Serial API for microgate serial adapter

[darkestelement]

Hi,

So i recently bought a serial adapter PCI card from Microgate (www.microgate.com -> SyncLink Adapters -> SyncLink GT/GT4 PCI Adapters), for serial communication with another external device.

After downloading the related manual and the associated serial API for windows (Available on the above link to download), I find myself unsure of what to do next. I have never come across API programming before and i kind of need to know how to use it to interface with my computer and the external device for communication purposes (send/receive data).

The downloaded files from Microgate website contains software development kits, sample codes, run time files, libraries etc. What i want to know is: Based on this serial adapter, what software program do i need to download and install so that i am able to invoke the API function.

I've installed Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express, and i am able to open and see the sample codes but i am not sure whether Visual Studio 2010 is able to recognize the serial adapter card in the CPU and actually interface with it. And whether it is able to build the sample codes into it and enable the serial adapter card to perform function (receive/send data).

To add on, I've copied and paste the sample code onto a "New project" and tried to compile and build the project. But as expected, errors were present.

I'm very new to this so I might have phrase the question wrongly. Feeling very clueless about this. Any help would be greatly appreciated.