VIPpanel: Front panel design made easy
Download VIPpanel Software Download our VIPpanel software free of charge and you will also be convinced... » Download site	VIPpanel design examples Check out a fully functional VIPpanel design. » Download site
VIPpanel reference project Here you can find a reference project which was developed using VIPpanel and the µTasker development environment. Note the inbuilt help support and tooltips which result in an interactive operator's manual. » to the reference project

Four or forty keys? In a row or above each other? 4x16 LCD or 2x20? Blue or green?

There are many questions to be answered when a new front panel is designed and these can often only be determined by building a prototype...

But now there is a better solution - the VIPpanel!!!

What is VIPpanel?

The VIPpanel is a Windows program in form of a Dynamic Link Library (DLL), which enables you to simulate a front panel with LCD Display, keys and status indicators on a Windows-PC. The complete design of the front panel including its size, its design, the LCD type, the position and number of keys and indicators can be chosen as you wish. The control of the LCD and the messages from key events are based on a simple protocol via pre-defined library functions in the DLL or communication interfaces.

VIPpanel consists of two components
- a front panel designed allowing you to define keys, an LC-display and LEDs» test
- an application interface with flexible protocol over which key changes are communicated and LEDs and LCD are controlled. » more information

Why use a front panel simulator?

Using the VIPpanel you can present your design to your customer or project leader in a very short time; it is operational and optically very realistic. Change requests can be respected immediately and you can start or even complete your software development before any target hardware is available!
But this is not all. It is also possible for you to continue using the VIPpanel after completing your development for useful purposes such as a Product Demo or as Download on your home page. By adding corresponding tool-tips and context sensitive help (all of which are part of the VIPpanel's capabilities) it can even be turned into an interactive operator's manual!
Here you can download a complete reference project and experience the full advantages of this solution. Test it and you will certainly be convinced.

Using your VIPpanel design files it is possible for us to deliver the specified front panel in a short time. In the mean time there is no holding back your development: just let the VIPpanel run on your PC and it will communicate with your embedded hardware either over the serial interface or over Ethernet LAN.

Cost and time savings are pre-destined!

How do I use the VIPpanel as part of my development?

The VIPpanel supports two development methods:

If your software project can run under Windows, it communicates via defined library functions with the VIPpanel. We have a detailed example of such an approach which you can use as a basis or as reference. Simply download the VisualStudio Demo-project and application note here.

For those developers who prefer to develop on their target hardware using their favorite embedded tools, the VIPpanel can be configured to communicate with this hardware either over the serial interface or via Ethernet LAN.

Let’s get real

So when your design is complete, your customer satisfied and the testers fully convinced, you need only to transform the design into reality.

Thanks to our experience in the world of embedded development and front panel design, we are your perfect partner. From your VIPpanel design data we can quickly turn your 'virtual' front panel into a real hardware and, if there are any, other wishes can naturally be respected on the way.

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