High-Level RP 1210 Interface Concept And Design: Design

The API is implemented as a Windows™ Dynamic Link Library or DLL (hereafter referred to casually as the "API" or "DLL"). The main purpose of this DLL/API is to provide a generalized procedure-call interface between any hardware-specific drivers on the PC and the applications running on that PC.

Each vendor implementation must have built-in interface(s) with the underlying physical layers (hardware) supported by the particular vendor. Information about the vendor DLLs present as well as the protocols and devices supported by each implementation can be retrieved through INI files.

The end-user (or sometimes the application program) will choose the adapter to be used. Then the application will load that DLL through the use of the Windows™ LoadLibrary ()  function, and will locate the specific functions (defined herein) through calls to the Windows™ GetProcAddress ()  function.