Bringing Data Into Analyse-Plus and Sending It To Other Applications

There are several fast ways to get data in and out of Analyse-Plus.
To send data out:
Export (ASCII text format)
DDE Send (one-shot)
DDE Server (makes any file available to a DDE client anytime)
Matlab script (optional item)

To receive data:
Import (ASCII text format)
DDE Receive (one-shot)
Import QMM (optional item)
Import Bailey CLS (optional item)
Optional items are usually for specialized use and are available at extra cost. See Software Add-Ons (Options).

The export tool can export multiple data files at once into multiple or single ASCII (text) files. When exporting files, you can choose multiple data files (up to 300) from the Quick List if you wish. In this case, you can export them to a single text file with multiple columns or to multiple text files (one for each data file).

Choose the delimiter and the format of the time stamp. The following delimiters are available:
Comma
Tab
One Space
Semi-Colon
Fixed Column Width

If you are exporting multiple data files to a single text file, the first column will be the time stamp (time index) data if every data file had the same sample period. Otherwise, there will be one time stamp column for each data file (alternating).

If you are exporting multiple data files to multiple text files, you can save time by selecting Use Source With New Extension. This will choose the directory (folder) and filename of each text file automatically. The folder of the text file will be the same as the data file and the filename will be the same as the data file except a .TXT extension will be used in place of the Analyse-Plus extension (.CSD). If you wish to explicitly specify the path and filename for each text file, click Select New Path and Name.

DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) is a quick and easy way to send or receive data between Analyse-Plus and other applications. It is generally faster than exporting and importing.

There are three DDE functions in Analyse-Plus:
DDE Send (pictured above)
DDE Receive
DDE Server

In DDE Send and DDE Receive, Analyse-Plus is a client and the other application is the server. In DDE Server, Analyse-Plus is the server and the other application is the client.

DDE Send is used to send data files to other applications such as Excel^TM. You need to know 3 items of information. In the case of Excel^TM, these are the name of the program ("Excel"), the name of the workbook or sheet and the row/column location where the data should go. If you are using Excel^TM, click the Topics button to get a list of open workbooks and sheets; then click on the sheet where the data should go. Then click Send to transmit the data ("one-shot").

You can also send file information (Tag, Description, Units, Data & Time collected, etc.) as well as the time stamp column. Just click the check-boxes.

Some Windows operating systems only allow transmission of chunks of text up to 64K in size. The "First Sample", "Last Sample" and "If Destinations Are Row or Column...64K Chunks" fields allow you to overcome this limitation.

DDE Server, when activated, stands ready to automatically fulfill requests for data from other applications (clients) running on the same computer or over a network. This feature is meant for advanced users. It is most useful for sending many files so that the setup time in the other computer is worthwhile. For routinely sending files, use DDE Receive described above.

Generally, you click the Activate button of any or all of the topics you wish to make available to the client. Then minimize the window. The Server will remain active until you click on the OK or Cancel buttons. The client must be configured or programmed to inquire with the proper keywords.

The System Topic provides a list of available Topics plus all of the filenames in the Quick List.

The Specific File Topic transmits a data file. The filename can be specified by the user by clicking the Modify button. A client can also poke the Specific File Topic to specify the filename. By using the filenames provided in the System Topic, and poking the Specific File Topic, a client could read all of the data files in the Quick List.

The Collection Status Topic provides detailed information about the progress of the current data collection (with the DataLogger CVF2, if purchased). Once the client determines that the collection has ended, it can use the System Topic to check what new filenames have been created, and the Specific File Topic to read the new files containing sampled data.

The import tool can import a file with multiple columns of different lengths. Various delimiters are allowed. Each column you choose to import will be made into a single data file. It's done in 3 quick steps with a preview window much like many spreadsheet applications.

Analyse-Plus can import almost any type of Text file. When you select the text file, it will determine the delimiters used between columns (comma, spaces, etc.) and the type of time data. The text file may have no time stamp column, may have one time stamp column that specifies the sample period for all columns of sampled data, or it may have one time stamp column for each column of sampled data (alternating). The time stamp data is only used for determining the sample period. You can override the calculated sample period or manually specify the delimiters.

The columns of data do not have to be the same length.

In the last step of importing, you specify the desired filenames only for columns you wish to import.

DDE Receive is used to receive individual samples or a group of samples (may be an entire file) from other applications. In the case of Excel^TM, the 3 items of information you need to know are the name of the program ("Excel"), the name of the workbook or sheet and the row/column location where the data comes from. If you are using Excel^TM, to get the workbook/sheet, click the Topics button to get a list of open workbooks and sheets; then click the one where the data should go. Generally, it's quicker than exporting from one application and importing to another.

DDE Receive can receive data in a single transmission ("one-shot") or repeatedly (like sampling). The data you specify is received when you click the Start Receive button and whenever the sending application indicates that the data is new (typically when it changes). When transferring data from a spreadsheet, typically the entire data set would be transferred at once. In this case, you would click End Receive as soon as the First Sample and Last Sample fields change (indicating that the transmission has been received). When sampling from an industrial computer (typically over a network), the transmitting computer would typically send one or a few samples at a time at an interval determined by it. The transmitting computer would automatically inform Analyse-Plus when the data is new.

If you wish to have the data sent at an interval independent of the update time of the data, click on This Source and enter a different item. This would typically be a sampling trigger, a counter or a clock.

When all the desired data has been received, click End Receive. The file will be saved to the filename you specified under Filename to Save.

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