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Gathering Data |
LabHelper's screen display during data acquisition varies with operational mode and the number of channels. Users can vary the colors of the screen stripcharts (from the screen colors option of the 'VIEW' menu). The following discussion refers to the built-in "standard" colors specified in the standard 'LabHelper prefs' file, and may not be the ones the user prefers.
In CHART
mode (shown above), the plot areas (1 to a maximum of 16) are dark gray,
with pale blue grid lines and lettering. Data are plotted as yellow
lines extending left to right across the screen. The information shown
in the plot areas and the data bar varies with sampling rate. At high
sampling rates, the yellow data bar at the top left of the screen, shows
only the sample number and the maximum number of cases. At slower
sampling rates, the data bar shows the sample number, the time, the percent
completion, the time to go, and the maximum number of cases. If Autorepeat
is selected, a small window in the first channel's plot area shows the current
file name under which data will be stored. Except at high sampling
rates, channel values (the last value recorded for each channel) appear
in the plot area(s); this is under user control. At the bottom of
the plot area are tics showing an elapsed time scale. If one of the
external device control modes is operating, a yellow-on-blue legend reading
" '-' for ref, '+' for sample " appears in the lower part of the
screen below the plot areas. In this example:
- 3 markers ("a", "b", and "c") have been entered
- channels 1 and 3 are interfaced to external switching devices (both show periods of 'zero' value, indicating they are not being recorded)
If you are using a 'compressed' view mode (selected with the chart view button on the Display Setup window; not shown here), the degree of view compression is shown in the lower left of the screen, together with a graphical index. If you are using a combination of maximum number of samples and view compression that will require more than one screen to complete, a graphical representation of the screen in use appears in the upper right. The 'in-use' screen is in green, previous screens are in black, and 'future' screens are in outline (this hows a total of 5 screens of data, with the first of five in view).
If your screen is wider than 640 pixels, a small yellow window showing the backup status appears in the lower right corner (automatic backup is not selected here).
Markers (to indicate important events, timing, or other uses) are entered by hitting any letter or number key; they appear as vertical lines on the plot areas. Markers are stored in the data file and can be displayed during data analysis. To enter the Options window (for saving data and other operations), hit the ESC key.
- If you are coming to the end of a chart record and you need to continue recording, hit the 'return' key. This will add another screenwidth of cases to the maximum number of cases (up to the maximum sample size). This works in both CHART and SCOPE + CHART modes.
In OSCILLOSCOPE
mode, the single plot area is dark blue, with pale blue grid lines and white
lettering. Data points are in yellow. The data bar shows only
the maximum number of points on the screen. A small window in the
plot area shows the file name and suffix under which the next screenfull
of data will be stored. At the bottom of the screen are instructions
for saving screens of data (hit the TAB key), or exiting to the Options window (hit the ESC key; see below).
At the bottom of the plot area are tics showing an elapsed time scale.
Markers are not allowed in Oscilloscope mode.
- During discontinuous sampling, the plot area is red instead of dark gray.
In OSCILLOSCOPE
PLUS CHART mode, the topmost plot area functions like the regular Oscilloscope
mode, with dark blue plot area, pale blue grid lines, white lettering, and
erasable yellow data points. During intermittent sampling, the plot
area for scope data is red, not blue. The plot areas for chart channels
are the 'usual' dark gray, with light blue grid lines and lettering, and
yellow data lines. The data bar shows the trace length of the chart
screen, and at slow oscilloscope sampling rates it also shows the number
of points recorded on the chart channels. A small window in the plot
area for the scope channel shows the file name under which the next screenfull
of data will be stored. Channel values do not appear, and markers
appear only in the plot areas for chart channels. Markers can be entered
by hitting any letter or number key, or they can be entered automatically
by the computer when oscilloscope screens are saved. Automatic markers
are a sequence of numbers running from 0 to 9, with the sequence repeating
up to a total of 64a markers. You can still enter markers manually
by hitting any letter or number key.
The view compression and screen indicators are as described for chart mode, above.
To store the currently-displayed oscilloscope screen, hit the TAB key. To enter the Options window (for saving the chart channels and for other operations), hit ESC. At the bottom of the plot area are tics showing an elapsed time scale.
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