PenMount Bulletin No. PMY10002

Released Date:January 27, 2010

PenMount Driver Supports Microsoft Tablet PC Features

Since Microsoft released Windows 7 operating system, we have received many customers’ inquiries whether PenMount supports the Tablet PC functions inside Windows 7. To make customers understand PenMount’s software services better, we will talk about how Windows operating system is supported by PenMount in this bulletin.

Since in the past there hadn’t been an exclusive device type defined for touch screen in the operating systems of Windows 2000 and Windows XP, it was grouped into mouse class. Regardless of this, PenMount software team still developed many application programs for touch controller, such as calibration, the simulation for mouse right click, operation modes and gestures, etc.

Starting from Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, Microsoft not only set up special classifications for touchscreen and other digitizer devices, but also specified that only such device type can use those functions specially designed for Tablet PC. With the release of Windows 7, those functions are more complete, including the calibration of touchscreen linearity, the press & hold for right mouse click, double clicks settings, flicks, touch input panel for handwriting recognition, the onscreen keyboard, and multi-monitor mapping, etc.

In the past, the PenMount software team, giving consideration to the compatibility and new functions of Tablet PC, provides two types of Windows drivers, Mouse simulation and touch controls. However with the increasing requirement of users accessing the Tablet PC features of Windows 7, PenMount plans to integrate the two editions of drivers mentioned above in the next release of PenMount Universal Driver V2.2.0.283. In the future, when you install new PenMount driver versions under Windows 2000 or Windows XP, the device will operate in mouse simulation mode; while under Windows Vista and Windows 7, the device will operate as a touch digitizer, so that you can access the Tablet PC functions provided by the operating system. The schema below may help you understand the applicability of drivers under different Microsoft operating systems:

By this schema, you may find out that in in Microsoft Windows 7, the PenMount touch control utilities still includes the PenMount’s original calibration program and supports the recognition of extra 7 gestures. When you need to adjust the linearity of touchscreen, we suggest that you use the calibration program provided by PenMount first, which not only can automatically adjust the orientation of touchscreen, but also can rectify touch panels with serious loss of linearity. The supporting of extra 7 gestures also makes it available for you to rotate and zoom in pictures by gestures with traditional single resistive touchscreens. If you have any problem of using, your contact is always welcome. PenMount Team is willing to service you.

PenMount's hardware and software are designed to meet the needs and demands of the market; and if you have any specific requirements of your own, we would be most glad and ready to offer our full support and assistance in your product development.  For more information on the PenMount hardware and software products, you can download its data sheet and drivers via www.salt.com.tw or www.penmount.com. If you have any suggestions or comments, please email us at salt@salt.com.tw or penmount@seed.net.tw.