Program that can log from many multimeters.

[PushUp]

Just a question @ HKJ:

TestController vs. Clamp Meter with Linux-Capability?

As the "Keysight Handheld Clamp Meter Series U1210":



...has the same pc connectivity with its IR to USB U1173B cable, as the Keysight DMMs,...



...would it be the easiest manufacturer being able to integrate into TestController...or are there other/better solutions already ready to use?



Keysight U1210-Series:
https://www.keysight.com/en/pcx-2832426/u1210-series-35-digit-handheld-clamp-meters?cc=GB&lc=eng

Keysight IR to USB U1173B:
https://www.keysight.com/en/pd-2314431-pn-U1173B/handheld-digital-multimeter-pc-connectivity-cable?nid=-31912.1063037&cc=GB&lc=eng

PS: No need to push/stress yourself, I am happy with my Fluke 360, 376 and Benning CM11 - just in case there will be a real bargain... 

Thanx. 

[HKJ]

Just a question @ HKJ:

TestController vs. Clamp Meter with Linux-Capability?

As the "Keysight Handheld Clamp Meter Series U1210" has the same pc connectivity, e.g. IR to USB U1173B, as the Keysight DMMs, would it be the easiest manufacturer being able to integrate into TestController...or are there other/better solutions already ready to use?

If they use same style protocol as the DMM's, it is fairly easy to include them and this will also work on Linux.
If anybody see a document with the protocol please post a link.

I have a Agilent U1213A and it do not have any interface.

[PushUp]

Just a little brainstorming as far as Clamp Meters are concerned - this time no matter if Linux is usable...

As Brymen is cheaper and offers quite a variety of well equipped Clamp Meters (unfortunately with two different USB-Interfaces BRUA-19X & BRUA-13X), I would like to know, whether your USBHID-Driver immediately/mainly includes those Brymen Clamp Meters or do you also have to invest time and brain in order to adjust/renew the USBHID-Driver(s)?

...only some examples in different price categories...

Brymen BM197 Current Clamp Multimeter:
https://brymen.eu/shop/bm197/
https://brymen.eu/shop/brua-19x-usb-kit-for-bm197-bm195/

Brymen BM357 Current Clamp Multimeter:
https://brymen.eu/shop/bm357/
https://brymen.eu/shop/brua-13x-usb-kit-for-bm357-18x-15x-13x/

All Brymen Clamp Meters:
https://brymen.eu/product-category/mierniki-cegowe/?orderby=price-desc

Some Brymen Clamp Meters by Welectron:
https://www.welectron.com/navi.php?k=55&Sortierung=4&af=90


Thanx! 

[HKJ]

Just a little brainstorming as far as Clamp Meters are concerned - this time no matter if Linux is usable...

As Brymen is cheaper and offers quite a variety of well equipped Clamp Meters (unfortunately with two different USB-Interfaces BRUA-19X & BRUA-13X), I would like to know, whether your USBHID-Driver immediately/mainly includes those Brymen Clamp Meters or do you also have to invest time and brain in order to adjust/renew the USBHID-Driver(s)?

At the current time I have no clamp meters supported, neither as USBHID or as serial.
I believe the above above have a serial interface and it is fairly trivial to support, especially if I can find documentation on Brymens website.

[HKJ]

V0.98 is up
This version is about triggers.
   Added triggers to logging, can be used from script, manually or check sample values.
   Sometimes setup popup was not filled with values, this is fixed.
   Increased readout speed when not logging and devices delivers data fast.

There is now a advanced option when logging:


Just be aware that the chart may be misleading when using triggers due to missing data, because a continuous line is used when showing the data.

[MiroS]

V0.98 is up
This version is about triggers.
   Added triggers to logging, can be used from script, manually or check sample values.
   Sometimes setup popup was not filled with values, this is fixed.
   Increased readout speed when not logging and devices delivers data fast.

That is nice I kinldy sugets to add interface to Octave and Python in math and add Arduino firmata as measuring device. That would open completely new world for this program.

[HKJ]

That is nice I kinldy sugets to add interface to Octave and Python in math and add Arduino firmata as measuring device. That would open completely new world for this program.

I do not see the purpose in supporting other software to do the math. It is easy enough to export data to other software for processing using CSV files.

The firmate suggestion is interesting. It would have to be a interface and then the user would have to add the actual device definition for their Arduino.
Do anybody else have any comments/ideas about this?

[HKJ]

V0.99 is up
   Added support for modbus on socket interface
   Added support for modbus TCP (Note: TCP/RTU mode is independent of used interface)   
   Fixed, chart zoom did not work with dataTime as scale
   Added a analog scale, it is called "Adjust scale" and is designed to help when doing adjustments.



The main feature is a analog scale, it is not made to simulate a analog meter, but to help adjusting stuff.



Type a value in the Ref field and it will be marked on the scale, this will also limit the auto scaling.
The deviation from Ref is shown after the measured value, in both absolute number and percent or ppm.



Add a tolerance (can also be in percent or ppm) and the scale changes mode, it will center around Ref and mark the acceptable range in green.



Fully zoomed scale and value is inside the acceptable range.



It is possible to specify asymmetric ranges.



It is possible to add some smoothing to make the indicator move slower. It can update up to 10 times a second when used with fast meters.

This popup is found in the "Popups" menu.

[gby]

HKJ,

Thanks very much for getting Modbus TCP on socket interface working.  I have a device using this interface and so far everything seems to work. 

With all this rapid progress you are dangerously close to a V1.0 release 

[Messtechniker]

   Added a analog scale, it is called "Adjust scale" and is designed to help when doing adjustments.

Absolutely delighted to see this extremely useful operating mode.
As they say in Germany: "Bin ganz aus dem Häuschen" i.e. "Completely over the moon" or "Thrilled to bits"

[Messtechniker]

Found a minor quirk. See pic.
And a second one

[HKJ]

With all this rapid progress you are dangerously close to a V1.0 release 

Yes, V1.00 will not be any special release, but simply another small improvement.

Absolutely delighted to see this extremely useful operating mode.

In my testing it was much faster to use than a digital readout and much more precise than a normal analog readout.

Found a minor quirk. See pic.
And a second one

You have repeated the same picture twice.
I have adjusted the size of the fields (All of them), it will be included in the next version.

[PushUp]

Off-Topic: "You have repeated the same picture twice."

No, the EEVblog forum has massive problems with uploaded attachements - they are often messed up!

@ Messtechniker: Your thumbnail pix are correct,...



...but when clicking on it, both pictures are identical, which means, that the second uploaded attachement has immediately overwritten the first one!



I think there is something messed up with thumbnail picture vs. link to uploaded picture?

It is better to use an external picture hoster: https://postimages.org/ taking the fifth line for forum entries, no registration required:



@ HKJ: As you post your pix directly into the message, not at the bottom as an attachement, do you use your own/external file/picture hoster or do you use the forum integration for uploading pictures?

It should be fixed soon, in order to avoid a total mess in all threads, as I have found many messages suffering from this weird server problem, as also mentioned by TV84:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-rigol-16-bit-function-generators-dg800900-series/msg3122658/#msg3122658

[HKJ]

@ HKJ: As you post your pix directly into the message, not at the bottom as an attachement, do you use your own/external file/picture hoster or do you use the forum integration for uploading pictures?

I always links to my server.

The updated "Adjust scale" layout:

[Messtechniker]

Now using "Adjust scale" all the time. (old analogue electronics hand, you know)
Analogue circuits need to be adjusted all the time.
Currently only real instruments can be selected for "Adjust scale".
Would it be too difficult to include the math channels?

[HKJ]

Currently only real instruments can be selected for "Adjust scale".
Would it be too difficult to include the math channels?

The problem with Math channels is that they store sums, this means I can only use them one place at a time. This is either current values or logging (Where current values will piggyback when it is active).
I could use math channels of the "Formula" type without problems or I will have to create multiple instances of the math formulas.

[MiroS]

There is bug in COM port, once you will start your Java first  all COM  ports are locked.
If you willl start the other way, first the other software than your program all works as expected, but not the other way.

Just learned that the same with HID devices, tested with  BM869s.

[HKJ]

There is bug in COM port, once you will start your Java first  all COM  ports are locked.
If you willl start the other way, first the other software than your program all works as expected, but not the other way.

Only if "Scan serial ports" are checked or you have enabled a device on that port.
It is fixed in next release.

Just learned that the same with HID devices, tested with  BM869s.

With USBHID I only open one device. The above fix may also help here if you have selected a wrong Brymen meter.

[HKJ]

V1.00 is up
It is a lot of smaller details:
   Added: max/min modes to "Adjust scale", they will update ref to show the highest or lowest values seen
   Fixed: Chart search left/right zero/value might pick the entry next to best match.
   Added: Find max raise/fall rate on chart, it uses a 0.1% window (Min 4 samples) for calculating slope.
   Added: Relative values on chart value popup by placing a zero marker (This will only affect the popup, not scales and search).
   Fixed: When slow logging, math channels might be wrong if "Current values" was used at the same time.
   Added: AdjustScale supports math channels
   Added: Readout supports math channels
   Added: #CommandTime? that list how fast devices answer a request for values (Something that reads values must be used first).
   Fixed: Did not close failed connection, this could block ports for other programs while TestController is running.

Both Adjust scale and the large digit readout now supports Math channels:


I added relative readouts to the chart, place a zero marker and all values will be relative to it:


It is possible to click on values to switch back to absolute (Removing the zero marker will switch all values to absolute):


The magenta markers show what values are relative, the zero marker on the chart is also magenta.

[MiroS]

There is bug in COM port, once you will start your Java first  all COM  ports are locked.
If you willl start the other way, first the other software than your program all works as expected, but not the other way.

Only if "Scan serial ports" are checked or you have enabled a device on that port.
It is fixed in next release.

Just learned that the same with HID devices, tested with  BM869s.

With USBHID I only open one device. The above fix may also help here if you have selected a wrong Brymen meter.

Problem gone sky with latest version 

[Messtechniker]

A quote from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_System_of_Units

General rules[Note 62] for writing SI units and quantities apply to text that is either handwritten or produced using an automated process:

    The value of a quantity is written as a number followed by a space (representing a multiplication sign) and a unit symbol; e.g., 2.21 kg, 7.3×102 m2, 22 K. This rule explicitly includes the percent sign (%)[27]:134 and the symbol for degrees Celsius (°C).[27]:133 Exceptions are the symbols for plane angular degrees, minutes, and seconds (°, ′, and ″, respectively), which are placed immediately after the number with no intervening space.

End of quote

Maybe - if not too difficult - you would like to follow these general rules in your prog. Depending if and how you implement this, I will correct the popup for my HMC 8043 with respect to this aspect.
Moreover, in some places you use "sec" as the unit for seconds whereas it should be "s".

Thanks for a fantastic prog.

[HKJ]

Maybe - if not too difficult - you would like to follow these general rules in your prog. Depending if and how you implement this, I will correct the popup for my HMC 8043 with respect to this aspect.
Moreover, in some places you use "sec" as the unit for seconds whereas it should be "s".

There is an idea behind how I do it. When I need to save space I leave out the space and it is most places in the program.
My routine to display with SI prefix can do it either way.
For calculator input fields I need the SI prefix to be part of the number, due to my parsing. In other input fields I do not enforce it.

The only place where I know I am using sec is in the virtual generators, where I had lot of space and wanted to make it very clear it was time that was specified.

Could you use the Adjust scale min/max for anything?

[Messtechniker]

Could you use the Adjust scale min/max for anything?

Have so far not found a use case for this. And can't imagine anything for it either.
Maybe someone else has an idea here.

Being fan of decibels I'd prefer to see in "Adjust scale"
for example instead of 600m 0.6 and so on. But that's only a very minor point
you should, in my opinion, not waste too much time to change this.

By the way. Defined in Math Unit a preceding space. See pic.

Love the autoranging when leaving the in-tolerance range.

[HKJ]

Could you use the Adjust scale min/max for anything?

Have so far not found a use case for this. And can't imagine anything for it either.
Maybe someone else has an idea here.

The idea is it shows max/min value, then you can see exactly where you have to turn the adjustment back to for the best max/min adjustment.
It was a very simple function to add, I only had to update the ref field when the actual value was above/below the ref value.

Being fan of decibels I'd prefer to see in "Adjust scale"
for example instead of 600m 0.6 and so on. But that's only a very minor point
you should, in my opinion, not waste too much time to change this.

I have added a option in the popup menu, but default is SI.

Love the autoranging when leaving the in-tolerance range.

? I use a 1-2-5 scale format for all the auto scaling (It uses the same code as my resistor matching to E values, that code will work with any set of values. Only difference is I have to select next larger value, not the closest value).

[gby]

Hi HKJ,

I am trying to write a script to automate a test.  At a very basic level the same test needs to be run at a set of operating points.  The test sets an operating point, then iterates a value to sweep over a range, and then increments the operating point to start over.  Since the example logarithmic sweep script had a #while, #endwhile construct I thought this script would be easy.

Unfortunately I can't get it to work.  It seems like TestController scripts with nested #while, #endwhile loops ends both inner and outer loops at the first end condition of the inner loop.  I even made the outer loop an infinite loopp and got the same result.  Below is a simple example script showing the desired code type.

Code: [Select]

;Nested loops test
=var n=1
=var p=1

#while (n<10)
=n=n+1
=p=1

#while (p<10)
=p=p+1
#endwhile

#endwhile

When I run the above the log window output shows the outer loop counter n incrementing only once and the inner loop counter P incrementing the expected 9 times but only once.  See the full log window output in the attached file.

Is there a way to write a TestController script with nested loops?  If not, would that be an easy feature to add?