3B Scientific NETlab User Manual
3B SCIENTIFIC
Instruction manual
04/09 MC/CW
®
PHYSICS
3B Netlab™ U11310
Contents
1. Introduction
2. System requirements
3. CD-ROM contents
4. System set-up and installation
5. Experiment system
5.1. Measurement lab
(for your own experiments)
5.2. Experiments (instructions)
6. Administration and network set-up
7. Network applications
8. Support
1 Introduction
3B NETlab™ is a data collection and evaluation
program for the 3B NETlog
that can be incorporated into a network. Since it is
based on ActiveX technology, all its control elements can be integrated into web pages which can
be displayed and operated using Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser.
The main function of the 3B NETlab
facilitate computer-aided experimentation for
educational purposes. To this end, instructions for
numerous experiments from the various areas of
physics are available in web-page form. A user can
navigate between pages just as on the internet and
can use controls connected to on-site equipment to
conduct all aspects of the procedures.
TM
(U11300) equipment
TM
program is to
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A measurement lab has been provided from which
all functions of the 3B NETlog™ equipment can be
operated. To evaluate the measured data, the program is equipped with a whole range of graphic
tools.
Thanks to its networking functionality, the
3B NETlab™ program is perfectly suited for application in schools and educational institutes. Instructors are able to monitor the progress of students
and the data they gather during experiments from
their own workstation. Similarly, students can follow experiments being demonstrated or carried out
by an instructor on their own monitor screens.
2 System requirements
2.1 System requirements
• Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or later
• Intel Pentium III/AMD Athlon 600 MHz or
higher
• 128 MB RAM
• 50 MB hard-disk storage
• Monitor with 1024x768 resolution or higher
• USB connection
2.2 Additionally recommended
• Internet access
• Adobe Reader 7.0
• Adobe Flash Player
3 CD-ROM contents
• 3B NETlab™ software
• USB driver
• Instruction manual
4 System set-up and installation
4.1 System set-up:
In order to ensure flawless functioning of
3B NETlab™, it may be necessary to alter certain
settings for Microsoft’s Internet Explorer which are
connected to the execution guidelines for ActiveX
controls.
4.1.1 ActiveX controls:
An ActiveX control is a software program that cannot run independently. Rather, it is executed in a
container provided by a separate application. The
most prominent example of such an application is
Microsoft’s Internet Explorer with its capability to
display ActiveX controls on web pages. This is
mostly used for integrating multimedia content
(e.g. animations using Adobe's Flash Player). Since
ActiveX controls can provide any kind of functionality within programs regardless of the container,
this technology offers users far greater possibilities
(e.g. on Microsoft’s Windows Update website, where
updates can be installed into the operating system
via an ActiveX control). At the same time, however,
there are also certain dangers accompanying this
technology – for instance, risks due to dubious
websites which attempt to plant and execute harmful program code in the form of ActiveX control
elements onto the user’s computer. For this reason,
Internet Explorer is so configured that it requires by
default the explicit consent of a user before installing a control. A publisher or server can be verified
on the basis of a digital signature. If such a digital
signature is missing, any attempt by a website to
install code is ignored.
4.1.2 Security settings for Internet Explorer:
The 3B NETlab™ control is provided with a digital
signature and can thus be installed by Internet
Explorer without altering the default settings. As a
rule, it is only necessary to alter the settings
marked * to allow the program to run. However, if
a particularly restrictive security policy has been
instituted, then further modifications may be required.
Internet Explorer differentiates between various
security zones: “Internet”, “Local intranet”, “Trusted
sites” and “Restricted sites”. To modify the settings,
go to the “Tools” menu, select “Internet Options”
then click the “Security” tab.
Since the pages for 3B NETlab™ are present either
on the hard-disk of the local computer or on the
local network, it is likely that the zone that requires
new settings is the one called “Local intranet”.
If the standard level has been set to “Medium”,
“Medium-low”, or “Low”, no further steps are re-
quired. If not, set the following settings under
“Custom Level”.
• “Script ActiveX controls marked safe for script-
ing” – “Enable”
• “Run ActiveX controls and plugins” – “Enable”
• “Active scripting” – “Enable”
There is no specific zone for pages on the local
computer. In order to permit the execution of
ActiveX control elements, go to “Security” and activate the following option in the “Advanced” tab
(Windows XP only):
• “Allow active content to run in files on My
Computer” *
If you use a pop-up blocker, deactivate the blocker
when working with 3B NETlab™, since the system
works with pop-ups.
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4.2 Installation:
The following steps will guide you through the
installation of 3B NETlab™ for single-user operation. Installation on a network is described in chapter 7.
4.2.1 Driver installation
Before installing the 3B NETlab™ software, it is
important to install the USB driver:
• Connect 3B NETlog™ to the computer via the
USB cable.
The computer reports that it has detected a new
hardware. Subsequently, the window of the hardware wizard opens:
• Insert the installation CD into the CD-ROM
drive of the computer.
Windows 2000:
• Select “Search for the best driver for your de-
vice”.
• Under search for driver files, select “CD-ROM
drives”. (If no driver can be found, select “Display other source locations”.)
Windows XP:
• Do not activate Windows Update.
• Select “Install software from specified loca-
tion”.
• Under “Browse”, specify the location of the
driver on the CD.
• A hardware message will state that the soft-
ware has failed to pass the Windows Logo Test.
You should nevertheless click “Proceed with installation”.
As an alternative, the folder containing the driver
file can be copied directly onto the computer from
the CD and can be installed from the hard disk.
4.2.1.1 Exception:
If the software for the U21800 CCD linear camera
and/or U21830 Spectrophotometer products has
already been installed onto the computer, follow
the instructions below:
• Connect 3B NETlog™ to the computer via the
USB cable.
The computer will not report that a new hardware
has been detected.
• Insert the installation CD into the CD-ROM
drive of the computer.
Windows 2000:
• System control panel -> System -> Hardware ->
open Device manager.
• Double-click USB controller.
• Double-click “ULICE USB Product”.
• Click Driver -> Update driver. (The wizard for
updating the device driver will start.)
• Select “Show all known drivers from list and
search for the suitable/appropriate driver”.
• Select “Drive” and then “Search” to establish
the path to the driver.
• Click “Yes” to confirm that the file should be
overwritten.
Windows XP:
• System control panel -> System -> Hardware ->
open Device manager.
• Double-click on USB controller.
• Double-click “ULICE USB Product”.
• Click Driver -> Update driver. (The hardware
assistant will start.)
• Do not activate Windows Update.
• Select “Install software from specific source”.
• Select “Do not search. Autodetect driver”.
• Select “Drive” and then “Search” to establish
the path to the driver.
• Click “Yes” to confirm that the file should be
overwritten.
• Click “Proceed with installation” when the
hardware message states that the software has
failed to pass the Windows Logo Test.
4.3 Software installation
1. Insert the Install CD into the CD-ROM
drive.
2. If the install program does not start auto-
matically, run “start.exe” from the root directory of the CD-ROM or right click the
CD-ROM drive icon and select “AutoPlay”.
3. Click “Install 3B NETlab™”.
4. A window appears in which you can select
a language by clicking on the respective
country flag. In response to the prompt
“Install 3B NETlab?”, click “Yes”.
5. Click “OK” to start the installation.
6. The program raises the question whether
the directory “C:\Programs\3BNETlab”
should be created, click “Yes”.
7. Enter a user name and password for the
instructor (or the program administrator).
Click “OK” to confirm.
8. The program files will then be installed.
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9. A window appears in which you can select
the experiments that are to be installed.
These experiments have been categorised
according to language and subject area. It
is possible to select either individual experiments or whole categories. Select the
required experiments/categories and click
“OK” to confirm.
10. The experiments will now be installed.
11. After completion of the installation, a
message box appears stating “Installation
completed successfully. Click OK to launch
program”. Click “OK” to confirm.
12. Internet Explorer will now be restarted
automatically and the program will be
loaded.
5 The experiment system
3B NETlab™ differentiates between two types of
experiments. On the one hand, it features a series
of experiment procedures covering various disciplines of physics. By following the instructions
therein, experiments can be conducted quickly and
purposefully using predefined settings. On the
other hand, the measurement lab lets you access
all settings and functions for the 3B NETlog™
equipment in order to conduct your own experiments.
Once the program has been started by either clicking the desktop icon or via the Start menu, a
prompt appears. You should now log in by entering
your user name and password. You can now select
from among the following items:
• Measurement lab
• Experiments
• Administration
Details for Administration are explained in chapter 6. The procedure after selecting either of the
first two items is very similar, since the measurement lab, in principle, also provides a set of instructions for experiments, the only difference
being that it leaves all options open. The steps
required for starting an experiment, managing the
experiment data and operating controls are thus
explained here using the measurement lab for all
examples. These then apply equally to the “Experi-
ments” option.
5.1 Measurement lab (for experiments of your
own design):
5.1.1 Starting, suspending, resuming and com-
pleting experiments:
5.1.1.1 Starting an experiment:
You can start the Measurement Lab by selecting
the corresponding item from the splash screen
then clicking “Continue”. You will now see a list
with the available data entries. A data entry or
record contains all the information on the status of
a particular experiment as well as the measurements made hitherto. To start a new experiment, it
is necessary to create a new data record.
1. Select “Create new data set” and click “Con-
tinue”.
2. Enter a name for the data record and click
“OK” to confirm.
A new measurement lab window then opens. Before dealing with the controls featured in the
measurement lab and the experiments themselves,
further explanation is required on how to proceed
with the data records.
5.1.1.2 Suspending and resuming an experiment;
importing, exporting and deleting data records:
It is possible to suspend the experiment at any time
that no actual measurement is being made.
1. Simply close the experiment window. The
program will then return to the main window.
2. Click “Back”.
The data record you created now appears in the
list. The status “executable” indicates that it is
possible to resume the corresponding experiment
by selecting the item “Open selected data set”.
Furthermore, options for deleting, exporting and
importing data records are also provided.
To export a data record set, it is necessary to specify a directory in which system components as well
as experiment data can be copied so that the experiment can be resumed from this location.
5.1.1.3 Concluding an experiment:
As soon as the first measurement has been concluded in the course of an experiment, a button
“Finish the experiment” appears in the top left hand
corner of the window.
1. Click the button to deactivate all measure-
ment functions.
2. Close the experiment window.
3. Click “Back” in the main window.
The data record is now marked is now marked
“Finished” and can be opened only for viewing.
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