or revised.
As the LED is connected to the controller via LAN, any PC with
MCEdit in the LAN can visit and control the LED screen. So In order
to prevent the unauthorized person sending the data to the LED
screen, in the MCEdit, the user can designate the PC’s IP who can
visit the LED screen.
It can designate at most 16 IP addresses, or 16 passwords for the
PCs who need visit the LED screen. After the settings of the
password, it will need password to access to parameters setting and
data sending and receiving. If the password was incorrect, the
related settings and operations will not work.