DIAdem TM Basics Course Manual

Transcription

1 DIAdem TM Basics Course Manual Course Software Version 2012 January 2013 Edition Part Number K-01 DIAdem Basics Copyright National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited. All rights reserved. Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form electronic or mechanical. This includes photocopying, recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National Instruments Corporation. National Instruments respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask our users to do the same. NI software is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Where NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials belonging to others, you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you are authorized to reproduce in accordance with the terms of any applicable license or other legal restrictions. End-User License Agreements and Third-Party Legal Notices You can find end-user license agreements (EULAs) and third-party legal notices in the following folders: Legal notice: <National Instruments>\_Legal Information and <National Instruments> EULAs: <National Instruments>\Shared\MDF\Legal\license Information on how to add legal notices to the installation programs which are generated with NI products: <National Instruments>\_Legal Information.txt Trademarks The names LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, ni.com, the National Instruments logo (word and picture trademark) and the eagle logo (picture trademark) are protected trademarks of National Instruments. Refer to Trademark Information at ni.com/ trademarks for information on further National Instruments trademarks. Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. Members of the National Instruments Alliance Partner Program are business entities independent from National Instruments and have no agency, partnership, or joint-venture relationship with National Instruments. Patents Refer to Help»Patents in your software, in the file patents.txt on your data media, or in the Patent Information from atni.com/patents. National Instruments

2 Technical support and product information worldwide ni.com International Branch Offices You can find the addresses and telephone numbers of branch offices at ni.com/niglobal. You can also find contact details for technical support and information on local events at the websites of the respective branch offices. National Instruments Corporate Headquarters North Mopac Expressway Austin, Texas USA Tel: For further information refer to Additional Information and Resources in the appendix. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding our documentation, please go to our website ni.com/info and enter feedback as infocode.

3 Contents Student Guide A. Course Description...vii B. What You Need to Get Started...vii C. Installing the Course Software...viii D. Course Goals...ix E. Conventions...x Lesson 1 Introduction to DIAdem A. Overview of DIAdem B. DIAdem Functions C. Main Components of DIAdem D. Configuring DIAdem Lesson 2 Managing Data A. Uses of the DIAdem NAVIGATOR Panel B. DIAdem NAVIGATOR Components C. Mining External Data with DIAdem NAVIGATOR D. Loading Data E. Managing Internal Data in the Data Portal F. Working with the Data Properties G. Working with Data Stores Lesson 3 Viewing Data A. Uses of the VIEW Panel B. Components of the VIEW Panel C. Loading and Saving a DIAdem VIEW Layout D. Displaying Data in DIAdem VIEW E. DIAdem VIEW Display Types F. Transferring Worksheets to DIAdem REPORT G. Introduction to the DIAdem Calculator National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited iii

4 Contents Lesson 4 Creating Reports A. Components of the REPORT Panel B. Creating a Report C. Formats and Display Modes D. Loading and Saving a DIAdem REPORT Layout E. Comparing DIAdem VIEW with DIAdem REPORT Lesson 5 Analyzing Data A. Application Areas of DIAdem ANALYSIS B. Components of DIAdem ANALYSIS C. Calculations in DIAdem ANALYSIS D. Standard Data Analysis Functions E. Calculating with Invalid Values Lesson 6 Calculator and Calculation Manager A. Working with the Calculator B. Calculator Operands and Operations C. Calculator Variables D. Working with the Calculation Manager Lesson 7 Units in DIAdem A. General B. Definition and Use C. Editing the Units Catalog D. Working with Units E. Calculating Quantity-Based and Non-Quantity-Based in DIAdem Lesson 8 Automating Sequences A. Usage of DIAdem SCRIPT B. Components of DIAdem SCRIPT C. Structure of a Script D. Automating DIAdem with the Recording Mode E. Editing a Script F. Evaluating a Series of Files G. Special Script Functions iv ni.com

5 DIAdem Basics Lesson 9 Solving Typical Tasks with DIAdem A. Importing External Data into DIAdem B. Identifying and Graphing Peaks C. Finding Events and Trends D. Finding Frequency Contents E. Curve Fitting F. Working with 3D Data G. Comparing Data from Different Test Runs Appendix A Additional Information and Resources National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited v

6 Introduction to DIAdem 1 DIAdem is the interactive National Instruments software for finding and managing technical data, mathematically and graphically analyzing the data, and presenting the data in reports. This lesson describes the application areas, the functions, and the main components of DIAdem. Topics A. Overview of DIAdem B. DIAdem Functions C. Main Components of DIAdem D. Configuring DIAdem National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited 1-1

7 Lesson 1 Introduction to DIAdem A. Overview of DIAdem Today, engineers are faced with the challenge of developing new products that meet ever higher quality standards in increasingly shorter periods of time. Acquiring the data for design validation and product optimization is often less time consuming than the subsequent data management and data analysis. Many companies have a vast quantity of data in various data formats on innumerable computers. Finding and using relevant data is often an elaborate and time-consuming procedure. If the necessary data cannot be retrieved, a measurement must be repeated. This worst case scenario creates further costs for the company. Well-organized folder structures, standardized filenames, or database archives are no help when the data is stored in a format not supported by the implemented analysis software and report software. Office software or software used for scientific purposes, which is not designed to meet the needs of evaluating measurement data, can create further unforeseen costs due to the time needed to convert the data and to adapt the software to the requirements of engineers. Figure 1-1 shows the data problem that occurs when data is in different data formats located in different places and evaluated with different tools. Figure 1-1. The Data Problem Selecting and investing in the right tool for mining, loading, and processing your data to gain the best and most efficient result when you acquire and archive this data, is of vital importance. DIAdem from National Instruments is standard software for the interactive management, processing, and presentation of technical data, as shown in Figure 1-2. DIAdem has flexible access to various data sources, which simplifies interdepartmental and intercompany data sharing. A data mining tool makes finding data as easy as using an Internet search engine. Versatile functions for data analysis and report creation and easy handling make DIAdem an ideal tool for everyday use. 1-2 ni.com

8 DIAdem Basics le Figure 1-2. Managing, Analyzing, and Displaying Technical Data mp You can use DIAdem to extract necessary information from your test data in a uniform environment in order to make technical decisions. You search for the relevant data on your computer or on the network, navigate in data files and databases, and drag and drop the retrieved data into DIAdem. You view the loaded data to decide on which data to run mathematical analyses. You present the calculation results in a report which you can export to various graphics formats. Use the DIAdem recording mode to automate, without programming, recurring processes that you can then access "at the push of a button". This method reduces evaluation time and eliminates evaluation errors. The development environment integrated in DIAdem and the dialog editor help you create applications with a customized user interface based on Visual Basic Script. Figure 1-3 shows the DIAdem environment. Sa Figure 1-3. The DIAdem Environment National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited 1-3

9 Lesson 1 Introduction to DIAdem In this course, you will learn how to use the interactive DIAdem interface, work with different data, and automate DIAdem. B. DIAdem Functions DIAdem offers various functions for processing test data. You can use these functions to mine, manage, inspect, and analyze your test data, display the results in reports, and automate analyses and reports. Finding and Managing Test Data Measurement technology is becoming more complex as the demands on testing methods and evaluation methods increase. As a result, you can store valuable engineering data in many formats across numerous locations. This course shows you how to use DIAdem in order to find and to manage data in different formats and at different locations, how to access databases, and how to read binary files, ASCII files, and Excel files. Inspecting Test Data You must inspect the measurement data to recognize events that occur during a measurement. This is often the only way to determine whether a test was successful. This course shows you how to interactively view, edit, and analyze your data in tables and in graphics for a better understanding of the measurement process. Analyzing Test Data When you load your data into DIAdem, you can use the integrated tools for mathematical and visual analysis to turn raw measurements into results. The DIAdem analysis library offers a wide range of mathematical functions for data analysis. This course shows you how to use the tools for mathematical and visual analysis in DIAdem. Displaying Results in Reports Efficient information exchange in comprehensive projects requires the clear and concise transfer of measurement data and analysis data. This course shows you how to use the drag and drop environment in DIAdem efficiently to create informative reports that meet engineering standards. Automating Analyses and Reports When you have defined common procedures and templates for your analysis and reporting tasks, use the Visual Basic Script engine built into DIAdem to automate recurring tasks. Automation provides faster results and eliminates errors that might occur in a manual process. This course provides an introduction to the automation options in DIAdem. 1-4 ni.com

10 DIAdem Basics C. Main Components of DIAdem DIAdem combines data access, data management, analysis, report creation, and automation functions on a uniform interface, which enables you to process your data fast and efficiently. To provide a clear structure, the specific functions are grouped in panels according to the task. The following chapter explains the tasks and functionality of the individual DIAdem panels and provides an insight into the user interface. The User Interface The DIAdem panels constitute the main level, where functions are grouped into related areas. The panels are arranged on the panel bar on the left side of the screen and are always visible, enabling you to switch from one panel to another. Panels DIAdem includes the following panels: Use DIAdem NAVIGATOR to navigate in different file types and in different data stores, to search for data, and to drag and drop data into DIAdem. Use DIAdem VIEW to view your data as curves or to edit single values in tables. You can add text, graphics, or videos to these displays. Use DIAdem ANALYSIS to mathematically evaluate your data with standard functions from the extensive mathematics library or with your own formulas. Use DIAdem REPORT to generate reports of your test data and analysis results. Use DIAdem SCRIPT to automate recurring tasks with scripts, from loading, then analyzing, and to finally documenting the data. Every DIAdem panel provides exclusively those functions that the panel needs to fulfill the allocated sub-task. When you select a DIAdem panel, the group bars, function groups, and menus appear for quick access to the functions you need. Each DIAdem panel has its own group bar to the right of the panel bar. Click a function bar button in the group bar and select the function you want when the function group opens. The workspace also changes with the DIAdem panel and displays a folder hierarchy or a worksheet. Each panel has its own toolbar and context menus, which contain frequently-used functions. All the panels work with the data that you load into the Data Portal. DIAdem VIEW, DIAdem ANALYSIS, and DIAdem SCRIPT can modify data and store the results in the Data Portal. National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited 1-5

11 Lesson 1 Introduction to DIAdem Figure 1-4 shows the structure of a DIAdem panel. 1 Panel bar 2 Group bar 3 Function group 4 Tooltip of the selected function Figure 1-4. Structure of a DIAdem Panel 5 Menu bar 6 Toolbar 7 Data Portal 8 Status bar 1-6 ni.com

12 DIAdem Basics Figure 1-5 shows DIAdem VIEW as an example for the structure of a DIAdem panel. Functions Figure 1-5. Example of the DIAdem Panel Structure - DIAdem VIEW 1 Panel bar 2 Group bar 3 Function group 4 Tooltip of the selected function When you click a panel, the respective group bar appears next to the panel bar. This second level contains groups of related functions. Click an item on the group bar to open a function group and select a function. For example, you can select worksheet partitions in DIAdem VIEW, axis systems and tables in DIAdem REPORT, or select mathematical functions in DIAdem ANALYSIS. DIAdem executes functions in the panel workspace. Workspace 5 DIAdem VIEW toolbar 6 Data Portal 7 DIAdem VIEW workspace 8 Status bar Note You can purchase the DIAdem Base, Advanced, and Professional editions. If you install the DIAdem Base edition, the buttons from the function group and group bar for the functions not included in the DIAdem Base edition are dimmed and cannot be enabled. Each DIAdem panel has a different workspace for displaying and editing functions. DIAdem VIEW, for example, has a predefined workspace, where you enable axis systems and tables for an overview of your data. You can position and resize axis systems, tables, texts, comments, and graphics in the DIAdem REPORT workspace. National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited 1-7

13 Lesson 1 Introduction to DIAdem You edit all objects in the workspace in the same way click an object to enable the object. Double-click an object to open a dialog box where you set the object parameters. Right-click an object to open its context menu. The toolbar is above the workspace. The toolbar contains the functions that you frequently require for working with the panel. The status bar is below the workspace. The status bar displays messages, tooltips, and information about the functions of the selected objects and actions. The context menus contain the functions you require for working with the object you select. Some functions are only available in context menus, such as functions for generating data in DIAdem VIEW channel tables. Dialog Boxes DIAdem often needs additional information to execute a command or an action. Enter this additional information, called parameters, into a specific dialog box of the function. Double-click an object to open the dialog box where you set the object parameters. Figure 1-6 shows the curve and axis definition dialog box. Figure 1-6. Dialog Box for Curve and Axis Definition in DIAdem REPORT DIAdem NAVIGATOR Use DIAdem NAVIGATOR to search for data and to load data selectively or completely into the Data Portal, to register data, to import data, and to save data completely or selectively. Navigate in data files, file folders, and databases to find your external data. The properties display shows the properties of a selected data set. To search for specific data, define a query in the search 1-8 ni.com

14 DIAdem Basics input area. You load the data set into the Data Portal, which manages all internal data and makes the data accessible for all DIAdem panels. Figure 1-7 shows the DIAdem NAVIGATOR interface with the properties display and the Data Portal. Figure 1-7. DIAdem NAVIGATOR with the Data Portal 1 Search input area 2 Data file selected in the file browser 3 Properties display with the properties of the selected external data 4 Loaded data file as a new group in the Data Portal 5 Properties display of the Data Portal with the properties of the internal data 6 Channel preview Use the function groups DataFinder and Data Stores to open the various DataFinders and to access server-based databases, complex file-based data, and ASAM data stores. The toolbar has functions for loading external data into the Data Portal, for saving and deleting the internal data in the Data Portal, and for working with queries. DIAdem VIEW You can use DIAdem VIEW to inspect, measure, and edit the data of the Data Portal. Curves in 2D axis systems give you an overall view of the channels. You examine the curves with a cursor, zoom curve sections, and delete or replace curve points. List numeric channels, waveform channels, time channels, and text channels in channel tables where you can view and edit single values. If you modify curves or edit channels, DIAdem saves the changes in the Data Portal. If you record a video of a test while recording data, you can compare the video with the data, which is National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited 1-9

15 Lesson 1 Introduction to DIAdem displayed as curves. You can illustrate the view of your data with diagrams and text. You also can project your data as color shading or as deformation onto a 3D model of the test object. Use contour displays to display and to analyze 3D data as characteristic diagrams. Use map displays to explain geographical data. Figure 1-8 shows a worksheet with two axis systems, the coordinate window, a channel table, and a textbox. Figure 1-8. DIAdem VIEW with Coordinates Window 1 Toolbar with various graphic cursors and measurement cursors 2 Group bar with different worksheet partitions 3 2D axis system 4 Axis system toolbar 5 Curve symbol in the legend 6 Worksheet tab 7 Textbox with test description 8 Coordinates window 9 Channel table Select a worksheet partition in the group bar to align the axis systems, channel tables, and textboxes in the worksheet. The function groups offer different combinations of worksheet partitions. A VIEW layout may contain several worksheets with different views of your data. Select Insert» Worksheet to create a new worksheet. The toolbar contains various graphics cursors and cursor types for inspecting curves and accessing characteristic curve points. The toolbar also contains the buttons for enabling and disabling the coordinates window, for defining the curve display, and for loading and saving layouts. You can print the current worksheet or transfer it to a report. The toolbar has a button that opens the Calculator. Use the Calculator to generate channels and to execute calculations with channels. You can also use the Calculator to calculate and to display single values and to assign variables ni.com

16 DIAdem Basics Each axis system and each contour display has its own toolbar. Use this toolbar to zoom a selected section of the curve, to specify the scaling mode for the axis system, or to specify the intersection curves of the contour display. DIAdem ANALYSIS With DIAdem ANALYSIS you analyze the data of the Data Portal mathematically to reveal correlations and to derive further information from the data. Figure 1-9 shows the DIAdem ANALYSIS interface. Figure 1-9. List of Calculations Executed in DIAdem ANALYSIS 1 Toolbar with the Calculator and the calculation templates 2 Group bar with standard mathematical functions 3 Protocols of the calculations 4 Data Portal with the original data and the results DIAdem ANALYSIS contains extensive libraries with mathematical standard functions that are located in various function groups. The function groups include basic mathematics such as differentiation, signal analysis such as FFT, and 3D analysis such as isoline calculations. Note Which functions you can use depends on which options you have in your DIAdem installation. The buttons for the functions not included in your license are dimmed and thus disabled on the group bar and in the function group. National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited 1-11

17 Lesson 1 Introduction to DIAdem To use a standard function, click the group bar button and select a feature in the function group that opens. Set the parameters for your calculation in the dialog box that opens. DIAdem stores the calculation result in new channels of the default group, in the Data Portal. You specify the default group in the context menu of the Data Portal structure view. If you select Store result in original channel in the dialog box, the function stores the result data in the original channels and overwrites the original data. If you call another standard function, DIAdem prompts you to apply the function to the results of the last calculation. You can use all the numeric channels, waveform channels, and time channels in the Data Portal to execute calculations. The DIAdem ANALYSIS workspace shows you which calculations you have executed with which channels. The toolbar has a button that opens the Calculator. You can use the Calculator to run your own calculations with channels and to generate new channels. You can also use the Calculator to calculate and to display single values and to assign values to variables. The toolbar also contains buttons for creating and managing calculation templates which you can then execute repeatedly without much effort. DIAdem REPORT Use DIAdem REPORT to generate a report that documents measurement data and results. You can access all the data in the Data Portal and present the data in a variety of ways ni.com

18 DIAdem Basics Figure 1-10 shows the DIAdem REPORT interface. Figure Worksheet in DIAdem REPORT 1 Toolbar with alignment functions 2 Format bar 3 Group bar with axis systems, tables, graphics, and decorations 4 2D axis systems You can use any combination of axis systems, tables, text, and graphics in a report. Axis systems display data in curves or bar diagrams, and tables list channel contents. You can label your report with text and comments and illustrate your report with graphics and lines. The various graphical display objects are grouped into function bars: 2D and 3D axis systems, 2D and 3D tables, polar axis systems, graphics, and decorations. The respective function groups contain various prepared types of these objects. A report may consist of several worksheets with different displays of your data. Select Insert» Worksheet to create a new worksheet. The toolbar contains functions for loading and saving layouts, and for printing the report. The toolbar also has functions for aligning selected objects, and for refreshing the report. DIAdem SCRIPT 5 Worksheet tab 6 2D table 7 Integrated graphic 8 Text Use DIAdem SCRIPT to automate recurring processes, such as standard evaluations and serial evaluations in a script. Each action and function in DIAdem has a command. A script consists of a series of commands that DIAdem executes consecutively. National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited 1-13

19 Lesson 1 Introduction to DIAdem The easiest way to generate a script is in the recording mode. The recording mode records in the script editor the commands and the variable assignments for each interactive editing step. You can edit, extend, save, and test the recorded script. You use scripts to complete complex operations at the push of a button, starting with data loading over data analysis to the finished report. You can customize DIAdem to meet user requirements. Figure 1-11 shows the DIAdem SCRIPT workspace, which is divided into the script editor and the information area for the debug mode. Script Editor Figure Script in DIAdem SCRIPT 1 Toolbar with recording mode and editing functions 2 Group bar with dialog box definitions 3 Script editor with script 4 Information area You can view and modify scripts in the script editor. You can edit scripts, for example, to include control structures that change the linear sequence of commands. You can also integrate request dialog boxes, or enable the user to interact with the script while the script is running. To make editing easier, use functions such as line numeration, jump statements, bookmarks, restoring, and find and replace. The syntax colors distinguish between comments, commands, and variables ni.com

20 DIAdem Basics Debugger and Information Area Use the debugger integrated in the editor to check scripts for errors. The information area contains a corresponding error report in the log file. You can also display the current contents of specific variables and get intermediate results at any time. Note The debugger does not install with DIAdem, so initially the debugger symbols are dimmed on the toolbar. Refer to the What You Need to Get Started section of the Student Guide for instructions on installing the Script Debugger. Data Portal When DIAdem NAVIGATOR opens, the Data Portal appears to the right of the workspace. Click Data Portal on the toolbar to display or to hide the Data Portal. Select the menu entry Window» Data Portal Floating to position the Data Portal anywhere in the window. The Data Portal in Figure 1-12 manages the data currently in the data area. This data includes data loaded in DIAdem NAVIGATOR, data you generated with the analysis functions, or data you generated manually. All DIAdem panels work with the internal data from the Data Portal. The data in the Data Portal is organized in channels. Each channel is a separate data set. You can combine several channels to one channel group to prepare, to describe, and to structure your data for evaluation and presentation. DIAdem works with different channel types numeric channels, waveform channels, time channels, and text channels. The symbol that DIAdem displays in front of the channel in the Data Portal identifies the channel type. DIAdem automatically assigns a number of properties to channels, channel groups, and to the data set and displays these properties in the properties display. Use the context menu in the Data Portal to edit, to delete, or to generate channels, channel groups, and properties. In the channel preview DIAdem displays the data of the numeric channel or of the date/time channel, which you select in the structure view or the list view, in a graphic. If DIAdem should only display certain channel groups or channels, you can define an appropriate filter. To open the area for entering filter conditions, click the double arrows at the top edge of the structure view. You can pin channel groups or channels you want to always display regardless of the enabled filters. The functions for setting and deleting pins are in the context menu. Pinned groups and channels are identified with a yellow pin. National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited 1-15

21 Lesson 1 Introduction to DIAdem Calculator Figure Structure View of the Data Portal with Channel Groups, Channels, and Properties 1 Filter area 2 Channel group EXAMPLE 3 Channels in the EXAMPLE channel group 4 Selected channel 5 Pinned channels 6 Default group 7 Registered channels 8 Tabs for list view or structure view 9 Properties of the selected channel 10 Channel preview Caution! The data in the Data Portal exists only while DIAdem is running. You must save modified data to make it accessible later. The panels DIAdem VIEW, DIAdem ANALYSIS, and DIAdem SCRIPT all have an integrated calculator which opens when you click the Calculator button on the toolbar. Use the Calculator to analyze data with your own formulas. In formulas, you can execute operations on data channels and generate new data channels. You also can calculate and display single values and assign values to variables ni.com

22 DIAdem Basics Figure 1-13 shows the Calculator interface. Figure Extended Calculator Mode 1 Entry field 2 Result field 3 Keyboard field 4 Operations table Buttons such as Close and Command Stack 6 Button for Basic or Extended mode 7 Operands table Use the keyboard or the Calculator keys to enter your formula in the entry field. The formula must not exceed a maximum of 1000 characters. The Calculator displays the calculation result in the result field. The buttons Close, Calculate, Command Stack, Extended>>, <<Basic, and Help are on the right of the entry field. Click Calculate to evaluate the formula. Click Command Stack to open the list of the last calculations performed. The formula calculated last is in the top row. Double-click the formula to copy it to the entry field. Click Extended>> or <<Basic to change the number of displayed functions available in the Calculator. The basic mode provides calculator functions. The extended mode also includes the operations table and the variables table. The keys below the result bar are for the basic calculator functions. They are grouped in blocks. The operations table is on the bottom left in the extended mode. The operations are listed in alphabetical order. The tooltip displays the name and the arguments of the operation for each table cell. Use the tabs to switch between numeric operations, Boolean operations, and text operations. Double-click the name of an operation to copy it into the entry field National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited 1-17

23 Lesson 1 Introduction to DIAdem The operands table is on the bottom right in the extended view. This table contains operands frequently used in formula expressions. The operands include scalar variables, vector variables, special variables, and the current channels in the Data Portal. Double-click a variable name or a channel name to copy it into the entry field. DIAdem Help DIAdem comprises four types of Help Tooltips for the user interface, the dialog box Help for all the settings, the Help contents including descriptions, and executable examples. Tooltips describe the button functions. When you idle the mouse over a button, a yellow field with the button name appears. Figure Tooltips Show the Button Function Click the Help button in a dialog box to access the description of the dialog box. The dialog box Help explains the individual settings of the open dialog box and refers you to other explanations. You also can press <F1> to access the Help for the dialog box or panel. Select Help»Examples to use examples which demonstrate how DIAdem works. You can start examples directly in the DIAdem Help. Click Start example to display the example in DIAdem. Press <Esc> to abort the example. Click Copy example files to copy example files to your work folder. Introduction Screen When you launch DIAdem for the first time, the DIAdem Introduction Screen appears. The introduction screen shown in Figure 1-15 contains Tutorials and practical examples which demonstrate how to work successfully with DIAdem. The information on DIAdem contains tips for newcomers and advanced users and guides you to further information on the internet ni.com

24 DIAdem Basics Figure DIAdem Introduction Screen Note If DIAdem does not display the introduction screen after launching, select Help» Introduction to open the introduction screen. To start a tutorial, complete the following steps: 1. Click Tutorials»DIAdem at a Glance. Use the buttons on the bar at the bottom of the screen to control the video tutorials. Use the slider control to run the tutorial from any point, for example, to repeat a certain section of the tutorial. 2. Click Exit to close the tutorial and to return to the introduction screen. Select Help»Tutorials Visible to specify whether DIAdem displays the function group with the video tutorials that complement the respective panel. You can practice the topics of this lesson by working through Exercise 1-1. National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited 1-19

25 Lesson 1 Introduction to DIAdem D. Configuring DIAdem The following section provides information on the settings and the folder structure of DIAdem. Settings Use the Settings menu to configure various DIAdem properties: Select Options»General to specify general DIAdem properties, such as the unit, the time format, or the channel reference. Click Select Path to specify the default folder for saving and loading data and documents. Refer to the section on Folder Structure for more information. Select Channel Properties to specify whether DIAdem overwrites channel names and channel comments when calculation operations store the results in the original channels. Select External Editor to specify the external editor that DIAdem uses to open text files, for example, the log file. Select Logfile to specify whether DIAdem records only error messages or other messages as well. DIAdem displays the logfile in the information area in DIAdem SCRIPT. Select Delete Messages to delete the contents of the logfile. Select Data Area to specify settings for channel management and storage management of the internal Data Portal data. Select Compatibility to specify whether DIAdem is to be compatible to the current DIAdem version or to previous versions. Select Colors to specify the color palette that DIAdem provides for the selection of the curve color or the filling color. Select the Settings menu to access special panel settings such as the configuration of DataFinders in DIAdem NAVIGATOR, the cursor parameters in DIAdem VIEW, or the layout parameters in DIAdem REPORT. In this menu you also specify which default file each of the DIAdem panels loads. Select Options»Units to open the units catalog, and to edit or to create units. Select Options»Extensions to register user commands, DataPlugins, and GPI extensions. DIAdem saves the settings in the desktop file desktop.ddd. When a user launches DIAdem, DIAdem checks whether the folder with the local user settings contains a desktop file. If the folder does not contain a desktop file, DIAdem copies the desktop.ddd from the DIAdem folder into the folder with the local user settings. To save the current settings in a new desktop file, select Settings»Options»Save As. To load a desktop file, select Settings»Options»Load. DIAdem loads the desktop file and automatically restarts. You can set up different DIAdem configurations for different users or different projects, save the settings in various desktop files, and load the settings when you need them. For example, to use the settings of the desktop file MyProject.ddd on another computer, you must copy all the 1-20 ni.com

26 DIAdem Basics MyProject.* configuration files, including the subfolder MyProject, to the folder with the local settings on the target computer. Folder Structure The DIAdem installation program creates the folder structure on the specified program path described in the following. The program folder contains the files required for DIAdem functionality, for example, program files, control files, and Help files. The AddInfo folder, which contains various additional files such as the driver file, the symbol folder with symbol files, the resource folder with dialog box files, and other system files, is located below the program folder. The example folder and the library folder are also located below the DIAdem program folder. The example folder contains the examples and demonstrations you can start from the Help. The library folder contains the start files for the DIAdem panels, which DIAdem loads in the default configuration. The installation program also creates a User folder, which contains the files that the user loads and saves. In the default configuration, this folder contains example files from the manuals. The user folder path depends on the operating system. In Windows XP the default path is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\National Instruments\DIAdem Version and in Windows 7 and Windows Vista and later versions the default path is C:\Users\Public\Documents\National Instruments\DIAdem Version. The example folder, the library folder, and the user folder contain the subfolder Data where DIAdem saves data files, and the subfolder Documents where DIAdem saves all other files. Data files include files such as TDM files and DAT files. Other files are files such as layouts or scripts, or media files such as graphics files and video files. If you want to specify different paths for different file types, select Settings»Options»General, click Select Path, and enable the extended Path behavior. Use the path selection dialog box shown in Figure 1-16 to change the predefined paths of the user folders and library folders. Figure Set DIAdem Paths The settings that you configure in this dialog box apply only to the default path settings of the load and save dialog boxes immediately after DIAdem launches. When you load a file from another path into a load dialog box or save a file to another path in a save dialog box, DIAdem changes the National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited 1-21

27 Lesson 1 Introduction to DIAdem respective user paths and suggests these paths next time you load or save. The default setting that DIAdem uses when the program launches remains unchanged. If you specify a file without a path in a load command and if the file you want to load is not in the current user paths, DIAdem tries to load the file from the library path. In the default configuration, the predefined user path settings contain the wildcard CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS. This wildcard corresponds to the path to the Shared Documents folder and corresponds to the operating system. This path is under C:\Users\Public\ in Windows Vista and under C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\ in Windows XP. Refer to SHGetFolderCSIDL in the DIAdem Help for further information about constants that you can use in the path specification ni.com

28 DIAdem Basics Summary DIAdem provides a uniform environment for managing, analyzing, and displaying data. The essential functions of DIAdem are: Finding and managing test data Inspecting test data Analyzing test data Documenting results Automating analyses and reports Acquiring and Displaying Measurement Data Use DIAdem NAVIGATOR to navigate in different file types and in different data stores, to search for data, and to drag and drop data into DIAdem. Use DIAdem VIEW to view your data as curves or to edit single values in tables. Use DIAdem ANALYSIS to mathematically evaluate your data with standard functions from the extensive mathematics libraries or with your own formulas. Use DIAdem REPORT to generate reports of your test data and analysis results. Use DIAdem SCRIPT to automate recurring tasks, from loading data to analyzing data and generating reports. To save the current settings in a new desktop file, select Settings»Options»Save As. You can set up different DIAdem configurations for different users or different projects, save the settings in various desktop files, and load the settings when you need them. To load a desktop file, select Settings»Options»Load. National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited 1-23