Fourier EcoLog User manual
EcoLog
User guide
First Edition
First Print
Printed in July 2003
Contents
Introduction .........................................................................11
Working with EcoLab...........................................................12
Install the Software ................................................................12
System Requirements..........................................................12
Software.............................................................................12
Hardware............................................................................13
Installation.........................................................................14
Overview...............................................................................15
EcoLab On-screen Layout .....................................................15
EcoLab Window Layout ........................................................17
Working with Projects.......................................................... 18
Getting Started...................................................................... 19
Set up a Recording Session .................................................. 19
Prepare EcoLog ................................................................ 19
Enable online Video .......................................................... 20
Setup the EcoLog.............................................................. 20
Start Recording ................................................................. 21
Data recording options ........................................................ 22
Single measurement ......................................................... 22
Replace ............................................................................. 23
Add.................................................................................... 23
Online Video ...................................................................... 24
Online video ...................................................................... 24
Recording .......................................................................... 25
Replaying an experiment................................................... 26
Video and Audio Properties............................................... 27
Download Data................................................................... 29
Save Data ..........................................................................30
Open a File.........................................................................31
Create a New Project ...........................................................32
Print..................................................................................33
Print a graph.......................................................................33
Print a table ........................................................................34
View the Data ........................................................................35
Display Options...................................................................35
Graph Display.....................................................................37
The Cursor .........................................................................38
Zooming .............................................................................40
Panning..............................................................................42
Scrolling .............................................................................42
Changing the X axis values................................................43
Bar graph ...........................................................................43
Format the graph................................................................44
Add a graph to the project ..................................................45
The Table Display ............................................................... 46
Editing data values ............................................................ 47
Adding comments to the table ........................................... 47
Adding or removing data from the table............................. 49
Formatting the table .......................................................... 49
The Meters Display.............................................................. 50
Data Map........................................................................... 51
Control the display with the Data Map............................... 51
Understanding Data Map icons ......................................... 53
Export Data to Excel............................................................ 55
Copy the Graph as a Picture ................................................. 55
Program EcoLog..................................................................... 56
Setup................................................................................ 56
Start Recording .................................................................. 58
Stop Recording................................................................... 58
Communication Setup ......................................................... 58
Analyze the data .................................................................... 62
Reading Data Point Coordinates.............................................62
Reading the Difference Between two Coordinate Values ............62
Linear fit ............................................................................63
Slope ................................................................................64
Area..................................................................................64
Statistics............................................................................65
Workbook..............................................................................67
About Workbook .................................................................67
Working with a Worksheet ....................................................68
To open a Worksheet.........................................................68
To print the current Worksheet...........................................70
To launch an experiment....................................................70
Working with a text window................................................71
Create Your Own Worksheet .................................................73
Create an HTML document with Word ...............................74
Create a configuration file ..................................................75
Special Tools..........................................................................79
Predicting .......................................................................... 79
Crop Tool........................................................................... 81
To trim all data up to a point .............................................. 81
To trim all data outside a selected range........................... 82
Toolbar Buttons ..................................................................... 83
Main (upper) Toolbar........................................................... 83
Graph Toolbar .................................................................... 87
Meter Toolbar..................................................................... 89
Workbook Toolbar............................................................... 90
Working with EcoLog .......................................................... 92
Operating the EcoLog ............................................................. 92
Quick reference .................................................................. 92
EcoLog Modes .................................................................... 93
Displaying the EcoLog current mode ...................................... 93
Switching between data collection mode and standby mode ...... 94
Sleeping mode ................................................................... 94
EcoLog connections ................................................................ 95
Power connections...............................................................95
Working with batteries........................................................95
Working with the AC – DC adaptor ....................................95
Communication connections..................................................96
Connecting the EcoLog to the computer ............................96
Connecting external sensors..............................................96
Specifications ......................................................................97
Index .......................................................................100
Introduction 11
Introduction
The EcoLog is a pocket size data collection system for educational
purposes. It has five built in sensors: Temperature, Humidity,
Barometric Pressure, Light and Sound. In addition the EcoLog has
two inputs for external sensors. It can be used as a stand alone
device for remote data logging, or connected to a PC for live online
data recording and display.
The EcoLog is powered either from two 1.5V batteries or from an
AC/DC adaptor. It can record data from up to 7 sensors
simultaneously and store up to 8,000 samples.
The EcoLab software enables the transfer of the recorded data from
the EcoLog. The WINDOWSbased software can display the data in
graphs, tables or meters, can analyze data with easy to use analyzing
tools, and can show live or recorded video movies of the actual
experiment.
12 Install the Software
Working with EcoLab
Install the Software
System Requirements
To work with EcoLab your system should be equipped with the
following:
Software
Windows 95 or later (Windows 95 and Windows NT
will not support video recording)
Internet Explorer 5.0 or later (you can install Internet
Explorer 5 when you install EcoLab, since it ships with
the product)
Install the Software 13
Hardware
Pentium II 300MHz or higher (Pentium 200MHz or
higher without video recording)
32 MB RAM (64 MB recommended)
10 MB available disk space for the EcoLab application
(50 MB to install the supporting applications)
To work with the video window your system should be
equipped with a video camera
To be able to record and play voice comments your
system should be equipped with a sound card,
microphone and speakers
14 Install the Software
Installation
Insert the CD into your CD drive
Installation will begin automatically. Simply follow the on-screen
instructions to continue.
In case auto run is not working, open My Computer and click on the
CD drive folder (d: drive in most cases), double-click on the setup
icon, then follow the on-screen instructions.
To uninstall the software: From the Start menu select Settings and
click on Control Panel, then use the Add/Remove programs function
to remove the EcoLab application.
Overview 15
Overview
EcoLab On-screen Layout
EcoLab is a comprehensive program that provides you with
everything you need in order to collect data from the EcoLog, display
the data in graphs, meters and tables, analyze it with easy-to-use
analysis tools and view online or recorded video movies of the actual
experiment.
The program includes seven windows: A graph window, table
window, setup window, video window, Workbook window, meters
window and navigation window called the Data Map. You can control
the different views from the main toolbar or from the View menu.
The most commonly used tools and commands are displayed on
toolbars. Tools that relate to all aspects of the program and tools that
16 Overview
control the EcoLog are located in the main (upper) toolbar. Tools that
relate to a specific window are located at the bottom of that window.
Another useful feature is the Workbook. A workbook is a lab activity
that gives the student a step-by-step preview of the activity and then
automatically configures the EcoLab program and sets up the EcoLog
so that the student can begin collecting the data. You can open an
existing workbook or create a new one from the Workbook menu. The
students can add their notes or answer questions in text files directly
from the workbook window
Overview 17
EcoLab Window Layout
Data map
Main window
Information bar
Video window
Setup window
Main toolbar
Main window toolbar
18 Overview
Working with Projects
Every time you start a new experiment, EcoLab automatically creates
a new project file. All the information you collect and process for a
given experiment is stored in a single project file. Each of these files
contain all the data sets you collected with the EcoLog, the analysis
functions you’ve processed, the video files you’ve recorded, specific
graphs and tables you’ve created, and the EcoLab settings for the
experiment.
Getting Started 19
Getting Started
Set up a Recording Session
Prepare EcoLog
1. Connect EcoLog to the PC (see on page 96)
2. Wake up EcoLog (see on page 92)
3. If required, plug in any external sensors (see on page
96)
4. Open the EcoLab software
20 Getting Started
Enable online Video
To display the video window and enable online video and video
recording:
1. Connect the video camera to the PC
2. Click View on the menu bar, then click Display video
3. Point the camera to the experiment setup
To expand the Video window and to display it in the main window,
click Video on the main toolbar. To restore to normal size click
Video a second time.
Setup the EcoLog
In the setup window select the desired EcoLog settings (see on page
56)
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