PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

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CoyoteDavid
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PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by CoyoteDavid »

I have a 3406B connected with its external power supply. If I have the PicoScope display on the screen (it doesn't have to be taking data, it can be stopped) and I leave the computer long enough to the screen saver to come on, then PicoScope quits working. If I hit the start button on PicoScope, it pops up a window that says:

DC Power connected.
[] Don't show this message again.
[OK]

If I hit OK, I get the display back, but the title bar shows "PicoScope 6 [PicoScope 3406B Not Responding]". It still allows me to do menu items, but anything that needs to talk to the hardware seems to put up the dialog box I show above. There must be some interaction with the screen saver.

Hitesh

Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by Hitesh »

Hi CoyoteDavid,

Are you using a laptop or desktop?

Have you got any power settings enabled that turn off USB ports?

Which version of PicoScope are you using?

I've not been able to replicate this here.

Thanks,

CoyoteDavid
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Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by CoyoteDavid »

Hi Hitesh,
I am running a desktop, Windows 7, Core-i7, Asus P8Z68VLe motherboard. The power options (under Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Power Options\Edit Plan Settings) is set for the following:
* Dim the display: 5 minutes
* Turn off the display: 10 minutes
* Put the computer to sleep: 30 minutes
* Adjust plan brightness: full brightness (slider to far right)

It probably occurring after the computer goes to sleep. I am running the scope using an external power supply.It recovers if I exit PicoScope and start it again. I do not need to unplug the USB cable to the scope. However, I loose all my settings when I stop PicoScope, although I think I can save them, even in this mode.

By the way, is there a way to save just the settings for PicoScope, other than saving the startup settings? The only way I have found is to save a waveform.

Hitesh

Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by Hitesh »

Hi,

Please make sure that the PC does not go to sleep if you have left it unattended to capture data as it interrupts the USB connection - do your power saving settings turn off USB ports as well?

It is possible to save settings:
  • Click File -> Save Current Waveform As...
  • In the 'Save As' dialog, select the 'Save as type' to be 'Settings files (*.pssettings)'
  • Click Save
You can then double-click the settings file to start PicoScope 6, or use the File -> Open option to open the settings.

Hope this helps.

CoyoteDavid
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Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by CoyoteDavid »

That is perfect, thanks! I will use the settings. When the hang occurs, it is usually because I was watching something, and just left it up. It wouldn't matter if it reset the scope when I started again. Just was wondering why it didn't recover to an operating state when I came back, and why the weird message.

Hitesh

Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by Hitesh »

I suspect it's the way the software checks how the device is powered (either USB only or USB + DC Power Supply).

I forgot to mention about giving the settings file a name :D

CoyoteDavid
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Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by CoyoteDavid »

I would think the same. However, from a software point of view, since it is recoverable by simply exiting Picoscope and starting it back up, it would seem that Picoscope could recover itself. As it is, you just get the "Not Responding" message in the title bar forever, like some process in Picoscope is hung waiting for something. It still responds immediately to the exit command (the red X in the far upper right in Windows), and many of the menu commands. It just that the response to many of the commands is just the "DC Power connected" popup, without executing the requested command.

Hitesh

Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by Hitesh »

Hi CoyoteDavid,

Could you please confirm which version of PicoScope you are using - it would help in terms of trying to replicate the issue.

If you close PicoScope doen once this issue happens, does PicoScope recognise the device when you restart it?

Regards,

CoyoteDavid
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Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by CoyoteDavid »

Hi Hitesh,
I am using version 6.6.50.3.
If you close PicoScope and restart it, it does indeed recognize the device when I restart PicoScope.
Thanks,
-David

Hitesh

Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by Hitesh »

Hi David,

Does it do the same if you install and run PicoScope 6 Beta?

Thanks,

CoyoteDavid
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Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by CoyoteDavid »

Hi Hitesh,
I tried PicoScope 6 Beta, and the original failure no longer occurs, but it does some other weird things.

If I have the scope actively taking traces, then when the computer goes to sleep, it waits a few seconds, then appears to wake up again, restarting the trace. That is OK, you only miss a few seconds of sweeps, which in most cases is OK.

The bad case is if PicoScope is stopped, so it is just showing the last trace, but not actively taking traces. It could be stopped because I hit stop (or space bar), or because it found an alarm condition. In this case, when the computer goes to sleep, PicoScope waits a few seconds and wakes it again, and acts as if you hit START! That is better than the hang, but what if I have a trace I haven't saved yet? I would not expect it to start the trace again if it was stopped before.

If the trace is stopped, shouldn't it just let the computer go to sleep? I haven't tried the Beta version on my laptop yet, but I commonly let it go to sleep so that the battery lasts longer, so I would normally stop the trace before leaving the computer for a long period.

Thanks,
-David

Hitesh

Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by Hitesh »

Hi David,

I think this is a feature of the software but I have requested a feature enhancement to either prompt the User to save data on reconnection or bring back PicoScope stopped.

Regards,

CoyoteDavid
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Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by CoyoteDavid »

Seems like a strange feature to have the PicoScope treat the computer going to sleep as a "start sampling" command. Why wouldn't you simply have PicoScope wake up to exactly the same state it was in when it went to sleep? Then there are no prompts needed, it is very natural.

Hitesh

Re: PicoScope 3406B Not Responding

Post by Hitesh »

There should be a feature to try and stop the device on notification of suspend events in a future Beta release but it could be OS dependent.

I suggest setting the time before the PC goes into hibernate to a suitable time and also set up an alarm to save when the buffers become full as a workaround.

The following video should help with the above:



Regards,

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