1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. dataTaker Manuals
  4. Data Loggers
  5. DT800
  6. Getting started manual

dataTaker DT800 Getting Started Manual

Hide thumbs Also See for DT800:
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

Download this manual See also: Manual

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading

Related Manuals for dataTaker DT800

Summary of Contents for dataTaker DT800

  • Page 3 Getting Started with DT800 dataTaker UM-0071-A0 dataTaker is a registered trademark of dataTaker Pty Ltd. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Copyright © 2000 dataTaker Pty Ltd...

  • Page 4: About This User's Guide

    If you’re an experienced dataTaker and computer user in a hurry, you can go directly to the DT800 dataTaker User’s Manual supplied with your DT800. Extras All readers will benefit from the “Extras”...

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    See What You’ll Send ........36 Send the Program.........36 CHAPTER 6 — F INDOW DeLogger’s Form Window ......38 View the Returned Data.........41 Set the DT800’s Date and Time ......42 CHAPTER 7 — C HART INDOW DeLogger’s Chart Window ......43 Chart the Returned Data ........48...
  • Page 6 ’s Acquisition Function One of the DT800’s two basic functions is to read sensors (that is, to measure, sample or scan sensors) and present the values to you on a computer screen or other display (Figure 1).

  • Page 7: Chapter 1 Acquisition ? Logging

    • measurements according to your convert The second of the DT800’s two basic functions is to log requirements (voltages to ºC or ºF, for example) data — that is, to record or store data (Figure 2). • carry out calculations on the measurements Once you’ve instructed the DT800 to acquire data,...
  • Page 8 (Figure 3). • from a removable memory card — commands One of the features of the DT800 is that it loaded into a memory card can be transferred to automatically performs these conversions for you. All...
  • Page 9 CONVERSION BY DT800 Data Format You can format (layout, arrange) the data provided by your DT800 to best suit the way you want to use it, DT800 Meaningful thermocouple automatically performs...
  • Page 10 (There are other methods — see the Extras panel (11 to 28 volts DC) “Sending Commands” on page 8.) To do this, and for the DT800 to return data to the computer, A mains adaptor and 12 volt internal battery are •...

  • Page 11: Important Terminology

    That is, you can arrange the physical appearance and layout of data as it comes from the DT800 so that it best suits the way you want to use it. Host Computer The computer you use for supervising the DT800.
  • Page 12 “crossover cable” — to connect this Communications Ports port to the host computer. The DT800 has three communications ports: In fact, the Host RS-232 port on the DT800 is exactly • a port Host RS-232 the same in form and function as the serial port on •...

  • Page 13: Set

    CHAPTER 2 P THE ARDWARE In this chapter, you get the DT800 hardware up-and- HECKLIST running. You firstly check that you have everything, then you Make sure you have everything you’ll need to power the DT800 from the mains adaptor and connect successfully work through this user’s guide.

  • Page 14: Power The Dt800

    DT800’s front panel, switch on at the To do this… wall. a) On the left side panel of the DT800, plug the other If the DT800’s internal main battery is not connected end of the comms cable into the connector labelled (we’re assuming yours is not), the five red LED (light-...

  • Page 15: Attach A Sensor

    (see Figure 7 on page 13) to simulate a resistive sensor. Firstly, you attach this “sensor” to your DT800. Attach the potentiometer supplied to analog channel 1 of your DT800 as shown in Figure 9. To do this… a) Locate the potentiometer (variable resistance) supplied with your DT800.

  • Page 16: P The

    NSTALL You communicate with, supervise, and transfer data OGGER from a DT800 by sending commands to it from the host computer using host software. host software is a powerful Windows Follow the steps in this section to install DeLogger from...
  • Page 17 > Start To do this… > select > Shut Down… Restart a) Place the CD supplied with your DT800 into your f) When the computer has restarted, notice that the computer’s CD drive. > menu now contains a Start Programs...

  • Page 18: Start Delogger

    DeLogger.) The (Figure 12), enter your DeLogger Pro serial next dialog box offers you the choice of quitting number. then restarting the program with the new functionality either now or later. Getting Started with DT800 dataTaker...

  • Page 19: Make The Software Connection

    It’s called and contains instructions that tell dt800 Com1 DeLogger • that the dataTaker at the other end of the communications link is a DT800 • to detect the DT800’s communications baud rate and match the computer’s baud rate to it •...
  • Page 20 You can do this anytime you’re connected to a Connect dialog box IGURE DT800. In fact, as well as using this command to Two progress bar dialog boxes open, then close find out which schedules (see page 33) and alarms automatically to indicate that you’ve successfully...

  • Page 21: Verify The Connection

    The five tabs of DeLogger’s DT800 Status dialog box IGURE : Verify the Connection HAPTER P THE OGGER OFTWARE...

  • Page 22: Verview Of

    OGGER DeLogger host software provides you with a powerful ICTURES set of tools for working with your DT800, which are fully covered in Using DeLogger and DeLogger Pro Figure 16 is an overview of the window types with dataTaker .
  • Page 23 Note You can open Program builder window — create more than one of each of a program and send it to the DT800. these window types in any (Note: this is different from the DeLogger project (choose program builder used for the DT50 New from the File menu).
  • Page 24 Schedule … PROJECT … Channel … (details…) Program Builder … (Program …) Schedule … (…) Other commands Channel … (details…) Comments Other commands Comments The big picture 2 — Projects, programs, schedules and channels IGURE Getting Started with DT800 dataTaker...
  • Page 25 Use the View menu to show or hide the main toolbar. DT800 program builder window. Menu bar Here you create a program ready to Figure 20. send to the DT800. See page 31. The title bar contains standard Windows controls (minimize, DT500 series program builder maximize,…) and the name of the...

  • Page 26: Delogger's Main Toolbar

    Connect to the DT800 (the Connection dialog box opens). Disconnect from the DT800. Play a replay file (the Replay Connection Run (Go) the current schedule in the DT800. dialog box opens). Halt the current schedule in the DT800. Halt Options Halt Options...

  • Page 27: Delogger's Menus

    ’ OGGER ENUS Menu bar Menu changes according to which DeLogger window is front-most. DeLogger’s menus (sub-menus not shown) IGURE 4 A Q : DeLogger’s Menus HAPTER UICK VERVIEW OF OGGER...
  • Page 28 Connections DeLogger Data Site A source of data. DeLogger data sites can be • external — a DT800 (or, to be more precise, the dt800 Com1 Connection to a DT800) Serial comms cable • internal — a replay file (or, to be more precise, the Connection to a replay file).

  • Page 29: More Important Concepts And Terminology

    This tagging is almost invisible to the user (you can see it if you into a text window Load DLP (Program) Text entry screen). It’s necessary for the DT800 to recognise a DeLogger program, but not for DT50 or DT500/600 Series dataTaker s. Mimic window...
  • Page 30 Data Hub Logged Data An indispensable table in DeLogger’s database that Data stored in the DT800’s internal memory or in an stores details of every channel known to DeLogger inserted memory card. during the current Connection (Figure 24). You retrieve logged data using the command Unload…...

  • Page 31: Chapter 5 Your First Program

    — everything defined on every tab across the bottom of the program builder. • The DT800 can only run one program at a time. When you send a new program, it replaces any Analog Channels, Digital Channels —...
  • Page 32 Choose Voltage from this drop-down list, then… click this Configure button to open the Voltage Wiring Configurations dialog box. Using specific parts of the DT800 program builder — more details in the following topics IGURE Getting Started with DT800 dataTaker...

  • Page 33: Create A Program

    (labelled ,… specifies That is, in one program you send to the DT800, you • which channels to scan (a schedule can contain can define various groups of channels to be scanned one, two or many channels) according to as many as 11 different “timetables”...
  • Page 34 We won’t use a burst schedule in this tutorial, but you can read more about them in “Other Schedules and Scans” in Part D of the DT800 dataTaker User’s Manual . f) In the Options row of the program builder, leave Setting schedule A’s rate to 0.5 seconds...
  • Page 35 It contains one schedule, schedule A. When numbered steps in Figure 31. you send it to the DT800, it will instruct the DT800 to scan channel 1 every half-second as a resistance and When you’ve finished working through Figure 31, log the measurements.

  • Page 36: See What You'll Send

    (single-click it if you’re not sure). -click anywhere in the program builder Right Always take care if you have more than one DT800 window (except the title bar). project builder in any project. DeLogger sends only A pop-up menu opens (Figure 32).
  • Page 37 Remember… d) Notice that the Acquiring LED on the DT800’s front panel now flashes every half-second — that is, When you send a program, you send all settings on every time the DT800 makes a measurement. (This every tab in the current program builder window —...

  • Page 38: See

    DT800 — page 41 A DeLogger window displays data from real-time form • you automatically set the DT800’s date and time — or replay channels one row per channel (Figure 35). page 42. In Microsoft Excel terminology, the form window is a that initially contains one .
  • Page 39 Each channel’s row in the worksheet contains At any time, you can pause the incoming data and • the channel’s latest value and its timestamp print selected areas of the form. • the channel’s highest value and lowest value Edit Mode On/Off •...
  • Page 40 Form menu is un-ticked duplicated by buttons on the form toolbar (Figure 38). • for real-time channels: DeLogger is connected to the DT800, and the DT800 is running the program that contains the channels you’ve specified to be displayed in the form window •...

  • Page 41: View The Returned Data

    ID you create in the program builder) Use DeLogger’s form window to view the • — the “channel ID”, which itself is composed real-time data that the DT800 is returning to of the “channel number” and the esistance your computer.

  • Page 42: Set The Dt800'S Date And Time

    ET THE DT800’ Communicate again with the DT800 to set its date and time to that of your computer. Use DeLogger’s Set Date/Time command. To do this… a) Notice the current date and time reported by the DT800 in the form window’s Date column.

  • Page 43: See

    43 A DeLogger window displays how the value of chart • you chart data being returned from the DT800 — one or more DT800 channels changes with time. See page 48. Figures 43 and 44. Incoming data from user-selected real-time or replay channels is automatically plotted against time.
  • Page 44 Rotate the graphs so that they move from top to bottom. Select channels to be plotted in this chart window (the Chart Channels dialog box opens). Only available when the window is in Edit Mode. More features of the DeLogger char t window IGURE Getting Started with DT800 dataTaker...
  • Page 45 HORIZONTAL SCALING Rest the mouse over the horizontal scale (the cursor changes to ) then click and drag as described here. Horizontal scaling from the right Horizontal scaling from the left E X PA N D COMPRESS COMPRESS E X PA N D FIXED FIXED Move the left end of...
  • Page 46 LEFT RIGHT DIAGONAL SHIFTING Drag inside the trend area (instead of along the scales) with both mouse buttons pressed. Chart window mouse power 2— diagonal scaling and diagonal shifting IGURE Getting Started with DT800 dataTaker...
  • Page 47 Pause on the Chart menu is un-ticked • for real-time channels: DeLogger is connected to the DT800, and the DT800 is running the program that contains the channels you’ve specified to be displayed in the chart window • for replay channels: the replay control panel is open and showing the correct replay file’s name in its title...

  • Page 48: Chart The Returned Data

    Ch1 Ohms the chart window. e) Make sure that the button ( at the right- Play Chart hand end of horizontal axis) is pressed/green. Assigning a channel to the chart window IGURE Getting Started with DT800 dataTaker...

  • Page 49: See Your Data - Mimic Window

    File • you add a graphic to a meter panel — page 52 menu, then click the Mimic button. • you practise disconnecting from the DT800 — page 53 . Edit Mode On/Off Meter Panel Background The mimic window has two distinct modes: image •...

  • Page 50: Display Returned Data In A Meter

    The new meter panel appears in the top left-hand corner of the mimic window. -click anywhere within the meter panel. Single The meter before changing its alarm IGURE A striped border appears around the panel to show bands that it’s selected. Getting Started with DT800 dataTaker...

  • Page 51: Replay A File To A Meter

    Open the first drop-down list box and notice A makes a scan (every half-second). that channels from the replay file Connection are now available (in addition to those from the Connection to the DT800). ii. From the list, choose MyFileB.21CV iii. Click The new meter panel appears in the top left-hand corner of the mimic window.

  • Page 52: Add A Graphic

    > Mimic Lock The background image is locked behind your meters. When using a graphic behind your meters, load the graphic first (and lock it) so that subsequent meter panels automatically overlay the background. Getting Started with DT800 dataTaker...

  • Page 53: Disconnect

    ISCONNECT Although you need to be connected to the DT800 in order to complete this tutorial, we’ll get you to disconnect here and then reconnect in the next chapter — just for practice. Carry out a software disconnection from your DT800.

  • Page 54: Your

    ECONNECT your DT800 by • altering schedule A’s rate — page 55 Connect to the DT800 now so that all is ready to send • adding your own label to the potentiometer channel your program after each revision you make.

  • Page 55: Change Schedule A's Rate

    A’ CHEDULE ABEL Next, add your own label to the potentiometer channel (channel 1 of the DT800). You’ll see later where this becomes useful. Change schedule A’s rate to 5 seconds. To do this… Give channel 1 the label Potentiometer a) In tab A of the program builder, click the Rate row’s...

  • Page 56: Add More Channels To Schedule A

    Use row 2 (R2) to instruct the DT800 to read its channel 6 as an unshared differential HANNELS TO +/– voltage. To do this… CHEDULE a) Single-click in the Signal column of Now add more DT800 channels to schedule A.
  • Page 57 3. Then modify row 3 to d) Click the of row to select the entire row. row label instruct the DT800 to read channel 7 as an -click the row label of row Right unshared differential +/– voltage. f) In the menu that appears, choose Paste To do this…...
  • Page 58 Use row 4 (R4) to instruct the DT800 to read channels 9 to 12 as thermocouples. To do this… a) Single-click in the column of Signal b) Click the drop-down list button that appears and choose Temperature c) In the column of , click the Configure...

  • Page 59: Re-Send The Program

    DeLogger’s channel drop-down lists, its name used to ROGRAM end with ; now it ends with Potentiometer Update the DT800 with your modified program. Reassign row 1 in the form window to the modified (labelled) potentiometer channel. Send your program to the DT800. To do this…...

  • Page 60: Reassign The Form, Chart And Mimic Windows 59 9-7 Delogger's Text Window

    Entry screen (the lower screen) — if you’re familiar with dataTaker ’s native programming language, type commands here and send them to the DT800. Filter incoming data by schedule. Choose the format of incoming data (replay, text or comma-separated variable).

  • Page 61: Return Data To The Text Window

    Carry out the numbered steps in Figure 64 to learn Use DeLogger’s text window to view the more about the text window. real-time data that the DT800 is returning to your computer. To do this… a) Locate the minimized text window Text1.dlt...
  • Page 62 Notice the change record that marks your Halt command. Turn the potentiometer’s knob and The DT800 stops running your schedule and therefore no watch the resistance value change data is returned to the text window. in the returned data.

  • Page 63: Add An Alarm

    Tick Active. Click Set Alarm Number to 1. Tick Repeating Alarm to have the DT800 return an alarm event on every scan while the alarm condition exists (not just on the first alarm scan). Select the Greater than or equal to…...

  • Page 64: Add Schedule Bto The Program

    Next, you add a second schedule that instructs the exceeds 300 ohms (in addition to the regular DT800 to scan the potentiometer channel at a faster data records); they contain your alarm rate (in addition to the 5-second rate).
  • Page 65 Tab B should now look like Figure 67. Schedule tab B IGURE f) In DeLogger’s File menu, choose Save Project g) In the Program menu, choose Send to Connection Click in any dialog boxes that open. Warning… h) Experiment with the potentiometer knob to see the alarm records returned to the text window (Figure 68) and the Event Logs window.

  • Page 66: Ther Things You Can

    (because Logging was enabled in both of your schedules). Now you’ll retrieve this data from the DT800. By the way: unloading data from the DT800 has nothing to do with DeLogger’s form, chart, mimic or text windows — it’s a function that’s available to you no matter which DeLogger window you’re using.
  • Page 67 A dialog box opens to inform you of the progress of the unload. You can use other DeLogger windows during an unload. f) While your logged data is unloading, open the dataTaker menu on DeLogger’s menu bar and observe — don’t choose — the Quit Unload command.

  • Page 68: Delogger's Spreadsheet Window

    Show/hide row and column headers Load the current worksheet into Excel (opens Excel). Set print range Load a replay file (.dlr). Scale view down (zoom out) Scale view up (zoom in) A new DeLogger spreadsheet window IGURE Getting Started with DT800 dataTaker...

  • Page 69: Load Data Into A Spreadsheet

    ATA INTO PREADSHEET Now that you’ve finished working through this guide, you’ll have seen how easy the DT800 dataTaker is to use and you have enough knowledge to set up your Load a replay file into DeLogger’s own basic data acquisition and logging sessions.

  • Page 70: Index

    Event Logs Connection Flow Control How Many Connections? (Extras) How Many Connections? replay Re-Installing and Project Compatibility connectors Scan Schedules — DT800 Timetables diagrams (Extras) Sending Commands female Switches and Parameters male sex (Extras) control panel (replay) copy and paste...
  • Page 71 RS-422 RS-485 jobs and programs scan schedules See schedules label schedule LED indicators logging in returned data (Extras) schedules DT800 timetables (Extras) SDI-12 sending commands (Extras) main battery sensors mains adaptor defined male (connectors) smart memory-backup battery serial channel menu...
  • Page 72 DeLogger default (Extras) window DT800 chart in returned data (Extras) form front-most (defined) setting the DT800’s date and time site mimic program builder replay terminal smart sensors text and Serial Channel workbook defined form window software flow control...

Table of Contents