Thread: FAQ: Do-It-Yourself Startup/Shutdown Controllers

New shutdown controller - software

Shutdown control software, the prog by weekendowel is now pay-ware, but towards the end pages of the thread there is an lpt port based one I'm now using.

Ok, here's a newb question....

...I understand how the startup/shutdown controller works. However, when it goes to shutdown the PC is it basically doing a "hard" shutdown? Same as holding down the power button on the PC vs Start / Shutdown?

Thanks,
Jay

A shutdown controller basicly sends a pusle to the power button headers.
As if you just pushed and released the power button.

With recent motherboards and windows together
the user gets to decide what he wants the power button to do.

Standy, shutdown or hibernate

or you can do a search on this forum and you will find ALOT of homemade low cost shutdown controllers

this is one of my diagrams, for people using inverters and ordinary ps
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...3&postcount=21

This would be my first post here. I'm a A+ Certified and an active MCDST. Though I've seen enough idiots who hold these certifications; so it doesn't mean much.

I think I can give helpful input to this discussion.

I don't see why you guys are doing crazy stuff like the huge schematic MATRIXPC posted; when all we want is for the computer to shut off when the car does.

We should just have the serial port monitor ACC voltage and in the absense of such voltage execute shutdown through the operating system. Why mess with relays, components and the power pin headers on the motherboard at all when this can be 100% software driven ensuring a safe and graceful shutdown all the time?

And why pay, when I'm giving you the SOURCE CODE to a probably working program at the bottom of this post?! Compile the program for your computer yourself!

Here's a simple C program that would do the trick in Linux. In Windows, you might have to use some weird API, and surely windows.h, primarly why I hate Windows. It's a pain in the *** to program in.


This program must be run in root. I haven't had a chance to compile and test this program yet on a serial port to see if it works, but it'll have to run under root (since it uses the shutdown command.)

To get the serial port going, just plug in a +3vDC - +12vDC ACC wire in to pin 8 of your serial port. This program will do the rest. (You may have to ground the ports ground to your car chassis, and this is for sure if you're using an inverter)

To compile and run this program just save this code in a file called controller.c -- and type gcc -o controller controller.c -- To start this program simply type ./controller and you're set!

You might want to change this program so after it detects the absense of ACC it will start a countdown (5 minutes?) and at the end of such a countdown have it check again for ACC. If ACC is STILL not present, THEN do the shutdown command. This would be useful if you stop at 7-11, shut the car off, go inside, and them come back out -- since 5 minutes of the PC running off the battery wouldn't drain it (and so when you came back with your Slurpee, you wouldn't have to start the machine back up)

I came up with this idea pretty much myself; and my philosophy is KISS.

Code:

/*Copyright (C) 2006 Jonathan Kelley
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

You should be able to grab a copy of the license at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.

TO DUMB THIS LICENSE DOWN FOR THOSE WHO NEVER
HEARD OF THE GNU/GPL LICENSE BEFORE; IT CONTAINS
THESE 4 MAIN POINTS.

1) Not establish proprietary rights in the software (Once you 
write it, everyone gets to enjoy it; altough the software 
derrived from this code can be sold commercially); 

2) Provide the source code (or access to the source code) 
along with the object code. (Basically, requires you to reveal 
or "open source" exactly how you make the software do 
what it does upon user request); 

3) That any programs based off, or using this code must also
 be licensed by the GPL in full and include in the software 
notice that the code is subject to the GPL (So that everyone 
downstream can be warned); and 

4) Accept the GPL code without warranties of any kind (You
 got it for free, so you cannot complain if it does not work). */


#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/ioctl.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <signal.h>
#include <termios.h>
/* Main program. */
int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
 int fd;
 int status;
 int set_bits = 6;

 /* Open monitor device. */
 if ((fd = open(argv[1], O_RDWR | O_NDELAY)) < 0) {
 fprintf(stderr, "ar-2: %s: %s\n",
         argv[1], strerror[errno]);
 exit(1);
 }

 int x = 0;
 for (  x = 0; x < 100000; x++ ) {
    ioctl(fd, TIOCMSET, &set_bits);
    ioctl(fd, TIOCMGET, &status);

     if (status & TIOCM_CTS)
       puts("ACC Voltage is present. Do nothing");
    else
       puts("ACC Voltage has been lost! Start shutdown process.");
       system("shutdown -h now");
 }

 close(fd);
}

Originally Posted by jon_k

This would be my first post here. I'm a A+ Certified and an active MCDST. Though I've seen enough idiots who hold these certifications; so it doesn't mean much.

I think I can give helpful input to this discussion.

I don't see why you guys are doing crazy stuff like the huge schematic MATRIXPC posted; when all we want is for the computer to shut off when the car does.

.......

don't take this the wrong way but there are already programs similar to yours and what you're suggesting is more (or just as) complicated as the other shutdown controler methods. Why not just use UPS software already part of XP? also you're missing a key element, power up. Either way, if you want a carPC you're going to have to get some wiring done with relays, fuses and grounds. I don't mean to shoot down your idea, i just think you still need to learn a bit more about car electronics and carPCs. It's a good thing that you're giving your share of knowlege.

BTW, i agree MatrixPC's idea is very complex but it's an brilliant schematic and could be very useful to someone that understands it. For the rest of us (not electrical engineers) there's plenty of solutions for shutdown controlers varying from cheap and complicated to simple and expensive.

I'm way over my head here but how hard would it be to design a small circuit that when it senses power off, a small memory chip would send the Tsshutdn command via serial port (or USB?????) and if the Bios had the option, wake on ring?

Seems like a breadboard would be cheap enoug.

I know this might be simplistic and possibly covered before but I searched



on "Tsshutdn" and got no hits.