LabHelper X    FILE menu
LabHelper has six active menus available when the program is not busy gathering data.  There is also a Help menu, and three other functions are found in the LabHelper menu at the left of the menu bar..

  •   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.

  •   WARTHOG BINARY FORMAT     When this is selected, data files will be saved in the default binary format.  Binary files are relatively small, contain comments and header data, and are saved and loaded very rapidly (see the file formats page). The icons for binary chart and scope files are: chart file:         scope file:

  •   ASCII TEXT 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 EXPEDATA FORMAT     This option allows data to be saved in the standard format used by the Sable Systems acquisition and analysis package that runs on Windows computers.  'ExpeData' is an expanded version of the older SSCF format.  Expedata and SSCF are binary formats (the IEEE floating-point standard) that are compact and fast.  Sable-format files can be saved almost as quickly as Warthog binary files.  SSCF files 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.   ExpeData files do support channel labels, voltage conversion data, and some other content.

     ExpeData files can be read by LabAnalyst, as well as by Sable software on PCs.  LabHelper can also create SSCF files.   If you save files in ExpeData format (from either LabAnalyst or LabHelper), they will appear (on a Macintosh) with their own special icons in OS X:

    The way time information is stored in SSCF differs from they way it is stored in ExpeData (the former stores the time data acquisition started and the latter stores the time when it ended).  Under some conditions, this might produce timing errors in analysis; for example a file stored in ExpeData format that is read by a program that assumes it is SSCF will result in an apparent time shift equivalent to the duration of data acquisition.

  •   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 10/10/2012").  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.

  •    LOAD PREFERENCES          Allows loading of a preferences file containing general parameters such as default screen colors and user-specified voltage conversions.  This is not the same as a setup file, which contains specific channel, screen format, and external device information.  By creating a number of different preference files, you can set up a variety of clickable voltage conversions or default screen colors.  Note that the program automatically loads a file called 'LabHelper prefs' when launched.

  •    SAVE SETUP FILE...      M      Saves a copy of the current setup information (recording mode, channels, conversions, sample rate, channel labels, triggers, device control, etc.) with this icon (Note: the icon appearance may be different depending on which version of OS X is in use):

  •   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.

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