jayindy:
Serial data?, my XP boxes have serial ports, but I'm hoping to interface thru a simple USB port, but if I can serial data thru a USB port, then yes, I can serial data to the arduino/ProMicro/small circuit board.
Yes, I meant serial through USB. Your ProMicro has a USB Port. I was actually thinking about sending serial data from ProMicro to PC, but the other direction from PC to ProMicro might also be useful. In this way, the PC could give feedback once the restarting of the Vips is successful. This feedback could then be passed on to the driver with a LED.
Which brings me to another question - I'm sure the button idea will work, but wouldn't it be more elegant if the PC itself realizes that the Vips software has crashed, and restarts Vips all by itself?
Maybe you have explored this idea already, and rejected it? Is there some life sign from Vips, which enables an external batch file to poll regularly whether Vips is alive or crashed?
Since it is proprietary software, maybe you actually have the means to modify it, include a watchdog, broadcast a regular life sign etc.?
How does the driver actually realize that Vips has crashed? Mabe the ProMicro can simulate a scan and detect the Vips crash, before the driver does?