PLX-DAQ version 2 - now with 64 bit support! (and further new features)

Using Arduino Interfacing w/ Software on the Computer
#1

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Most recent version 2.11 to be found here:
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=437398.msg3251256#msg3251256
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Download specific versions directly:
v2.0 - v2.2 - v2.3 - v2.4 - v2.5 - v2.6 - v2.7 - v2.8 - v2.9 - v2.10 - v2.11

So well well well - here it is :slight_smile:

I have re-written the well know PLX-DAQ to be able to be run on modern Office suites.

What’s new in "version 2:

  • Support for both Office versions 64 bit as well as Office 32 bit
  • No more installation needed! All within the workbook
  • I got rid of the selmaDAQ_Ver2.ocx and use API calls now
  • Fully compatible to all previous PLX-DAQ commands in your code!
  • Got rid of some old stuff like “Max row size of 65000” (Office limit is 1048576 rows with 64 bit) or Baud rate only up to 128000 (now supports 230400 and 250000 as well)
  • Added a direct debugging window for better testing as well as a VBA code module for testing and debugging
  • Setting for selecting where to post data (first most left sheet or currently active sheet)
  • Disabled the control boxes as Stamp object is no more in use

Tested the code on Windows 7 64bit with Office 2013 32 bit and Office 2013 64 bit - both are working fine.
I would appreciate if anyone could test it further on other operating systems (maybe Mac as well :wink: ) and Office versions and post feedback.

All source code is available within the Excel, no more closed DLLs ! :slight_smile:

Attached is a default sketch as well for you to test the new PLX DAQ if you want to.
Attached is of course the new Worksheet with the new Macro as well.

If you have questions please feel free to ask :slight_smile:

Well - it is nearly 2am in Germany right now … this is going to be a short night …

cYa !

Image-Link: http://www.freebie-base.de/Pics/PLX_DAQ_v2.png (hosted on my server, no traffic hijack)

(This is just for all google folks that are trying to get PLX DAQ “version 1” to run and have the “Stamp.disconnect” error - this new version will solve the issue!)

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==> Site Maintenance <==
This version (v2.00) is already outdated !! Link to always most recent version of PLX DAQ v2 above
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PLX-DAQ-v2.zip (108 KB)

PLX-DAQ-v2-DefaultSketch.ino (511 Bytes)

PLX DAQ v2.png
PLX DAQ v2.png1060×914 109 KB

#2

ok so this was quick

I have not yet received one single feedback to version 2.0 and am already releasing version 2.2 …
Sorry for kind of “double posting”

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This version is already outdated !! Link to always most recent version of PLX DAQ v2 here:
==> Site Maintenance <==
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What’s new in “version 2.2” aka Change log:

  • Enhanced 64 bit support (even better stability now)
  • Added a dropdown box to select with sheet to post to (got rid of the radio buttons)
  • Minor adjustment for faster startup of logging

Code attached in zip file

Image-Link: http://www.freebie-base.de/Pics/PLX_DAQ_v2.2.png
(hosted on my server, no traffic hijack)

1054×829

P.S.: skipped release 2.1 for no reason I guess. Might have been a private development release 8)

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This version is already outdated !! Link to always most recent version of PLX DAQ v2 here:
==> Site Maintenance <==
=============================================================

PLX-DAQ-v2.2.zip (112 KB)

PLX-DAQ_v2.2.png
PLX-DAQ_v2.2.png1054×829 105 KB

#3

Works just fine on Win 7 Pro x64 with Excel 2010. It does require that you allow the macro to run by changing the security level. One minor problem I had was that it only seems to allow COM port numbers up to 15 and the Teensy I was using was COM30. But I switched to one on COM4 and all is well. I don't have an immediate need for it but it's nice to have it here ready to roll.

Pete

#4

Congratulations and karma. I am not able to test this myself but a lot of users out there are going to appreciate this. I have published PLX notes and I will link to your breakthrough.

Further to COM ports, that is a problem I also have. My main laptop gets Arduino’s bluetooth on COM 40 and I can’t use PLX with it.

#5

Hi there, thanks a lot for the feedback.

I will try to enhance the COM port list. Performing some basic tests with virtual ports this morning I was not able to use any port greater then 9. Might be I find the time on Sunday to fix it.

Could you two give me some info how you managed to get that high Port number? So I can copy your setting and test.

#6

The port numbers were assigned by the system but you can change an existing port. Control Panel | Device Manager | Ports Select the device you want to change and right click on it. Select Port Settings and click on Advanced. The small drop down selector at the bottom of the dialog gives the current COM number and allows you to change it.

Pete

#7

Thanks

#8

Hey Pete,
all right thanks a lot. I found that information elsewhere on the internet as well but didn’t think it was this simple to actually change it :smiley: Quick question: why are running your Arduino on such high ports then anyway? You don’t actually have 39 further COM ports in use do you?

What so ever: I fixed the coding and it is now working with up to 256 ports. Actually port number and baud rate are free text fields now. Just for fun I tested with baud rate 1 (Serial.begin(1):wink: and 400.000 ==> both worked fine 8)

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This version is already outdated !! Link to always most recent version of PLX DAQ v2 here:
==> Site Maintenance <==
=============================================================

What’s new in “version 2.3” aka Change log:

  • Port and baud rate not drop down box anymore but free text fields
  • Port number bug fixed thus ports > 10 can be used (max set to 256 as of modern Windows OS limit)

Code attached in zip file

Image-Link: http://www.freebie-base.de/Pics/PLX_DAQ_v2.3.png
(hosted on my server, no traffic hijack)

1074×797

=============================================================
This version is already outdated !! Link to always most recent version of PLX DAQ v2 here:
==> Site Maintenance <==
=============================================================

PLX-DAQ-v2.3.zip (116 KB)

PLX_DAQ_v2.3.png
PLX_DAQ_v2.3.png1074×797 101 KB

#9

I don't know why it gets to such high COM port numbers. I use Teensys a lot and usually once a Teensy has been assigned a port, it will be that port whenever I plug it in again. But sometimes the system decides to change it and what used to be COM6 is now COM18. Same thing happened when I was using NANO, although not as much because I didn't have as many of them. Occasionally, I open Device Manager, look at the list of COM ports, including the hidden ones that aren't currently plugged in, delete them all, reboot and then start plugging them in again to get lower COM port numbers.

Pete

#10

It works with COM30 :slight_smile:
For Teensy, and perhaps other processors, I added while(!Serial); after Serial.begin so that the code waits for the port to be opened before sending data to PLX-DAQ.

Pete

#11

For the absolute noob, also state that before pressing the Connect button the user should close the arduino serial communications box.

NetDevil,what you did is absolutely great. I will be using your spreadsheet in my research and in my teaching (I am a prof). Many many thanks.

#12

Looks Interesting.

This is what I get, seems like the form is chopped (Using Microsoft Office 365), suggestions?
2016-12-05_23-14-47.png

Edit:
Made this change all OK. Works well on Microsoft Office 365.

frmStampDAQ.Width = 220

Changed to:

frmStampDAQ.Width = 480

.

#13

LarryD: This is what I get, seems like the form is chopped (Using Microsoft Office 365), suggestions?

Hi LarryD, well yeah - that does not look perfect ;-) What happens when you press the button for "Display direct debug =>" ? Is the window expanding?

#14

Made this change all OK. Works well on Microsoft Office 365.

frmStampDAQ.Width = 220

Changed to:

frmStampDAQ.Width = 480

Will be a good tool to add to our collection +1

Is the window expanding?

Yes

.

#15

But that way the direct debug window is shown on startup already. I wanted to keep it lightweight for starter users.

Is the button generally working with your office version? (should expand / collapse the debug window)

#16

NetDevil:
But that way the direct debug window is shown on startup already. I wanted to keep it lightweight for starter users.

Is the button generally working with your office version? (should expand / collapse the debug window)

Right, in this case I have it maximized at start up.

480 seems to be just perfect.

Yes on ‘Windows 10’, Microsoft Office 365 (2016 Excel) works perfect.

Thanks again!

2016-12-06_0-15-35.png

:sleeping: 12:17AM

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#17

Private Sub cmdDebugWindow_Click()

If (cmdDebugWindow.Caption = "Display direct debug =>") Then frmStampDAQ.Width = 480 '#### 470 cmdDebugWindow.Caption = "<= Hide direct debug" Else frmStampDAQ.Width = 230 '#### 220 cmdDebugWindow.Caption = "Display direct debug =>" End If

#18

This is fun.
2016-12-06_17-09-27.png

/*
   very basic sketch for PLX DAQ test
   for new "Version 2.3" of PLX DAQ

   http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=437398.0

*/

int i = 0;

void setup()
{

  // open serial connection
  Serial.begin(9600);

  Serial.println("ROW,SET,1");
  Serial.println("LABEL,Time,Value,millis");

  Serial.println("ROW,SET,2");
  //this command reads the Cell value from the specified cell
  Serial.println("CELL,GET,D1,");
  Serial.print("DATA,TIME,");
  delay(10);
  int  cell_num = Serial.parseInt();
  Serial.print("Value in cell D1 = ");
  Serial.print(cell_num);
  Serial.println(",");
  delay(100);
  Serial.println("ROW,SET,8");

}

void loop()
{

  // simple print out of number and millis
  // output "DATA,TIME,4711,13374"
  Serial.print("DATA,TIME,");
  Serial.print(i++); Serial.print(",");
  Serial.println(millis());

}

2016-12-06_17-00-55.png

#19

Ok i guess there is no real use behind your sketch but the image with the colourful arrows are worth it :smiley: :smiley:

Anyways, I changed the code to determine the used Office version (special treatment for Office 365) so the UI looks better now. Also a second improvement got implemented: “custom dev points” where one can post his own VBA code to perform any kind of action based on the information passed and can afterwards decide whether he wants the main code to continue or not (e.g. read every line before it gets posted to the sheet, if the line contains a value equal to 200 do not post to sheet).

=============================================================
This version is already outdated !! Link to always most recent version of PLX DAQ v2 here:
==> Site Maintenance <==
=============================================================

What’s new in “version 2.4” aka Change log:

  • Fixed a UI problem with Office 365
  • Implemented 2 “custom dev points” (“new line was read” and “new data row recognized”) which get called by the system automatically and where custom code can be pasted and used (example included in code)

Image-Link: http://www.freebie-base.de/Pics/PLX_DAQ_v2.4.png
(hosted on my server, no traffic hijack)

1082×735

=============================================================
This version is already outdated !! Link to always most recent version of PLX DAQ v2 here:
==> Site Maintenance <==
=============================================================

PLX-DAQ-v2.4.zip (118 KB)

PLX_DAQ_v2.4.png
PLX_DAQ_v2.4.png1082×735 97.8 KB

#20

You have done the community a great service.

"Ok i guess there is no real use behind your sketch but the image with the colourful arrows are worth it :D :D " Now my feelings are hurt :(

I added a BEEP and STOPLOGGING case to the sheet, you may want to consider this too. Maybe enable 'Reset Timer' click and enable the check buttons to the form also.

What can I say, well done.

.