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displaying analog sensors data on a pc

L

Lyn

Hello,
I have written much software for embedded processors but not for the
pc for about 10 years. (I'm really a electronic engineer.)
I have a stream of ASCII data (CSV data ) from some analog sensors
sent via USB. I want to write some software for a pc to display these
values in real time, as for example coloured icons or a bar meter. I
used to be quite familiar with the simplicity of RS232 but USB
software is new to me. I now regard myself as a beginner in pc
software, should I use something like Visual Basic to get something up
easily? I wrote in "C" for many years, but really just want something
quick and easy for a demo? Any ideas please?
Maybe there is an application off the shelf for analog display?

lyn
www.lyndsay.com
sensecam at gmail dot com
 
T

Tom2000

Hello,
I have written much software for embedded processors but not for the
pc for about 10 years. (I'm really a electronic engineer.)
I have a stream of ASCII data (CSV data ) from some analog sensors
sent via USB. I want to write some software for a pc to display these
values in real time, as for example coloured icons or a bar meter. I
used to be quite familiar with the simplicity of RS232 but USB
software is new to me. I now regard myself as a beginner in pc
software, should I use something like Visual Basic to get something up
easily? I wrote in "C" for many years, but really just want something
quick and easy for a demo? Any ideas please?
Maybe there is an application off the shelf for analog display?

lyn
www.lyndsay.com
sensecam at gmail dot com
Click to expand...

The Arduino folks have been using a package called Processing for that
sort of stuff. It's a free download from http://www.processing.org .

It's based on Java. With your C background, you should be comfortable
right away.

There are lots of examples on the site. Chances are very good that
you'll be able to tune up a canned example that's close to what you
want to do.

I haven't tried it yet, but it's on my to-do list. :)

Good luck!

Tom
 
R

robb

Lyn said:
Hello,
I have written much software for embedded processors but not for the
pc for about 10 years. (I'm really a electronic engineer.)
I have a stream of ASCII data (CSV data ) from some analog sensors
sent via USB. I want to write some software for a pc to display these
values in real time, as for example coloured icons or a bar meter. I
used to be quite familiar with the simplicity of RS232 but USB
software is new to me. I now regard myself as a beginner in pc
software, should I use something like Visual Basic to get something up
easily? I wrote in "C" for many years, but really just want something
quick and easy for a demo? Any ideas please?
Maybe there is an application off the shelf for analog display?

lyn
www.lyndsay.com
sensecam at gmail dot com
Click to expand...

depends on your time frame and the sophistication desired.

First writting anything like this from scratch even in VB (which
is considered easier, and there are easier tools) requires a
learning curve dependent on your own high level programming tools
experience. Mostly with familiarization with terminology and the
TAO of VB you will want access to VB experts, Consier posting
this on one of the usenet forums for VB or VC programming they
might even dump some code that aleady works and you just change
to suit your need . I would not reccomend VC or VC# etc, it will
look as foreign as VB even with your "C" experience and the
learning curve probably steeper just trying to find all the
software calls to do what you want and how to connect to other
calls. Learning curve is worst thing about these tools. a
seasoned VB/VC/C# prgrammer could knock out a nifty version in
less than an hour and probably less that 1/2 hour.


If you need sophistication Dials/Buttons/charting etc

Then consider there are scads of OTS software / toolkits /
component libraries / applications that do this kind of stuff
allready and you can download a freebie/trial for your demo.
These can be as easy as drag drop integrated display and
programming environment to mundane components you add to VB/VC
etc.

EG. National Instruments "LabView" which is probably overkill by
magnitudes from what you have stated but it is fun and pretty and
there are many other similar tools

you will find these tools under usuall monikers of MMI, HMI,
SCADA etc

you may illicit OT comments from sci.electronic.design

consider posting to VB/VC software groups
good luck,
robb
 
J

J.A. Legris

Hello,
I have written much software for embedded processors but not for the
pc for about 10 years. (I'm really a electronic engineer.)
I have a stream of ASCII data (CSV data ) from some analog sensors
sent via USB. I want to write some software for a pc to display these
values in real time, as for example coloured icons or a bar meter. I
used to be quite familiar with the simplicity of RS232 but USB
software is new to me. I now regard myself as a beginner in pc
software, should I use something like Visual Basic to get something up
easily? I wrote in "C" for many years, but really just want something
quick and easy for a demo? Any ideas please?
Maybe there is an application off the shelf for analog display?

lynwww.lyndsay.com
sensecam at gmail dot com
Click to expand...

http://www.lvr.com/usb.htm
 
J

Jan Panteltje

Thank you all for your replies, I shall check out.
Actually my website www.lyndsayw.com, not the other I mis spelt ...in
case anyone cares!


Lyn
Click to expand...

Now that is something that I did not want to suggest after your first posting,
but now I do:
How about installing LINUX?
The way to go in Linux, for simple things like this, is:
libusb (to get the data)
xforms graphics package (to design the GUI).
http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/xforms/
xforms has fdesign, a WYSIWYG graphics design program that
allows you to add buttons, dials, sliders, displays, etc..
look here for my satellite positioner / recorder how it looks for example:
ftp://panteltje.com/pub/xdipo2.jpg
or some PC scope... with internet remote support:
http://panteltje.com/panteltje/xpequ/index.html
Although I do not use fdesign, but type the code by hand, fdesign
will write the C code for you, if you add the sliders and other stuff,
all you need to do, is add (write) the callbacks.
I am glad to hear there was an explosion at MS, now we know why their share price
has never been the same again:
http://finance.google.com/finance?q=microsoft&hl=en
 
G

gravpoet

Now that is something that I did not want to suggest after your first posting,
but now I do:
How about installing LINUX?
The way to go in Linux, for simple things like this, is:
libusb (to get the data)
xforms graphics package (to design the GUI).
http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/xforms/
xforms has fdesign, a WYSIWYG graphics design program that
allows you to add buttons, dials, sliders, displays, etc..
look here for my satellite positioner / recorder how it looks for example:
ftp://panteltje.com/pub/xdipo2.jpg
or some PC scope... with internet remote support:
http://panteltje.com/panteltje/xpequ/index.html
Although I do not use fdesign, but type the code by hand, fdesign
will write the C code for you, if you add the sliders and other stuff,
all you need to do, is add (write) the callbacks.
I am glad to hear there was an explosion at MS, now we know why their share price
has never been the same again:
http://finance.google.com/finance?q=microsoft&hl=en
Click to expand...

Try DasyLab.
 
P

pogo

Lyn said:
Thank you all for your replies, I shall check out.
Actually my website www.lyndsayw.com, not the other I mis spelt ...in
case anyone cares!
Click to expand...

Very cool! I'm glad you set us straight on the correct website address!
jcd
 
J

John Nagle

Lyn said:
Hello,
I have written much software for embedded processors but not for the
pc for about 10 years. (I'm really a electronic engineer.)
I have a stream of ASCII data (CSV data ) from some analog sensors
sent via USB. I want to write some software for a pc to display these
values in real time, as for example coloured icons or a bar meter. ....
Maybe there is an application off the shelf for analog display?
Click to expand...

Just buy LabView. That's what everybody uses commercially.
Anything else will take 10x as much work, at least.

John Nagle
 
G

Gary Brown

I have a stream of ASCII data (CSV data ) from some analog sensors
Just buy LabView. That's what everybody uses commercially.
Click to expand...

How much $?
 
F

Frithiof Andreas Jensen

"Lyn" <[email protected]> skrev i en meddelelse

I wrote in "C" for many years, but really just want something
quick and easy for a demo? Any ideas please?
Click to expand...

If you want to code something custom (in Python - will work on windows):
http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/

If your data is a time series, RRDtool can manage it (runs on windows too
and has Python interface):
http://oss.oetiker.ch/rrdtool/

If your data does not need to "update realtime", this can be hacked (needs
Linux+Apache+MySQL+PHP):
http://cacti.net/
Maybe there is an application off the shelf for analog display?
Click to expand...

maybe. we scripted a scrollling display up in bash shell using RRDTool and
ImgMagick.
 
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