Quick Start with CASSY Lab Bi-05-05
About this manual This manual helps you getting started with the CASSY system. The manual does provide you the information you need to start quickly a simple CASSY experiment from scratch. By performing the steps described in this manual you get gradually acquainted to the basic features of the software. The manual guides you through the experiments by listing the necessary steps on the margin. Steps which belong together are given in same colour. The manual helps you do first steps with the CASSY system. Specific topics of the CASSY system are treated in the FAQ manual CASSYFAQ.pdf. Different topics in this manual are independent from each other. Thus the manual can be also used as quick reference guide. A summary of buttons and important speed up keys is given in the appendix. The manual does not provide you a complete description of the complex features of the software CASSY Lab. For detailed description you have to refer to the CASSY Lab help. The icon indicates whenever you should refer to CASSY Lab help for getting more information.
What you should know before you start working with the CASSY system The CASSY system can be divided into parts: Software Interface(s) Sensor(s) Step interface / CASSY modules three different types two types CASSY Lab CASSY modules Box / Sensor CASSY Adapter & Sensor Pocket CASSY or Mobile CASSY just Sensor Depending on your requirements the interface (module) might be the Sensor CASSY, the Pocket CASSY or the Mobile CASSY. In this introduction the Sensor CASSY with USB port connection will be used as interface. Step It is assumed that you have installed successfully the software CASSY Lab on your computer. Detailed information about installing the software CASSY Lab can be found in the appendix of this manual. software / CASSY Lab Step You will have acquired a CASSY sensor or different types of CASSY sensors according to your requirements. The type of CASSY sensor you have might be different to the sensors which will be described in this introduction. The examples of this manual will provide you the basic information about setting up measurements with the CASSY system and enable you to work with any CASSY sensor. sensors
Step connect interface to the computer (software) You need 4 steps to start data acquisition Connect the Sensor CASSY (interface) with the computer (depending on the CASSY module you have this might be the USB or serial port) Invoke CASSY Lab (software). CASSY Lab will detect the connected CASSY module and display the following: Note: If the hardware is not shown see chapter trouble shooting Detailed information about different connection types and their required settings can be found in the CASSY Lab help menu introduction the connected CASSY module will be displayed Step connect a sensor to the interface Data acquisition with the CASSY system shall be now demonstrated by a simple experiment of measuring the temperature T as function of time t. For measuring the temperature many different CASSY sensors are available. In this experiment a NTC temperature sensor (666 666) will be used. This type of sensor is connected to the Sensor CASSY via a sensor box. After connecting the temperature sensor via the temperature box to the module Sensor CASSY the software CASSY Lab detects the sensor box and displays the actual hardware configuration: Input channel A. the connected CASSY sensor or sensor box will be displayed Note: You might change the connection of the sensor box from input A to input B. CASSY lab will detect any hardware change and display the actual configuration. 4
Step Click on the channel of Sensor CASSY with the sensor box attached (Input A) to activate the temperature sensor. CASSY Lab marks the selected data channel red and opens three additional windows. display instrument of the sensor (analogue and digital display) activate the sensor by clicking on the Input channel A You might have to select an appropriate measurement range for your experiment. You might set appropriate measurement parameters (automatic or manual recording) This menu can be invoked by double click on First select an appropriate measurement range for your experiment in the window Sensor Input Settings and close this window. Second, the measuring parameters have to be set. To perform for instance an automatic experiment where any 00 ms the temperature will be recorded change the measurement interval from s to 00 ms. Step 4 start data acquisition start and stop data acquisition by clicking the clock button (or function key F9) 4 Note: The display instrument can always be accessed by clicking on the channel button. measured values will be displayed in the table recorded data will be displayed in the diagram 5
Where to go from here? Now you are able to connect a CASSY sensor to the module Sensor CASSY and activate it for a basic measurements. In setting up an experiment CASSY Lab assists you by setting up many features (like diagram and table settings) automatically. Usually, you want to adapt some of these settings to your special requirements. This is described in the next chapters. This manual introduces you to basic features of the CASSY system. Specific topics of CASSY Lab will be treated in the FAQ-manual CASSYFAQ.pdf. Getting acquainted with CASSY Lab In this chapter you learn more about the structure of software CASSY Lab and how to change some basic settings. Step After your first measurement described in the previous chapter the window of CASSY Lab should display something like this: menu of the diagram click the right mouse button in the diagram to change display settings to access data evaluation tools etc. to copy the diagram or window Step menu of the table click the right mouse button in the table to change table settings to data values to copy the values to the clip board Note A basic concept of CASSY Lab is to display a table and a diagram simultaneously in one main window for one hardware configuration. However, you can have several displays. Each display consists of an own table and an own diagram. 6
Changing graphical settings As a next step you might change some display parameters. For instance you want to depict each recorded data value as a single symbol. Step changing display parameters to display data values as symbols use right mouse button and select the menu Select Value Display / Show Values The diagram changes according the new graphical settings As an further example for changing graphical settings the x- and y-axes can be displayed. Note: to display data values only use right mouse button and deselect in the menu Select Value Display Show Connecting Lines select the Show Axes the axes will be displayed 4 to display the y-axis, too shift the x-origin by clicking on the axis area, drag and drop it Note: click of right mouse button on axes area opens the window for axis settings 7
Performing data evaluations Step 4 As an example for the many powerful data evaluation functions the mean value shall be calculated. performing data evaluations right mouse button allows to invoke data evaluation functions select mean value and after selecting data values the mean value will be displayed The result of the mean value can be displayed in the diagram by the Alt+T. Alternatively the value can be dragged from the status line into the display. Note: For detailed information about the many powerful data evaluation functions refer to the CASSY help menu Evaluation. You find this menu e.g. by following the link sequence Introduction, Measuring and Evaluation. 8
Advanced Settings the Tool Box Button In the previous chapters you have learned how to change some basic settings and how you can access a wide variety of powerful graphical evaluation functions. This chapter gives an overview of how to change settings of CASSY Lab on a more advanced level. You will find detailed information about specific topics in the list of frequently asked questions (FAQ). Step the tool box button Click on the tool box button to get the dialog window for the settings of CASSY Lab. The settings are arranged in six groups (tabs). Examples are given in FAQ. With a second click on the tool box button you can access the settings of the measurement parameters. Another way to access the settings of the Measurement Parameter... a third click closes the dialog window Measuring Parameters 9
Step constants parameters formula Some quantities cannot be measured directly using CASSY. However, CASSY Lab allows you to define additional quantities for your individual measuring tasks. There are eight different types of new quantities: Select the tab Parameter/Formula/FFT Z P = R + Z R tanϕ P = Z ϑ T = + 7,5 K C π ν = t ϕ = π T D m U R = I k T B = I A Note: A new quantity can be a constant, a parameter a formula or the time derivative, the Fast Fourier Transformation, To define a new quantity click the button New Quantity. Note: A new channel is added to the button bar.... this button deletes the defined quantity Getting started with constants, parameters and formula see selected topics of frequently asked questions, e.g. How to define a constant? How to use constants for modelling? 0
Step The modelling tool enables you to compare your measured data with a mathematical model which is expressed by differential equations. In contrast to a fit where an known analytical function (e.g. y(t) = A sin(ω t)) is used the modelling tool allows you to compare your experimental data directly with the numerical solution of a mathematical model (one or two first order differential equations) which you can define as follows: the Modelling tool d y dt A d y + B dt + C y = 0 After a click to select the tab Modelling. Define a new model (differential equation) by clicking on the button New Model Note: Like with New Quantity you can delete a defined model here. The model, i.e. the differential equations will be entered here. dn = λ N dt You will find some typical experiment examples with modeling in the CASSY Lab help. For getting started with the modelling tool see help topics frequently asked questions.
Advanced Settings the Display Now you are able to define New Quantities (constants, parameters, formula, ) for your specific measurement tasks. CASSY Lab allows you to build up sophisticated plots with the mouse to depict your results. To get acquainted with this tool you can load an experiment example, e.g. Model free fall (g-ladder), from the CASSY help: Click on the tool box button to open the dialog window and select the tab Display You can define several displays. Each display can have several y-axes. If more than one y-axis is to be displayed, you can toggle the visible y-axis scaling in the diagram using the corresponding button. 4 You can drag back and forth quantities you want to display or You might select the parameters, constants, formula, etc. to be displayed here. 6 To move the scale click left mouse button on the axis area and drag the axis. 5 Click right mouse button on the axis area to change the axis settings.
Appendix Quick Start with CASSY Lab Appendix I Buttons & Function keys II Trouble Shooting III Entering Symbols (Greek letters) A
Appendix Buttons & Function keys The basic functions can be accessed quickly using the speed buttons in the top bar. The most important speed buttons are also mapped to function keys: F4 Clears either the current measurement while retaining the settings or, when no measurement is displayed, the current settings. Pressing this key twice clears the current measurement with all settings. F Opens a measurement series with its settings and its evaluations. It is also possible to append a measurement series to an existing series. This is possible when the same measurement quantities are used for all series. Alternatively, a further measurement series can be measured and appended subsequently. The software is also equipped with an ASCII import filter (file type *.txt). F Saves the current measurement series with its settings and its evaluations. You can also save just the settings (without measurement data) to make it easier to repeat an experiment at a later date. The software is additionally equipped with an ASCII export filter (file type *.txt). However, you can also open the CASSY Lab files (file type *.lab) using any text editor. Prints out the currently active table or diagram. F9 Starts and stops a new measurement. Alternatively, you can stop measurements by setting a measuring time. F5 Changes the current settings (e.g. CASSY, Parameter/Formula/FFT, Display, Comment, Serial Interface). Pressing twice will invoke the measuring parameters menu. F6 Toggles large display of the status-line information on and off. F Opens this help file. Displays the current version number of the software and enables entry of the activation code. F7 Closes all open display instruments or reopens them. A
Appendix Quick Start with CASSY Lab Trouble Shooting CASSY Lab supports one or more CASSY-S modules (Sensor-CASSY, Power- CASSY, Profi-CASSY, CASSY-Display, Pocket-CASSY and Mobile-CASSY) at the USB port (Windows 98/000 or higher version) or at the serial interface (Windows 95/NT or higher version) of the computer. The first time you use the CASSY system CASSY Lab prompts you to define the serial interface (COM to COM4). This must be specified and saved as the program default. Note: For CASSY modules at the USB port (Windows 98/000 or higher version), no serial interface needs to be specified - the modules will be found automatically. If no CASSY module is connected to the computer you will see the following at the CASSY tab. If no error occurs CASSY recognizes the CASSY module and the Sensor automatically 4 You will get this if the Sensor CASSY is not connected properly to the computer 5 You will see this if the Sensor doesn t correspond to your settings A
Appendix Entering Symbols Greek letters The mathematical description of basic principles in science uses very often Greek letters. CASSY Lab allows you to enter Symbols (Greek letters) for constants, parameters, formula (new quantities) and model quantities. ω = d β dt α = ω d dt Note: constants, parameters, formula, model quantities are distinguished by different colours. Symbols can consist of a & character followed by a (Latin) letter. The CASSY Lab displays these character combination as the corresponding Greek letter. For your convenience the Latin letters and their corresponding Greek letters are listed here: &w_ gives ω a b c d e f g h i j α β χ δ ε φ γ η ι ϕ k l m n o p q r s t κ λ µ ν ο π θ ρ σ τ u v w x y z υ ϖ ω ξ ψ ζ &W_ gives Ω A B C D E F G H I J Α Β Χ Ε Φ Γ Η Λ ϑ K L M N O P Q R S T Κ Λ Μ Ν Ο Π Θ Ρ Σ Τ U V W X Y Z Υ ς Ω Ξ Ψ Ζ A4