Would this quick introduction be useful?

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Brad Amos
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Would this quick introduction be useful?

Post by Brad Amos »

I am an instrument developer living in Cambridge UK. I use DrDAQ USB sporadically. I find that the oscilloscope is fairly easy to pick up again but the datalogger instructions are almost nonexistent and the guided tour is quite baffling. This is a pity because Dr DAQ is highly useful and brilliantly designed. I have written a page of instructions, which may help others, so I am attaching it to this message. I would be interested to know whether it is just old folk like me who need written instructions!

Martyn
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Re: Would this quick introduction be useful?

Post by Martyn »

There were no instructions attached to the message, can you try posting them again.

Are you using the New PicoLog 6
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Brad Amos
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Re: Would this quick introduction be useful?

Post by Brad Amos »

Here is what I was trying to post. I tried using the Picolog v.6 but it could not see my USB Dr Daq, so I have reverted to an older software version, as stated:


Dr DAQ USB Datalogger Quick Instructions WBA 26 Jan 2018
(using version 5.25.3 of Picolog for Windows


For quick and easy self-instruction, it is recommended to try recording temperature once per second for a period of 50 seconds. To start, click on green PL logo ( PicoLog Datalogger)
1. Click on ‘normal’. If correct parameter for recording (e.g. ‘temperature’ ) is shown and you wish to repeat previous settings of sample rate etc , go to line 7.
2. If not, click on File>New Settings and set sampling rate, then click OK.
3. Select converter as ‘DR DAQ USB’ ( not DR DAQ PARALLEL) and click OK.
4. In menu for ‘DR DAQ USB measurements click on ‘ADD’
5. Edit Dr DAQ USB measurements . Click on ‘channel’ list and then select required recording parameter, e.g. ‘ temperature’. Click on ‘OK’ and ‘OK’ again.
6. A message will appear: ‘Awaiting data filemame’. Use File> ‘save as..’ and enter filename.
7. Click on File>New Data and then click on save in the file name menu.
8. Message ‘Ready to Start’ appears and red arrow goes bright. Click on it to start recording.
9. Click on graph symbol (top right toolbar) to see graph, with data accumulating. You can create peaks by putting your finger near the sensor marked ‘Temp’.
10. Use buttons on graph to rescale in H and V and scroll up and down.
11. Let recording complete, or terminate it by hitting stop symbol to left of top toolbar.
12. To add a title before or after file has been written, click on the box with a black tick on right of graph. The graph is written in PLW format. Use a pdf –writing program to convert the PLW file to a printable form.
13. To print to a pdf file click on printer symbol on right of graph and then select pdf printer. Any title that has been entered will appear at the top of the pdf file above the graph. Windows does not include a suitable pdf printer program: I bought and use PDF Complete.

Martyn
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Re: Would this quick introduction be useful?

Post by Martyn »

Thanks for those, there are a couple of steps that usually catch people out but you have included :)

A new version of PicoLog 6 Beta was released last Thursday, and offers support for the DrDaq, so you may wish to revisit it at some stage.
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Brad Amos
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Re: Would this quick introduction be useful?

Post by Brad Amos »

I managed to download Picolog 6.0.14 beta, but it again does not find my Dr Daq USB device no matter what USB socket I plug it into. I have applied to be allowed to test Picolog 6. Dr Daq USB is not listed in the hardware in the downloads guide. Is it now obsolete? Dr DAQ parallel port is, which surprises me.

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Re: Would this quick introduction be useful?

Post by Martyn »

The USB DrDaq should be picked up by the latest PicoLog 6 Beta 6.0.14 , just make sure that it isn't running on PicoLog 5. The software is available from the downloads page by selecting PicoLog Data Loggers in column 1 and DrDaq in column 2.

The parallel port version of the DrDaq was obsoleted a long time ago, very few PC's have parallel ports, and if you had an old device it would not be supported on modern 64bit O/S's as there are no suitable drivers.

If you still can't communicate using 6.0.14 then please email support@picotech.com and we look at this in more detail.
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Brad Amos
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Re: Would this quick introduction be useful?

Post by Brad Amos »

Though it functioned perfectly well as both an oscilloscope and a datalogger with older software I never got my USB Dr Daq to work with Picolog, in spite of a lot of help from Support in January, so last month ( Nov 12th) I bought a new Dr Daq Datalogger. This works fine with Picolog 6, but the Quick Start Guide mentions only Picolog 6 as the software to download. Does this mean that my new unit can function only as a Datalogger and not as an oscilloscope? If that it true, can I trade it in for a bifunctional unit and what unit and softwares do you suggest? I travel and do demos and do not want to carry two units around with me.

Brad Amos
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Re: Would this quick introduction be useful?

Post by Brad Amos »

Apologies! The new Dr Daq works fine both as a datalogger with Picolog 6 and as an oscilloscope with Picoscope 6. And my older Dr Daq also works with both softwares now! I would recommend to Pico Technology that the 'Quick Start Guide' should mention that the product you are calling 'Dr Daq Datalogger' still functions also as a scope. I cannot explain the difficulty in January: I am using the same computer, but perhaps Picolog 6 is more stable.
I am very happy to have two of these compact and very cleverly designed measuring instruments.

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