Running Player while logging.

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olepagh
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Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Running Player while logging.

Post by olepagh »

Hello Pico

With the newer versions of PicoLog it is not possible to open the PLW file currently being logged with the Player.
More specific - it CAN be opened, but the Player does only show the number of loggings - not the actual data.

It seems to me as the problem (or bug?) is that the settings data is only written into the end of the PLW file when logging stops. During logging time, only the binary data seems op be updated.
This is "decoded" by opening the PLW file in a plain text editor.

Running previous versions of PicoLog gave no problem with opening the PLW file with the Player during logging time.

It seems to me that this issue has arisen between rev. 5.20.5 and rev. 5.20.8.

It has at least two major disadvantages with this issue:
1. It is not possible to export the loggings via PLW files to another computer for closer analysis during logging time.
2. If program or computer crash / lock during logging time, all data are lost. In previous versions the loggings up to crash were at least available.

I do not think this issue has to do with the set-up. I did a new set-up with only one sensor and the program did the same, so it should be fairly simple for you to reproduce the error.

Is this an issue that you will change in the next PicoLog release or shall I permanently downgrade to rel. 5.20.5?
/ Best regards
Ole
Denmark

PeterF
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Re: Running Player while logging.

Post by PeterF »

Hi,
Are you currently using PicoLog R5.21.1? I would recommend that over any previous version. PicoLog is continuously evolving and recent changes are geared towards reliability when logging large files over long periods. This restricts access to the .plw file for a period after each sample to stop conflicts from multiple accesses.
If, before you start logging, you save a "Settings" (.pls) file, that will save a copy of the header that is written at the end of logging. If you do have any crash, we can probably recover your data if you send us the settings file and the corrupt data file.
Regards,
PeterF.

olepagh
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Re: Running Player while logging.

Post by olepagh »

PeterF wrote:Hi,
Are you currently using PicoLog R5.21.1? I would recommend that over any previous version. PicoLog is continuously evolving and recent changes are geared towards reliability when logging large files over long periods. This restricts access to the .plw file for a period after each sample to stop conflicts from multiple accesses
Yes, the problem is also in the latest release.
As I tried to explain in my first post, the problem has occured some where between rev. 5.20.5 and 5.20.8.
That is: with 5.20.5 installed no problem, with 5.20.8 and later versions there is a problem.
If, before you start logging, you save a "Settings" (.pls) file, that will save a copy of the header that is written at the end of logging. If you do have any crash, we can probably recover your data if you send us the settings file and the corrupt data file.
There should be no need for that, as my .pls file is made 'Read Only' to ensure that every time the program is started it starts with the same settings.
This is done because different colleagues uses the setup for different purposes.
Furthermore the .pls file is filled with formulas and correction tables and it is essential that none of the settings is altered, as the set-up is part of an Accredited calibration routine.
All the 'internal' versions of the .pls file is saved in another folder for history.

At the moment the "system" is in an initial phase, so I have not had any crash yet, but the "core" problem is still:
I need to extract data for Picolog Player, while logging and that I can not do with the latest PicoLog versions.

I think - somewhere in the manual, it is written that this can be done, and to repeat myself, it is possible in version 5.20.5 and erlier versions.
/ Best regards
Ole
Denmark

PeterF
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Re: Running Player while logging.

Post by PeterF »

Hi,
Software have now confirmed the problem you have found. They have a fix but it will have to wait for the next release of PicoLog. When that is out you should be OK. I don't have a timescale for you unfortunately but we do update regularly.
Regards,
PeterF.

olepagh
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Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Re: Running Player while logging.

Post by olepagh »

Hi Peter

Thanks for the reply. Nice to know that your SW folks have been able to reproduce the problem.

It's OK to wait for the next release, but can I humbly ask if the other two issues I have raised, could be solved also.

1. from Mon Feb 15, 2010 and answered by you.
http://www.picotech.com/support/topic5795.html
(PicoLog Graph and Spreadsheet issue.)

2. from Sun Nov 22, 2009 and answered by you and Ziko.
http://www.picotech.com/support/topic5495.html
(PicoLog r5.20.8 Monitor window)

About talking of PicoLog crashing (or not crashing)...
I have for about 6+ years now been using a Pt104 logger with 3 PRT inputs and a lot of correction formulas and some 'heavy' converting formulas to calculate humidity from measuring the dew point via a chilled mirror and the temperature in a humidity generator and this set up runs almost every workday and the PicoLog have NEVER crashed.
2 labtops (Win95 and Win2K) have died with hardware failure, but then I just moved the PicoLog program and settings file to the next PC and it worked right 'out of the box'!
/ Best regards
Ole
Denmark

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