Recorder

The figure displays the main program window when operating in the recorder mode. Most part of the window elements when operating in this mode is similar to the corresponding elements when operating in the oscilloscope mode with several exceptions because when operating in the recorder mode the waveform is constantly real time read from the microcontroller. In this consequence in the recorder mode there is no triggering and filtering panel and the signal common parameters panel as well as time base format (hours: minutes: seconds: milliseconds) is changed.

It is necessary to note that in the recorder mode you can perform neither single nor cyclic measurement that's why to start the waveform record it is necessary to press the Start button and then the button will change its name to Stop of red color. To stop recording it is necessary to press the Stop button. When recording the option to change voltage scale range, to turn on/off channels and change time base is blocked. It is connected with the real time waveform record and any change will lead to the significant CPU intensity resulted in skip of the new data portion.

In the upper right corner of the panel "Period" instead of information about the reading mode there is information about necessity in waveform plotting immediately in the recording mode (if enable): Dis - disable plotting, En - enable plotting. The point of disable or enable plotting within the measurements is that within the sampling period, e.g. 5 uS (200 KHz) each second it is necessary to plot 200 thousand dots on the screen but it is out capabilities of even advanced computers and at this plotting rate it will be an obscure image on the screen (waveform will be just leaping). But on the other hand, within the large sampling periods (less frequency) displaying the measurement results immediately in the recording mode enables you to analyze the signal variation dynamics visually and stop recording under certain conditions. Moreover, in the recorder mode you can both expand (increase) and compress (decrease) waveform with the corresponding buttons and change time base, it is useful if you need to view the general waveform pattern, e.g. at �s=5 uS, 1 minute of signal (60/5e-6 = 12 million dots) is recorded.

To conduct analysis of the sustained signals more conveniently the option of waveform pattern marking is added. To the right of the panel "Period" there is a table to add/delete/move to markers and change parameters. So, to add (create a new marker) it is necessary: two left clicks on the free cell of table or select the free cell of table and press the Insert key or right click on the free cell and select "Add marker" item in the dropdown menu . After that if enable, two dialog windows appeared to create comments and color of the marker and then in the center of the work screen a newly added (created) marker appeared. This added marker can be moved along the screen similar to other markers. To delete the markers it is necessary: to select the nonempty cell of the table and press the Delete key or right click on the nonempty cell or on the marker to be deleted and in the dropdown menu / select "Delete marker" item. As the markers are referenced to the time base (waveform pattern) then when moving or zooming the waveform it may be so that the necessary marker will be out of the viewable area of the work screen. To move to the set marker quickly you need to select the corresponding cell of the table (color similar to the marker) e.g. by left click. Marker parameters (color and comments) can be changed from the corresponding pop-up menu. It is necessary to note that position of the markers and their parameters are saved in the file with the measurement results, i.e. when opening the file all the markers will point the corresponding waveform patterns.

On the panel "General signal parameters" the maximum, minimum and average voltage value for each channel is displayed.

On the control panel the elements are added that allow setting time after which the waveform record will be automatically stopped. Auto stop is conveniently used if it is necessary to perform a long but fixed waveform record. Moreover, when recording within the sampling periods of 0.1 ms and lower (frequency higher 10 KHz) it is strictly recommended to preset the necessary length of waveform record as it enables the program to allocate the necessary memory in advance before recording process but avoid its dynamic allotment as required immediately within the waveform record process. There is a bar with information about the total time of waveform record below the auto stop time settings element.

It is necessary to note that the recorder mode is extremely particular about the computer memory size as, e.g. when recording for the sampling period of 5 uS (200 KHz) within 1 minute the measurement results will total: 200 000 (samples/sec) * 60 (sec) * 2 (vertical and horizontal coordinate) * 8 (double size) = 187 MB, and the file with measurement results will total approximately as much.