VIB Product Description

SCREEN SHOTS

WHAT IS VIB?

VIB helps automate the acquisition, transfer, analysis and management of data, and aids in the preparation of reports and other documentation. VIB works with Ono-Sokki portable FFT analyzers and IBM PC compatible computers.

WHAT CAN VIB DO?

Display data on your computer screen as you acquire it. Store data immediately, avoid having data lost in the analyzer. Avoid tiny rolls of calculator paper with crude graphs. Archive important data for future analysis. Export data to other analysis software. Prepare data for transmission from the field to the lab via modem. Edit data to remove redundancies or "junk" data sets. Record the analyzer set up automatically. Manage large sets of data. Prepare better looking reports more efficiently. Get data sets with one key press. Bind notes to the data for better record keeping. Examine data in High Resolution color without the analyzer.

VIB IS EASY TO USE

In the field, VIB is used with an FFT analyzer and a lap top or other portable computer. In the office one may review, edit or produce reports on any PC while the analyzer is back in the field. VIB commands the analyzer to acquire data, which is immediately stored and displayed on the computer screen. VIB is already easy and convenient to use and the installation of a mouse makes it even easier. The mouse is autodetected. No special installation is required. Arrow keys will move the cursor to any position on the screen and typing the first letter of a menu entry will move the cursor directly to the item. You can direct VIB to read thousands of data values from the analyzer just by typing a few keystrokes. If you have a mouse, just point and click. No knowledge of computer programming is required. You don't have to enter and later remember file names or complicated command sequences. On line "context sensitive" help is available for all functions, virtually eliminating the necessity of hunting through manuals. REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Minimum System Hardware

• Intel 286 PC or compatible
  CGA Graphics adapter
  10 MByte fixed disk drive
  DSDD floppy (360k) disk drive
  512k Bytes memory
  COM1 available serial port
  Dot matrix graphics printer as specified above

Recommended System Hardware

• Intel 486, 66 MHz PC
  VGA Graphics
  High density floppy disk
  At least 20 M. Byte available storage on a fixed disk
  640k Bytes DOS memory.
  Expanded memory - EMS available
  Available Com1 serial port.
  24 pin dot matrix graphics printer

Performance System Hardware

• Recommendation 66 MHz. or Faster Intel 486 or Pentium CPU
  Fast hard disk.
  Com1 serial port at 19.2 K. baud or faster

Operating System Requirements

• MS/PC-DOS Version 3.1 or higher.

FUNCTIONS

• DATA ANNOTATION NOTES forms provide an easy to use documentation system for your data. NOTES allows entry and editing of information which can be attached to a particular data set or to all data sets by default. Notes are arranged into three groups. "Session notes" apply to the general situation. The what, where, and why of the data gathering task. "Sensor notes" provide a convenient place to document information about the sensor, including a factor to scale data engineering units. "Test notes" allow you to record miscellaneous information about your activities as you conduct your tests.

DATABASE FUNCTIONS

• VIB allows you to use the DOS tree structured directory system as an organization tool on hard or removable disks. VIB's data files are stand alone. There is no complicated database system to contend with. A single data set along with analyzer set up information and annotation is contained in a single file, allowing manipulation of each data set as a unit. As a result they can be copied, transferred to other disks or transmitted electronically without violating the integrity of the data. Data file names are generated by the system based upon the computer time and date. Data is stored in a binary format and each file is no larger than it need be to save the data, thus saving valuable disk space.

INTERACTIVE GRAPHICS

• VIB provides graphics functions for viewing and manipulating data on the computer screen, working with the data base and for printing. User defined engineering units on the Y axis can be added via a field in the SENSOR form. Data may be viewed in three graphical plot styles (line, point, histogram), or as a numeric table. Data sub-ranges can be selected by drawing a box around the items of interest. Plot segments within a sub range may be magnified, or the points outside of the sub range may be discarded, greatly reducing the number of data points that must be stored for some applications.

PRINTING GRAPHICS ON DOT MATRIX PRINTERS

• VIB supports printing of displayed information on several popular dot matrix printers. Single or multiple plots can be printed in a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) manner. Plots can be "printed" to a file.

DATA EXPORT TO SOFTWARE PACKAGES

• The EXPORT function allows you to transfer data from VIB to an ASCII format file that you can then use with word processors, spreadsheets, and database systems.

USING VIB

• Each data set acquired from the analyzer is saved on disk and plotted on the computer display screen. Up to sixty four data sets of 1024 points can be displayed on the screen at one time. When data is transferred from the analyzer, the program reads important information about the configuration of the analyzer first. This data includes the date and time the data was captured, the voltage, frequency range, triggering, and averaging settings and other setup information. Data points are then read from the analyzer, scaled to base engineering units according to the analyzer setup information and saved to a disk file. One disk file is produced for each data set acquired.

  There are four kinds of data that can be read from the FFT analyzer and saved on the disk: Time Domain, Power Spectrum, Phase Spectrum, and Probability Density Function. These data may be read from analyzer memory or directly from the current analysis frame.

  When data first enters the software system from the analyzer or from a disk file, it is displayed as a two dimensional plot on the computer screen. Data can then be inspected using a powerful interactive graphics display and manipulation system. You can select individual plots, zoom to full screen, change the scale, magnify regions, view data as a table of numbers, track the cursor though the data to read exact point data values, and export data to files that may be used with spreadsheets and word processors for report preparation.

  In order to use this system you must be familiar with the operation of the analyzer. Setup the analyzer according to your needs using the analyzer front panel controls. When you have data that you would like to save you must tell the computer to read it from the analyzer. You must set up and turn on the analyzer's communications before transferring data.

  The number of data files in a data base directory is limited to sixty four files, matching the number of plots visible on the screen at one time. It is possible to copy files to a data base directory so as to exceed this limit, although VIB will only display the first sixty four files in the directory. We expect to remove this limitation in the next major release of the product.

DISK SPACE REQUIRED

• VIB may require up to about 2.5 M.Bytes of free space on disks during normal operation. This includes space needed for VIB system and swap files. By putting swap files and data files in directories on different drives or partitions you can decrease the amount of storage used on a particular logical or physical device and possible increase the amount of data that can be saved.

EMS - EXTENDED MEMORY SYSTEM

• This software uses overlay files. An overlay file contains part of the program code that is kept on the disk and then loaded into memory when needed. The overlay manager automatically senses the presence of EMS memory and EMS driver software and will load the overlay file into EMS if possible. This results in faster loading of overlays and improved program performance. The use of "ram disks" for VIB system files will also dramatically increase program performance.

GRAPHICS DISPLAYS

• This software supports the following graphics displays:

  CGA 640x200 Monochrome EGA all modes VGA all modes;
  HCG Hercules and compatibles

  Usually the software will automatically "sense" the graphics system controller and behave properly. Some systems may require that VIB be "told" which graphics driver to use via a command line switch.

MOUSE

• VIB will operate with a Mouse Systems Mouse using the Microsoft Mouse Driver, or a Microsoft Mouse. Other mice may work if they are compatible with the Microsoft Mouse driver software. A mouse IS NOT REQUIRED. VIB will always work via keyboard input regardless of the presence of a mouse.

PRINTER

• This software package will print graphics information to black and white dot matrix printers.

  Black and white printer support:

  • IBM Proprinter;
    IBM Graphics Printer;
    Panasonic Printers - IBM Emulation;
    Panasonic Printers - Epson printer emulation;
    Epson MX, FX, RX series and other 9 pin compatibles;
    Epson LQ series In 24 pin mode;
    Custom printer drivers upon arrangement.

MODEM

• VIB does not require or provide for direct modem transfer of data. Commercially available communications software can be used to transfer VIB.DBR data base files.

  Use a block transfer protocol that provides error checking and re-transmission on errors. An example of a protocol of this type is the popular XMODEM file transfer protocol.

  VIB data files may be transferred to another site and viewed using another copy of VIB. This approach allows for the greatest flexibility. If another copy of VIB is not available, VIB's export files may be transferred and viewed in a text editor.

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Ono Sokki FFT Analyzer models supported:
  CF200 with CF-022 Mass Memory /Serial Interface;
  CF250 with CF-022 Mass Memory /Serial Interface;
  CF200 with CF-021 Mass Memory /GPIB Interface;
  CF300 with GPIB Interface Option.
  Custom GPIB interfaces upon arrangement.
  CFxxx GPIB Requires a GPIB to RS-232 translator cable.

DATA BASE FILES

• VIB data management functions provides a simple, easy to use system for managing your analyzer data. Files with the extension ".DBR" are the database files. There is one file for each [GET DATA] operation. Data may be copied, stored on floppy disks using MS-DOS or other file utility programs without loss of data integrity. Files and entire directories of files may be deleted when they are no longer required or when moved to other storage media.

  Database files are named automatically by the program and grouped within a directory. This directory is specified in the configuration form's Data disk field. Any directory may be specified.

  A limit of sixty four files within a directory is imposed by the program. As this limit is approached, warnings will appear. When the limit is reached, VIB will no longer save data to that directory.and displays a warning. When the first warning message occurs, you should delete unnecessary data base files or change the name of the data directory using the configuration form, then proceed to acquire more data.

LOG FILE

• This file contains a historical record of data base operations performed using VIB. It is for reference use and may be deleted at any time without affecting the data files.

INSTALLATION

• VIB is installed using a menu driven installation program named "CSI_INST.exe".

RUNNING VIB

• To run VIB type "VIB [ENTER]" at the DOS prompt after installation.

PRINTERS

• VIB supports dot matrix printers with a parallel (Centronics type) interface connected to the computer's LPT1: parallel printer port. Many popular printers are supported by this package. You must use the correct printer driver program for the printer you are using.

  VIB can print to a printer or to a file for printing at a later time. The type of printer to be used in the VIB [CONFIGURE] form.

  The Print File Programs will print data from the graphics print file to the printer. Use the correct program for your printer.

  • 1) GPEPSMX.EXE EPSON 9 Pin Printers and compatibles.
    2) GPEPSNLQ.EXE EPSON LQ 24 pin Printers.
    3) GPPANA.EXE PANASONIC KX-P-1091i. PANASONIC KX-P-5100 emulating IBM Printers. IBM ProPrinter. IBM Graphics Printer and compatibles.

    Custom drivers upon arrangement.

CABLES AND CONNECTIONS

• Connecting the analyzer w/ RS-232C Serial Interface The computer and the analyzer must be properly connected, setup and operating BEFORE you can use the [GET DATA] commands to read data from the analyzer. You DO NOT need to connect the analyzer to the computer if you are using the other features of VIB such as reviewing database files and preparing reports.

SAMPLE SCREENS