Advanced Serial Data Logger - Excel DDE options

[PBerry]

Gentlemen:
I have a fire alarm system that outputs device status messages to a serial printer, which I want to put into Excel and create a graphical interface (using all Excel features) of the current device statuses.  I don't really need to log the data in the usual sense (filling a column), but need each message to appear in A1, then process with VBA.  I then want the next message to appear in A1 and repeat the process.  My concerns are:

1.   Can I receive everything into one cell?
2.   The system might send several hundered messages in a minute.  Is there a way to control how fast they come into Excel (so there is time to process them), and still not loose any messages?  In other words will Advanced Serial Data Logger buffer the data and let me request it?


Thank you,
Paul

[Arthur Grasin]

Hello, Paul.

1.   Can I receive everything into one cell?

Yes.

2.   The system might send several hundered messages in a minute.  Is there a way to control how fast they come into Excel (so there is time to process them), and still not loose any messages?  In other words will Advanced Serial Data Logger buffer the data and let me request it?

Yes, you may activate the "Deadband" filter plugin and filter some data out.

Also you may use our ActiveX control for the data logger and process data a more flexible.

[PBerry]

Thank you for the quick response!

""Yes, you may activate the "Deadband" filter plugin and filter some data out.""

Not sure what the Deadband filter does, but to clarify I do not want to lose any of the messages, but need to receive them as fast as the fire alarm sends them out the serial port.  However I don't think I will be able to process the messages as fast as they come in, so need your software to buffer them and let me request the data (via VBA) when Excel has finished processing the previous message.  The messages come in bursts with long pauses afterward (long enough to process all the messages with Excel, just not as fast as they burst in).

Paul

[Arthur Grasin]

Not sure what the Deadband filter does, but to clarify I do not want to lose any of the messages, but need to receive them as fast as the fire alarm sends them out the serial port.  However I don't think I will be able to process the messages as fast as they come in, so need your software to buffer them and let me request the data (via VBA) when Excel has finished processing the previous message.  The messages come in bursts with long pauses afterward (long enough to process all the messages with Excel, just not as fast as they burst in).

In this case you can't use the DDE interface, because you'll lose some messages. You should use the ActiveX. In this case you'll receive data from the internal buffer one by one, immediately you'll process it.

[PBerry]

Can you tell me how large the buffer is.

Also how do I contol the flow of data into Excel?

Thank you for your help.

[Arthur Grasin]

Can you tell me how large the buffer is.

The buffer will try to store all data.

Also how do I contol the flow of data into Excel?

You can't control it. You'll subscribe for data notifications and you'll receive a notification with data when a parsed data packet will be placed to the buffer. When you'll process first notification, then you'll receive a next.

[PBerry]

""You can't control it. You'll subscribe for data notifications and you'll receive a notification with data when a parsed data packet will be placed to the buffer. When you'll process first notification, then you'll receive a next.""

I'm somewhat confused by the response that I can't control the data flow because it seems to conflict with the requirement that I loose no messages and that I cannot process them as fast as they are sent by the alarm system.  Please clarify.

Also please confirm that these are the correct softwares required to accomplish this:
Advanced Serial Data Logger Enterprise [#300154074]
RS232 logger ActiveX [#300272424]
 
Thank you,
Paul

[Arthur Grasin]

I'm somewhat confused by the response that I can't control the data flow because it seems to conflict with the requirement that I loose no messages and that I cannot process them as fast as they are sent by the alarm system.  Please clarify.

Our software will receive and process every alarm message. Then our software places the parsed data to an internal buffer and immediately notify you. How fast you'll process it depends on your code and Excel performance.

Also please confirm that these are the correct softwares required to accomplish this:
Advanced Serial Data Logger Enterprise [#300154074]
RS232 logger ActiveX [#300272424]

Yes. I recommend to download and try it before you'll place an order.

[PBerry]

My system only sends the required data out the parallel port, so I have to order a parallel/serial convertor.  While that is in process, a couple of questions:

Is there a required version of Excel to use the Logger and the Active X component?

From the documentation I can see that there may be some programming required for the Active X component.  Is VBA that comes with Excel sufficient for this purpose?

Thank you

[Arthur Grasin]

Is there a required version of Excel to use the Logger and the Active X component?

We've tested it on Excel 2003 and higher.

From the documentation I can see that there may be some programming required for the Active X component.  Is VBA that comes with Excel sufficient for this purpose?

Yes.