LabHelper FP has five active menus available when the program is not busy gathering data. Note: In Mac OS 8 or above, the "Help" menu contains LabHelper's on-line help option (it's in the Apple menu in earlier operating systems), and several calculator functions useful for open-system respirometry.
| FILE | EDIT | VIEW | A-D | D-A |
SAVE DATA AS...
Saves recorded data to a disk file. This
is only available for chart data and is equivalent to the 'Save data
and return' button on the Options window.
BINARY DATA FORMAT
When this is selected, data files will be saved
in the default binary format. Binary files are small, contain comments
and header data, and are saved and loaded very rapidly -- almost instantly
if the computer has a fast hard disk (see the file
formats page).
ASCII DATA FORMAT
When this is selected, data files will be saved
in text format. This is a much slower and more bulky method than binary
storage, but these files are more easily created and read by other programs.
Scope files start with the sample interval in seconds and consist
of a single 'column' of voltage values separated by 'returns'. Chart
files start with a list of variable names. The first column is the
elapsed time in seconds, and the remaining columns (separated by tabs) contain
the different variables. Note: comments and
other header data are NOT included in ASCII files; you must use
the binary file format to save these data.
SABLE SSCF FORMAT
This option allows data to be saved in the "SSCF" format
used by the Sable Systems acquisition
and analysis package that runs on DOS - Windoz computers. SSCF is
a binary format (the IEEE floating-point standard) that is compact and fast.
SSCF files can be saved almost as quickly as Warthog binary files.
SSCF files do contain sample interval data, comments (a maximum of 240 characters),
and start date and time information -- but they lack channel labels and
the other header data that are standard in Warthog files.
 SSCF files can be read by LabAnalyst, as well as by Sable
software on PCs. If you save files in SSCF, they will appear (on a
Macintosh) with their own special icon: |
TIMED DATA SAVES
+T
This option sets up an automatic backup function during data acquisition
runs, which helps safeguard data from program or system crashes, power failures,
and other potential catastrophes. At very high sampling rates and
short acquisition periods, automatic backup is of limited utility (and can
actually slow your acquisition speed), but it can be a lifesaver if you
need to sample over long periods -- especially if the computer must be left
unattended.
To turn on automatic file saving, you need to specify
the 'backup interval" between saves. Obviously, the shorter the
interval, the greater the protection. However, it takes some time
to save data (not much if you are saving in binary format), and at high
sample rates this can slow acquisition. The LabHelper default
is to use a saving interval equal to 50% of the expected acquisition period
(i.e., the sample interval times the maximum number of samples), or 30 minutes,
whichever is smaller. You can use the window shown at right to specify
any backup interval, or to switch off automatic backup.
If automatic file saving is operating, a gray menu ("backup ON") appears, and as backups occur this menu is incremented (i.e., "backup 1", then "backup 2", etc.). The data are saved in the current folder. They are named "backup file" and (optionally) have the current date appended (i.e., "backup file 10/10/98"). Sequential backups saved on the same day will overwrite each other, but if the date is appended a new backup name will be used when the date changes at midnight.
If acquisition concludes normally, you can save the complete set of data under any name you wish, and the backup file(s) can be disposed of.
BACKUP FILE NAME
+B
If you are using the 'Timed data saves' option, you can select
the name for the backup file. If a file with that name already exists,
you will be warned.
PREFERENCES 
This
option has a submenu with three selections:
SAVE SETUP FILE...
+M
Sends a copy of the current setup information (recording mode, channels,
conversions, sample rate, channel labels, triggers, device control, etc.)
to the printer or to a disk file.
PRINT SETUP DATA...
+P
Sends a copy of the current setup information (recording mode, channels,
conversions, sample rate, channel labels, triggers, device control, etc.)
to the printer or to a disk file.
QUIT
exits the program. If there are unsaved data, a warning will be given.
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