tips, tricks, pointers for data to web

[paul@mech]

Hi everyone, I'm about to start on a project which requires acquired data to be displayed (graphed) on a web page. The present software/hardware is capable of writing to a spreadsheet. (temp & humidity readings). As I am a relative novice I would appreciate any advice on how to tackle this project. I will have more details on the current software/hardware acquiring the data soon.

So we have this data coming in and have the option to install LabVIEW (6.0.2) on the computer receiving the data. Firstly, should we use a LabVIEW DAQ to read the data or should I use a combination of what exists already and read the file periodically with LabVIEW software? the main issues are robustness and simplicity.

Once I have the data in Lab
VIEW it will probably then be plotted to XY Graph. Should this data be sent back 'raw' to the uni computer (over internet) which will host the web page or as a front panel with graphing already done?

Assuming these questions are answered, if someone could post some very simple examples of achieving the outcome - say, reading spreadsheet then sending front panel over internet to host computer and inserting into webpage, I will be eternally grateful.(any example code in 6.0.2 please)

For anyone interested, the data is from the airconditioning system at the Australian International Gravitational Observatory in Western Australia.

Regards, Paul.S

[Olivier Zimmermann]

From what you say LabVIEW does not seem to be necessary.
If the data you want to publish on the web is stored in text files by
the existing acquisition software, all you need to do is install
complementary software on the machine, that will turn it to a web server
and thus allow you to access the text files from elsewhere. Free tools
exist for that, but you should submit the job to the network engineer at
your lab.

If what you need is a Graph image, I believe you can automate that task
with something cheeper than LabVIEW - I'm just saying I would consider it.

LabVIEW will help if you want a "LabVIEW-like" graphical representation
of these data, or if you need to achieve more advanced network control
of your application. Or if you just want
a real cool networked
instrumentation piece of code !

oz

[paul@mech]

thanks oz, yep having it look cool is definitely an issue, and cost of LabVIEW is not an issue as we already have the software and licenses...

[Greg_McKaskle2]

You will be able to do pretty much any of the things you describe, it
just depends on what you want/need.

Here are my suggestions -- start with the easy solution, ask the person
who wanted this in the first place for feedback, then change it to do
something more complicated if they ask for it.

If the current DAQ application already has a graph on its panel, then
see about publishing this panel. If not, add a panel that the existing
application and publish the new graphing panel.

There are two ways of publishing. The easiest for all involved is to
use the jpeg publishing. This requires nothing on the viewing computer,
and it works quite well except that it may require more bandwidth or
will update somewhat slower. The other way to publish, ass
uming you
have 6.1, is to publish via remote panels. This works better in many
cases as the panel is more "live", can be used for controlling the
application, and only transmits the binary data. The downside to the
remote panels is that the plugin has to be installed for it to work, and
in some cases, where there is lots of binary data, this can actually be
larger than the jpeg of the graph.

I think you should be able to find examples on devzone -- zone.ni.com.

Greg McKaskle

[paul@mech]

Thanks Greg, that looks like a good place to start. Don't have 6.1 and the jpg sounds like the best option anyway, as I don't think remote control will be required (yet).

Cheers, Paul.S