andy vt's tools & blog

I don't know what to say, but it works! Apparently the dll needed to be unregistered, then registered with the dependent dll afterward.

It's working quite well now! Thank you so much.  I've never even got this kind of support with a paid program.

Now I'll be editing my LCD Smartie pages to use the bottom two lines of my display, and then I'll be all set!

 I hate to sound cliche, but I really wish I could afford to donate to you. I'm a college studend, so you know how that goes...  But really, you've just made my week by getting this to work!

 Quick question. Does the program not report channel numbers anymore? Or is this due to changes in MSAS in Vista and 7?

It should, but you'll have to reboot before recording status works.

babgvant:

Try running  C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v2.0.50727\regasm.exe lcdwriter.dll /codebase

 For future readers it's probably not necessary to copy LcdWriter.dll or LcdShared.dll.  I forgot that there are two versions of regasm, the path I gave before was for the x86 one; this one is correct.

gnnash:

 I hate to sound cliche, but I really wish I could afford to donate to you. I'm a college studend, so you know how that goes...

Don't worry about it, saying "thanks" is enough.  

 Gnnash:

Since you got it to work and we are both on Windows 7 64bit, can you make a list of all the steps you used?   Assume that I have deleted the drivers from the LCD and all associated programs.  

THANKS!

babgvant: I will restart and see what happens.  Thanks again!

tablestar: Yes,  I can make a set of instructions.  Hopefully babgvant can look them over when I am finished to be sure that I have deleted all the unneccesary steps and such.

 Here's my quick and dirty set of instructions for Windows 7 x64:

1) Install the Windows 7 x64 drivers for the lcd from the included CD.  See the pdf file on the CD for instructions. (Note carefully the need to sign the drivers and put your Windows installation into test mode)

2) Install the x86 (NOT x64) version of LcdWriter from this post. Extract the zip and run the setup program.

3) After restarting, open an elevated Command Prompt (click start, search for command, then right click command prompt and say "run as administrator."

4) type:  cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\babgVant\LCDWriter"   and press enter

5) type:  C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v2.0.50727\regasm.exe lcdwriter.dll /codebase   and press enter

6) Copy the file "LCD2USB.dll from the LCD Smartie v5.4 folder in the drivers to C:\Program Files (x86)\babgVant\LCDWriter

7) Open the LcdWriter config utility and go to the "Writer" tab.

8) Click "browse" next to the drop down list, and select "HD44780.dll" from the LcdWriter folder.  Then select the option in the list with Lcd Smartie in the title.

9) Near the bottom, click "choose Lcd Smartie dll" (actual text may be different, going from memory).  Select the "LCD2USB.dll" file you copied earlier.

10) Click save.

11) Restart, open Media Center, and enjoy LcdWriter!

Thanks to babgvant for all his work and an awesome program.  Let me know if I'm missing anything

 If that works, I see what I did wrong. Thanks!  I will try it out later tonight...

 I'm there..   I actually had already done that so I think it's what I'm doing in the configurations.  Can you take me through the configuration "writer" tab?

 Oh duh. Big gaping hole in my instructions there.

 From the lcdsmartie folder, open the "displays" folder, and copy the "LCD2USB.DLL" to c:\program files (x86)\babgvant\lcdwriter.

In the writer tab... click browse to select the "hd44780.dll" in the c:\program files (x86)\babgvant\lcdwriter folder. In the drop down list, choose the option with Lcd Smartie in the name.  Then, near the bottom click "choose lcd smartie dll" (actual text may be different, I'm going off memory here). Navigate to the lcdwriter folder and choose LCD2USB.dll. Then click save. A reboot may be needed, but your screen should light up right away.

 I've edited my previous instructions for future readers.

 "Navigate to the lcdwriter folder and choose LCD2USB.dll"

I take it your LCD2USB.dll is in the x86 lcdwriter folder?

 "but your screen should light up right away"

I have deleted the driver and deleted all associated programs and my screen is currently lit up all the time and says LCD2USB v1.0a   Did you have this as well?

 Then, near the bottom click "choose lcd smartie dll"

After completing this, did the line that says LCD SMARTIE DLL and has a blank area to the right of it, populate with anything or did you have to type something in there?

 Look back at number 1. You MUST have the original drivers installed. Without the drivers the screen will display the text you mentioned - this is built into the firmware.

LCD2USB.dll is merely a "middle-man" between Lcd Smartie (or LcdWriter) and the drivers, which must be installed as per the directions that came with the screen.

When you choose the lcd smartie dll, the box does not populate. However, the box below it does, saying something like "no options".