Picolog freezes when using USB ADC-11

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melvyn
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Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:42 am

Picolog freezes when using USB ADC-11

Post by melvyn »

I am hoping someone can help me with a problem using the USB ADC-11 and the PICOLOG software.

I am currently trying to use the ADC-11 with the PICOLOG software during a 29 hour temperature cycle on a PSU and i am seeing problems with the PICOLOG software freezing up after approx 400 samples. The software is saying it is still sampling but the number of the sample is frozen and will never increase beyond around 400 samples. I am setup to do 1900 samples every minute.
I am recording the voltages on 2 channels connected to the ADC-11 on ch5 and ch6 via a ADC-11 terminal PCB. The voltages being fed directly into the ADC-11 are 1.1V and 0.9V.

I have tried using software version R5.16.2 which was supplied with the part and R5.17.1 which is available on the website but both show the same fault. The software seems to freeze at the point where both inputs to the ADC-11 are at 0V, ie PSU is off. This lasts for around 3 hours (180 samples), is this a problem for the ADC-11? As this testing is being done overnight no one is present at the PC when this crash happens but the software is left running with graph view and spreadsheet view turned off. This fault has been repeated around 10 times.

When the software is closed down and restarted the next day after the software has frozen, the ADC-11 is not recognised via the USB port. We have to restart our PC to get it running again.

The PC is using windows XP service pack 2.

Any feedback on this would be appreciated and if you require my plw file then let me know.

regards

melvyn

ziko
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Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:03 am
Location: St Neots

Post by ziko »

Hi could you send your PLW file as an attachment, either via a private message or reply to this forum post or to support@picotech.com and put it for the attention of Ziko.

Kind regards

Ziko
Ziko

Technical Specialist

Guest

USB ADC11 freezes

Post by Guest »

Zico, Has this been fixed yet?

I am also seeing this problem on two different computers.
Both are XP machines running service pack two.

I have installed and tried the following versions of Picolog software............

PicoFull_r5_16_2.exe
PicoFull_r5_18_0.exe

and am currently running PicoFull_r5_17_1.exe.

In each case the logger stops taking data after a random number of smples.

Paul M
Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 8:42 am

Picolog feezes on legacy PCs

Post by Paul M »

Hi all,

I have been using various PICO devices (Dr. DAC, TC-08 serial, TC-08 USB, ADC11 and adc11 USB) for about 10 years and up till now have never had any problems. Coupled with a (usually legacy) PC they provide a low cost and reliable data acquisition solution.

I upgraded the PICOlog software about six months ago and have had problems similar to those described by other posters. PICOlog continues to run (ie a run can be stopped and the application can be closed down), but stops actually taking samples. The graph on the screen does not refresh and there are only a few samples in the stored file. I have seen these issues with the following software.

PicoFull_r5_16_2.exe
PicoFull_r5_17_1.exe.
PicoFull_r5_18_0.exe

I have tried the latest release on three PCs of various age.
Without going into the full PC spec or PIClog set ups, I have had no problems with the youngest PC (about 1 year old) but the PICOlog software consistently fails on the two older PCs.

To get the PICOlog application to run on the legacy PCs I had to set its priority to high using the task manager. Under these conditions the PICOlog performs as expected but everything else on the PC grinds to a halt (as expected) - unfortunate as these PCs usually provide some controller functionality as well.

One of the main reason for buying the PICO device in the first place was price driven and I don't want to have to buy a new PC just to make it work.

Would it be possible to re-release and older version of the software for legacy PCs?

(I'm sure I have an old disk some where, but I cant lay my hands on it)

ziko
Advanced User
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Posts: 1705
Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:03 am
Location: St Neots

Post by ziko »

Hi, sorry for the delay.

I did not want get back to you without any kind of positive answer. We have discovered recently that there is a problem with the PicoLog recorder when the graph view is open. The problem tends to occur when there is more data and as the graph tries to update the screen and the software tries to write the data there is a read and write conflict which can cause the software to fall over.

This problem has been resolved and will be issued in the next release of the software which will be due shortly.

In the meantime I would do some logging without the graph view open and if you do want the graph view open you can perhaps reduce the refresh rate.

Kind regards

Ziko
Ziko

Technical Specialist

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