Instruction Manual
V300x
06/2003
Instruction Manual
NGA WinControl
Communication Option for
ML T 1, MLT 2, MLT 3, MLT 4, MLT 5 and CAT 200
CLD, FID, HFID and WCLD
rd
Edition 06/2003
3
www.EmersonProcess.com
WinControl for ML T 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, CAT 200, CLD, FID, HFID & WCLD Instruction Manual
V300X
06/2003
ESSENTIAL INSTRUCTIONS
READ THIS P AGE BEFORE PROCEEDING!
Emerson Process Management (Rosemount Analytical) designs, manufactures and test s
its products to meet many national and international standards. Because these instruments
are sophisticated technical products, you MUST properly install, use, and maintain
them to ensure they continue to operate within their normal specifications. The following
instructions MUST be adhered to and integrated into your safety program when installing,
using and maintaining Emerson Process Management (Rosemount Analytical) products.
Failure to follow the proper instructions may cause any one of the following situations to
occur: Loss of life; personal injury; property damage; damage to this instrument; and warranty
invalidation.
• Read all instructions prior to installing, operating, and servicing the product.
• If you do not understand any of the instructions, contact your Emerson Process
Management (Rosemount Analytical) representative or akrobit for clarification.
• Follow all warnings, cautions, and instructions marked on and supplied with the
product.
• Inform and educate your personnel in the proper installation, operation, and
maintenance of the product.
• To ensure proper performance, use qualified personnel to install, operate, update,
program, and maintain the product.
• The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement
and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the license
agreement. Due to the constant development of the software, the functions
themselves and their volume may be subject to change without prior notice.
• Copyright 2001-2003 akrobit® software GmbH. All rights reserved.
• MS-DOS and Windows are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation.
All other product names are trademarks ot registered trademarks of their
respective owners.
The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. Misprints
reserved.
1st Edition 04/2001 2nd Edition 03/2002
3rd Edition 06/2003
© 2003 by Emerson Process Management
Emerson Process Management
GmbH & Co. OHG
Industriestrasse 1
D-63594 Hasselroth
Germany
T +49 (0) 6055 884-0
F +49 (0) 6055 884-209
Internet: www.EmersonProcess.com
Contents
Introduction 7
The Concept 7
The NGA WinControl Manual 7
NGA WinControl Outline 9
Installation and starting the program 9
NGA WinControl Key Points 10
Introduction 10
The Program Windows 11
Setting Properties 13
On and Offline Calculations - Calculation Channels 13
Measuring Cursors / Statistics Function 14
NGA WinControl Server 14
Additional External Entries 14
Context-Sensitive Menus 15
Windows Compatibility 15
DDE 15
OLE 16
Quick Introduction 16
The First Steps Assistant 16
The First Steps 16
NGA WinControl Windows 19
The Main Window 19
The Channel Window 19
Channel List/Channel Properties 20
The Value Display 23
The Bar Graph 24
The Line Diagram 26
The X/Y Diagram 31
The Data Table 35
The File Summary Window 38
The Project Drawing Window 39
The Event List and the Calibration List 40
The Event List 40
The Calibration List 42
The NGA WinControl Menus 42
The File Menu 43
Open 43
Close 44
Save 44
Save As 44
Save Part 44
Import 45
Export 45
Merge 49
Data Reduction 49
Print Preview 50
NGA WinControl User manual Contents •••• 3
Print 50
Print Values between Cursors 51
Page Setup 51
Print Setup 51
File Name List 52
Load Configuration 52
Save Configuration 52
Load Calculation Channels 52
Save Calculation Channels 53
Save As Template 53
Use Template 54
Exit 54
The Edit Menu 54
Copy 54
Cut 54
Paste 54
Delete 54
Undo 55
Redo 55
Select all 55
Add Calculation Channel 55
Calculation Channel Properties 56
The View Menu 57
Properties 57
Remarks 57
Channel Comments 58
View as Line Diagram 58
View as Data Table 58
View as X/Y Diagram 59
View as Summary 59
Cursors 59
Show all 59
Undo Zoom 59
The Data Menu 59
Polling 59
New Line Diagram 60
New Bar Graph 60
New Value Display 60
New Data Table 60
New X/Y Diagram 61
New Excel Connection 61
New Project Drawing 63
AutoSave 63
Averaging 66
Delete Samples 66
The Programming Menu 67
Edit Device Configuration 67
Calculation Channels 67
Data Translation Sub-Systems 67
Calibration 69
Time 71
Display Status Report 71
Define Constants 71
Terminal 72
The Settings Menu 74
COM Port 74
Sampling Rate 78
Settings/Channel Selection 79
Toolbar, ToolTips and the Status Bar 79
Alarm 80
Size of Data Buffer 84
4 •••• Contents NGA WinControl User manual
Others 85
The Window Menu 86
The Help Menu 86
Help/Contents 86
Help/How to use Help 86
The First Steps Assistant 86
Help/Info 87
NGA WinControl Server 88
Server Operation 88
Functioning 88
Display of Clients Connected to the Server 88
Logfile of Connections 89
Protocol 89
Sample History 89
Server Interface 89
Functioning 89
Settings 90
Commands 90
Application Examples 93
How do I... 94
...establish a connection to the measuring device(s). 94
...set the sampling rate. 94
...change the properties of the active window. 94
...create a new value display. 95
...create a new bar graph. 95
...print a bar graph. 95
...create a new data table. 95
...print a data table. 95
...create a new line diagram. 95
...print a line diagram. 96
...print the channel list. 96
...save data to a file. 96
...load a saved data file. 96
...insert a WinControl diagram into a text document. 97
...control an ALMEMO network using the NGA WinControl. 97
...use the demo version. 97
...automatically continue polling after power failure. 98
...automatically create daily files. 98
...merge data files with one another. 99
...administer multiple program configurations. 99
...automatically load a specific configuration when starting the program. 99
...define a global calculation channel. 100
...define a local calculation channel. 100
... define counters, sums or averages throughout the measurement 100
...establish a modem connection. 101
... analyse a curve 101
... add or amend channel comments 101
... save part of a data set 102
... display overlapping characteristic curves 102
... add notes to a measurement data file 102
... export an event list 102
... automatically save an event list 102
... save and use display properties 103
... print line diagrams over several pages 103
... transfer data to Excel online 103
...transfer call parameters to a program to be started in case of alarm 103
... create a project drawing 104
... automatically store several files onto the hard disk per day 105
... create averages for definable time areas (e.g. daily or hourly averages) 105
NGA WinControl User manual Contents •••• 5
… working with several instances of NGA WinControl 105
Automatic Programme Numeration 105
Automatic Administration of Initializing Files 106
User-Defined Main Window Titles 106
… define a default directory for data files 106
OLE server registration in Windows 2000 106
Creating line diagrams from a template 107
APPENDIX 108
Formulae 108
Numerical values 108
Operands 108
Functions 108
Values of other Channels 110
External Functions 110
Decimal Separators and Channel Descriptions 113
Connecting a modem to a measuring device 114
Establish a connection to a measuring device 114
Connecting a Measurement Device to your PC 114
Layout of serial connector of MLT 114
Layout of serial connector of BINOS E 115
Settings in NGA WinControl 116
Data formats of the Export Function 116
Text 116
Famos 116
Lotus WK1 (Excel) 116
Binary 116
QS-STAT 116
DIAdem Format 116
Glossary 117
6 •••• Contents NGA WinControl User manual
Introduction
The Concept
Thank you for purchasing the NGA WinControl program. The programming functions,
namely: device programming, the ability to summarise, display and work with your data, and
calibration enable you to connect your measuring devices to your computer and to manage
them more effectively. DDE and OLE standard support allows the integration of different
applications with this data acquisition program.
The modular structure of the program allows you to configure your own individual program
variant containing the options which are relevant for you. Please note that some of the functions described in this manual might not be supported by your current program version.
However, you can extend your software functions by releasing additional options at any time.
This program has been designed with a standard Windows user interface in mind, guaranteeing quick and easy use. The help system (accessed by pressing F1) provides immediate
help or information should you require it.
Those who prefer to read the following information on paper rather than on the computer
screen should find this manual very useful. The following section entitled
“The NGA WinControl Manual” is intended to maximise your use of this manual.
The NGA WinControl Manual
If you wish to develop a full understanding of all program functions, we recommend that you
read chapters two to five. This manual begins by describing the program’s main window and
then goes on to explain all program functions in more detail. This should help develop your
knowledge and understanding of the program.
For those who are familiar (Windows) users a full description may be somewhat repetitive.
A more effective and completely sufficient method of learning how to use the program is to
simply look up the topics that you want to know more about. Of particular interest are the
chapters “NGA WinControl Outline”, “NGA WinControl Windows” and “The NGA WinControl
Menus”.
The chapter “NGA WinControl Outline” is designed to provide sufficient information for “experts” to develop a sufficient knowledge of how the program works and how to use it.
We too are often plagued by the laborious task of reading a manual and for this reason we
have developed chapter five of this manual entitled “How do I...”. This is a quick reference
chapter which describes many of the program’s functions. All the information in this manual
is contained in the NGA WinControl help system which means that program information is
always at your fingertips should you need it.
NGA WinControl User manual Introduction •••• 7
Manual conven-
tions, Keyboard
Combinations
and Symbols
Tip!
In order to optimise your use of this manual, we have applied particular conventions
throughout. The table below explains these conventions:
Convention Meaning
Courier
Italics Commands, Buttons and text that you need to enter
< > A character that appears in these brackets repre-
<Key 1 + Key 2>
<Key 1, Key 2>
STARTING!
Please note, that there are some parts not translated in English language. Please contact
us, to get a newer version of user manual.
Directory names, File names, Acronyms.
or select.
sents a key symbol, letter or description.
The keys one and two must be pressed simultane-
ously.
The keys one and two must be pressed one after
the other.
Tips on starting an action.
8 •••• Introduction NGA WinControl User manual
NGA WinControl Outline
Installation and starting the program
System Require-
ments
Installation
Program Start
Registration
Copy Protection
NGA WinControl requires an IBM-compatible computer with Windows 98 or higher, at least
32MB of RAM and a maximum of 3 MB free hard disk space. A mouse is not required but is
recommended.
Before installing this program you should make a backup copy of the original program disks.
Once you have done this, install the program using this copy. Remember to store the original and the backup in a safe place as with all diskettes. In order to install NGA WinControl
on your computer, use the installation program SETUP on the program disk.
⋅ Place the disk in disk drive a (b)
⋅ Start Windows and select File/Run in the Program Manager
⋅ Enter a:\setup.exe (b:\setup.exe)
⋅ Enter the information requested during installation
Following installation, NGA WinControl can be started like any other Windows program.
You can either start the program from the Windows Program Manager, by double clicking
with the left mouse button on the program icon, or by entering the source directory and then
NGA.exe under File/Run in the Program Manager.
If the dialogue “NGA WinControl Licence Information“ appears after starting the programme,
your licence has not been registered. The term of an unregistered version is limited to a
maximum of 30 days. The time left of that term is given under “Remaining Trial Time”.
In order to license the acquired software, simply click on the internet address indicated under “Registration” in the “NGA WinControl Licence Information” dialogue box. In the site that
will appear, enter your information into the form and click on “send”.
Once we have received and checked your details, we will send you your release code. After
entering the code into the respective field in the “NGA WinControl Licence Information” dialogue, the limitation to the term will be cleared.
Of course you can also contact us by phone or fax. You can find our numbers in the “Help /
Info” as well as in the “NGA WinControl Licence Information” dialogue.
If you want to register now, click on
NGA WinControl can also be operated with a hardlock (dongle), in which case the software
needn’t be released by an unlock code. Dongles are available for various ports (serial/parallel, USB, ISA, PCI).
http://www.akrobit.de/nga/register.htm
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Outline •••• 9
Upgrade
ReadMe.wri
Supported
Channels
Programming
Data Logger
Modem
Connections by
Ether net
NGA WinControl
as Data Server
Remote Access
via WinControl
The dongle solution is especially recommended if the same software is applied on several
computers (e.g. laptop and desktop pc).
The standard version of NGA WinControl can be extended by individual optional functions
(timed saving, modem connections, Ethernet connections and alarm functions) or changed
into the professional version (all optional functions are available).
In order to do this, use the button “Upgrade” in the “Help / Info” dialogue. This will take you to
the “NGA WinControl Licence Information” dialogue. The procedure of activating the additional functions or the upgrade to the professional version is the same as for registration.
Changes or additions to NGA WinControl made after the printing of this manual will be
documented in the README.WRI file.
NGA WinControl Key Points
Introduction
Using NGA WinControl and Windows, you can control as many channels per measuring
device as desired (within the limitations of your hardware). NGA THERM and ALMEMO
measuring devices are supported by this program. Channels will be automatically recognized and listed once a connection between your devices and the computer has been established. The interval between measurements can be varied according to your requirements.
In addition to the measurement values of NGA measuring devices, data can be captured
and processed via multi-function cards from the company Data Translation. The channels of
the multi-function cards are recognized and listed up automatically as soon as the cards or
the respective sub-systems have been activated. Read-in of values from the multi-function
cards and the NGA measuring devices takes place with the same scan rate.
Using NGA WinControl, sensors and devices can be programmed. The programming can
be saved in a file and restored whenever required.
If you wish to use a measuring device as a data logger, then the software lets you download
data from a device’s memory, display the data as a line diagram and then save it. The respective parameters for this can be set in a dialogue box and programmed using NGA WinControl.
If it is necessary to read data from a remote location, this can be done using a modem.
As an option, NGA WinControl enables you to carry out communication with the NGA measurement system via the computer network (a TCP/IP address) instead of a serial interface.
In the server operating mode of NGA WinControl, captured data can be passed on to up to
200 clients. A WinControl server can be accessed via network (intranet or internet).
In the remote operating mode of NGA WinControl, measurement values captured by the
NGA WinControl server can be taken over and processed with all available functions.
10 •••• NGA WinControl Outline NGA WinControl User manual
Data Display
Saving Data
Interference Log
Analysis and
Evaluation
Alarms
Printing
Documentation
Operating Sys-
tem
Offline Opera-
tion
Program Use
Data can be displayed numerically, in the form of a bar graph, data table, X/Y and/or line
diagram. It is also possible to display one or more channels simultaneously in the different
viewing forms mentioned above.
There are different possibilities for archiving data: Auto Saving on the hard disk; saving as a
line diagram or in a data table; or simply as numerical values.
Any values that exceed the set limits or sensor errors will temporarily be displayed in a table
or on a line diagram (cf.: Channel List). This display feature means that any interference
that occurs whilst using the program will be visible to the user. Interference can be distinguished by distinct breaks in the line of a graph. It is also possible to log any interference in
the channel list window.
Using the calculation channels, it is possible to analyze your data in both on and offline
modes. Two measuring cursors are used to examine and evaluate – with the help of the integrated statistics function – the curves of the line diagrams. It is also possible to transfer
your data using DDE transfer, to copy the information to the clipboard or to save the data in
different formats.
An alarm can arise from both measured and calculated data. Special events and actions
can be assigned to such an alarm (for example, starting another application). These events
and actions are dependent on program settings.
You can create technical documentation of your data by printing out diagrams, tables and
the channel list together with correction values. These printouts can be viewed prior to printing, using the “Print Preview” command. All printers and plotters with Windows drivers are
supported.
To help you create documents related to the data that NGA WinControl can store, line diagrams can be imported into text documents either using OLE or by copying the information
to the clipboard.
NGA WinControl will operate under Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 98/2000/ME.
NGA WinControl can be used simultaneously in On and Offline mode.
Keyboard shortcuts and the toolbar enable fast access to the most important program functions. Important information and advice appears in the status bar.
Channels
Data Display
The Program Windows
Once you have established a connection between your computer and the measuring devices, by entering or selecting the appropriate information in the “COM Port Settings” dialogue box, then a “Channel List” window should appear. This window contains a list of all
connected and programmed channels as well as calculation channels.
If the channels of the multi-function cards are activated via the function Programming/Data
Translation Sub-Systems, they are displayed in the channel list as well.
In the dialogue box “Channel List/Channel Properties” you can change the channel settings.
The “Channel List” window is always open and cannot be closed.
The numerical display of data appears in the Value Display window. The “Channel List
Properties” dialogue box allows you to select the channels that should be displayed.
You can open as many windows of this type as you wish and display them simultaneously.
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Outline •••• 11
Bar Graph
Line Diagram
X/Y Diagram
Data Table
File Summary
Project drawings
This is one graphical method of displaying data. The bar graph window lets you display a
single channel or a group of them. The basic characteristics of a bar graph are: automatic
monitoring of limits, the labeling of limits and the display of minimum and maximum values.
In the “Bar Graph Properties” dialogue box, you can select the channels to be displayed.
You can open as many bar graphs as you wish and display them simultaneously. Each window can display all channels that are available to the system.
Another graphical method of measurement display is the line diagram. In contrast to the
numerical data display and bar graph, the data for a line diagram is buffered in the computer’s memory. This data can be saved as a file either during or after polling and subsequently used for DDE transfer or with another application (for example, a spreadsheet program). Like the other program windows, the “Line Diagram Properties” dialogue box allows
you to set the properties of such a diagram and the channels that are displayed in it.
You can open as many line diagrams as you wish and display them simultaneously. Each
diagram can display as many channels as you want with a maximum of four different y-axes.
It is also possible to display the data in a table or as an X/Y diagram at any time.
Whereas a line diagram always plots a measurement over time, the X/Y diagram can be
used to plot against other axes. Like the data for a line diagram, that of the X/Y diagram is
buffered in the computer’s memory. This data can be saved as a file either during or after
polling and subsequently used for DDE transfer or with another application (for example, a
spreadsheet program). Like the other program windows, the “X/Y Diagram Properties” dialogue box allows you to set the properties of such a diagram and the channels that are displayed in it.
You can open as many X/Y diagrams as you wish and display them simultaneously. Each
window can display all channels that are available to the system with up to four different
axes. It is also possible to display data in a table or as a line diagram at any time.
This displays data in a table and also buffers it in the computer’s memory. This data can be
saved as a file either during or after polling and subsequently used for DDE transfer or with
another application (for example, a spreadsheet program). Like the other program windows,
the “Table Properties” dialogue box allows you to set the properties of such a diagram and
the channels that are displayed in it.
You can open as many tables as you wish and display them simultaneously. Each table can
display all channels that are available to the system. It is also possible to display the data in
a line or X/Y diagram at any time.
If a file is saved using the commands Data/AutoSave or Data/Download from Device Memory, then this file will be displayed in a file summary window when you use the Open command. The text in this window provides you with important information, such as the time the
data was recorded and which channels were recorded.
To create a new line diagram, data table or X/Y diagram from the information displayed in an
active file summary window, use the commands Data/New Line Diagram, Data/New Data
Table or Data/New X/Y Diagram. In order to change the way you view your data, select from
one of the following: View/View as Line Diagram, View/View as Data Table and View/View
as X/Y Diagram.
You can open as many windows of this type as you wish and display them simultaneously.
NGA WinControl features the option to display the measurement structure in a particular
window. Graphics (bitmaps), text boxes and the captured data can be displayed in data
fields (only number and frame) at any random position.
To create a project drawing, execute the menu function Data / New Project drawing.
The dialogue box “Properties of the Project drawing” will appear, and you stipulate the size
of the image and decide whether you want to use a grid as a drawing aid. This dialogue box
can be called at any time to make changes to the properties of the project drawing.
12 •••• NGA WinControl Outline NGA WinControl User manual
STARTING!
After confirming with OK, an empty window will appear, in which you can now display the
desired elements (data fields, text fields and bitmaps). This can be done with the help of the
functions in the menus Objects, Edit and View as well as a context-sensitive menu. The
menu Object is only visible when the project drawing is activated.
Any number of objects of every type can be integrated into one project drawing, and any
number of project drawings can be active in the program simultaneously. Among others, this
feature can be used to display both overall and partial views of a project at the same time.
Once created, a project drawing can be saved and reloaded in file format. When loading a
project drawing from memory, choose the file type “NGW Project drawings” (*.amb) in the
standard dialogue.
Setting Properties
Every window that is opened in NGA WinControl is defined by its corresponding properties
dialogue box. Using this dialogue box, you can set the relevant properties for each window.
The properties dialogue box can be called up by:
Opening a new window
Selecting View/Properties
Double clicking in the current window with the left mouse button
Clicking once on the right mouse button in the current window and selecting the
“Properties” menu item.
Pressing <ENTER>
Global calculation
channels
STARTING!
Local calculation
channels
STARTING!
On and Offline Calculations - Calculation Channels
The mathematical functions allow for the calculation of physical sizes (values) from polled
data.
Using the calculation channels, data can be processed and displayed both on and offline.
Calculation channels can take on two forms, depending on their definition. These are global
and local channels.
If you wish to make a calculation channel available to the entire system, then you should
define it using the “Channel List/Channel Properties“ dialogue box. Once this dialogue box
has been opened (by activating the channel list window and giving the View/Properties
command) you should select the “Calculation Channels“ window.
Other ways of giving this command are:
⋅ By double clicking with the left mouse button in the current channel window
⋅ By clicking once with the right mouse button in the active window and selecting the Cal-
culation Channels command from the context menu
⋅ By pressing <ENTER> when the “Calculation Channels“ window is activated, or
⋅ By giving the command Programming/Calculation Channels
If you just want a calculation channel to be made available to a specific data set (for example, a diagram or data table), then you should define the channel using the Edit/Add Calcula-
tion Channel command. This command is only available when the specific data set is active
(that is, as an X/Y diagram, a line diagram or a data table).
Another way of giving this command is:
⋅ By clicking once with the right mouse button in the active window and selecting the Cal-
culation Channels command from the context menu
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Outline •••• 13
Printing
Measuring Cursors / Statistics Function
Two measuring cursors are available as an additional analysis function of the program, and
are used to examine and evaluate – with the help of the integrated statistics function – the
measurement curves of the line diagrams. These measuring cursors are available for all
active line diagrams (also simultaneously) both on and offline.
In order to analyse the course of a curve, the data file is opened and displayed in the view
form ”Line Diagram“. The menu View as well as the context-sensitive menu can use the
function “Cursors” to activate and deactivate the measuring cursors.
Activated cursors are shown as two vertical lines in the diagram, and a table in the bottom
part of the line diagram window shows the data of all lines below the cursors.
Furthermore, the integrated statistics function calculates the following values for each curve
in the line diagram:
⋅ Difference between the two data below the cursor
⋅ Minimum, maximum and average of the area within the cursors
⋅ Difference between minimum and maximum
These values will be listed in the chart, too.
The ratio between the size of the line diagram and the statistics table can be determined
individually. If the mouse pointer is moved over the line between diagram and table, its form
will change and the line can be moved while pressing the left mouse button. The size of the
line diagram will be adapted and the table will be shown complete or with a vertical bar.
The following options are available for printing:
⋅ Direct print of diagram and statistics table
⋅ Direct print of statistics table
⋅ Copying of diagram or statistics table, e. g. into text documents or spreadsheets.
NGA WinControl Server
In the server operation mode of NGA WinControl, captured data can be passed on to up to
200 clients. The WinControl server can be accessed as desired via the network (intranet or
internet).
Several users or applications can thus access the values of a measurement system, and
data can be provided to the respective application without having an impact on each other.
⋅ For example the following applications are available:
⋅ Multiple Access to Measurement Device
⋅ Integration into other Applications
⋅ Remote Access
⋅ Extended Data Export
⋅ Separate Capturing and Evaluation
⋅ External Online Evaluation
Additional External Entries
In addition to the measurement values of NGA measuring devices, data can be captured
and processed via multi-function cards from the company Data Translation. The channels of
the multi-function cards are recognized and entered into the channel list automatically as
soon as the cards or the respective sub-systems have been activated.
14 •••• NGA WinControl Outline NGA WinControl User manual
Analogue Inlets
Digital Inlets
Measurement values are captured in the same measurement cycle as the values of NGA
devices and can be processed in the same way (display in various forms, integration into
calculation channels, alarm management, etc.).
The following Data Translation card families are supported: DT 300, DT 330, DT 340, DT
3000, DT 3010, DT 7101 and DT 7102. Provided support by hardware and card driver, several cards can be supported at the same time.
A card can contain one or more A/C sub-systems that can be programmed independently.
NGA WinControl supports all existing sub-systems.
The user can select for each sub-system:
⋅ If the measurement values of the sub-system are to be integrated into NGA WinControl
⋅ If the sub-system is to be operated with differential or single-ended inlets
⋅ Which input voltage is to be selected (e.g. 0-10V or –10-10V)
Each sub-system contains a number of channels. The following settings can be made for
each channel:
⋅ Description of the channel
⋅ Multiplying Factor (if the card contains an adjustable multiplier)
⋅ Scaling
A card can contain one or more digital I/O sub-systems that can be programmed independently. NGA WinControl supports all existing sub-systems.
The user can select for each sub-system if the measurement values of the sub-system are
to be integrated into NGA WinControl.
Each sub-system contains a number of channels. An individual description can be chosen
for each channel.
Context-Sensitive Menus
Due to the different properties and functions of the program’s windows, there are different
menu functions for each window. As a result, the menu may change depending on the active window. The most effective method of displaying the most important functions at a
glance are context menus. These menus can be opened by clicking with the right mouse
button in the desired window.
Windows Compatibility
DDE
If you have more than one program running simultaneously in the Windows environment, for
example data acquisition and a spreadsheet program, then data can be transferred between
these programs without having to save the data in a file or copy it to the clipboard. This
means that you can use your spreadsheet program to immediately analyse your most recently acquired data. This is also possible whilst data acquisition is active.
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Outline •••• 15
Warning!
OLE
A combination of word processing and data acquisition is recommended particularly for the
logging of repetitive measurements. Using OLE, you can insert a line diagram into text
document. In doing so, the user can access NGA WinControl functions from within the text
editor. (cf.: "...insert a WinControl diagram into a text document." on page 97).
A further option of automated logging is to transfer data online into a prepared Excel document during the measurement cycle. This option can be used, for example, to feed updated
data into existing macros.
Quick Introduction
The “First Steps” should help you to gain a first understanding of the program’s main functions. The “First Steps with NGA WinControl” online assistant is designed to assist you
when starting with the program. If you prefer working with this manual, the information provided by the online assistant is also contained in the section “The First Steps”.
The First Steps Assistant
This assistant provides you with online help on working with NGA WinControl. Depending
on the program settings, it is possible to start the assistant automatically when the program
is started. Alternatively, it can be activated using the Help/First Steps menu command or by
pressing <F2>.
To obtain help on a specific topic, select one of the topics from the list ( found on the left) by
clicking on it once with the left mouse button.
Links have been inserted into explanatory texts, in a different color from the actual text.
These links are either connected to similar topics in the Help program or open a dialogue
box in direct relation to the respective topic.
If you do not want the assistant to appear when starting the program, deactivate the check
box in the lower half of the assistant’s window. Clicking on Close will exit the assistant.
For correct operation, the Internet explorer 3.0 or higher (recommended: at least 5.5) has to
be installed.
Connecting a
measuring de-
vice
Simulating a
measuring de-
vice
The First Steps
Connect your THERM or ALMEMO measuring device to a free serial port on your computer
(COM1 to COM9) and set the baud rate for the measuring device (for example, 9600 baud).
Using the Settings/COM Port menu command, open the COM port dialogue box and enter
the same settings (COM port and baud rate). Confirm these entries by clicking on OK. If
the settings are correct, the dialogue box will close and shortly afterwards a list will appear
displaying the channels of the connected device(s).
If you are working with the demo version of NGA WinControl and do not have any measuring
devices available, it is possible to simulate such a connection. To do so, open the COM port
dialogue box by using the Settings/COM Port menu command and select a free port (COM1
to COM9). Activate the “Simulation” check box in the lower portion of this dialogue box and
then confirm it by clicking on OK. If the settings are correct, the dialogue box will close and
shortly afterwards a list will appear displaying the channels of the connected device(s).
16 •••• NGA WinControl Outline NGA WinControl User manual
Channel selec-
tion
Creating a data
file
Polling
New value dis-
play
New bar graph
New line dia-
gram
Changing a line
diagram
Open a dialogue in the menu Settings/Channel selection to select which secondary chan-
nels (temperature, pressure, flow, rough data) you would like to process.
As new channels will be added when these values are selected and channels are deleted
when values are unselected, the settings for AutoSave and alarms should be checked after
executing such changes to make sure that all channels are included into the selected actions.
In order to create a file to save your measured data, select AutoSave from the “Data” menu
or press F8. In the dialogue box that appears, select the channel(s) whose data you wish to
save (to do so, hold down the <CTRL> key and click in the list with the left mouse button).
By clicking on the Start button, a dialogue box will appear for the file. In the field “File
name”, enter the name that you want to give to the data file and then click on OK to confirm
this name and close the dialogue box. Once polling starts, all data for the selected channel(s) will be saved under the given file name.
To start reading the data from the connected measuring device(s), you need to start polling.
This is done by using the Polling command from the “Data” menu or by pressing F12. It is
possible that the “AutoSave” dialogue box will appear at this point, it depends on the program settings. (cf. “Creating a data file”). If you do not wish to save the data, click on Cancel. The current sampling rate should appear in the status bar (field dt:...). This rate can be
altered by using the Settings/Sampling Rate command or by using the <CTRL+R> keyboard
combination. The polled data can be viewed in value display mode, as a bar graph, in a
data table and as a line and X/Y diagram.
By using the Data/New Value Display command or by clicking on the toolbar icon with the
left mouse button, a numerical data display window will be opened. In the “Value Display
Properties” dialogue box, you can select the channel that you wish to display. This is done
by clicking on the desired channel from the list with the left mouse button. You should then
confirm your selection by clicking on OK. The resulting display can be repositioned and resized according to your requirements. During polling, the most recent data will appear in this
display (cf. topic “Polling”).
The Data/New Bar Graph command or F6 will open a bar graph. In the “Bar Graph Properties” dialogue box, you can select the channel(s) that you wish to display on the bar graph.
To do so, select the channel(s) from the list and activate the check box next to the channel
description. Confirm your selection by clicking on OK. The resulting display can be repositioned and resized according to your requirements. During polling, the most recent data will
appear in this display (cf. topic “Polling”). If you press <ENTER> when this window is active,
the dialogue box will reappear.
The Data/New Line Diagram command or F5 will open a line diagram. In the “Line Diagram
Properties” dialogue box, you can select the channel(s) that you wish to display on the line
diagram. To do so, select the channel(s) from the list and activate the check box next to the
channel description. Confirm your selection by clicking on OK. The resulting display can be
repositioned and resized according to your requirements. If you press <ENTER> when this
window is active, the dialogue box will reappear.
To change the properties of a line diagram, you should open its properties dialogue box. If
the line diagram window is currently active, this can be done by pressing <ENTER>. In order to change the line colours, select the appropriate channel from the list and then the desired colour from the list of colours. To display the limit values for a channel, select it from
the list and then activate the “Show Limits ” check box. If you wish to assign a channel to
another y-axis then select the channel from the list and click on the desired y-axis. To display gridlines on this diagram, activate the “Show Gridlines” check box.
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Outline •••• 17
Saving a line
diagram
Copying a line
diagram
New X/Y dia-
gram
Alarm and event
list
Stop polling
Viewing a data
file
Warning!
To save a line diagram, the line diagram window needs to be active (this can be done by
clicking in the window with the left mouse button), then use the File/Save As command. In
the resulting dialogue box enter a file name in the file name field and select the drive and
directory that you want the file to be saved to and in.
It is possible to insert a NGA WinControl line diagram into a text document. To do so, activate the line diagram window within NGA WinControl (done by clicking in the window with
the left mouse button) and then give the Edit/Copy command. Start your text or word processing program and then position the cursor at the point where you would like to insert the
diagram. Within this program use the Edit/Insert command.
The Data/New X/Y Diagram command or F11 will open an X/Y diagram. In the “X/Y Diagram Properties” dialogue box, you can select the channel(s) that you wish to display on the
X/Y diagram. From the list, you need to select a channel for the x-axis and at least one for
the y-axis. The latter is done by activating the check box for the desired channel. Additional
settings can be made in the same way as for a line diagram. Confirm your selections by
clicking on OK. The resulting display can be repositioned and resized according to your requirements. If you press <ENTER> when this window is active, the dialogue box will reappear.
Open a dialogue in the menu Settings/Alarm to make all alarm settings. The settings are
divided into categories listed on register cards:
⋅ On the register card "Alarm" the user can determine whether alarms are to be triggered
in the first place. All other settings are only effective if this option has been activated.
⋅ On the register card "Alarm reactions" the user can activate the option “Entry into event
list“ to display alarms and status reports on screen.
⋅ On the register card “Reminder“ the user can set the period > 0 to suppress alarm mes-
sages for a certain period of time if an on-screen confirmation has taken place but the
alarm situation prevails.
To stop polling use the Data/Polling command, press F12 or click on the red Start/Stop button on the far left of the toolbar. By doing so, “dt:STOP” will appear in one of the status bar
fields. To stop saving the data (see “Creating a data file”), use the Data/AutoSave command and click on Stop.
Using the File/Open command you can view a data file. Depending on the program settings
either a line diagram, an X/Y diagram, a data table or a text window containing the most important file information will be opened. Using the View/View as... command you can chose
how the data is viewed. Each view can be adjusted as desired by using it’s respective
properties dialogue box.
Deleting a channel from a diagram will result in it being deleted from the data file.
18 •••• NGA WinControl Outline NGA WinControl User manual
NGA WinControl Windows
The Main Window
The main window is the framework for all NGA WinControl operations. All program specific
tasks operate within this window, which can be minimised and run as a background task. All
program tasks can be started using the menu commands. NGA WinControl only displays the
commands that can be carried out.
This naturally varies according to many different factors. To increase the ease and speed of
operating the program, the most frequently used commands and program functions are displayed as icons in the toolbar.
Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcuts that are listed throughout this manual.
The status bar at the bottom of this window provides the user with important information and
assistance. Each toolbar carries a brief description of its function and detailed help is available through the program’s help system.
Once you have started the program, the channel window and any other windows that were
still open when you last exited the program will appear. If the “First Steps Assistant” has
been deactivated, the “COM Port Settings” dialogue box will also appear.
Channels
The Channel Window
All measuring devices will be displayed in the “Channel” window once they have been detected and a connection has been established. If the channels of the multi-function cards are
activated via the function Programming/Data Translation Sub-Systems, they are displayed in
the channel list as well.
The displayed list contains the following elements: Status, Comment, Device, Channel,
Range, Sensor, Limits, correction values (Factor und Offset), indications of use of NO or
NOx as well as Version Number and Status History.
In the column „Status“ the current status of a channel is described. Following symbols are
used:
· Limit excess ( )
· Sensor error ( )
· Data status maintenance requirement ( )
· Data status function control ( )
· Data status error ( )
· Auto Save ( )
· Avaraging while Auto Save ( )
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Windows •••• 19
Channel List Pro-
perties
· Waiting for start of time controlled Auto Save ( )
The respective symbols only appear at the time when the corresponding state is in progress.
In the column „Status Hist.“ all alerts are displayed which presently occurred. Following
symbols are used:
· Limit excess ( )
· Sensor error ( )
· Data status maintenance requirement ( )
· Data status function control ( )
· Data status error ( )
The symbols remain even when the faults are disappeared. With the Reset Status Hist. button in the “Channel List Properties” dialogue box the display can be cleared.
Furthermore, all calculation channels defined as virtual channels will be listed.
This window is always open whilst the program is running and the list will be updated if any
devices are added or removed. In addition, all virtual calculation channels will appear in the
list.
Channel List/Channel Properties
Using the “Channel List/Channel Properties” dialogue box you can alter the properties of this
window, the definition of the calculation channels and program the physical channels.
Depending on which settings are to be made, you can bring the desired register card of the
dialogue into the foreground by clicking with the left mouse button on the corresponding index-tab.
The “Channel List” window allows you to select the information that should be displayed in
the channel list. This is done using the check boxes that appear in this window. They can
be activated and deactivated by clicking on the appropriate box with the left mouse button.
If the “Limit Monitor” check box is active, then any interference that occurs during polling will
be displayed. This display remains even if the interference has stopped. The “Reset Monitor” button will clear the display. Error values will temporarily be displayed in the first line of
the Channel List.
The “Window Title” field lets the user enter a new name for the window.
20 •••• NGA WinControl Windows NGA WinControl User manual
Channel Proper-
ties
By clicking on OK the current settings will be confirmed and applied. Cancel closes this
window and uses the original program settings. Help starts the help system with this piece
of text.
The “Channels” window allows the programming of individual channels. Part of the table
from the channel window is available in order to achieve this.
This table contains the unchangeable element “Channel“ and the changeable elements
“Comment“, “Unit“, “Factor”, “Precision”, “Lower Limit” and “Upper Limit”.
In order to program a setting, click on the corresponding table element and enter the desired
value. A character string of between one and 13 characters can be entered as comment.
Useful Hints!
Scaling:
The correction values Factor and Offset can be calculated automatically via the function
Scaling. Enter the values for the measurement area (voltage range at A/D inlet) and the display area (physical value range of the sensor) into the dialogue “Scaling”.
The correction values Factor and Offset will be calculated after entry of values and confirmation with OK and will automatically be entered into the entry fields of the properties dialogue
of the channel.
The corrected value is calculated with the following formula:
Corrected Value = Measured Value * Factor + Offset
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Windows •••• 21
Changing be-
tween NO and
NOx
Apply / Close the dialogue box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialogue box will be confirmed. By clicking on Cancel,
the changes will not be applied and the values in the dialogue box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will start the help system with this piece of text.
If a measurement device (e.g. CLD) allows for switching between NO and NOx, the active
choice will be displayed in the corresponding column in the channel list. For changing,
please use the register card “NO/NOx” in the dialogue box “Channel List / Channel Properties”. This features a list with all those channels that can be switched.
Calculation
Channels Proper-
ties
Tip!
Select from the list in the column NO/NOx. This list appears after a single click with the left
mouse button first into the table and then on the arrow that will appear.
Using the “Calculation Channels” window you can define any global calculation channels.
For this purpose the following options are available:
Channel:
By clicking once with the left mouse button on the channels that are displayed, a list of all
existing calculation channels will be opened. To select the desired channel from the list,
click on it with the left mouse button. Having done this, all settings for the channel will appear in their appropriate fields in this window.
By double clicking on a calculation channel in the channel list window with the left mouse
button, the properties window will be opened for the selected calculation channel.
Comment:
Like the device channels, the calculation channels can have comments added to them
(maximum 10 characters). These comments appear next to the channel number to help
identify the data that this particular channel is measuring.
22 •••• NGA WinControl Windows NGA WinControl User manual
Unit:
A unit for the value to be calculated can be entered into this field (3 characters).
Lower/Upper Limit:
Enter the desired limit values in the appropriate field boxes. A full stop should be used as
the decimal separator.
Decimal Places:
The number in this field determines how many decimal places should be shown for the calculated value. Regardless of the number of decimal places entered in this field, the calculation is correct to six decimal places.
Formula:
This field contains the formula you wish to calculate. Please note the formula guidelines (cf.:
"Formulae" on page 108).
It is possible to save a formula and to use it again later on. To do so, use the Save and
Load buttons that appear in this window. By clicking once on one of these buttons with the
left mouse button, the standard dialogue box for saving and loading data will appear. If you
wish to save a formula, then enter a file name. Alternatively, if you want to load a file then
you should click on its name. Both actions are confirmed by clicking on OK.
Standard editing functions apply for editing the formula in this window.
Apply:
Clicking once on this button with the left mouse button will confirm all information provided in
the fields of this dialogue box and the calculation channel will be assigned these values.
The result of the calculations will be made available as if it had been polled using a physical
channel.
Warning!
Delete:
By clicking once with the left mouse button on the Delete button, the displayed calculation
channel will be deleted.
Add:
By using the Add button, you can add new calculation channels to the channel list. In the
resulting dialogue box “Add Calculation Channel” it is necessary to enter the calculation
channel number.
The program automatically prefixes the numbers that have been entered here. This is done
to prevent the same channel number from being assigned to other physical channels.
Close the dialogue
Close will close the dialogue box and Help starts the help system with this piece of text.
The Value Display
The “Value Display” lets you display your data in numerical format. The display consists of a
value and measurement unit. The channel name, (number and comment) appears in the
title bar of the window.)
For numerical display of the data, you can use the table as well as the window type “Value
Display”. This display contains both value and unit. If the values exceed the limit, they will be
displayed in red, if they are below the limits, they will be displayed in blue.
If only one channel is selected for display, the name of the channel (number and / or comment) will automatically be shown on the title bar of the window. If more than one channel is
selected, their names are displayed above their respective values and units.
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Windows •••• 23
Value Display
Properties Dia-
logue Box
Warning!
This window can be resized and repositioned within the NGA WinControl main window. You
can open and simultaneously display as many windows as you want. The “Value Display
Properties” dialogue box allows you to select the channel that should be displayed in this
format.
This dialogue box contains a list of all available channels. You can open a “Value Display”
window for any channel. Any number of channels can be selected per window. This can be
done either by clicking once with the left mouse button on the desired channels and confirming this with OK or simply by double clicking with the left mouse button on the desired channel, to select one channel only.
To remove channels from the display, click once on the selected entry with the left mouse
button.
An individual window title can be set for value displays in the field “Window Title“.
The character string entered here is used as the title of the current value display. If no information is entered, the software will use the standard settings, i.e. the text “Channel Display
XY” (e.g. Channel Display 5) for several channels or “Device number.Channel number
– Channel Comment” (e.g. 0.5 – Lab).
The window title will be saved in the configuration and restored when loading.
Window titles cannot be empty. If the title that has been entered consists only of blanks,
the default title will be used.
STARTING!
Bar Graph Prop-
erties Dialogue
Box
Close the dialogue box:
By clicking on Cancel a value display will not be opened. If the dialogue box for the existing
display is opened, then this display will show the original channel. Clicking on Help will start
the help system with this piece of text.
A new value display can be created by:
⋅ Selecting Data/New Value Display
⋅ Pressing <F7>
⋅ Clicking once with the left mouse button on the “New Value Display” icon in the toolbar.
The Bar Graph
With the bar graph option, you can display data in the form of a single bar graph or as a
group of them.
The basic characteristics of a bar graph are: the automatic monitoring of limits, the labeling
of limits and the display of lower and upper limit values.
You can open as many bar graphs as you wish and display them simultaneously . Every
channel that is available to the system can be displayed in the form of a bar graph.
In the “Bar Graph Properties” dialogue box, you can select the channels to be displayed and
their format. For this purpose, the following options are available:
Window Title:
In this field you can enter a name for the bar graph.
Channels:
You can display as many channels on a bar graph as are available to your system. Selecting a channel to be displayed is done by activating the check box on the left of the list box
entries.
24 •••• NGA WinControl Windows NGA WinControl User manual
Bar properties for selected channel
Range:
The “From” and “To” values set the range of the graph. These fields contain default values
for any newly selected channel and can be changed as you like.
STARTING!
Printing
Items:
⋅ Comment/Channel - Determines whether the channel comment will be displayed over
each individual bar in a bar graph.
⋅ Min. and Max. Values - If this option is selected, then a small bar will appear next to the
main bar. This smaller bar shows the range covered by the polled data.
⋅ Numerical Values - The current value will be displayed in numerical format in the lower
half of the bar graph.
All available options can be activated or deactivated by clicking once with the left mouse button on the appropriate check box.
Reset Min/Max.:
If you have decided to display the lower and upper limits and later wish to reset them, then
you can do so by opening the “Bar Graph Properties” dialogue and clicking once with the left
mouse button on the Reset Min/Max button.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialogue box will be confirmed and a bar graph with the
selected properties will be opened. By clicking on Cancel, the graph will not be displayed
and the values in the dialogue box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will
start the help system with this piece of text.
A new bar graph can be created by
⋅ Using the command Data/New Bar Graph
⋅ Pressing <F6>
⋅ Clicking once with the left mouse button on the “New Bar Graph” icon in the toolbar.
To print a bar graph:
⋅ Activate the graph to be printed
⋅ Select File/Print or
⋅ Click once with the left mouse button on the Print icon in the toolbar
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Windows •••• 25
Line Diagram
Properties Dia-
logue Box
Register Card
“Channels”
The Line Diagram
On a line diagram you can display as many different measurement channels as you like.
For this purpose you can access up to four y-axes over any chosen time scale. Like the
other diagrams and graphs, you can set the characteristics and the channels to be displayed
for a line diagram in the dialogue box “Line Diagram Properties”.
In comparison to the value display and bar graph, the data for a line diagram is stored in the
memory of your computer which means that you can save this data at any time either during
or after polling. It also lets you copy the information to the clipboard and then transfer it into
another program, for example, a word processor.
The menu function View / Cursors is used to activate two measuring cursors to examine and
evaluate – with the help of the integrated statistics function – the measurement curves of the
line diagrams.
You can open as many line diagrams as you wish and display them simultaneously. It is
possible to display the data of a line diagram in a table at any time. To do so, use the
View/View as Data Table command or open the context menu within a line diagram by clicking with the right mouse button and select Table. Using the View/View as X/Y Diagram
command or the context menu function X/Y Diagram it is also possible to display measured
data in an X/Y diagram.
Select the desired channels in the properties dialogue of the line diagram and determine the
presentation of the diagram.
Depending on which settings are to be make, you can bring the desired register card of the
dialogue into the foreground by clicking once with the left mouse button.
On the register card “Channels” you can select the desired channels and diagram characteristics from the following:
Channels:
You can display as many channels on a line diagram as are available to your system. A
channel to be displayed is selected by activating the check box on the left of the list box entries.
Color:
The color list displays all colors that can be displayed on a line diagram. Having selected
the desired channel you can select the color of your choice by clicking once with the left
mouse button on the desired color. These settings can be changed at any time.
Line Type:
This list shows all different types of line that can be displayed on a line diagram. Having selected the desired channel you can then select the line type by clicking once with the left
mouse button on your choice. This characteristic can be changed at any time including during polling.
Show Limits:
By clicking with the left mouse button on this check box and activating it, the limit values of
the chosen channel will be displayed on the diagram.
Invisible Channel:
This option allows for individual measurement series of one data set to be hidden.
26 •••• NGA WinControl Windows NGA WinControl User manual
Select the desired channel from the list (single click on the entry with the left mouse button)
and activate the option “Invisible Channel” by clicking once with the left mouse button into
the control box left of the text.
The display of this channel will then be suppressed in the diagram. This setting is of course
available for each channel and for more than one channel at a time.
Y-Axis:
Selecting a channel will automatically set defaults for all y-axis properties. These characteristics can be changed at any time.
Designating a Y-Axis for a Channel:
To designate a y-axis for a channel, first select the channel from the list by clicking on it with
the left mouse button. Your selection will then be highlighted in color. Then simply select
the y-axis on which you wish to display the newly selected channel by clicking on it with the
left mouse button.
Range:
The “From” and “To” values set the range of the diagram. These fields contain default values for any newly selected channel and can be changed as you like.
Unit:
A change to the unit is only necessary if the selected channel should show a different unit.
To make such a change, enter the new unit in the correct field.
Show Gridlines:
If this option is activated (done by clicking in the check box with the left mouse button) then
gridlines will appear on your line diagrams. This option is generally recommended. You
should activate it for only one y-axis.
Color:
In order to easily determine which curve belongs to which y-axis, the axis can be labelled in
the same colour as the line.
Label:
A text for detailed description of the respective axis can be entered into the field “Label“.
This text will then be shown next to the corresponding axis in the diagram, tilted by 90°.
Time Axis:
By entering hour and minute values in the corresponding fields, you can set the time range
that is displayed on a line graph. These values can be changed at any time.
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Windows •••• 27
Warning!
Register Card
„Condition“
Attention!
Display:
If the option “Absolute“ is selected, the measurement data will be displayed for the absolute
time.
If you wish to display the time relative to the start of the line diagram, then activate the “Relative” check box.
A further modus displays data that result from pooling of files, together with their time of origin. To operate in this modus, select the option “Overlapping”.
This function enables a direct comparison between two characteristic curves that were recorded at different times.
Pooled characteristic curves with the same channel number always have the same line
characteristics.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialogue box will be confirmed and the corresponding line
diagram will be opened. By clicking on Cancel, the diagram will not be displayed and the
values in the dialogue box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will start the
help system with this piece of text.
Transfer of data into tables, line and XY diagrams can depend on measurement and calculation values. The respective settings can be made in the properties dialog, in the register
card “Condition“:
As per the standard settings, all data will be transferred. Alternatively, a reference channel
can be selected and a condition (higher than / lower than) and a limit value set. Data is only
transferred into the table or diagram if this condition is met.
Data is only transferred into the table or diagram if this condition is met. All hardware channels and global calculation channels can be used as reference channels. Transfer or nontransfer always refers to data of an entire measurement cycle.
Local calculation channels in tables or diagrams only continue to calculate if data have been
transferred into the table of diagram in the current cycle. Table or diagram-specific averaging is also based on actually transferred data.
Register Card
”Layout“
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialogue box will be confirmed and the corresponding line
diagram will be opened. By clicking on Cancel, the diagram will not be displayed and the
values in the dialogue box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will start the
help system with this piece of text.
On the Register Card “Layout” you can select the desired comments, legends and labels
from the following:
Comment:
In the “Comment” box you can enter a name for the diagram which relates to the data that is
to be displayed. These comments, which can contain any number of characters, will be displayed in the title bar of the diagram window. If this diagram is saved, then these comments
will be saved with the file.
Labelling above / below:
Additional text for description of the diagram can be entered into these fields. This text will
then appear in one line above or below the graphical presentation.
Legend:
By selecting “Show” in this area, a legend will appear on your diagram. This option can be
activated by clicking with the left mouse button on the check box.
28 •••• NGA WinControl Windows NGA WinControl User manual
Register Card
“History”
Zooming with
the mouse
Warning! !
STARTING!
Printing
Local calculation
channels
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialogue box will be confirmed and the corresponding line
diagram will be opened. By clicking on Cancel, the diagram will not be displayed and the
values in the dialogue box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will start the
help system with this piece of text.
The AMR WinControl server has a sample buffer (ring buffer) based on files.
These buffered data can be inserted into new line diagrams. All properties dialogs of these
types of display have an additional register card, “History”, which is available when a new
diagram is created.
Choose the option ”Do not apply data from history“ (default) in order to create a diagram as
usual. Choose “Apply all existing data from history” in order to take over all data in the buffer
that refer to the channels selected in the register card “Channels” into the diagram. The latter option also fetches data from the buffers, provided they are within the given period of
time.
After the data have been taken over from the buffer into the diagram, the current values are
added as usual as soon as the value poll has been activated.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialogue box will be confirmed and the corresponding line
diagram will be opened. By clicking on Cancel, the diagram will not be displayed and the
values in the dialogue box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will start the
help system with this piece of text.
Within a line diagram it is possible to zoom in on a section of the diagram. There are two
methods of doing this. You can either use the diagram’s properties dialogue box to change
the diagram’s axes or you can select the area you wish to zoom in on with the mouse. To
do so, hold down the left mouse button and pull the mouse pointer over the area that you
wish to zoom in on.
The View/Undo Zoom command will effectively zoom out and display the diagram with the
range settings that were active prior to using the mouse zooming function.
The zoom function using the mouse cannot be carried out whilst data is recorded into a line
diagram.
A new line diagram can be created by:
⋅ Selecting Data/New Line Diagram
⋅ Pressing <F5>
⋅ Clicking once with the left mouse button on the “New Line Diagram” icon in the toolbar
To print a line diagram:
⋅ Activate the diagram to be printed
⋅ Select File/Print or
⋅ Click once with the left mouse button on the Print icon in the toolbar
If you want to display a calculation channel as part of a data set (i.e., a local calculation
channel), or you wish to carry out calculations using data that has already been recorded,
then you should active the ”Add Calculation Channel“ dialogue box by entering the command Edit/Add Calculation Channel.
In this dialogue box you should enter the channel number, any comments for the channel,
the unit, limit values and the number of decimal places that should be displayed. You can
also enter any formula that should be used to calculate a value (cf: “Formulae" on page
108).
You can use as many calculation channels for a data set as you wish.
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Windows •••• 29
Documentation
Measuring cursors / Statistics
Function
In order to insert a line diagram into a Windows text editor, copy the line diagram that you
wish to insert to the clipboard with Edit/Copy (<Ctrl + C>). You can now insert this diagram
where you want in your text with Edit/Insert (<Ctrl + V>).
In order to analyse the course of a curve, open the data file and start the view “line diagram”
(function View / Display as Line Diagram). The menu View and the context-sensitive menu
will then provide the function “Cursors” which activates and deactivates the measuring cursors.
Activated cursors are shown as two vertical lines in the diagram and a table in the bottom
part of the line diagram window shows the data of all lines below the cursors.
Furthermore, the integrated statistics function calculates the following values for each curve
in the line diagram:
⋅ Difference between the two values below the cursors
⋅ Minimum, maximum and average of the area within the cursors
⋅ Difference between minimum and maximum
⋅ Deviations from the standard.
⋅
These values will be listed in the table, too.
Properties of the statistics chart
In the properties dialogue of the statistics chart you can set which columns are or are not to
be visible, and a zoom factor (50% … 130%) can be set for the printout. The standard zoom
factor of 80% makes sure that the statistics chart fits exactly on an A4 page, portrait format,
with 10mm margin on both sides, automatic column width and all columns activated as visible. However, this only works out with a small font.
A user-defined layout with exactly defined properties and high legibility can be created for
the statistics chart by manual adaptation of zoom factor, margins, and column widths and /
or hiding of columns.
Choose the function Properties in the context menu to open the properties dialogue of the
statistics chart.
30 •••• NGA WinControl Windows NGA WinControl User manual
Useful hints!
Useful hints!
Printing
“X/Y Diagram
Properties” Dialo-
gue Box
Register Card
”Channels“
The properties of the statistics chart are saved in the value file, so that they appear again
when the file is opened. However, files saved in this way are not compatible to older versions of the program and cannot be read by these. In order to view or edit such files with
older programs, all columns have to be visible and the zoom factor set at 80%. If the file is
saved now, it can be opened by older program versions.
The ratio between the size of the line diagram and the statistics table can be determined
individually. If the mouse pointer is moved over the line between diagram and table, its form
will change and the line can be moved while pressing the left mouse button. The size of the
line diagram will be adapted and the table will be shown complete or with a vertical bar.
The following options are available for printing:
⋅ Direct print of diagram and statistics table
⋅ Direct print of statistics table (one mouse click into the table)
⋅ Copying of diagram or statistics table, e. g. into text documents or spreadsheets.
The X/Y Diagram
In an X/Y diagram it is possible to display the dependency of up to four physical dimensions
against another one. For this purpose there are four y-axes and an x-axis that can be defined as desired. Like the other diagrams and graphs, you can set the characteristics and
the channels to be displayed on an X/Y diagram in the dialogue box “X/Y Diagram Properties”.
Like the line diagram, all data for an X/Y diagram is buffered in the computer’s memory.
This data can be saved as a file either during or after polling and subsequently used for DDE
transfer to say a spreadsheet program or copied to the clipboard and inserted into a text file.
You can open as many X/Y diagrams as you wish and display them simultaneously. It is
also possible to display the data in a table or as a line diagram at any time. To do so, use
one of the following commands: View/View as Data Table or View/View as Line Diagram.
Alternatively, you can use the context menus (opened by clicking on the right mouse button
in an active diagram) and select from one of the different views.
Select the desired channels in the properties dialogue of the XY diagram and determine the
display of the diagram.
Depending on which settings are to be made, you can bring the desired register card of the
dialogue into the foreground by clicking once with the left mouse button.
On the register card “Channels” you can select the desired channels and diagram characteristics from the following:
Channels:
You can display as many channels in an X/Y diagram as are available to your system. A
channel to be displayed is selected by activating the check box on the left of the list box entries.
Colour:
The colour list displays all the colours that can be displayed on a line diagram. Having selected the desired channel you can select the colour of your choice by clicking on the desired
colour once with the left mouse button. These settings can be changed at any time.
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Windows •••• 31
Line Type:
This list shows all different types of line that can be displayed on a line diagram. Having selected the desired channel you can then select the line type by clicking on your choice once
with the left mouse button. This characteristic can be changed at any time, including during
polling.
Show Limits:
By clicking with the left mouse button on this check box and activating it, the limit values of
the chosen channel will be displayed on the diagram.
Invisible Channel:
This option allows for individual measurements series of one data set to be hidden.
Select the desired channel from the list (single click on the entry with the left mouse button)
and activate the option “Invisible Channel” by clicking once with the left mouse button into
the control box left of the text.
The display of this channel will then be suppressed in the diagram. This setting is of course
available for each channel and for more than one channel at a time.
Y-Axis:
Selecting a channel will automatically set defaults for all the y-axis properties. These characteristics can be changed at any time.
Designating a Y-Axis for a Channel:
To designate a y-axis for a channel, first select the channel from the list by clicking on it with
the left mouse button. Your selection will then be highlighted in colour. Simply select the yaxis on which you wish to display the newly selected channel by clicking on it with the left
mouse button.
Range:
The “From” and “To” values set the range of the diagram. These fields contain default values for any newly selected channel and can be changed as you like.
Unit:
A change to the unit is only necessary if the selected channel should show a different unit.
To make such a change, enter the new unit in the correct field.
32 •••• NGA WinControl Windows NGA WinControl User manual
Warning!
Register Card
„Layout“
Show Gridlines:
If this option is activated (done by clicking in the check box with the left mouse button) then
gridlines will appear on your X/Y diagrams. This option is generally recommended. You
should activate it for only one y-axis.
Colour:
In order to easily determine which curve belongs to which y-axis, the axis can be labelled in
the same colour as the line.
Label:
A text for detailed description of the respective axis can be entered into the field “Label“.
This text will then be shown next to the corresponding axis in the diagram, tilted by 90°.
X-Axis:
In this area of the dialogue box you should select the channel to be used on the x-axis. To
select a channel click on the list (on the right next to the “Channel” heading) with the left
mouse button and select the desired channel from the list.
The entries for the range and the measurement unit for the x-axis operate in the same manner as the y-axis.
If you select a channel that already appears on the y-axis, an error message will appear. It
is then possible to alter your choice of channels for the x and y-axis.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialogue box will be confirmed and the corresponding
X/Y diagram will be opened. By clicking on Cancel, the diagram will not be displayed and
the values in the dialogue box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will start
the help system with this piece of text.
On the register card “Layout” you can select the desired comments, legend and labels from
the following:
Register Card
“History”
Comment:
In the “Comment” box you can enter a name for the diagram which relates to the data that is
to be displayed. These comments, which can contain any number of characters, will be displayed in the title bar of the diagram window. If this diagram is saved, then these comments
will be saved with the file.
Labelling above / below:
Additional text for description of the diagram can be entered into these fields. This text will
then appear in one line above or below the graphical presentation.
Legend:
By selecting “Show” in this area, a legend will appear on you diagram. This option can be
activated by clicking on the check box with the left mouse button.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialogue box will be confirmed and the corresponding line
diagram will be opened. By clicking on Cancel, the diagram will not be displayed and the
values in the dialogue box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will start the
help system with this piece of text.
The AMR WinControl server has a sample buffer (ring buffer) based on files.
These buffered data can be inserted into new XY diagrams. All properties dialogs of these
types of display have an additional register card, “History”, which is available when a new
diagram is created.
Choose the option ”Do not apply data from history“ (default) in order to create a diagram as
usual. Choose “Apply all existing data from history” in order to take over all data in the buffer
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Windows •••• 33
Register Card
„Condition“
Attention!
that refer to the channels selected in the register card “Channels” into the diagram. The latter option also fetches data from the buffers, provided they are within the given period of
time.
After the data have been taken over from the buffer into the diagram, the current values are
added as usual as soon as the value poll has been activated.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialogue box will be confirmed and the corresponding line
diagram will be opened. By clicking on Cancel, the diagram will not be displayed and the
values in the dialogue box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will start the
help system with this piece of text.
Transfer of data into tables, line and XY diagrams can depend on measurement and calculation values. The respective settings can be made in the properties dialog, in the register
card “Condition“:
As per the standard settings, all data will be transferred. Alternatively, a reference channel
can be selected and a condition (higher than / lower than) and a limit value set. Data is only
transferred into the table or diagram if this condition is met.
Data is only transferred into the table or diagram if this condition is met. All hardware channels and global calculation channels can be used as reference channels. Transfer or nontransfer always refers to data of an entire measurement cycle.
Local calculation channels in tables or diagrams only continue to calculate if data have been
transferred into the table of diagram in the current cycle. Table or diagram-specific averaging is also based on actually transferred data.
Local calculation
channels
Zooming with
the mouse
Warning!
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialogue box will be confirmed and the corresponding line
diagram will be opened. By clicking on Cancel, the diagram will not be displayed and the
values in the dialogue box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will start the
help system with this piece of text.
If you want to display a calculation channel as part of a data set (i.e., a local calculation
channel), or wish to carry out calculations using data that has already been recorded, active
the ”Add Calculation Channel“ dialogue box by entering the command Edit/Add Calculation
Channel.
In this dialogue box you should enter the channel number, any comments for the channel,
the unit, limit values and the number of decimal places that should be displayed. You can
also enter any formula that should be used to calculate a value (cf: "Formulae" on page
108).
You can use as many calculation channels for a data set as you like.
Within an X/Y diagram it is possible to zoom in on a section of the diagram. There are two
methods of doing this. You can either use the diagram’s properties dialogue box to change
the diagram’s axes or you can select the area you wish to zoom in on with the mouse. To
do so, hold down the left mouse button and pull the mouse pointer over the area that you
wish to zoom in on.
The View/Undo Zoom command will effectively zoom out and display the diagram with the
range settings that were active prior to using the mouse zooming function.
The zoom function using the mouse cannot carried out on whilst data is being recorded into
a line diagram.
34 •••• NGA WinControl Windows NGA WinControl User manual
STARTING!
Printing
Marking data
Data Table Prop-
erties Dialogue
Box
A new X/Y diagram can be created by:
⋅ Selecting Data/New X/Y Diagram
⋅ Pressing <F11>
Clicking once with the left mouse button on the “New X/Y Diagram” icon in the toolbar
To print an X/Y diagram:
⋅ Activate the diagram to be printed
⋅ Select File/Print or
⋅ Click once with the left mouse button on the Print icon in the toolbar.
The Data Table
You can display as many different channels in a data table as you wish. In addition to the
channels and their corresponding descriptions, it is also possible to display the “Number”,
“Date” and “Time” of the samples. Like the other diagrams and graphs, you can set the
characteristics and the channels to be displayed in the dialogue box “Data Table Properties”.
Like the line and X/Y diagrams, the data table is buffered in your computer’s memory, which
means that you can save this data at any time either during or after polling. It also allows for
DDE transfer and/or lets you copy the information to the clipboard and then transfer it into
another program, for example, a text editor.
You can open as many data tables as you wish and display them simultaneously. It is also
possible to display the polled data as a line or X/Y diagram at any time. To do so, use the
View/View as Line Diagram or View/View as X/Y Diagram commands or open the context
menu within the diagram by clicking with the right mouse button and select View as Line
Diagram or View as X/Y Diagram.
The following marks can be made in the column “Unit“ for data, for which a special status
was detected:
error: #
maintenance requirement: &
function control: $
The identification is shown after the unit. Depending of the device status, combinations are
possible.
If data is copied from the table into the clipboard, the unit columns are taken over completely
with marks.
For ASCII exports, units are displayed in the head of the file. Therefore, a new column is
created for the identifications after each data column. These columns will remain empty as
long as no marks have been set.
In the dialogue box “Data Table Properties” you can select the desired channels and table
characteristics on the following register cards:
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Windows •••• 35
Register Card
Channels and
view
Comment:
In the “Comment” box you can enter a name for the table which relates to the data that is to
be displayed. These comments, which can contain any number of characters, will be displayed in the title bar of the data table window. If this table is saved, then these comments
will be saved with the file.
Channels:
You can display as many channels in a data table as are available to your system. A channel to be displayed is selected by activating the check box on the left of the list box entries.
Register Card
“History”
Number Rows:
If this option is activated, a column will appear which sequentially assigns a number to each
row of data.
Show Date:
If this option is activated, a column will appear in the data table, which displays the date that
each value was measured on.
Display time in hundredth seconds
Activate this option in order to display data which is captured with a frequency above 1 Hz
with a corresponding time mark.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialogue box will be confirmed and the corresponding
data table will be opened. By clicking on Cancel, the table will not be displayed and the values in the dialogue box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will start the
help system with this piece of text.
The AMR WinControl server has a sample buffer (ring buffer) based on files.
These buffered data can be inserted into new charts. All properties dialogs of these types of
display have an additional register card, “History”, which is available when a new chart is
created.
Choose the option ”Do not apply data from history“ (default) in order to create a chart as
usual. Choose “Apply all existing data from history” in order to take over all data in the buffer
that refer to the channels selected in the register card “Channels” into the chart. The latter
option also fetches data from the buffers, provided they are within the given period of time.
36 •••• NGA WinControl Windows NGA WinControl User manual
Register Card
„Condition“
Attention!
Local calculation
channels
STARTING!
Printing
After the data have been taken over from the buffer into the chart, the current values are
added as usual as soon as the value poll has been activated.
Accept Changes / Close Dialog Box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialog box will be confirmed and the corresponding data
table will be opened. By clicking on Cancel, the table will not be displayed and the values in
the dialog box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will start the help system
with this piece of text.
Transfer of data into tables, line and XY diagrams can depend on measurement and calculation values. The respective settings can be made in the properties dialog, in the register
card “Condition“:
As per the standard settings, all data will be transferred. Alternatively, a reference channel
can be selected and a condition (higher than / lower than) and a limit value set. Data is only
transferred into the table or diagram if this condition is met.
Data is only transferred into the table or diagram if this condition is met. All hardware channels and global calculation channels can be used as reference channels. Transfer or nontransfer always refers to data of an entire measurement cycle.
Local calculation channels in tables or diagrams only continue to calculate if data have been
transferred into the table of diagram in the current cycle. Table or diagram-specific averaging is also based on actually transferred data.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on OK all entries in this dialogue box will be confirmed and the corresponding
data table will be opened. By clicking on Cancel, the table will not be displayed and the values in the dialogue box will be reset to their original values. Clicking on Help will start the
help system with this piece of text.
If you want to display a calculation channel as part of a data set (i.e., a local calculation
channel), or to wish to carry out calculations using data that has already been recorded, active the ”Add Calculation Channel“ dialogue box by entering the command Edit/Add Calcula-
tion Channel.
In this dialogue box you should enter the channel number, any comments for the channel,
the unit, limit values and the number of decimal places that should be displayed. You can
also enter any formula that should be used to calculate a value (cf.: "Formulae" on page
108).
You can use as many calculation channels for a data set as you like.
A new data table can be created by:
⋅ Selecting Data/New Data Table
⋅ Pressing <F10>
⋅ Clicking once with the left mouse button on the “New Data Table” icon in the toolbar
To print a data table:
⋅ Activate the diagram to be printed
⋅ Select File/Print or
⋅ Click once with the left mouse button on the Print icon in the toolbar.
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Windows •••• 37
The File Summary Window
If a file has been saved using the commands Data/AutoSave or Data/Download from Device
Memory then this file will be opened in a file summary window. This window contains important information about the file, for example, details of when the data was recorded and the
channel descriptions.
Unless the “Open file as a line diagram if possible” option is active (found under Settings/Others) all saved files including line diagrams will be opened in a file summary window.
Creating a new
line diagram
Creating a new
X/Y diagram
Creating a new
data table
In order to create a new line diagram with the data from a file summary window, select
Data/New Line Diagram or open the context menu within the file summary window by clicking with the right mouse button and select New Line Diagram.
The “Line Diagram Properties” dialogue box that appears contains all the previously saved
diagram properties. If you click on OK, these properties will be used to create a line diagram. Using this information, it is also possible to create as many different line diagrams as
you like, which can then be saved under different file names.
In order to create a new X/Y diagram with the data from a file summary window, select
Data/New X/Y Diagram or open the context menu within the file summary window by clicking
with the right mouse button and select New X/Y Diagram.
The “X/Y Diagram Properties” dialogue box that appears contains all the previously saved
diagram properties. If you click on OK, these properties will be used to create an X/Y diagram. Using this information, it is also possible to create as many different X/Y diagrams as
you like, which can then be saved under different file names.
In order to create a new data table with the data from a file summary window, select
Data/New Data Table or open the context menu within the file summary window by clicking
with the right mouse button and select New Data Table.
The “Data Table Properties” dialogue box that appears contains all the previously saved table properties. If you click on OK, these properties will be used to create a data table. Using
this information, it is also possible to create as many different data tables as you like, which
can then be saved under different file names.
38 •••• NGA WinControl Windows NGA WinControl User manual
Changing the
Viewing Mode
Warning!
Dialogue “Project
drawing Proper-
ties“
Positioning
If you wish to change the viewing mode for the data contained in a file summary window
then you can choose from one of the following: View/View as Line Diagram, View/View as
X/Y Diagram, or View/View as Data Table. All of these views can be selected using the context menu within the file summary window. To open this menu, click in the file summary window with the right mouse button.
The properties dialogue box contains some preset settings. These settings can be changed
or left as they are and confirmed with OK. The properties dialogue box will only appear if
some important information required to configure the diagram or table is missing. Otherwise, the window will immediately display the newly selected view. It is, however, always
possible to change the display’s properties by opening up the corresponding properties dialogue box.
Changing the viewing mode of a diagram or table may open the properties dialogue box for
the new diagram or table. You can use this dialogue box to alter the display settings for the
new view. However, if you delete a channel from the new view, the data for this channel will
be lost. To isolate the different channels, use the New Line Diagram, New X/Y Diagram and
New Data Table commands.
The Project Drawing Window
NGA WinControl features the option to display the measurement structure in a particular
window. Graphics (bitmaps), text boxes and the captured data can be displayed in value
fields (number and frame).
Graphics (bitmaps), text boxes and the captured data can be represented in data fields (only
number and frame) at any random position.
To create a project drawing, execute the menu function Data / New Project drawing.
Any number of project drawings can be active simultaneously. Among others, this feature
can be used to present both overall and partial views of a project at the same time.
The dialogue box “Project drawing Properties” will appear, and you can stipulate the size of
the image and decide whether you want to use a grid as a drawing aid. This dialogue box
can be called at any time to make changes to the properties of the project drawing.
After confirming with OK, an empty window will appear, in which you can now display the
desired elements (value fields, text fields and bitmaps). This can be done with the help of
the functions in the menus Objects, Edit and View as well as a context-sensitive menu. The
menu Object is only visible when the project drawing is activated.
Any number of objects of every type can be integrated into one project drawing, and any
number of project drawings can be active in the program simultaneously. Among others, this
feature can be used to present both overall and partial views of a project at the same time.
Once created, a project drawing can be saved and reloaded in file format. When loading a
project drawing from memory, choose the file type “NGW Project drawings” (*.amb) in the
standard dialogue.
All three object types (value field, text field and bitmap) are positioned by selecting the desired object with the left mouse button and moving the pointer while holding the button down.
In order to select several options simultaneously, click on these objects with the left mouse
button while pressing the Shift key. To select all objects, you can use the functions Select All
in the menu Objects and in the context menu.
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Windows •••• 39
Value Fields
Furthermore, objects can be positioned with the menu functions Object/s to the background,
Object/s to the foreground, Align object/lower edge, Align object/upper edge, Align object/left
edge, Align object/left edge.
The function New Value Field opens the dialogue “Value Box Properties“. You can choose
the desired channel from the list of channels in the system. Each display can contain a
channel. Font, text and background colour are selected in the respective dialogue, which
can be opened by clicking on the corresponding button with the left mouse button.
Warning!
Text Fields
Bitmaps
The size of the value field is determined by the font selected. Should this not result in the
desired size, a graphic (e.g. rectangle) in the desired size can be placed below the value
field. If this graphic has the same colour as the background of the value field, both objects
together look like one.
A text field in the project drawing is defined via the function Objects / New Text Field. The
dialogue “Text Field Properties” will appear and you enter the desired text in the field “Text”.
Font, text and background colour are selected in the respective dialogue, which can be
opened by clicking on the corresponding button with the left mouse button.
The function Objects / New Bitmap is used to load a graphic. After execution of this function,
a standard file dialogue will appear, in which the desired graphic is selected as a bmp file
and loaded after confirmation with OK. The size of the image can be varied by clicking and
dragging. Select the object and move the mouse pointer to one of the corners, so that the
symbol changes into a double arrow. Then press the left mouse button and move the pointer
to maximize or minimize the object.
The Event List and the Calibration List
The Event List
An event list can be created for all alarm situations. That means that if this function is activated, the beginning and the end of a disturbance will be entered into a special list (window)
in case of an alarm.
This list can be saved (automatically) with the corresponding measurement values. A special
export function is also available.
40 •••• NGA WinControl Windows NGA WinControl User manual
Entry of Alarm
Situations
Entry of Status
Reports
Entry of Addi-
tional Information
Useful Hints!
The following events are saved in the event list:
· Violation of upper limit
· Violation of lower limit
· Rupture of a detector
· Channel failures (e.g. breakdown of a device)
The beginning (and the end) of each alarm situation are entered into the event list.
The entry of an individual status report into the event list consists of the following elements:
⋅ Date / Time (start)
⋅ Type of report ("error", " maintenance requirement " or "function control")
⋅ Individual report as per code (Namur status variables)
⋅ Date / Time (end)
In order to facilitate the evaluation of alarm situations, the following events have been defined and are shown in the event list:
· Start Value Request
· Alarm Treatment Turned off
· Stop Value Request
· Alarm Treatment Turned on
· Change to Offline Mode
· Change to Online Mode
These entries are only added to an open event list, as they provide additional information
about possible events.
Removal of
Entries
Headlines
Empty Event List
When AutoSave is active and dayfiles are generated, the event list might contain a multitude
of entries, resulting in less clearer view. It is therefore possible, when generating a new file
and after saving the event list, to have those entries removed from the event list that have a
fixed beginning and end and can be considered as settled or that are of solely informative
character, e.g. “Alarm Confirmed”. Thus the current event list only contains entries related to
the corresponding daily file or that were up-to-date at the time.
Should you not with to use this function, you can define this in the initialization file
amr32.ini:
[Settings]
ReduceEventList=0
To reactivate the function:
[Settings]
ReduceEventList=1
For easier allocation of event logs, the headline „from BEGINNING to END“ are entered for
printing and exporting.
In order to ensure continuous recontruction of events for measurements over an extended
period of time, the message ”No Events Occurred“ is saved in the event list if there is not
event to be listed. That can be the case, for example, if all events have been dealt with (cf.
“Removal of Entries”) and the event list is empty.
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Windows •••• 41
The Calibration List
Content
Manual Saving
Automatical Sav-
ing
Useful Hints!
File Format
This separate list contains detailed information to calibration of the connected system. If a
calibration process is identified all related entries will be entered into this list. The time
stamps within the calibration list are identical to the corresponding entries in the event list.
A complete entry of a calibration is shown in the following figure.
If no calibration list is displayed when starting the calibration process a window with a new
list will automatically be created.
The calibration list can be saved manually at any time. In order to do this choose the function File/Export…. In the standard dialogue box that appears when giving this command, you
can select the desired file name, drive and directory location.
Saving of the calibration list can also be connected to “AutoSave” of measurement data by
ticking the box “AutoSave calibration list“ in the “AutoSave“ dialogue. Unless a calibration list
has already been created, the system will automatically create one and mark it “No calibration executed“ when closing the dialogue with OK. This remark will be deleted, if the first entry for a calibration will be done.
The calibration list is saved every time, if a data file is closed by “Auto Save” function (e.g.
daily files) under the same name as the data file but with the extension “.cal.txt“ instead of
“.nga“ in order to facilitate allocation of data at a later time.
After automatical saving of the calibration list, all calibration information that has been processed entirely (starting and ending time stamp) will be deleted from the list on screen for a
clearer view. Should deleting of entries not be desired, the entry ReduceCalibList = 0 in
the section [Settings] of the file nga.ini can be used to deactivate automatic deleting of
calibration information.
Calibration logs are saved by rows in ASCII format. One row in the ASCII file corresponds to
a row in the table on screen. Columns are separated by the list separator set in the system.
For figures, the system will use the set decimal separator. Separators can be set in system
settings (date, time, language and regional settings). For details please refer to the operating
system manual.
The NGA WinControl
Menus
42 •••• The NGA WinControl Menus NGA WinControl User manual
Open Icon
Standard dia-
logue box
The File Menu
Open
With this command you can open an existing file. In the standard dialogue box that appears
when giving this command, you can select the desired file, file type, drive and directory location.
If a file has been saved with the Data/AutoSave or Data/Download from Device Memory
commands, this file will be opened in a file summary window. This window contains important information about the file, for example, details of when the data was recorded and the
channel description.
In order to create a new line diagram or a new data table from a file summary, use the
Data/New Line Diagram or Data/New Data Table commands. The properties dialogue box
that appears contains all the previously saved diagram or table properties. If you just click
on OK, the new line diagram or data table will use the saved properties.
If you wish to display saved data in any other format, you should choose from one of the following commands: View/View as Line Diagram, View/View as Data Table, or View/View as
Summary. These commands can also be given using the context menu within the file summary window, which can be opened by clicking on it with the right mouse button when the
window is active.
NGA WinControl lists the four most recently opened files. If you wish to open one of these
files then just click on the file name listed in the latter portion of the File menu.
If you wish to create a new data table, line diagram, bar graph or numerical value display,
you can do so by selecting the appropriate command from the Data menu.
To open a file more quickly, use the “Open” icon that appears in the toolbar.
In the standard dialogue box you can select from the following options when opening a file:
File name:
Enter the file name that you wish to operate with or select one from the list. The files that
are displayed in this list are dependent on the file type given in the field of the same name. If
you wish to open files with a certain extension then enter this extension in the file name field
in the normal manner (e.g., *.xxx, where ‘xxx’ represents the three letter file extension) and
then press ENTER.
File Type
Select the file type that you wish to display in the file name list.
All files (*.*) - Lists all files in the chosen directory.
Data files (*.NGA) - Lists all data files in the chosen directory with the .NGA extension.
Excel connection parameter (*.amx) – Lists all files which have saved connection parameters of online Excel connections in the current drive with the file extension .AMX.
NGA project drawings (*.amb) – Lists all project drawings in the current drive with the file
extension .AMB
Drives:
Select the drive on which the desired files can be found.
Directory:
Select the directory that the desired files can be found in.
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 43
Warning!
System Menu of
the Document
Save Icon
File Format
Close
With the “Close” command you can close the current diagram. If you have made changes to
the diagram since you last saved it, you will be asked if you want to save the changes before
closing. If you close a data file without saving then you will lose all the changes that have
been made since the file was last saved.
When closing a file, NGA WinControl only asks you whether you want to save changes if this
was stipulated in the dialogue “Settings Others”.
You can also close the active document by selecting the command Close from the document’s system menu.
Save
With this command, you can save your samples. Using the “Save As” command means you
can enter a new file name and path for the data. When you save data for the first time, NGA
WinControl will open this dialogue box. If you wish to change the name or path of a file, then
you should use the “Save As” command.
To save a file more quickly using the previously given name and path, click on the “Save”
icon in the toolbar.
Select Data/Export in order to save the data in another file format for example, as a spreadsheet.
Save Icon
File Format
Dialogue Save
Part
Save As
If you use this command then the standard “Save As” dialogue box will appear in which you
can select a name and path for a file.
To save a file more quickly using the previously given name and path, click on the “Save”
icon in the toolbar.
Select Data/Export in order to save the data in another file format ,for example as a spreadsheet.
Save Part
The function File/Save Part offers the possibility to save a certain time frame of the data files
in a new file. Starting this function opens the dialogue “Save Part”.
The channels desired to be saved and the desired time frame can be determined with the
following dialogue options:
Channels to be saved
Select the channels whose data you wish to save separately.
Time Frame
The entries date and time for beginning and end stipulate the time frame within which values
are to be saved.
By clicking on the button All Parts, the values of the first and last measurement of the re-
spective file are entered into the date and time fields. By clicking on the button Zoom Area,
the values of the first and last measurement of the last indicated zoom area are entered into
the date and time fields. By clicking on the button Cursor Area, the values of the first and last
measurement in the area limited by the cursors are entered into the date and time fields.
44 •••• The NGA WinControl Menus NGA WinControl User manual
Warning!
Tip!
The button cursor area can only be used when this function is executed for a file in cursor
view mode.
If an area was selected in the table view mode of the active data file, the beginning and end
of this time frame will automatically be suggested as the beginning and end of the part to be
saved when the function File / Save Part is called. In this case, the button Select is available
instead of the button Zoom Area.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
Pressing OK means that all values are accepted and a standard file dialogue is opened. After the file name and directory have been entered and confirmed with OK, the selected area
will be saved in a file.
Cancel closes the dialogue without accepting any changes and saving a new file, Help starts
the help system with this piece of text.
Import
Using this command it is possible to import data that has been saved in a pre-defined NGA
text format and to work with this data. If you use this command, then a dialogue box will
open.
In this dialogue box you should enter the name of the file, its type, and the source drive and
directory.
Export
In order to save data in another file format (spreadsheet, ASCII, FAMOS) or in Dynamic
Data Exchange (DDE) format so that the data can be used by another program, select
File/Export. The resulting dialogue box allows you to save the data in any of the abovementioned formats. Depending on how you wish to export your data, you can bring the respective window to the front by clicking on it with the left mouse button.
File Export
On the “File” window you can make all the settings for the desired file format. The following
options are available:
Channel(s):
In this field, you should select the channels whose data should be exported. This can be
done by:
⋅ Clicking with the left mouse button on the channel(s) that you wish to save
⋅ Selecting a range of channels from the list (from channel x to y). To do this, hold down
the <SHIFT> key at the same time as clicking with the left mouse button on the first and
last channel in the desired range
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 45
Text Format Dia-
logue Box
⋅ -Selecting single channels. To do this, hold down the <CTRL> key at the same time as
clicking once with the left mouse button on the desired channels.
Text Format:
In the “Text Format” dialogue box, you can select which information (for example, the comment and the date and time) should appear if you export a file in ASCII text format.
Save:
By clicking on the “Save” button, a standard dialogue box will appear in which you can select
the file name, type and directory that the file should be saved under.
Close will close the dialogue box and Help starts the help system with this piece of text.
If you wish to export data into an ASCII text file, you can use this dialogue box to set the file
format properties for this file. The following options are available:
Arranging data
The option “Tiling all values of one measuring time” chooses the compact ASCII format. The
option “Individual line for each value” stipulates formats that are interesting e.g. for the export into data bases (e.g. DBase).
All options that are not relevant for the selected format are shown in grey and cannot be activated.
Symbols
Here you can stipulate the desired symbols for field dividers, field limitation and decimals.
Select the symbol from the lists (click on the arrow right of the corresponding entry field with
the left mouse button) or enter the symbol directly into the respective entry field.
46 •••• The NGA WinControl Menus NGA WinControl User manual
Export Data via
DDE
Time of the data
Activating or deactivating the options Date and Time stipulates whether they are to be transferred into the ASCII files. In order to do this, click on the control box left of the respective
text with the left mouse button.
Channel information
For the format “Individual line for each value”, the listed parameters can be transferred into
the export file in addition to the data. In order to do this, click on the control box left of the
respective text with the left mouse button.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
Clicking on OK will accept all the settings in this dialogue box. Clicking on Cancel will close
the “Text Format” dialogue box and ignore all the changes that you made. Clicking on Help
will start the help system with this text.
In the “DDE” window, you can make all necessary settings to export a file via DDE to another Windows application. The following options are available:
Channel(s):
Here you can select the channel and corresponding data to be exported. This can be done
by:
⋅ Clicking on the channel that you wish to save with the left mouse button
⋅ Selecting a range of channels from the list (from channel x to y). To do this, hold down
the <SHIFT> key at the same time as clicking on the first and last channel in the desired
range with the left mouse button
⋅ Selecting multiple channels. To do this, hold down the <CTRL> key at the same time as
clicking once on the desired channels with the left mouse button.
Having done this, the following options need to be set:
Please note: Service/Topic/Item: These options must be entered according to the application
that will receive the data. Please refer to your documentation.
Service: Normally the name of the application that the data should be exported to
Topic: Generally the document in which the data should appear
Item: Usually the area of the document in which the data should appear
As an example the settings for DDE data transfer to Excel could read as follows:
Service: Excel
Topic: Chart 1 (or Excel 5.0 (Workbook 1) Chart 1)
Item: Row 1 Column 1:Row 100 Column 3 (The first and second columns
are for the date and time)
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 47
Warning!
Microsoft Excel
These entries depend on the application. NGA WinControl can display lists of available services and topics. To select from the available services and topics, you can look at a list of
them by clicking once on the arrow next to the entry field with the left mouse button.
When working with Quatro Pro the settings are as follows:
Service: QPW
Topic: qpw-directory\sub-directory 1
Item: a1 (with QPW the range will automatically be defined, starting with a1)
Send:
When you click on this button, NGA WinControl attempts to establish a DDE connection with
the selected service and then send the data to it. A message box will inform you whether or
not this process was successful.
Close will close the dialogue box and Help starts the help system with this piece of text.
When transferring files to a spreadsheet via DDE, the date and time of the data will be sent
to the first two columns. You might need to reformat these columns to show the data in
date/time format
In the “DDE” window, you can make all necessary settings to copy data in an Excel sheet.
The following options are available:
Channel(s):
Here you can select the channel and corresponding data to be exported. This can be done
by:
⋅ Clicking on the channel that you wish to save with the left mouse button
⋅ Selecting a range of channels from the list (from channel x to y). To do this, hold down
the <SHIFT> key at the same time as clicking on the first and last channel in the desired
range with the left mouse button
⋅ Selecting multiple channels. To do this hold, down the <CTRL> key at the same time as
clicking once on the desired channels with the left mouse button.
Header
If date and time as well as the value comment are to be transferred as well, activate these
options by one click in the option fields left of the respective text with the left mouse button.
Start cell
In this field, the first cell of the table into which the values are to be exported is stipulated.
48 •••• The NGA WinControl Menus NGA WinControl User manual
Export Event list
Tip!
Warning!
Workbook
The field ”Workbook” stipulates the name of the file into which the values are to be exported.
If this file does not exist, it will automatically be created. You can open a standard file dialogue by clicking on Browse in order to find an existing Excel file.
Table
In this field you stipulate the name of the table into which the values are to be exported.
With the command Send you export the data of the selected channels, with Close you close
the dialogue, Help starts the help system with this piece of text.
Besides the data, the user can also save the event list, generated in case of an alarm, in the
form of an ASCII file. When the event list is activated, this can be done via the function File /
Export. When this function is called, a standard file dialogue will appear into which the desired name and directory for the file to be saved can be entered.
If the function Save Automatically is activated, the event list can also be saved automatically.
To achieve this, the option “Save event list automatically” must be activated in the dialogue
“Save Automatically”. Click on the option field left of the text with the left mouse button.
Merge
Using this command it is possible to merge data files that have been created using NGA
WinControl. You can merge files whose data was recorded at the same and/or different
times.
To do so, open one of the files that you wish to merge (the viewing mode is irrelevant) and
then use the File/Merge command or the Merge command found in the context menu (activated by clicking in the window with the right mouse button). Once you have done this, a
standard file dialogue box will appear, from which you can select one or more files to be
merged with the one that you opened previously. Confirm your selection with OK.
As it is common under Windows, multiple selection is made by selecting file entries (with the
left mouse button) while holding the <Shift> key for one area or holding the <STRG> key for
individual files.
The resulting file will display a time range that is calculated using the sum of both files; this
also applies to the ranges of the y-axes. The newly created merged file will have the same
name as the output file. This means that if you use the File/Save command, the original file
will be overwritten. It is therefore recommended that when using Merge, you also use the
File/Save as command.
If you attempt to merge files that contain the same channels and/or channel numbers with
data from different sensors, an error message will appear and the process will be cancelled.
Data Reduction
The function File / Data Reduction was introduced for the evaluation and reduction of saved
data. This function is used to receive cyclical messages on time. As usual, this function is
only available when the set of data that it can be applied to is displayed in the active window.
Tip!
The advantage of cyclical messages on time versus cyclical messages via a number of values is that a precise average for the required time period can be calculated even if there is
no constant number of values for this period.
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 49
Dialogue “Data
Reduction“
After calling the function File / Data Reduction, the dialogue “Data Reduction” will appear, in
which a cycle time can be selected during which cyclical averages are calculated. A new file
is created, containing all channels chosen from the list of the original file and whose data are
the calculated cyclical averages.
Print Icon
Print Dialogue
Box
As usual, all NGA WinControl display and edit options are available for such a file.
Print Preview
This command lets you preview bar graphs, line diagrams, X/Y diagrams, data tables and
the channel list before printing. By clicking on the Close button you will be returned to the
main program window without printing. Clicking on Print will send the information to your
printer for printing.
If the function File / Print Preview is called for a line diagram that does not show the entire
time frame, first of all a dialogue will appear in which you can choose whether you would like
to be shown the currently displayed section of the active line diagram on one page or the
total file on several pages in the preview. Depending on your choice, the respective page or
pages will be shown. For a preview of several pages, the size of the time frame on each
page corresponds to the size of the time frame of the line diagram that was active at the
time of calling.
Print
This command controls printing. Before using this command you need to have installed a
Windows printer. If this printer is not set up as a standard printer, then you need to select it
from within this program.
Information regarding the installation of printers can be found in your Windows documentation. Further information on selecting a printer can be found in the “File/Printer Setup” section.
To print the channel list, a line diagram or a bar graph you can click on the “Print” icon. This
will print the active window within NGA WinControl using the current print settings.
In this dialogue box you can set various parameters for printing. The following options are
available:
Printer:
This field shows the name of the current printer and its connection to the computer.
Print Range:
In this field you can select the pages to be printed.
50 •••• The NGA WinControl Menus NGA WinControl User manual
Dialogue “Selec-
tion of Channels
to be Printed“
Dialogue “Print
Data“
Warning!
All - This will tell the printer to print all pages (this is only relevant when printing channel
lists)
Pages - In this field you can enter a range of pages that you wish to print.
Number of Copies:
In this field you can enter the number of copies that should be printed.
Collate copies:
If you are printing multiple copies of a document, then activating this check box will make
NGA WinControl sort the copies that you print.
Setup:
It is possible to change the printer setting and its connection to your computer. See “Print
Setup” for details on how to do this.
Print Quality:
This lets you select the print quality.
Print Values between Cursors
Starting from the position of the two cursors, the function File / Print Values between Cursors generates a table for a line diagram, which contains the values of the area between the
cursor positions for each channel of the displayed file. The number of values is limited to
100 per channel, beginning at the left cursor position.
In the dialogue “Selection of Channels to be Printed” you can determine whether all or only a
selection of the channels in the file are to be displayed or printed in the table view mode. The
print of the table contains the comment and the number of the channels as well as the date
of the print. Furthermore, a one-line comment can be entered for the table. The comment of
the data file is used as default setting.
The button Continue opens the dialogue “Print Data”, where the table to be printed can be
viewed. After confirmation with OK, the standard print dialogue is opened and printing is carried out as usual.
This function is only available for line diagrams with cursor view mode.
Print Setup Dia-
logue Box
Page Setup
Margins can be adjusted individually for printing of diagrams and lists. To do this, call the
function File / Page Setup. In the dialogue that opens you can change margins. Values are
in mm and allow a range between 10 and 50. Entered values are saved with OK. The margins are set for the print of all WinControl objects.
Print Setup
Selecting this command will display a list of the printers that are installed on your system. In
the “Print Setup” dialogue box you can set a printer as the default printer and access other
print and printer options.
In this dialogue box you can select various parameters from the following:
Default Printer:
This displays the name and port connection of the default printer.
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 51
Specific Printer:
To operate with a different printer, click with the left mouse button on the arrow to the right of
the printer field to display a list of available printers. NGA WinControl will only display printers that have been installed using the Windows installation program or Windows Control
Panel. You can find more information regarding the installation of printers in your Windows
documentation.
Orientation:
This allows you to set the paper orientation. You can chose between portrait or landscape.
To make a selection, click once on the option button next to your choice with the left mouse
button.
Paper:
In this field you can set the paper size and source. To change the settings, click on the arrows that appear next to the appropriate option.
Options:
This allows you to control the print settings for the printer. The options vary according to the
printer driver that is installed. Information about the selected printer can be obtained by
clicking on the Options button and then the Help button.
Network:
This connects your computer to a network printer. This option is only available if your computer is connected to a network. Information about the network printer can be obtained by
clicking on the Network button and then the Help button.
File Name List
The list of up to four file names that appears in the lower part of the “File” menu enables the
user to quickly load a recently accessed file (line diagrams and data tables). To do so, either select the corresponding number or click on the file name.
Load Configuration
Using this command it is possible to load a program configuration. It is, however, necessary
to have previously saved such a configuration using the File/Save Configuration command.
Providing the measuring device connections to your computer are identical to the setup that
you were using when you saved the configuration, it will be possible to poll data using all
your previous settings without having to manually re-enter any settings.
Giving this command will call up a standard file dialogue box in which you should enter the
configuration’s file name, source drive and its directory.
Save Configuration
Using this command it is possible to save a program configuration. This command can be
found under the “File” menu. Using the File/Load Configuration command it is possible to
load a saved configuration at a later stage. Providing the measuring device connections to
your computer are identical when loading the saved configuration, it will be possible to poll
the data using all your previous settings without having to manually re-enter any settings.
Giving this command will call up a standard file dialogue box in which you should enter a file
name for the configuration, its file type and the destination drive and directory.
Load Calculation Channels
Both the global calculation channels contained in the channel list and the local calculation
channels contained in the data files can be saved as lists in a file (File / Save Calculation
52 •••• The NGA WinControl Menus NGA WinControl User manual
Warning!
Channels). If required, a saved list can be loaded in one step, so that the calculation chan-
nels need not be re-defined with saved formulae.
In order to load previously saved calculation channels into a channel list, activate the channel list and call the function File / Load Calculation Channels. Select the requested file in the
standard file dialogue that will appear and confirm with OK. The calculation channels defined
in the file will then be entered into the channel list. If the channel list already contains a calculation channel with the same number as defined in the file, you will be asked whether you
would like to replace the existing channel.
The global calculation channels of the channel list which have been saved in a file cannot be
loaded as local calculation channels into a data file and vice versa!
Save Calculation Channels
Both the global calculation channels contained in the channel list and the local calculation
channels contained in the data files can be saved as lists in a file. If required, a saved list
can be loaded in one step (File / Load Calculation Channels), so that the calculation chan-
nels need not be re-defined with saved formulae.
In order to save the list of global calculation channels, activate the channel list and select the
function File / Save Calculation Channels. The dialogue “Save Calculation Channels” will
appear, in which you can choose from the list of existing calculation channels. After confirmation with OK, a standard file dialogue will appear, in which you select a directory, enter a
file name and confirm with OK. The selected calculation channels will be saved as a list in a
file with the file extension “mth”.
Warning!
In order to save a list of local calculation channels, activate the requested data file and execute the function File / Save Calculation Channels.
As the global calculation channels of a channel list which have been saved into a file cannot
be loaded into a data file as local calculation channels and vice versa, they should be clearly
identified when entering the file name.
Save As Template
The display properties of NGA WinControl measurement data files can be saved into a
separate file format. These files are called “Templates”.
When the data file is activated, call the menu function File / Save As Template. A standard
file dialogue will appear, in which you can choose the directory, enter the file name and save
the display properties of the selected data file as a template in a file with the file extension
“amv”.
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 53
Tip!
Use Template
Display properties that have been saved as templates (File / Save As Template) can be
used for an existing NGA WinControl data file. The existing data file will then be displayed
with the properties of the template.
When the data file is activated, call the menu function File / Use Template. A standard file
dialogue will appear, in which you can choose the desired template. After confirmation with
OK, the display properties of the selected template are entered into the existing data file and
the values are displayed according to these properties.
The tool bar features the button Use Template. One click on this button with the left mouse
button will show a list of all templates saved in the directory of NGA WinControl. Select the
desired template from this list or open the standard file dialogue via the entry “Browse” in
order to find the requested template in a different directory.
Exit
The File/Exit command will close all current windows and then exit NGA WinControl. If any
of the current windows have been changed since they were last saved, then you will be
asked if you want to save these changes before exiting. With Settings/Others, you can prevent this prompt from appearing. NGA WinControl will then exit without any prompts and will
discard all your changes.
Other ways of closing NGA WinControl are:
⋅ By double clicking with the left mouse button on the system menu or
⋅ By using the <ALT+F4> keyboard shortcut.
The Edit Menu
Commands that are listed in the “Edit” menu will only be made available when a line diagram, X/Y diagram, data table or file summary window is active.
Copy
If you use this command, the contents of the active window will be copied to the clipboard as
a line or X/Y diagram. You can insert the line or X/Y diagram into another program using the
Edit/Paste command within that program.
Cut
Moves the selected text from the active window into the intermediate memory.
Paste
Inserts the content of the intermediate memory into the active window.
Delete
Deletes selected text and graphical elements (objects).
54 •••• The NGA WinControl Menus NGA WinControl User manual
Add Calculation
Channel Dialogue
Box
Warning!
Undo
This command is used to undo the command that was carried out last.
Redo
Repeats the command / action that was last carried out.
Select all
Selects all texts and graphics (all objects) in the active window.
Add Calculation Channel
If you just want to display a calculation channel as part of a line diagram or data table (i.e., a
local calculation channel), then you can define its properties by entering the command
Edit/Add Calculation Channel.
Using this dialogue box you can define the properties for a calculation channel using the
data of the active window. The following options are available in this dialogue box.
Channel:
You should enter the number of the new calculation channel in this field.
The NGA WinControl program automatically prefixes the number that you enter in this field
with “90”. This is to prevent the same channel number from being assigned twice.
Comment:
Like the other NGA device channels, calculation channels can have comments added to
them (maximum 10 characters). These comments appear next to the channel number to
help identify the type of measurements being made on it.
Unit:
A unit for the value to be calculated can be entered into this field (3 characters).
Lower/Upper Limit
Enter the desired limit values in the appropriate field boxes. A decimal point should be used
as the decimal separator.
Decimal Places:
The number in this field determines how many decimal places should be shown for the calculated value. Regardless of the number of decimal places entered in this field, the calculation is correct to six decimal places.
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 55
STARTING!
Deleting a local
calculation chan-
nel
Formula:
This field contains any formula you wish to use in calculations. Please note the formula
guidelines (cf.: "Formulae" on page 108).
It is possible to save a formula and to use it again later on. To do so, use the Save and
Load buttons that appear in this window. By clicking once on one of these buttons with the
left mouse button, the standard dialogue box for saving and loading data will appear. If you
wish to save a formula, enter a file name. Alternatively, if you want to load a file, click on its
name. Both actions can be confirmed by clicking on OK.
Standard editing functions apply for editing formula in this window.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on OK with the left mouse button the values that appear in the ”Add Calculation
Channel“ dialogue box will be accepted and entered into the current data set. NGA WinControl will then apply the values and formula entered in this dialogue box to the current samples. These settings will also be applied to any new samples. The results of such calculations will appear in the active diagram.
To display the data in a line or X/Y diagram, use the properties dialogue box that should appear after confirming your entries with OK. The corresponding dialogue box can be used to
assign an axis to the channel and make other settings.
Clicking on Cancel will close the „Add Calculation Channel“ dialogue box without further effect. Clicking on Help will start the help system with this text.
Other ways of selecting this command are:
⋅ By clicking once in the diagram window with the right mouse button and selecting Add
Calculation Channels from the context menu
To delete a local calculation channel from a diagram, open the properties dialogue box for
the diagram or data table in which it appears and deselect the channel in the channel list.
Calculation
Channel Proper-
ties Dialogue Box
Deleting a local
calculation chan-
nel
Calculation Channel Properties
If you wish to check or change the properties of a local calculation channel, then you should
open the corresponding dialogue box using the Edit/Calculation Channel Properties com-
mand.
Using this dialogue box you can change and/or add comments, units and limit values to the
selected calculation channel(s). To select a calculation channel, click on it with the left
mouse button under the “Channel” heading. In the list box that appears, click on the desired
channel.
If you wish to alter the number of decimal places and/or change the formula then you must
redefine the channel. To do so, delete the old calculation channel from the data set and select the Add Calculation Channel command. You should then set the properties for this
channel.
To delete a local calculation channel from a data set, open the properties dialogue box for
the diagram or data table in which it appears and deselect the channel in the channel list.
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STARTING!
“Remarks“ Dia-
logue Box
The View Menu
The commands that appear in this menu let you control how your data is displayed. Please
note that each item listed in this menu only appears if it can be applied to the window that is
active at the time.
Properties
The View/Properties command will open up the properties dialogue box for the currently active window allowing you to change its settings.
Other ways of giving this command are:
⋅ By double clicking in the window with the left mouse button
⋅ By clicking once in the window with the right mouse button and selecting the Properties
command from the context menu or
⋅ By pressing <ENTER>
Remarks
Remarks can be added to each data file for detailed documentation. One option is to add
“free” remarks, i.e. without reference to a time point. Another option is to add remarks with a
time stamp, e.g. remarks on measurement progression. For this type of remarks, the time
axis of the line diagrams is marked according to the time stamps.
Naturally, the remarks are saved together with the file they relate to and are available at any
time.
Remarks are added to a data file with the menu function View / Remarks. The desired remark can be entered in the dialogue box that opens. This dialogue can also be opened via
the context-sensitive menu of the respective view mode of the data file.
Time-related Entries
For time-related entries, click on the button New Remark with the left mouse button. The
table is extended by one row, which already contains the current date and time. You can
enter your text into the column “Remarks”. Press OK to save this remark, and a mark will
appear automatically on the time axis of the line diagrams.
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 57
«Channel Com-
ments» Dialogue
Box
Entries without time reference
In order to make an entry without time reference, you can either delete date and time or insert a row into the table.
To do this, mark one row of the table by clicking on the first element in a row with the left
mouse button and then use the key <Insert>. Should the table not contain any entries, mark
the head of the table before inserting.
The button Print is used to print the entire table.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
Clicking on OK will accept all the settings in this dialogue box. Clicking on Cancel will close
the “Remarks” dialogue box and ignore all the changes that you made. Clicking on Help will
start the help system with this text.
Channel Comments
If no comments were or could be agreed for the measurement curves, the function View /
Channel Comments can be used to add comments. Existing comments can be edited via
this function.
The dialogue “Channel Comments“ contains a table with all channels contained in the data
file and their comments (there may be no entry). Changes can be made in this table and
saved with OK.
This function is only available for saved files (offline), as otherwise these changes would be
immediately replaced with the comment entered in the device.
View as Line Diagram
This command will display your data as a line diagram. If there is important information
missing to create the line diagram, then the properties dialogue box will appear. Enter the
appropriate settings in this dialogue box and confirm them with OK, the line diagram will then
be displayed using these settings. It is also possible to change these properties at a later
stage by calling up the properties dialogue box.
View as Data Table
This command will display your data in a table. If there is important information missing to
create the data table, then the properties dialogue box will appear. Enter the appropriate
settings in this dialogue box and confirm them with OK, the data table will then be displayed
using these settings. It is also possible to change these properties at a later stage by calling
up the properties dialogue box.
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View as X/Y Diagram
This command will display your data in an X/Y diagram. If there is important information
missing to create the X/Y diagram, then the properties dialogue box will appear. Enter the
appropriate settings in this dialogue box and confirm them with OK, the X/Y diagram will
then be displayed using these settings. It is also possible to change these properties at a
later stage by calling up the properties dialogue box.
View as Summary
This command will display your data in a summary window.
Cursors
In order to analyse the course of a curve in a line diagram, two cursors can be activated via
the function View / Cursors.
Activated cursors are shown as two vertical lines in the diagram, and a table in the bottom
part of the line diagram window shows the data of all lines below the cursors.
Furthermore, the integrated statistics function calculates the following values for each curve
in the line diagram:
⋅ Difference between the two values below the cursor
⋅ Minimum, maximum, average and standard deviation of the area within the cursors
These values will be listed in the table as well.
Repeated calling of this function deactivates the cursors.
This function is also available in the context-sensitive menu of the respective diagram.
Show all
The function View / Show All is used to switch between partial view of a line or XY diagram
and total view. This function is also available in the context-sensitive menu of the respective
diagram.
Undo Zoom
Having used the mouse zoom function on a line or X/Y diagram, this command effectively
zooms out and returns your view to the x and y-axis ranges that were in effect prior to using
the mouse zooming function.
The Data Menu
The commands that appear in this menu let you control polling and the displaying/saving of
data.
Polling
With Data/Polling you can start and stop the polling of data. Before starting polling, you can
make all settings you want. You can also then start and stop polling at a defined time.
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 59
STARTING!
Useful hints!
STARTING!
When polling is stopped, the “dt” field in the status bar reads “dt:STOP”. When polling is
enabled this field displays the sampling rate.
Other ways of giving this command are by:
⋅ Clicking on the red Start/Stop icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
⋅ Pressing <F9>
New Line Diagram
This command will open a new line diagram. The “Line Diagram Properties” dialogue box
will appear, which gives you control over the diagram’s properties. When you have entered
the properties for your diagram, just click on OK and a new line diagram will appear.
To create a new line diagram with the properties of a template, use the split icon in the tool
bar.
As usual, a dialogue for the creation of a new line diagram is opened when clicking on the
left part which shows a diagram.
Clicking on the right part of the icon (triangle) will open a menu which lists all templates
available in the program directory or any defined directory (see also “Creating line diagrams
from a template" on page 107).
Other ways of giving this command are:
⋅ Clicking once on the “Line Diagram” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
⋅ By pressing <F5>
STARTING!
STARTING!
New Bar Graph
This command will open a new bar graph. The “Bar Graph Properties” dialogue box will appear, which gives you control over the graph’s properties. When you have entered the
properties for your graphs, just click on OK and a new bar graph will appear.
Other ways of giving this command are by:
⋅ Clicking once on the “Bar Graph” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
⋅ Pressing <F6>
New Value Display
This command will open a new value display. The “Value Display Properties” dialogue box
will appear, which gives you control over the display’s properties. When you have entered
the properties for the display, just click on OK and a new value display will appear.
Other ways of giving this command are by:
⋅ Clicking once on the “New Value Display” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
⋅ Pressing <F7>
New Data Table
This command will open a new data table. The “Data Table Properties” dialogue box will
appear, which gives you control over the table’s properties. When you have entered the
properties for the table, just click on OK and a new data table will appear.
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STARTING!
STARTING!
Dialogue “Excel
Connection Prop-
erties“
Other ways of giving this command are by:
⋅ Clicking once on the “New Data Table” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
⋅ Pressing <F10>
New X/Y Diagram
This command will open a new X/Y diagram. The “X/Y Diagram Properties” dialogue box
will appear, which gives you control over the diagram’s properties. When you have entered
the properties for the X/Y diagram, just click on OK and a new X/Y Diagram will appear.
Other ways of giving this command are by:
⋅ Clicking once on the “New X/Y Diagram” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
⋅ Pressing <F11>
New Excel Connection
In addition to the possibility to export data to MS Excel in blocks both offline and during the
measurement, data can also be transferred online during the measurement cycle.
When calling the function Data / New Excel Connection, you will, as usual, first be asked for
the properties of the object “New Excel Connection” and, after entering the corresponding
data, a window will be opened which contains information on the status of the connection.
As with all data objects of NGA WinControl, any number of windows of the type “Excel Connection” can be opened (i.e. several Excel connections can transfer values simultaneously),
with the allocation of channels being freely defined. Of course, as with all other objects, only
a limited number is advisable.
The dialogue “Excel Connection Properties” is used for settings of the following topics:
Channels
The channels requested for transfer can be selected by a single mouse click on the corresponding list entry.
Type of Transfer
You can determine whether the data is to be transferred into Excel continuously or whether
the values should always be entered into the same cells (as instant values).
Header
This is where you stipulate whether the data shall be transferred together with time, date and
channel comments or not.
Workbook
In the field “Workbook“ you can stipulate the Excel workbook (file) into which the values are
to be transferred. If this file does not exist, it will automatically be created. The button
Browse opens a standard file dialogue to search and select a certain file on the hard disk.
Table
The field “Table“ defines the requested table within the stipulated workbook. If the table does
not exist, it will automatically be created.
Start Cell
This is where you indicate the position for the values to be entered into the table.
Access Method
In this field you can determine how to process data that might already have been saved into
an existing file. The following options are available:
Insert / replace data: Beginning at the start call, all existing entries are replaced by new data;
entries in other cells remain unchanged.
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 61
⋅ Attach data: The new data is added to the document after the last row containing data.
Existing entries remain unchanged.
⋅ Delete / replace data: All existing entries in the target table are deleted. New data is en-
tered from the start cell.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
After confirmation with OK, the window “Excel Connection” will appear, showing information
about this connection. The data is not transferred yet. To transfer data during a measurement, click Start in the window “Excel Connection”. If you click on the button Start Now, data
is transferred to Excel during the measurement, after confirmation of properties and opening
of the window.
Clicking on Cancel will close the dialogue box and use the original settings. Clicking on Help
will start the help system with this piece of text.
Window “Excel Connection“
The window “Excel Connection” shows some information on the connection. The “Status”
area verbally describes the current status of the connection.
Start and Stop activate and interrupt the Excel connection. Properties opens the properties
dialogue for this connection. Note that the properties dialogue can only be opened while
transfer is interrupted. Help shows this piece of text.
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Warning!
Warning!
If the user intervenes into the data transfer process to Excel (opening of dialogues), the
transfer is stopped (the OLE server interrupts its service). As NGA WinControl continues to
store data and buffers them until transfer can continue, an increasing memory volume is
required, depending on the measurement rate and the channels to be transferred. It is therefore advisable not to carry out the following commands, or, if need be, carry them out rapidly
or in several steps so as not to endanger the data transfer and the operation of the computer
in general:
⋅ Open file
⋅ Close file
⋅ Arrange window
⋅ Rename table
⋅ Start wizards (e.g. diagram wizard)
⋅ Lengthy editing of cells
The online data transfer is only available in connection with MS Excel Version 97 and later.
New Project Drawing
NGA WinControl features the option to display the measurement structure in special windows (project drawings). Graphics (bitmaps), text fields and the captured data can be displayed in data fields (only number and frame) at any random position.
Create project drawing
In order to create a project drawing, click on the menu function Data / New Project Drawing.
The dialogue Project Drawing Properties“ will appear, in which you determine the size of the
drawing and decide whether you want to use a grid to facilitate drawing.
AutoSave Dia-
logue Box
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
After confirming your entries with OK, an empty window will appear. This window can be
used to display the desired elements (value fields, text fields and bitmaps). To do this, use
the functions of the menus Objects, Edit and View as well as a context-sensitive menu. The
menu Objects is only visible when the project drawing is activated.
AutoSave
To automatically save data to the hard disk of your computer, whenever polling is enabled,
use the command Data/AutoSave. In the resulting dialogue box you should select the channels from which the data should be saved. Click on Start and enter a file name for the data
to be stored under.
To save using a different file name, repeat the above process using a new file name.
As a reminder of which channel’s data is being written to your hard disk, a small hard disk
symbol appears in the channel list next to those channels.
If in Options/Other the “Write to file when polling is enabled” check box is active, then the
AutoSave dialogue box will open whenever you start polling for the first time you.
This dialogue box contains the follow elements: Comment, Channels, Start, Cancel, and
Help. These elements have the following functions:
Comment:
In the “Comment” box you can enter a comment which relates to the data that is to be
saved. This comment, which can contain as many characters as you like, will be displayed
when you open the file.
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Warning!
Channels to Save:
After opening the dialogue, all channels that are available in the system for entering into the
measurement data file are listed in the table “Channels to Save”. Select from this table all
channels whose values are to be saved by clicking, with the left mouse button, on the control
box left of the channel description. In order to select all channels, select the first column of
the table and click on Select All. In order to deselect all channels, also select the first column
of the table and click on Deselect All.
In order to select a column of the table, move the mouse pointer to the top row of this column so that it changes into an arrow that points vertically down. Click once with the left
mouse button to select the column. In order to undo the selecting of a column, click once,
with the left mouse button, into any element of the table (except top row).
Save only averages
In order to stipulate that, instead of the data, cyclical averages are to be saved for a channel,
click on the control box in the column “Average” with the left mouse button. After selecting
the column “Average”, you can use the buttons Select All and Deselect All to select or deselect the function average of all channels.
Cyclical averages of a channel can only be saved if this channel was selected for automatical storage (selected control box in the left column).
Number of Samples to Calculate Average
In this field you can stipulate the number of values for which an average is to be created.
The number of values is the same for all channels selected for average and can range from
1 to 100.
Automatically save Event List
In order to automatically save an event list, generated in case of alarm, in the form of an
ASCII file, activate the option “Automatically save Event List”. Click into the option field left of
the text, with the left mouse button, so that this field is selected.
The event list is then saved in the same directory and with the same name (but with the extension .txt) as the data file.
Convert file after closing
If the data files generated by automatical saving are to be processed in WK1 or ASCII format, you can stipulate that after saving the file is automatically converted into the desired
format.
In this case, the original file can be maintained or not. Choose the requested conversion
from the list in the lower part of the dialogue (click on the small button right of the text with
the left mouse button and select the requested entry by one click with the left mouse button).
Start:
In this field, you can decide if the data should be saved immediately or on a certain day
and/or at a certain time. Simply click once on Immediately or By Timer with the left mouse
button.
If the “By Timer” option has been selected, then the input fields Date, Time and Duration
(Days, hh:mm) which previously appeared in grey will appear in black. This means that you
can now enter data into these fields.
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Entries for set-
ting the timer
Tip!
If the “By Timer” option appears in grey and cannot be selected, this means that it is not
supported by the program version that you are running. Please contact your dealer or the
program authors.
Start Date:
In this field you should enter the date that you want to start the “AutoSave” function on. If
you do not enter a date in this field then only the entry in the “Time” field will be used. This
will result in a new file being automatically created as soon as this time is reached regardless of what day it is. If “AutoSave” has been stopped by the user and/or the “Duration” period has passed when the “Start Time” is reached again, the program will automatically start
saving new data.
Start Time:
AutoSave will start recording the samples to a file when your system clock reaches the time
shown in this input field.
Duration:
In this field you can enter a period of duration for the “AutoSave” function, which determines
for how long your system will save the polled data. Entries in the “Days” field must be whole
numbers, you cannot for example, enter half days. It is possible to combine both “Days” and
“hours and minutes” settings. Furthermore, you can also enter more than 24 hours in the
“hh:mm” field.
Repeat Immediately After Expiration
In order to save values into a new file, immediately after expiration of a file and before reaching the next starting point, activate this function by clicking into the control box left of this text
with the left mouse button.
When files with a duration of 24 hours or a multiple of that are saved automatically, it is recommended to activate the option “Repeat Immediately After Expiration”.
File names are allocated automatically. They are formed according to the following principle,
depending on date and time of creation: yymmdd-hhmmxx. The variable “xx” is a counter for
the (theoretical) case that several files are created at exactly the same time.
This function is only relevant if the duration is indicated to be shorter than 24 hours and if no
start and end dates have been entered.
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STARTING!
Start:
By clicking once with the left mouse button on the start button a dialogue box will appear in
which you can enter a file name and select the directory to store the data in. Confirm the
entries in this dialogue box by clicking on OK.
If the “By Timer” option has been selected, then you will be requested to enter the destination directory in which the file should be saved. The file name will be generated automatically, using the date and a number.
Close:
If AutoSave is already active when opening this dialogue, then the start button will change to
read “Stop”. Clicking on this button will cancel the AutoSave and close the file that the data
was being stored in.
Sampling Rate:
By clicking on this button the Sampling Rate dialogue box will appear. In this box you can
set the rate at which readings are sampled.
Close Dialogue Box:
If the dialogue “Automatical Saving“ is called when recording of data is not activated, you
can close the dialogue box with Cancel without effecting any changes.
If the dialogue “Automatical Saving“ is called while data is being recorded, the button “Close”
will appear instead of the button “Cancel”. Close closes the dialogue and continues the recording unchanged. Help starts the help system with this piece of text.
Other ways of giving this command are by:
⋅ Clicking once on the “Hard Drive” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
⋅ Pressing <F8>
⋅
Averaging
This mode does not directly save the data but the arithmetical average of n values. The variable n can be stipulated by the user for all diagrams, ranging from 1 to 100.
In order to do this, call the menu function Data / Averaging (when line or XY diagram or table
are active). In the dialogue “Averaging” that will appear, stipulate the number of values for
which you want the average to be calculated.
You can choose from the channel list those for which only averages are to be saved.
Click on the respective control box left of the desired channel with the left mouse button.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
OK confirms your settings and starts the averaging. Cancel does not start averaging or, if
the dialogue was opened for averaging that had already been started, the previous settings
remain unchanged.
Delete Samples
This command allows you to delete all the data that is displayed in a diagram or data table
without losing the settings in the properties dialogue box. This makes it quick and easy to
reuse the properties settings for a new polling session.
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Warning!
Global calculation
channels
STARTING!
If this command is used on data that has been saved and the File/Save command is given
afterwards, then the previously saved data will be lost. To avoid such a loss use the
File/Save As... command in association with the Delete Diagram/Table Properties command
to create a new file.
The Programming Menu
Edit Device Configuration
With this command it is possible to edit the channel programming values. Giving this command will open the “Properties for Channel List/Channels” with the ‘Channels’ window at the
front. Using this window, it is possible to change the channel settings and programming. A
complete description of this dialogue box can be found in the Channel List/Channel Properties section on page 20.
Calculation Channels
The mathematical functions of the program allow for the calculation of physical sizes (values) from polled data.
If a calculation channel should be available to the whole system, then you should define it
using the “Calculation Channels” window which can be found in the ”Channel List/Channel
Properties“ dialogue box (cf.: on page 20). To open this dialogue box, use the Program-
ming/Calculation Channels command.
Other ways of giving this command are:
⋅ By double clicking in the active channel window with the left mouse button and selecting
the ”Calculation Channels“ window
⋅ By clicking once in the channel list window with the right mouse button and selecting Cal-
culation Channel from the context menu
⋅ By activating the channel list window, pressing <ENTER> and selecting the “Calculation
Channel” window
⋅ By giving the View/Properties command within the channel list window and selecting the
“Calculation Channels” window
Data Translation Sub-Systems
This function will open the dialogue “Data Translation Sub-Systems”, where you can make
the configuration for additional external inlets of the multi-function cards.
Dialogue "Data
Translation Sub-
Systems"
After calling the function Programming/Data Translation Sub-Systems, this dialogue will ap-
pear, listing up the recognized sub-systems of multi-function card(s) installed. Analogue and
digital inlets are possible sub-systems.
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 67
Warning!
Dialogue "Con-
figuration of an
A/D Sub-system"
Each line consists of a control box for activating / deactivating the sub-system, the card
name, the name of the sub-system and the number of channels.
After activating the respective sub-systems, the channels are recognized automatically and
entered into the channel list, automatically generating a comment for the respective channel
from the card name, the name of the sub-system and the channel number.
The default name allocated to cards by Data Translation contains ten or more digits. Since
the software limits the name to a maximum of thirteen digits, users have to ensure that the
name of the card does not consist of more than eight digits. The default card name can be
changed via the "DT Open Layers Data Acquisition Control Panel". This software tool is part
of the delivery scope of the cards.
Click on the button Configuration… to open up the dialogue “Configuration of an A/D SubSystem”. The dialogue is opened for the A/D sub-system that is selected when clicking on
the button (single click, with the left mouse button, into the line of the sub-system).
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
Click OK to save all settings, Cancel to close the dialogue and save the original settings.
Clicking on Help will take you to this text.
The configuration of the A/D sub-system that is selected when opening the dialogue can be
made in this dialogue. The following settings can be made:
Measurement Area
Depending on the card properties, you can select the voltage range with which measurements are to be made at the analogue inlets. Selection is made by opening the list and selecting the requested entry by mouse-click.
Differential Inlets
If this option is activated, measurements are made with differential inlets. If it is not active,
single-ended inlets will be used. The number of channels available will be halved in the operation mode “Differential Inlets”.
Channel/Multiplication
Depending on the card properties, you can determine a multiplication factor for each channel
in this list. A possible factor can be selected from a foldout list in the respective entry field.
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Warning!
Tip!
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
Click OK to save all settings, Cancel to close the dialogue and save the original settings.
Clicking on Help will take you to this text.
Calibration
Calibration of NGA measurement devices can be carried out via the menu function Programming / Calibration. The “Zero gas calibration” and the “Span gas calibration” are sup-
ported. The “Calibration” dialogue box features one register card for each calibration type,
which contains specific information for each type and where special changes can be made.
Before calibration, the settings for range, valve position and pumps should be checked and,
if required, amended. Also, the calibration channel is to be selected. These settings apply for
each calibration type.
Not every function or setting is supported by each device. Consequently, functions might not
be able to be carried out (grey menu entry) and / or information might not be displayed.
Please consider the calibration instructions and descriptions of your measuring device!
Range, Valve
Position and
Pumps
Reset Calibration Deviations
The calibration of a device can be reset to a defined default status via the button Reset Cali-
bration Deviation. This function will reset the calibration deviations for both the zero gas correction and the test gas correction. A security request is made before execution of this function.
Procedure Status / Actual Measure
These sections show the current status of the calibration, the current values and the present
valve and pump positions.
Start Calibration / Close Dialogue Box:
Start Calibration starts the calibration with the current settings. During the calibration process, the button changes its function into Stop Calibration, clicking on which will stop the cali-
bration process. In order to apply the current settings without starting the calibration process,
use the button Apply Settings. The button Close closes the dialogue box, Help will show this
text.
Range
Choose the function Range to select the active range (for calibration). You can also determine calibration for all ranges. The current settings are shown in the register cards ”Zero
gas calibration“ and “Span gas calibration“.
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 69
Zero Gas Calibra-
tion Dialogue Box
Valve Position
Choose the function Valve Position to set the requested valve position. The current settings
are shown in the register cards “Zero gas calibration“ and ”Span gas calibration“.
Pumps
Choose the function Pumps to set the pump position requested for calibration. The current
settings are shown in the register cards ”Zero gas calibration“ and “Span gas calibration“.
Settings
All settings required for zero gas calibration are made in the register card "Zero Gas Calibration".
Span Gas Cali-
bration Dialogue
Box
Enter the desired value and the tolerances. In order to activate or deactivate the monitoring
of tolerances, click, with the left mouse button, in to the option field left from the text. Determine under “Calibration Procedure” whether calibration shall we carried out only for the active range or for all ranges.
Last Calibration
The section ”Last Calibration” shows the data of the last calibration saved in the device.
Settings
All settings required for span gas calibration are made in the register card “Span Gas Calibration”.
Enter the desired value and the tolerances. In order to activate or deactivate the monitoring
of tolerances, click, with the left mouse button, in to the option field left from the text. Determine under “Calibration Procedure” whether calibration shall we carried out only for the active range or for all ranges.
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Warning!
Last Calibration
The section ”Last Calibration” shows the data of the last calibration saved in the device.
Time
NGA WinControl enables you to program date and time of a connected device with the current values of the PC’s internal clock. The function Programming / Time is available for this
purpose. When calling the function, the current PC time will be set in the device and a corresponding message will appear on screen.
Display Status Report
The function Programming / Display Status Report is used to show details of internal messages “function control” “error status” and “maintenance requirement” reports in one window.
The values are automatically loaded from the device when opening the window.
If the window “Status Report“ is active, an updating function can be triggered via the button
Update. Push on the button Print to print out the entire content of the window.
Please consider the description of possible error messages in your device manual!
End Dialogue:
Close will close the dialogue, press Help to show this text.
Define Constants
Constants can be defined to be accessed in the calculation channels. To do so, start the
dialogue “Define Constants” under the menu item Programming / Define Constants.
“Define Con-
stants" Dialogue
All constants currently defined are listed in this dialogue in alphabetical order.
Box
In order to add a new constant, click on Add Constant… with your left mouse button and enter your data into the new line that will be created. Alternatively, select a line by clicking onto
the field with the relevant line number and then press the button <Insert> (<Ins>).
In order to delete one or more constants, select the line(s) as described above and press the
button <Delete> (<Del>).
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 71
Please note that the dialogue can only be closed if all lines contain a valid pair of constant
name and value, and no name has been allocated twice. Completely empty lines are considered to be valid characters and are always ignored.
Name Conventions
Combinations of figures and letters are permitted to form names, with the first character having to be a letter. Symbols and vowel mutations are not permitted. A name can consist of up
to 20 characters. Constant names have to be unique, i.e. each name can only be used once
per configuration.
Please note that a distinction is made between upper and lower case letters, which enables
you to use, e. g. symbols out of common formulae, as constant names (p pressure, P
performance).
Values
The value is expected to be given in the form of a decimal number, however, full numbers
are permitted. Values range between –1.7E308 and +1.7E308, with a maximum of 15 precise digits.
Administration
The constant values are saved in nga.ini as well as in the user-defined file when saving
the configuration. After loading the configuration the constants are restored. Constants that
had been defined when loading a configuration are overwritten by the constants to be
loaded.
Referencing in Calculation Channels
The function const is available for use of constants in calculation channels. Its syntax is:
const(“Constant Name“)
When calculating the value, the current constant value is returned. If the constant
“Constant Name“ is not defined, the complete printout containing the formula
const(“Constant Name“) will become invalid, resulting in the respective calculation
channel adopting the status “Ruptured Detector”.
Useful Hints!
Example:
Given the constant chart in the above picture, the formula is defined for the calculation
channel 80.0.
const(“p“) returns 1200
const(“P“) leads to ruptured detector, as P was not defined
const(“U“) * const („I“) returns 6
If the values of the constants are changed during a measurement run, the changes will only
be effective for calculations from that time, whereas data calculated up to that time will be
maintained. This is of special interest for long-time measurements, since framework conditions that change at irregular intervals can be integrated into the capturing of data.
Terminal
The menu function Programming / Terminal Window features the option to communicate
with the measuring devices on ASCII level. Executing this function interrupts the communication of the program with the measuring devices, and commands can be entered via the
keyboard.
Below the text window, a special entry field can be used to determine whether the frame
STX – ETX is to be applied when entering commands or not. After entering the actual command, the entire sequence is transferred to the device by one single mouse click (left mouse
button) on the button Send.
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Warning!
“User Defined
Function Keys”
Dialogue Box
Warning!
Only those symbols will appear in the window that are returned by the addressed measuring
device. Consequently, if no symbols appear in the window even though they were entered
via the keyboard or button, this means that the device does not react.
The text shown in the window can be selected and copied into the intermediate storage by
pressing <CTRL+C. It can then be processed further. Also, the contents of the entire window
can be saved in a file via the button Save. After one single click with the left mouse button, a
standard file dialogue will appear into which drive, directory and file name can be determined.
Furthermore, the terminal window has 10 freely allocatable buttons. Functions can be allocated on four levels, so that each button can be allocated four times. To the right of the function keys there is a switch with which to choose the desired level.
In order to allocate the keys, click on the button “Function Keys…” to open the configuration
dialogue.
Close Dialogue Box:
The button Clear deletes the contents of the entire window, Close closes the terminal window and continues the communication between the program and the measuring device(s).
Help will show this piece of text.
You can set the level whose allocation is to be changed with the buttons in the group “Key
Level”.
The key order in the chart is from top to bottom, as shown in the terminal window from left to
right. Enter the text to be displayed by the buttons in the terminal window in the column “Designation”. The column “Command Line” contains the commands which are to be sent when
the button is activated via the interface to the connected devices.
If the symbol ”&“ is entered in front of a letter or a number in the button designation, this
symbol will be underlined on the button and the button is activated with the key combination
<ALT> + [symbol]as if by mouse click.
Please consider that each symbol can be used as a key grammalogue only once for each
key level in order to ensure its functionality. Furthermore, the symbol & should be used only
once for each button. The characters “B”, “L”, “S”, “F”, and “H” should not be used as they
are already allocated to other buttons in the terminal window.
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Helpful Hints!
If only a description has been allocated to a button, but no command line, the button will display the description but be deactivated. If, however, only a command line is entered, but no
description, the button will remain empty, but pushing on it will trigger the transfer of the
command line to the devices.
The Settings Menu
COM Port
This command opens the “COM Port Settings” dialogue box. In this dialogue box you can
control the settings necessary for connecting a measuring device to your computer. These
settings are: Offline/Online, COM Port, Baud Rate, Number of Devices (network version)
and where applicable, Modem Connections.
To connect the device with the COM-Port it is necessary to use a “Zero Modem Cable” and a Gender
Changer. Please also attend hints in the section “
COM Port Set-
tings Dialogue
Box
Layout of serial connector of MLT” on page 114 and "Layout of serial connector of BINOS E"
on page 115. Refer to the pictures below for assignment.
In this dialogue box the following settings can be made:
Port:
From the list of COM ports you can select the one that your measuring device is attached to.
Auto Connect at Startup:
If this check box is active then NGA WinControl will automatically use the previously used
COM port when it is started. In this case, the “COM Port Settings” dialogue box will not appear.
Baud Rate:
The default baud rate is 9600. If you wish to change this value, select one from the list
which is accessed by clicking once on the arrow to the right of the baud rate field with the left
mouse button.
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Dialogue “Select
Devices“
No. of Connected Devices:
If you are working with more than one device, enter the number of networked devices in this
field. You can either enter an address area or any list of devices.
In order to work with a selective list of devices, choose the option “List”. In the entry field, the
desired device addresses can be separated by a semicolon or linked with a hyphen for an
area “from–to”.
For a better overview, you can click on the button right of the entry field to open the dialogue
“Select Devices”.
Tip!
Warning!
In this dialogue, you can activate and deactivate the respective devices by one single click
into the option field left of the corresponding number with the left mouse button.
In order to address one single device, enter the number of this device in both entry fields. To
address a group of the network, enter the first and last device number of that group.
Device addresses can be added or deleted in the course of the measurement. The polling of
the respective devices will be automatically adapted.
It is only possible to address more than one device with a version of NGA WinContol that
supports bus operation.
Offline:
If you just want to use NGA WinControl for processing existing data then you should select
Offline. If at any time you wish to work in online mode, you can do so by selecting a COM
port (double click on it with the left mouse button to activate it and switch the program into
online mode). It is also possible to process data whilst in online mode.
Modem:
Clicking on this button will open the “Modem Settings” dialogue box which enables you to
connect to a remote measuring device.
Network:
The button Network opens a dialogue in which you can enter the IP address and a TCP port
to be used for the connection to a measurement system.
An NGA measurement system can only be addressed via TCP/IP protocol with an RS232
LAN adapter connected to the measurement system.
Statistics:
Clicking on this button will open the “COM Port Statistics” dialogue box which displays any
communication errors.
Offline:
If you just want to use NGA WinControl for processing existing data then you should select
Offline. If at any time you wish to work in online mode, you can do so by selecting a COM
port (double click on it with the left mouse button to activate it and switch the program into
online mode). It is also possible to process data whilst in online mode.
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STARTING!
Network Settings
Dialogue Box
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
Clicking on OK will accept all the settings and the dialogue box will be closed. Clicking on
Cancel will close the dialogue box and use the original settings. Clicking on Help will start
the help system with this piece of text.
⋅ Automatic on starting the program
⋅ Using the command Settings/COM Port
⋅ By clicking on the “COM Port” icon in the toolbar
NGA WinControl features the option to communicate with the NGA measurement system via
a TCP/IP address instead of a serial interface.
Warning!
Modem Proper-
ties Dialogue Box
In this dialogue you can enter the IP address and a TCP port to build up the connection. Furthermore, the numbers of the connected measuring devices can be determined.
Instead of the IP address you can also use a corresponding symbolic address, e.g. as defined in the file hosts.
The IP address as well as the TCP port must correspond to the settings of the RS232 LAN
adapter connected to the measurement system. Another requirement is the installation of
the network protocol WIN98 / NT / 2000, TCP/IP.
After completion of the connection, the functions of the NGA WinControl software are available as usual.
Close Dialogue Box:
Cancel will close the dialogue without changing the original settings. The button Interface will
take you back to the dialogue in which you can determine a direct connection between the
computer and the measuring device. The button Modem opens the dialogue “Modem Settings” which enables the addressing of the measuring device via modem. Help will show this
piece of text.
Using this dialogue box you can make all necessary settings for establishing a modem connection to a remote measuring device.
A prerequisite of using the modem functions of the NGA WinControl software is that a modem is connected to the measuring device at the remote site and that this modem is specially configured to operate with the measuring device. The following settings can be made:
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Number to Dial:
In the field “Phone. No.:” enter the full number for your modem to dial. This should be the
number of the second modem that is connected to the measuring device at its remote location. In addition to the telephone number, you should choose between pulse and tone dialling.
Port:
Click on the COM port that the local modem is connected to. You should also select the
correct baud rate for your modem, by clicking on the number in the “Baud Rate” field and
choose from one of the listed rates.
No. of Connected Devices:
If you are working with more than one device then enter the number of networked devices in
this field.
It is only possible to address more than one device with a version of NGA WinContol that
supports bus operation.
Offline:
If you wish to close your modem connection, click on the Offline button with the left mouse
button.
Error Statistics:
Clicking on this button will open the “COM Port Statistics” dialogue box which will display any
communication errors.
Modem Settings
The button Modem Settings opens a dialogue in which you can enter a special initializing
sequence for the modem in use.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
By clicking on Connect all your settings will be accepted, your modem will attempt to establish a connection and the dialogue box will be closed. Whilst your modem is attempting to
connect to the remote site, the “Establishing Modem Connection” dialogue box will appear.
This dialogue box displays any initialisation codes and displays your modem’s connection
status. If you fail to connect to the remote site, close this dialogue box with Cancel, correct
the problem and then try to re-establish a connection using the Connect button.
Cancel will close the dialogue without changing the original settings. The button Interface will
take you back to the dialogue in which you can determine a direct connection between the
computer and the measuring device. The button Network opens the dialogue in which you
can enter the IP address and TCP port for the connection to a measurement system.
Help will show this piece of text.
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Modem Settings
Dialogue Box
If your modem cannot be initialized with the AT command “Z” or additional AT commands
are required, then you should enter these in the AT field.
COM Port Statis-
tics Dialogue Box
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
Clicking on OK will accept the entries in this field and the dialogue box will be closed. Clicking on Cancel will close the dialogue box and return the modem settings to their original values. Clicking on the Help button will display this text.
Clicking the Cancel button on the “Modem Properties” dialogue box will close the dialogue
box and return all the properties to their original values. Clicking on the Direct Connection
button will open the dialogue box used for making a direct connection between computer
and measuring device. Clicking on Help will display this text.
This dialogue box lists the type and frequency of any communication errors. If the overrun
error frequently occurs, then the use of buffered COM ports is recommended. By clicking on
Reset Counters all values in this dialogue box will be reset to zero. By clicking on Cancel
this dialogue box will be closed. Clicking on Help will start the help system with this piece of
text.
If any communication errors occur whilst working with NGA WinControl, then an icon will
automatically appear in the toolbar which allows you to quickly access the above dialogue
box.
Sampling Rate
Sampling Rate
Dialogue Box
Helpful Hints!
Helpful Hints!
Warning!
This command will open the “Sampling Rate” dialogue box and display the current sampling
rate.
The sampling rate field that appears in this dialogue box displays the rate at which sampling
is currently occurring in minutes and seconds (mm:ss). If you wish to change the sampling
rate then just enter the new rate in mm:ss format.
Besides the concentration values, additional values and device parameters (e.g. Namur
status variables, optional parameters) can be read in each measurement cycle.
Use the function Settings/Channel Selection to determine which values and which parame-
ters are to be processed.
NGA WinControl will evaluate the error status byte sent by the device with each acknowledgement. If this byte changes, the error status will be checked and evaluated in the following measurement cycle.
It is possible to enter a sampling rate that is shorter than the system can actually realise. If
this is the case, the program and system will start the next sample as soon as the previous
one has been processed.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
Clicking on OK will accept all the settings in this dialogue box. Clicking on Cancel will close
the “Sampling Rate” dialogue box and ignore all the changes that you made. Clicking on
Help will start the help system with this text.
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Toolbar
Settings/Channel Selection
Besides the concentration values, additional values and device parameters (e.g. Namur
status variables, optional parameters) can be read in each measurement cycle.
Use the function Settings/Channel Selection to determine which values and which parame-
ters are to be processed.
If the processing of rough data is set it will take place to concentrated values additionally.
For processing of additional parameters you can determine whether the values for temperature, pressure or through flow are to be processed or not.
Toolbar, ToolTips and the Status Bar
With these commands you can toggle the display of each of these items.
The toolbar appears under the menu headings and is made up of a number of small icons
which enable faster access to some of the main NGA WinControl commands. By clicking
once on the appropriate icon with the left mouse button, the respective command will be carried out. The icons are as follows:
Start/Stop of the Channel Polling
Open a New Line Diagram
Open a New Bar Graph
Open a New Value Display
Open a New Data Table
Open a New X/Y Diagram
Open a New Project Drawing
Open a New Excel Connection
Open a File
Save a File
AutoSave (to hard disk)
Use Template (Display of values with templates that have been created and saved earlier)
Copy a line diagram or the channel list to the clipboard
Export data using DDE transfer
Activate or deactivate the NGA WinControl alarm function
Open the properties dialogue box for the current window
Open the Sampling Rate Dialogue Box
Open the COM Port Settings Dialogue Box
Print Preview
Print the current window
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ToolTips
Status Bar
Print screen
Toggles between the mouse and help pointer
If this function is active then a brief description will appear when you leave the mouse pointer
over an icon in the toolbar list. This function is active when a tick is visible next to the words
“ToolTips”.
The status bar that appears at the bottom of the program window contains either five or six
different fields, depending on the program status. This bar provides you with information on
important program settings. Reading from left to right, these are as follows:
⋅ A short piece of text that displays information prior to execution about the currently se-
lected menu command or icon. When nothing is highlighted this field displays “F1 for
Help, F2 for First Steps”.
⋅ If data is being saved using Data/AutoSave then the directory and file name for this data
will be displayed in the next field. This information is not displayed if AutoSave is not activated.
⋅ The next field displays the active COM port and its baud rate.
⋅ The next field displays the sampling rate. If polling is active then the value is counted
down.
⋅ The last two fields display the current system date and time. At the very right, a red and a
green LED display provide information on the communication with the measuring devices. The red LED flashes when NGA WinControl is sending a command, the green
LED flashes when the device replies.
Alarm Settings
Dialogue Box
Register Card
“Alarm ON/OFF“
Register Card
“Alarm Reactions“
Alarm
The program can be individually configured to react to limit values being exceeded and sensor errors. The Settings/Alarm command will open the “Alarm Settings” dialogue box.
Possible errors:
⋅ Values above or below limits
⋅ Broken detector
⋅ Loss of channels (e.g. device failure)
A number of alarm reactions can be determined in the dialogue “Alarm Settings“. Six register
cards are available for the various settings.
Accept Changes / Close Dialogue Box:
Clicking on OK will accept all settings in this dialogue box. Clicking on Cancel will close the
“Alarm Settings” dialogue box and ignore all the changes that you made. Clicking on Help
will start the help system with this text.
On this register card you can determine whether you want an alarm to be triggered at all.
Activate or deactivate the program’s alarm reactions by one single click with the left mouse
button into the control box left of the text “Trigger Alarm”.
On this register card you can choose the program’s alarm functions from the following options:
Add to Event List:
Activate this check box option if you want the computer to create a list of all alarms that have
been sounded.
Open a Line Diagram:
If this option is activated, then a line diagram will be opened in the event of an alarm for the
corresponding channel. This line diagram will be used to display all further samples recorded by this channel.
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Record data prior to alarm:
If you wish to record and display the data that was polled prior to an alarm in a line diagram,
then you should activate this option. In the „hh:mm“ field, you should enter a time period
prior to an alarm, that should be displayed in the line diagram. The recording of such data
can only be stopped by the user.
AutoSave:
If this option is activated, then the measured data for the line diagram will be saved to the
hard drive in the event of an alarm. If this option is not activated, then the data will only be
stored in the computer’s memory.
Play an Alarm:
If you would like an acoustic alarm to sound then you should enter the drive, path and name
of a “.wav” file in the “Sound” field. Normally, such files can be found in the “Windows” directory, as these files are standard for various systems sounds/events. Clicking on Browse
will open a file dialogue box, which you can use to help you find a “.wav” file. Once you have
found such a file, click on OK to enter its path into the “Sound” field. It is also possible to
use other “.wav” files. By clicking on the appropriate option field you can determine how often the alarm is sounded.
Start a Program:
If you wish to start another program when an alarm is sounded, then you should enter the
drive, path and file name of that program in the “Program” field. Clicking on Browse will
open a file dialogue box, which you can use to help you find the program file.
In the field “Call Parameters“ you can enter call parameters for the program to be called in
case of alarm. For example, the parameter “C:\Alarm.txt” means for the program
c:\windows\notepad.exe that in case of alarm Notepad will open and display the file
c:\alarm.
In addition, macros can be entered for call parameters and will be expanded as follows in
case of alarm:
Macro Expansion to Example
%1 Channel 0.2
%2 Comment Inside Temperature
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Register Card
“Delay“
%3 Event Limit Exceeded
%4 Time of Alarm 24.9.1999, 14:32:00
In case of alarm (e.g. Channel 0.2 has exceeded limit) the call parameters „%1 %2 %3 %4“
would be transferred to the program to be called as “0.2 inside temperature limit exceeded
24.9.1999, 14:32:00“
Measurement Cycle:
This is where you can determine that in case of alarm measurements shall take another cycle than stipulated under Settings / Measurement Cycle. Activate this function by clicking,
with the left mouse button, into the control box in the section “Measurement Cycle” and enter
the desired value into the entry field. In case of alarm (until the alarm has been confirmed),
this cycle will be applied, otherwise the cycle stipulated under Settings / Measurement Cycle.
A separate delay can be set for each channel. That means, an alarm is only triggered if an
alarm situation persists for a time defined with the delay. The delay is applied to the triggering of an alarm and to all reactions defined on the register card “Alarm Reactions”.
Register Card
“PreAlarm“
In order to enter the delay times, call the function Settings / Alarm. The dialogue “Alarm Settings” features the register card “Delay”. To generally activate or deactivate the alarm delay,
click with the left mouse button into the option field left of the text “Activate Alarm Delay”.
The table displayed contains all channels listed in the system (including the global calculation channels). An individual delay time can be entered for each channel in the column “Delay(s)”. The time unit is seconds.
For certain applications it might be interesting to be notified as soon as the values approach
the limits. For this purpose, a pre-alarm function was introduced: For each channel, a deviation from the limits can be entered which will trigger an alarm when it is exceeded.
To generally activate or deactivate the prealarm, click with the left mouse button into the option field left of the text “Activate PreAlarm”. The table displayed contains all channels listed
in the system (including the global calculation channels). An individual distance can be entered for each channel in the column “Limit Dist.”. The distance unit is the unit of each channel.
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Register Card
“PreAlarm Delay“
Register Card
“Reminder“
Alarm Dialogue
Box
The triggering of a pre alarm can be signalled additionally by a sound or starting a program.
The required entries are the same as for an alarm (cf.: „Register Card “Alarm Reactions“”“
on page 80).
A separate delay can be set for each prealarm. That means, a prealarm is only triggered if a
prealarm situation persists for a time defined with the delay. The delay is applied to the triggering of an alarm and to all reactions defined on the register card “PreAlarm Reactions”.
In order to enter the delay times, call the function Settings / Alarm. The dialogue “Alarm Settings” features the register card “PreAlarm Delay”. To generally activate or deactivate the
prealarm delay, click with the left mouse button into the option field left of the text “Activate
PreAlarm Delay”. The table displayed contains all channels listed in the system (including
the global calculation channels). An individual delay time can be entered for each channel in
the column “Delay(s)”. The time unit is seconds.
It is the function of a reminder to prevent an alarm from ending any optical or acoustical
signalling regardless of whether the alarm situation still persists or not.
If this entry has not been made or the time given to be zero seconds, the alarm will be
triggered immediately after it has been confirmed, provided the alarm situation still persists.
If a time other than zero is entered into the register card “Reminder“, the alarm is triggered
again after that amount of time, provided its cause has not been removed.
If the alarm is activated and an alarm situation occurs during a measurement, a message
will be shown on the screen.
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Warning!
Warning!
PreAlarm
Dialogue Box
This message contains the time of the alarm, the channel that triggered the alarm as well as
the event. The button Acknowledge Alarm will close the dialogue, Help will show this text.
If an alarm is acknowledged while the situation which had triggered it persists, the alarm
message will re-appear immediately after acknowledgement.
If a delayed alarm has been activated for the situation which triggered the alarm, the alarm
message will only re-appear after expiration of the set delay time, even if the alarm situation
still persists.
If the prealarm is activated and an pre alarm situation occurs during a measurement, a message will be shown on the screen.
Warning!
Warning!
This message contains the time of the prealarm, the channel that triggered the prealarm as
well as the event. The button Acknowledge Alarm will close the dialogue, Help will show this
text.
If an prealarm is acknowledged while the situation which had triggered it persists, the alarm
message will re-appear immediately after acknowledgement.
If a delayed prealarm has been activated for the situation which triggered the prealarm, the
prealarm message will only re-appear after expiration of the set delay time, even if the
prealarm situation still persists.
Size of Data Buffer
The function of a data buffer that can be individually adjusted is available for the display
forms line diagram, XY diagram and table.
The size of the data buffer is determined via the menu function Settings / Size of Data
Buffer. In the dialogue “Maximum Size of Data Buffer” you can enter the desired value. The
default value is 2 MB.
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Warning!
Other Settings
Dialogue Box
After confirmation and closing of the dialogue, this value is applied for all display forms (line
diagram, XY diagram, table). The stipulated buffer is available to each existing line diagram,
XY diagram and table.
This limitation does not influence the function “ Save Automatically“.
If a data buffer has reached its capacity, each new value that is entered will replace the oldest value in the buffer.
Once the buffer size has been set, it can only be changed after:
Starting the program
Stopping the measurement and releasing the data
Once the buffer size has been set, it will automatically be available to the program after each
start and can be used or changed according to requirements.
Others
With this command you can alter the way the program works and some of its settings. The
selections that you make here will take effect as soon as you click on OK.
In this dialogue box the following options are available for controlling the program:
“Write to file when polling is enabled”
When this option is active you will be prompted to select the channel(s) to be saved and to
give the data a file name for saving.
“Prompt before closing an unsaved diagram”
When this option is active you will be asked if you really want to close a line, X/Y diagram,
data table or file summary window without saving the changes that have been made. If this
setting is not active then all changes will be lost.
“Automatically continue polling after a power failure”
If this option is activated, the program will automatically start polling again after your system
has been reset following a power failure using the settings prior to the power failure.
To automatically restart NGA WinControl when starting Windows, the NGA WinControl icon
must appear in the Windows “Startup” group. If this is not already the case, then you should
copy the NGA WinControl icon to the “Startup” group. One method of copying this icon is to
click on it with the left mouse button and hold the button down, at the same time, press and
hold <CTRL> and drag the icon into the “Startup” group.
In addition to this, the AutoConnect at Startup option in the “COM Port Settings” dialogue
box should be activated. To activate this check box, click on it with the left mouse button.
"Warning when closing a diagram without saving”
When this function is activated, you will be asked when closing a set of data (line diagram,
table or file outline) whether you want to save changes. If this function is not selected,
changes will not be saved when a window is closed.
“Grey background for diagrams”
When this option is active all diagram backgrounds will be grey. If this setting is not active
then the program will use the background color defined in the system settings. You can deactivate this setting to get a better display quality on monochrome LCD displays.
“Do not print file names of diagrams“
Line and XY diagrams can be printed without the file name. Activate or deactivate this option
as required.
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“Correct printout of vertical diagram labels”
If your printer incorrectly places vertical diagram labels, then activating this option should
correct this problem.
“Extended relative display of line diagrams”
In order to meet certain DIN standards, the relative display of line diagrams was extended so
that labelling of the time axis can begin with a day “zero”. Activate the option “Begin relative
display of the line diagram with day 0”.
“Flashing start key“
You can determine whether you want the start / stop key in the toolbar (for starting or stopping a measurement) to flash or not. To activate or deactivate this function, click into the
control box left of the text “Start key is flashing during measurement”.
The Window Menu
With the commands Window/Tile Horizontally and Window/Cascade you can display all active windows. You should use these commands to bring a previously hidden window to the
front or to re-organise the windows on screen.
The command Window/Arrange Icons will arrange any windows that have been minimised at
the bottom of the program window.
A list of all currently open windows appears in the lower portion of the Window menu. Selecting on one of these will activate it.
The Help Menu
Help/Contents
The command Help/Contents displays the contents of the NGA WinControl help system. It
provides you with information related to using the program, examples of NGA WinControl
functions and technical support.
You can return to the NGA WinControl contents page at any time, by clicking on the “Contents” button.
Help/How to use Help
Using the command Help/How to use Help, the standard Windows help file will be displayed
describing how to use a help system.
The First Steps Assistant
The First Steps Assistant can be called via the function Help / First Steps. The assistant will
give online explanation of the first steps for your work with NGA WinControl. You can also
call the assistant by pressing <F2>.
86 •••• The NGA WinControl Menus NGA WinControl User manual
Help/Info
The information dialogue of the function Help/Info shows detailed information on the program version as well as ways of contacting the program developers. Furthermore, it shows
the operating system and the versions of various DLLs.
NGA WinControl User manual The NGA WinControl Menus •••• 87
NGA WinControl Server
Server Operation
Functioning
In the server operation mode of NGA WinControl, captured data can be passed on to up to
200 clients. The WinControl server can be accessed as desired via the network (intranet or
internet).
Several users or applications can thus access the values of a measurement system, and
data can be provided to the respective application without having an impact on each other.
The interface via which the server can be accessed is described under "Server Interface" on
page 89.
Display of Clients Connected to the Server
As soon as the first client has connected to the WinControl server, a small graphic will appear left of the status line, featuring a number.
This number is the number of clients connected at the moment. Double clicking on the picture or the number, with the left mouse button, will open a dialog that lists up all clients connected at the moment:
88 •••• NGA WinControl Server NGA WinControl User manual
Warning!
Global Use
Local Use
Logfile of Connections
If the entry ServerLog=1 is found in section [Settings] of the initializing file nga.ini,
the server writes an ASCII file Server.log in which build-up and canceling of all client connections are noted with indication of time.
Protocol
The client communicates with the server via ASCII protocol. The syntax is described under
"Commands" on page 90.
Sample History
The AMR WinControl server has a value buffer (ring buffer) based on files. For each channel, a temporary file is created in the temporary directory of the operating system, each of
which can take up to 3,600 channels as per presetting.
This presetting can be adapted in the initializing file amr32.ini by entering SampleDisk-
BufferSize = Number of values to be buffered in the section [Settings].
Example:
[Settings]
SampleDiskBufferSize = 7200
This means that data can be buffered for two hours in a measurement cycle of one second.
The buffer is preserved if the program is not shut down properly. For example, after a computer crash or breakdown of electricity. If the program is shut down correctly, the temporary
files in the value buffer are deleted.
The value buffer is only activated if the program can operate as value server (at least one
client is active).
If AMR WinControl operates as server, the sample history can be polled at any time for any
channel via the command GetSampleHistory(Channel[,Channel][,..]. In contrast
to NotifySamples, e.g., the history is not subscribed for, but only transferred once GetSam-
pleHistory must be called again for later access.
Buffered data can be inserted into new line or XY diagrams as well as charts. All properties
dialogues of these types of display have an additional register card, “History”, which is available when a new diagram or chart is created.
Server Interface
Functioning
The WinControl server receives instructions via a TCP port. These instructions are interpreted and executed in order of reception. With the help of commands available at the time
another program can
· find out which channels there are
· be informed about changes to the existing channels
· be informed about additional or removed channels
· receive measurement values
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Server •••• 89
Instructions
Whitespace
Case Sensitivity
Replies from the
Server
Channel Lists
Character Strings
An instruction consists of a command, an open bracket “(“, an optional list of parameters as
well as a closed bracket “)”. Individual instructions are separated by semicolon “;”.
Blanks, tabs and ends of lines are called Whitespace. Whitespace may occur between individual syntactic elements and is ignored.
The instruction interpreter is case sensitive.
The server replies to each instruction, first of all with a CR/LF pair, then the name of the
command in process, followed by a colon “:” and a blank. An optional list of parameters may
follow. A semi-colon and another CR/LF pair complete the reply.
A channel is clearly defined by the device and channel number, with the first digits being
connected by a decimal point in WinControl, e.g. “1.15” for channel 15 of device 1. Channel
lists are lists of 0 or more channels separated by commas, e.g. “1.15”, “1.0,1.1,1.2” or “” for
an empty channel list.
Character strings are a series of characters in inverted commas. A back slash “\“ precedes a
symbol. The following symbols have been defined:
String Meaning
\\ \
\; ;
\" "
Settings
The entry TcpPort = requested port number can be made in the section [Settings] in the initializing file nga.ini. If this entry does not exist, the port number 10013 will be used. If the
network uses firewalls, the administrator in charge may have to free a TcpPort.
Commands
The following commands are available in order to enable any number of clients to access
the NGA value server:
GetChannelList Channels in the server are sent to the client.
NotifyChannelList If channels are removed from or added to the server, the
complete channel list is sent to the client.
NotifyChannels The client is informed of changes to the channel lists.
NotifySamples The client is informed of values of the channel lists.
GetSampleHistory The sample history can be polled at any time for any chan-
nel. In contrast to NotifySamples, e.g., the history is not subscribed for, but only transferred once GetSampleHistory
must be called again for later access.
All commands are case-sensitive. A semi-colon completes each command. The reply to all
command consists of:
· Repetition of command
· Colon
· Blank
· Open bracket
· Replies
90 •••• NGA WinControl Server NGA WinControl User manual
GetChannelList
NotifyChannelList
NotifyChannels
· Closed bracket
· Semi-colon
Syntax: GetChannelList()
Parameter: none
Reply: GetChannelList(Channel List);
The Channel List consists of Channel Information separated by commas.
Channel Information consists of:
· Open bracket
· Device number
· Point
· Channel number
· Comma
· Inverted comma
· Channel comment
· Inverted comma
· Comma
· Inverted Comma
· Channel Unit
· Inverted Comma
· Closed bracked
Example of channel information: (0.0,"Problem 01","°C")
Example of a complete reply: GetChannelList: ((0.0,"Problem
01","°C"),(0.1,"beginning routine","°C"));
Description: The channel number, comment and unit of all channels in the server system,
including the global calculation channels, are delivered.
Application: The evaluation of the reply can be used, for example, to insert parameters
(channel numbers) correctly for further commands (e.g. value request).
Syntax: NotifyChannelList(true | false)
Parameter: true | false
Reply: NotifyChannelList(Channel lists);
Description: If the parameter is true, the complete channel list will be transferred in the
reply (like in GetChannels();). Furthermore, the client subscribes to the channel list,
which means that whenever changes are made to the channel list, the reply with the updated
data will be sent to the client. If the parameter is false, the client ends his subscription, i.e.
future changes are not transferred. In this case no reply is sent!
Application: e.g. capturing of disappeared and / or new channels etc.
Syntax: NotifyChannels([Channel][, Channel][,..]]])
Parameter: any number of (or no) channels, separated by commas
Reply: NotifyChannels(Channel list);
One Channel consists of:
· Device number
· Point
· Channel number
Description: A channel list is generated which contains the current information of channels
transferred as parameters. Comment and unit are empty (“”””) for non-existing channels. In
addition, the client subscribes to a notification of all changes to comment or unit to the respective channels. Whenever changes are made, the channel information of all channels
that the client has subscribed to will be transferred!
Each new NotifyChannels deletes all previous subscriptions. If NotifyChannels is sent without parameters, all subscriptions are deleted. In this case no reply is sent from the server.
Deleting or adding of channels is not taken into consideration, but subscriptions can be
made for channels that do not or do not yet exist. The client is then informed of changes as
soon as the channel is registered at the server.
Application possibilities: Updating of channel information
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Server •••• 91
NotifySamples
GetSampleHis-
tory
Syntax: NotifySamples([Channel][, Channel][,..]]])
Parameter: any number of (or no) Channels, separated by commas.
Reply: NotifyChannels(Value list);
A Value List consists of:
· Date
· Blank
· Time
· Comma
· Values, separated by commas (decimal points are used within the values)
The date is displayed as follows:
· Day 2-digit
· Dot
· Month 2-digit
· Dot
· Year 4-digit
The time is displayed in the following format (24-hour-system):
· Hour 2-digit
· Colon
· Minute 2-digit
· Colon
· Second 2-digit
· Dot
· Milli seconds 3-digit
The values are issued in the order the corresponding channels were transferred as parameters, i.e. if the parameter was 0.0,0.1,80.0, the first value in the reply will be channel 0.0, the
second channel 0.1 and the last 80.0. If the parameter was 0.1,80.0,0.0, the first value will
be channel 0.1, the second channel 80.0 and the last 0.0.
Description: A subscription is made for the values of all channels transferred. A reply is
made as soon as a measurement cycle has been finished on the server. The values of the
measurement cycle are then sent in the reply. Each new call of "NotifySamples" will delete
all previous subscriptions.
If no value is available for a channel, no channel information is transferred, but the separating comma will be set for consistency of allocation.
Example:
Command: NotifySamples(0.0, 0.1, 80.0);
Reply: NotifySamples(19.12.2001 15:00:56.023,12.2,,8);
Meaning: On 19 December 2001 at 15:00:56 and 23 milli-seconds, the value 12.2 was
measured at channel 0.0. No value was measured for channel 0.1 and the value 8 was
measured at channel 80.0 (calculation channel).
Application: Value capturing
Syntax: GetSampleHistory (List)
Parameter: Channel List
Reply: GetChannelList: ([(Value List)][,(Value List)][,...]);
The reply always consists of the repetition of the command and a colon, followed by an open
bracket. If no data is available, the reply is closed by brackets and a semi-colon. Otherwise,
a variable number of value lists will be listed in brackets and separated by commas, with the
reply being closed by a bracket and semi-colon.
Description: The sample history can be polled at any time for any channel. In contrast to
NotifySamples, e.g., the history is not subscribed for, but only transferred once GetSample-
History must be called again for later access.
Function: The buffered data referring to the channels listed in the Channel List are returned
as follows: a value list of the channels transferred will be created for each time stamp available in the buffer and transferred to the client.
92 •••• NGA WinControl Server NGA WinControl User manual
Application Examples
Multiple Access
to Measurement
Device
Integration into
other Applications
Remote Access
Extended Data
Export
Separate Captur-
ing and Evalua-
tion
External Online
Evaluation
A research laboratory is positioned at a central location. NGA WinControl is used to read
and archive current measurement values. Using WinControl Client OCX, a web site is created on the internal web server to which all employees of the company have access and
which displays current data.
An existing, customer-specific capturing system is extended by gas concentration measurement. NGA WinControl is used for capturing and archiving the concentration data. The
capturing system is extended in such a way that the concentration values are taken over
directly from the WinControl Server.
A production process is monitored by means of NGA WinControl. In case of limit violations,
NGA WinControl automatically sends an e-mail to the factory manager and Remote WinControl enables him to have immediate overview of current measurement data.
Using Microsoft Access and the WinControl Client OCX, it is an easy thing to write all incoming values online into any database supported by Access.
A complex measurement system is spread all over the company’s premises. NGA WinControl and com2ips are used to concentrate and archive all values in one single system. Remote WinControl is used at three further work stations in order to evaluate part of the overall
data, depending on application.
A separate evaluation software is developed for a complex special evaluation. The values
are recorded by NGA WinControl and transferred online to the evaluation software via the
WinControl server interface.
NGA WinControl User manual NGA WinControl Server •••• 93
STARTING!
How do I...
...establish a connection to the measuring
device(s).
In the “COM Port Settings” dialogue box you can choose to work online and thus establish a
connection to your measuring device(s). Select the COM port that your measuring device is
connected to and then set the appropriate baud rate. Clicking on OK will confirm the details
in this dialogue box and NGA WinControl will then establish a connection (cf., COM Port on
page 74).
⋅ Automatic on starting the program
⋅ Using the command Settings/COM Port
⋅ By clicking on the “COM Port” icon in the toolbar
STARTING!
Warning!
STARTING!
...set the sampling rate.
The desired sampling rate can be set in the “Sampling Rate” dialogue box.
⋅ By using the command Settings/Sampling Rate
⋅ By using the <CTRL + R> keyboard shortcut.
It is possible to enter a sampling rate that is shorter than the system can actually realise. If
this is the case, the program and system will start on the next sample as soon as the previous one has been processed.
...change the properties of the active window.
For most program windows in NGA WinControl there is a dialogue box which lets you
change the properties of the window. This dialogue box will also appear when a new window is created. It is possible to alter these settings at any stage while using the program.
⋅ Automatic on creating a new window
⋅ By using the command Data/Properties
⋅ By clicking on the “Properties” icon in the toolbar
⋅ By double clicking in the appropriate window with the left mouse button
⋅ By clicking once in the desired window with the right mouse button and selecting the
Properties command from the context menu
⋅ By pressing <ENTER> whilst the desired window is active
94 •••• How do I... NGA WinControl User manual
...create a new value display.
⋅ By using the command Data/New Value Display
⋅ By pressing <F7>
⋅ By clicking on the “New Value Display” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
...create a new bar graph.
⋅ By using the command Data/New Bar Graph
⋅ By pressing <F6>
⋅ By clicking on the “New Bar Graph” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button.
...print a bar graph.
⋅ By activating the bar graph to be printed and then
⋅ By using the command File/Print or
⋅ By clicking on the “Print” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
...create a new data table.
⋅ By using the command Data/New Data Table
⋅ By pressing <F10>
⋅ By clicking on the “New Data Table” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
...print a data table.
⋅ By activating the data table to be printed and then
⋅ By using the command File/Print or
⋅ By clicking on the “print” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
...create a new line diagram.
⋅ By using the command Data/New Line Diagram
⋅ By pressing <F5>
⋅ By clicking once on the “New Line Diagram” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
NGA WinControl User manual How do I... •••• 95
...print a line diagram.
⋅ By activating the line diagram to be printed and then
⋅ By using the command File/Print or
⋅ By clicking once on the “Print” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
or:
⋅ By activating the line diagram to be printed and then
⋅ By using the command Edit/Copy
⋅ By running your word processor and inserting the diagram into the document using the
Edit/Paste command and then printing the document from the word processor
...print the channel list.
⋅ By activating the channel list window and then
⋅ By use the command File/Print or
⋅ By clicking once on the “Print” icon in the toolbar with the left mouse button
...save data to a file.
Before starting polling use the Data/AutoSave command. In the resulting dialogue box all
available channels will be highlighted for saving. If you only want to save a particular channel or channels then you can deselect those that you do not wish to save. By clicking on
Start the settings in this dialogue box will be applied. Remember to select the directory to
save the data in and to enter a file name for it. These entries should be confirmed by clicking on OK. The next time you open this dialogue box, the Start button will have been replaced with a Stop button. Data will be saved under the given file name until the user clicks
on this button. If your computer crashes during polling and automatic saving, then you
should find that the majority of the data will already have been saved and will therefore be
unaffected by the crash (cf.: AutoSave on page 63).
Additionally, any line diagrams and data tables can be saved as a file using the command
File/Save (cf.: Save on page 44).
...load a saved data file.
Using the command File/Open you can open a saved data file. If this file has been saved
using AutoSave or Data/Download from Device Memory, then the file will be opened in file
summary format (cf.: Save on page 44). Otherwise, it will be displayed in the format that it
appear when it was saved (i.e., line or X/Y diagram, data table or summary).
96 •••• How do I... NGA WinControl User manual
...insert a WinControl diagram into a text
document.
Using MS-Word as an example the following describes how to insert NGA WinControl diagrams into a text document. In order to do so it is necessary to have the data displayed in a
line diagram and copied to the clipboard (done using the Edit/Copy command).
The following steps need to be completed using your text editor:
⋅ Ensure that the document in which a diagram is to be inserted is open, that a file is open
and that the cursor is correctly positioned.
⋅ Use the command Edit/Paste.
⋅ The line diagram together with its settings will then be inserted into your document.
If you want to change the properties of an inserted diagram, you can do this as follows:
⋅ By double clicking on the inserted diagram with the left mouse button. This will activate
NGA WinControl.
⋅ It will appear as if NGA WinControl is running which means that you can change the dia-
gram characteristics.
⋅ The required NGA WinControl commands and icons in the toolbar will be made available
for this purpose.
By clicking on the text area in your text editor NGA WinControl will be closed and you can
continue working with your word processor.
...control an ALMEMO network using the
NGA WinControl.
⋅ Ensure that all your measuring devices have a different address.
⋅ Enter the number of measuring devices in the channels dialogue box.
...use the demo version.
When connected to a measuring device:
⋅ Connect your THERM or ALMEMO measuring device to one of the free serial ports on
your computer (COM1 - COM9) and set the baud rate for the device(s) (for example
9600)
⋅ Enter the command Settings/COM Port and in the dialogue box that appears, select the
same settings as those in the first step (i.e., channel and baud rate). Confirm your selec-
tion by clicking on OK.
⋅ Remember to deactivate the “Simulation” check box in the lower part of this dialogue
box.
⋅ If the settings are correct, the dialogue box will be closed and the connected channels
will appear in the NGA WinControl window.
NGA WinControl User manual How do I... •••• 97
To simulate a measuring device:
⋅ Using the command Settings/COM Port select a free COM port (COM1 - COM9).
⋅ Remember to check the “Simulation” check box in the lower part of the dialogue box.
Confirm your selection by clicking on OK.
⋅ If the settings are correct the dialogue box will be closed and the simulated channels will
appear in the NGA WinControl window.
...automatically continue polling after
power failure.
⋅ Select the command Settings/Others and activate the Automatically continue polling after
power failure” option. To activate this option, click in the check box with the left mouse
button.
⋅ Open the “COM Port Settings” dialogue box and activate the “Auto Connect on Startup”
option. To activate this option, click in the check box with the left mouse button.
⋅ Copy the NGA WinControl icon from it’s program group to the Windows “Startup” group.
One method of copying this icon is to click on it with the left mouse button and hold the
button down, at the same time, press and hold <CTRL> and drag the icon into the
“Startup” group.
⋅ Use the Data/AutoSave command to create a file to save the polled data to.
⋅ Once the NGA WinControl program has been restarted after a power failure, all data will
continue to be saved in the file named under “AutoSave”.
...automatically create daily files.
⋅ Select the command Data/AutoSave or press <F8>.
⋅ Activate the “By Timer” option. The input fields Date, Time, and Duration (Days hh:mm)
which previously appeared in grey should now appear in black. This means that the val-
ues are valid.
⋅ Enter a “Start Date” for polling to begin on. If you do not enter a date in this field then only
the entry in the “Time” field will be used. This will result in new data being automatically
saved as soon as this time is reached. If the AutoSave has been stopped by the user
and/or the “Duration” period has passed by when the “Start Time” is reached again, the
program will automatically restart saving new data.
⋅ When the “Start Time” is reached, your system will automatically start saving the data
that is recorded.
⋅ Enter a duration period for your system to automatically save polled data. Entries in the
“Days” field must be integers, you cannot for example, enter half days. It is possible to
combine both “Days” and “hours and minutes” settings. Furthermore, you can enter
more than 24 hours in the “hh:mm” field.
98 •••• How do I... NGA WinControl User manual
...merge data files with one another.
⋅ Open one of the files that you wish to merge (the viewing mode is irrelevant).
⋅ Select the command File/Merge (either using the pull-down menu or the context menu,
activated by clicking in the window with the right mouse button).
⋅ The standard file dialogue box will appear and you can select a file to be merged with the
one that you have already opened. Confirm your selection with OK.
...administer multiple program configurations.
If you have created a special workspace for certain data acquisition tasks, then it will automatically be saved when you exit the program. The next time you start the program this
workspace will be used. If you then make changes to this workspace the earlier one will be
lost.
However, it is possible to save a workspace so that you can reuse it later. The workspace is
saved in a separate program configuration file. To save such a layout, select the File/Save
Configuration command and enter the appropriate information (file name, destination drive
and directory) in the standard file dialogue box that appears.
Using the File/Load Configuration file you can later restore your configuration.
...automatically load a specific configuration when starting the program.
If you frequently use multiple program configurations, it is recommended that you create a
new program icon in the NGA WinControl program group or on your desktop for each configuration.
For each symbol, the program call can be connected to a certain initialising file.
To create new program icons, follow these steps:
⋅ Copy the original program icon within the program group.
⋅ Change the command line for the new program icon, so that it refers to your configura-
tion file. To do so, activate the new program icon and select the Program Manager
File/Properties command. This should open a dialogue box. After the text “NGA.exe” -
Ini=name.ini, where “name” is the name of your configuration file. Once you have
done this, confirm your entry by clicking on OK.
Now when you click on this new program icon, the program will start using the configuration
file which you entered as name.ini. If this file does not exist, then it will automatically be
created. When you close the NGA WinControl program the configuration will be saved to
this file.
Please note that it is possible to have differently configured versions of the program running
simultaneously.
NGA WinControl User manual How do I... •••• 99
...define a global calculation channel.
⋅ Select the command Programming/Calculation Channels
⋅ Use the “Calculation Channel” window dialogue, click on the Add button and define the
new calculation channel using the channel number.
⋅ Enter the appropriate settings and any formula that you wish to use (cf. “Calculation
Channels Properties” on page 22).
⋅ Click on Apply and your new calculation channel will be added to the channel list.
...define a local calculation channel.
⋅ Activate the data set that you wish to define a local calculation channel for (i.e., a line,
X/Y Diagram or data table).
⋅ Select the command Edit/Add Calculation Channel.
⋅ Set the properties and enter any formula for the local calculation channel in the “Add Cal-
culation Channel” dialogue box (cf.: “Add Calculation Channel” on page 55).
... define counters, sums or averages
throughout the measurement
⋅ Carry out all steps required for agreeing a global or local calculation channel.
⋅ If the formula uses the value of this calculation channel, the latest value of this channel
will be returned.
⋅ This way it is possible to add up a channel’s data captured in each cycle.
⋅ It is important to indicate a starting value. To do this, you can use the respective entry
field in the dialogue “Calculation Channel Properties”. When the measurement starts, the
value of the calculation channel will be set at that starting value in order to obtain a de-
fined status.
⋅
As an example, the following settings are advisable for the test:
m(80,0) +1
m(80,1)+m(80,0)
max(m(1, 0), m(80, 0))
Setting of calculation channel 80.0 as single counter (1 is
added with each cycle)
Setting of calculation channel 80.1 as the sum of the
previous value and the new value of channel 80.0.
Maximum of all values from channel 1.0 throughout the
measurement (the formula of calculation channel 80.0 is
defined)
100 •••• How do I... NGA WinControl User manual
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