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Post your improvement ideas & suggestions for future Signal Express releases.

This may or may not be Signal Express specific but:

 

  • Option to save/export a log or data file for strain gage shunts

 

We need this for QMS/ISO tracking. Usually with the 'old' DAQ equipment we can record a data file and apply a shunt across all the channels on the bridge board.

We use this data file as proof that the shunt was applied and the output scaling is correct.

 

If an ISO auditor came in and asked if a strain gaged part was calibrated I'd have no way of prooving it.

 

Typical ISO audit question:

ISO auditor, "is that part calibrated?".

Me, "yes"

ISO auditor, "how do you know or how does your customer know it's calibrated"

Me (using the 'old' daq), "I scale the input based on a know shunt value then output a log file so my customer can see that I applied the correct shunt value and the 'curve' is correct"

Me (using Signal Express), "there's a strain gage wizard that applies and scales the input automatically based on a set of known perameters"

ISO auditor, "so how does your customer know the scale is correct and you in fact ran this strain gage wizard?"

Me, "...uhhh... there's currently no way to record the actual shunt file. But I remember doing it..."

 

FAIL

SCXI- 1000 Chassis w/ 1346 adapter
PCI 6281 DAQ card
SCXI- 1520 Bridge Board w/ 1314 Terminal Block (x2)
SCXI- 1180 Feedthrough Panel w/ 1302 Block
Signal Express 2014.
Win7 Enterprise
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Message 21 of 93
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HI all,

 

I think that a zero offset step is a "must have" for a lot of applications (mainly in structural tests). I made some tests in SE 2010 and I found a good solution using user interface capabilities with scaling step. The problem is that I cannot save offsets inserted manually for further acquisitions (all controls are setted @ default values when I reopen the project).

It would be nice to have a step able to:

  1. manage more than one channel
  2. give user the ability to insert offsets throught a very simple table, as other programs do
  3. Save this offsets as components of Signal Express project, so user can reuse that

I attached my program. If you have any suggestions, you're welcome!

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Message 22 of 93
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It might be too unique for general use but I have a specific external device which presents video data on both the leading edge and trailing edge of a clock pulse.  I do not believe SE can handle triggering on both leading and trailing edges of a digital pulse. This might be a useful addition.

 

Chuck

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Message 23 of 93
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To expand on the 'Disable Step' suggestion in post #5 it would be nice to be able to have a range of channels 'loaded' in the Save to ASCII input tab and have the ability to simply check or uncheck the ones you want written to file. Similar to the selection window that pops up when you right-click on a data view graph and select Signals> Add Signal...

 

There are several instances where I'm acquiring data from multiple sources, however when I record the data I don't necessarily need ALL of the channels. I realize there's the Add Input / Remove buttons but this requires you to select signals one at a time and remove signals one at a time. This becomes a little cumbersome when dealing with dozens of channels. It is very common (for me at least) to toggle back and forth between which samples I'm logging data from.

 

For visualization purposes I've attached a photoshop screen image of what the feature may look like.

 

Notice there are multiple 'similar' or even 'paired' signals, to go in and quickly check or uncheck the ones you need would be a nice addition.

 

 

 SigExSave.jpg

SCXI- 1000 Chassis w/ 1346 adapter
PCI 6281 DAQ card
SCXI- 1520 Bridge Board w/ 1314 Terminal Block (x2)
SCXI- 1180 Feedthrough Panel w/ 1302 Block
Signal Express 2014.
Win7 Enterprise
Message 24 of 93
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Playback Options... Number of Blocks as a control

 
01-12-2011 02:06 PM

Can the Playback Mode… Playback Options… Number of Blocks be a control? I want to be able to set 1 block without having to calculate the appropriate Block Size (samples) based on the Sample Rate and current Number of Blocks. An additional control here may be Delta t in case I want to directly specify the delta time of my block size. The three values can all be controls. Changing the value of one of them recalculates and updates the value of the other two.

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Message 25 of 93
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Duplicate Imported signal express log folders

 
01-12-2011 01:58 PM

When I Import Log Data from another SE Project, is there a reason why I couldn't have the option to save a copy of the Log data folders in my current Project's folder? That way if I am analyzing the data in my current Project I don't lose the link if someone relocates the original data folder.

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Message 26 of 93
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Add Units to output of Formula Step

 

I am performing a Formula Step calculation but I don't see any way of including the calculated unit with the calculated value (as you would have when using a Custom Scale in the DAQmx Acquire Step).  I want my Display and Exported Data to indicate the calculated unit.

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Message 27 of 93
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Allow LE version to open/review Projects

 

I run tests and capture data using my full version of SE. I install the LE version on the Engineers' computers so that they can review the data. The LE version will not open the Project if is has unlicensed (non LE) steps. I understand that NI does not want to allow LE users to run Projects with unlicensed steps. However, I feel that LE should allow the Projects to be opened and viewed so that the Engineer can determine the manner in which the data was captured (Steps, order, settings, etc.) and be able to review/export the Log data without having to suck it into a new Project (Import Logs from another Project).

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Message 28 of 93
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sraykens wrote:

 

Prompt for log location: I've been burned more than once when someone else logs data and by default it goes to their My Documents folder, where I can't access it.  I know there are places to change this, but I would like a reminder of this.  When the popup box for naming the log file comes up, I would like to see the log file save location listed - and an option to change it from that popup.  That way, even if your default or project-specific save location isn't set correctly, you can change it when you start your log.

 


 

I agree.  This happens to me also.  I would like to see the Tools...Options...Logging settings for "Save copy of project next to log files" and "Store log files next to project file" in the popup box for naming the log file.  Or maybe the Tools...Options settings saved at the Project level instead of the User level.  That way the Tools...Options settings could be set to default to the desired settings anytime the Project is opened.

 

 

 

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Message 29 of 93
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sraykens wrote:

 

Improve Renaming of Log Files: When renaming log files from within Signal Express, it doesn't rename the log file parent folder or the .txt file with meta data.  When the logs are transferred to another computer and opened using another SE project file or DIAdem.  It seems to be a local rename instead of a permanent version.  I would like to suggest a permanent rename that removes the original name and replaces it with the new desired name.


 

I agree and would also like to see this improvement.  I typically use the Log file name to describe the test conditions.  It makes for some very long and cryptic Log names.  If there is a mistake in the Log name "test description", I usually have to rerun the test because changing the Log name in the Project does not change it permanently in the Log file (as you have pointed out).  This can create confusion if the Log data is accessed from somewhere other than the original Project.

 

I would like to have a better way to document tests and test conditions than using the Log file name but I haven't come up with anything yet.

 

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Message 30 of 93
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