Any Unisoft created .F2B file PCB database can be launched without using the standard File/Smart Open or File/Open menu to display the PC Board in the Unisoft software. Some ways to do this is as follows:
Some examples of how customers use the PCB viewer for their production floor personnel are by either creating folders for each of their products and then placing the appropriate .F2B file(s) in those folders to launch the .F2B file for the desired PCB assembly / PCBA or they create a link screen with all current products being built and the operator clicks on the appropriate link to launch the .F2B file for the PCB assembly / PCBA needed. Then inspection, technicians, repair, assembly personnel or anyone else in your company has access to display those PC Assemblies and over a hundred features are available to that individual to make their daily tasks easier.
LAUNCHING .F2B'S FROM EXCEL, ETC.: You can launch a PC Board in the Unisoft software via the .F2B file which is the Unisoft PCB database. If you wish you could group many .F2B's that could then be selected to be launched in a production floor type environment and using Microsoft Excel or something similar maybe an easy way to do that.
LAUNCHING .F2B'S FROM A WEBPAGE: You could launch .F2B's from a webpage however Web Browsers do not natively support running an executable from an HTML link and for a good reason an attacker could exploit this feature and run malicious code on a user's PC.
So something like EXCEL maybe the best option or an alternative way might be to develop an HTA application written with HTML that runs locally and not on a web server and you can execute files without the security limitations that a web page would have. The HTA works with Internet Explorer and runs the exe from the original source location.
The Unisoft software in some cases checks the licensing for security when launching. When launching .F2B files without using the standard File/Smart Open or File/Open menu then for licensing security reasons some set up is usually required and below is that setup for different installation configurations.
NOTE: Number "3" below is the most popular option with our customers.
You can launch via the Unisoft .F2B file from any drive or directory when in the FREE VIEWER MODE with no license installed. The PCB assembly / PCBA will be displayed in full and 100% of the Free Viewer Features will be operational. When in Free Viewer Mode the user is not allowed to make any permanent changes (add/remove documents, etc.) to the .F2B files.
You can launch via the Unisoft .F2B file from any drive or directory when in the FREE VIEWER MODE with the license installed. A licensing message will be displayed indicating switching to free mode. The PCB assembly / PCBA will be displayed in full but in Free Viewer Mode and 100% of the Free Viewer Mode features will be operational. When in Free Viewer Mode the user is not allowed to make any permanent changes (add/remove documents, etc) to the .F2B files.
The following works by associating the batch file below with the .F2B file selected which then calls Markup.exe to run. So you can launch a .F2B for example by simply clicking on it in a directory folder, etc.
If you need the software to launch in "LICENSED MODE" and not in "FREE VIEWER MODE" and the .F2B files are not located in the same directory where the Unisoft license file is installed then it is necessary to do the following:
Create a simple batch file as follows and call it CallMarkup.bat:
cd "<dir>" call markup.exe %1
where <dir> is the directory containing markup.exe and this is where you installed the Unisoft software too.
Usually this is the directory c:\program files(x86)\unisoft or c:\program files\unisoft. Next run the batch file and type the .F2B file name you wish to launch and hit Enter.
For example the following CallMarkup.bat file is located in the folder you installed the Unisoft software to which is c:\program files\unisoft by default, OR c:\program files(x86)\unisoft:
cd c:\"program files (x86)\unisoft" call markup.exe %1
NOTE: You also need to change the file association for .F2B to point to the batch file.
If the F2B file is located in the same directory that the Unisoft license file is located in then the PCB assembly / PCBA will be displayed in full and in LICENSED MODE. When in Licensed Mode the user is allowed to make permanent changes (add/remove documents, etc.) to the .F2B files.
