-------------------------Monitor------------------------ The Newsletter for PC-Based Data Acquisition and Control Issue 60 www.windmill.co.uk July 2003 --------------------ISSN 1472-0221---------------------- Hello, and thank you for subscribing to Monitor. Today we're pleased to announce that you will be able to use either the Windmill or Streamer software with the latest Microlink transient capture equipment. We only send Monitor to people who have subscribed - should you wish to cancel your subscription please do so at https://www.windmill.co.uk/newsletter.html CONTENTS ======== * Windmill News: New measurement equipment uses Windmill and Streamer software * Excel Corner: Saving charts as .gif files ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ WINDMILL NEWS: NEW MEASUREMENT EQUIPMENT USES WINDMILL OR STREAMER SOFTWARE ________________________________________________________ The new Microlink 770 plugs into the USB port of a PC and monitors up to 16 thermocouples, strain gauges, pressure transducers and so on. You can use it with either our Windmill or Streamer software: with Streamer it can achieve up to 100000 readings a second. Windmill and Streamer let you log, chart and review data. The readings can be imported into other Windows software like Excel and Access. The design of the 770 and the versatility of the software gives the system many benefits: - It is quick to install and easy to use. - A 16-bit analogue-to-digital converter gives high resolution readings. - Independent input ranges let you mix different types of measurements - thermocouples and 4-20 mA process signals for example - without losing resolution. - For more accurate timing than your computer's clock allows, you can connect an external crystal- controlled clock. - You can use the 770 to switch on other equipment simultaneously with the start of data capture. - You can save data both before and after an event (pre- and post-trigger data). Useful for seeing, for example, what happened immediately before a fault occurred. - A digital input into the Microlink lets other equipment trigger data capture. - Alternatively wait until 1 or 2 readings cross a threshold before automatically starting to collect data. For example, when the temperature goes above or below your set points. - You can exclude channels from a scan if necessary. This lets you use the 770 with different set-ups without having to rewire. - You can set both the interval between reading each channel (thermocouple, strain gauge, etc), and how often all channels are read. For example, you may choose to wait a millisecond between reading each channel, but after the last channel has been read pause for 10 seconds before starting again. For more information contact Windmill Software (e-mail: sales@biodataltd.com, tel: +44 (0)161 226 4591) or see Microlink USB Data Acquisition High Speed Data Acquisition ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ EXCEL CORNER: SAVING EXCEL CHARTS AS GIF FILES ________________________________________________________ You want a copy of your Excel chart on your web page. The most efficient format in which to save it is as a .gif file, but which is the best way to do so? 1. In Excel 97, you can create gif files from charts by choosing to Save As HTML. However, this isn't available in other versions of Excel and is less than ideal as it also saves superfluous HTML code. 2. A better way is to select the chart and copy it to the clipboard. Start a graphics program like Jasc Paintshop Pro or Corel Photo-Paint, and paste the chart. You can now save the chart as a .gif file. 3. You can write a macro to create a .gif file. For example: Sub Create_GIF() Dim mychart As Chart Set mychart = ActiveSheet.ChartObjects(1).Chart mychart.Export FileName:="c:\windmill\Mychart.gif", FilterName:="GIF" End Sub The above code will save the first chart in the worksheet. To instead save the currently selected chart just one line is necessary. Sub Create_GIF() ActiveChart.Export FileName:="c:\windmill\Mychart.gif", FilterName:="GIF" End Sub (Note, the macros need at least Excel 97 to work.) For more on creating .gif files from charts see http://support.microsoft.com:80/support/kb/articles/q163/1/03.asp&NoWebContent=1 For tips on using Excel with Windmill see https://www.windmill.co.uk/excel/ https://www.windmill.co.uk/excel/excel-charting.html ________________________________________________________ * Copyright Windmill Software Ltd * Reprinting permitted with this notice included * For more articles see https://www.windmill.co.uk We are happy for you to copy and distribute this newsletter, and use extracts from it on your own web site or publication, providing the above notice is included and a link back to our website is in place. An archive of previous issues is at https://www.windmill.co.uk/newsletter.html Windmill Software Ltd, PO Box 58, North District Office, Manchester, M8 8QR, UK Telephone: +44 (0)161 834 6688 Facsimile: +44 (0)161 833 2190 E-mail: monitor@windmillsoft.com https://www.windmill.co.uk/ https://www.windmillsoft.com/
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