From: "Patrick R. Gili" 
Newsgroups: rec.toys.lego
Subject: Inside Spirit OCX
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1998 19:53:30 -0400
Organization: ICGNetcom
Lines: 114

If any of you have Visual C++ 5.0 or later, then you can use two tools
to start exploring the Spirit OCX:

1) The OLE/COM Object Viewer

2) The ActiveX Control Test Container

The ActiveX Control Test Container is the more interesting gadget
here. So far I have been able to explore Spirit's properties and
methods. The list is methods is quite impressive--actually they're
making my mouth water at the possibilities. To give you an idea, I
am going to try to list them all here:

Poll
UnlockPBrick
EndOfTask
Float
AndVar
SgnVar
AbsVar
OrVar
DeleteTask
DeleteAllTasks
StartTask
StopTask
StopAllTasks
On
Off
SetFwd
SetRwd
SetPower
InitComm
PlayTone
PlaySystemSound
SetVar
ClearTimer
SumVar
SubVar
DivVar
MulVar
DownloadFirmware
SelectDisplay
SetWatch
MemMap
PBPowerdownTime
PBBattery
PBAliveOrNot
PBTurnOff
BeginOfTask
BeginofSub
EndOfSub
SetSensorType
SetSensorMode
ClearSensorValue
AlterDir
ClearTachoCounter
Drive
SelectProgram
DeleteSub
DeleteAllSubs
Else
EndIf
EndLoop
EndWhile
If
While
ClearEvent
ClearAllEvents
Wait
Loop
GoSub
PBTxPower
SetEvent
OnWait
OnWaitDifferent
SetDatalog
DatalogNext
UploadDatalog
SendPBMessage
ClearPBMessage
EndOfTaskNoDownload
EndOfSubNoDownload
UnlockFirmware
GetLongTermRetransmitStatistics
GetShortTermRetransmitStatistics
SetRetransmitRetries
TowerAndCableConnected
IgnDLerrUntilGoodAnswer
TowerAlive
ErrCorAckDeleteAll
ErrCorAckReset
ErrCorAckCustom
CloseComm
GetThreadPriority
SetThreadPriority
AboutBox

The ActiveX Control Test Container allows you to invoke each method
individually. When you invoke a method that takes parameters, it
practically tells you the parameters (some are cryptic though). In
addition, if you specify the parameters incorrectly, it complains and
tells you what you did wrong. For example, I invoked TowerAlive
before anything and it complained that I had to InitComm first.

For those of you whose mouths aren't watering yet, notice the following:

- Variable Support
- Data Logging and Upload Capability
- Task Control
- Tachometer Support (like the CodePilot)