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Lessons on how to use UltimaSerial

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The following is a step-by-step lesson on how to use ActiveX in Visual C++ (VC++)

In this lession, we will use Ultimaserial ActiveX to develop a data acquisition application with DATAQ's Starter kit. 

This sample will acquire data once per second from channel 1 of DI-158 and fill up the first twenty rows of the first column of the spreadsheet continuously. Once you understand this simple program, you can take a closer look at more Excel samples. 

Note: In this example, instead of embedding all the controls and codes in the spreadsheet directly, I use a form to collect all these so that it acts similar to the other Excel samples. 

Before we start, please download and install UltimaSerial then run Microsoft Excel.

1) Follow Tool->Macro->Visual BASIC Editor, and you should enter Microsoft Visual Basic Editor:

2) In the VB Editor, follow Insert->UserForm, and you should see this:

3) Move the mouse cursor to ToolBox. Click the right-button on the mouse and follow Additional Controls ...

4) In the Additional Controls dialogue box, select UltimaSerial Control and Timer Object , and hit OK to bring the two controls into the ToolBox. If you don't see these two controls in the list, you need to install UltimaSerial. Now your ToolBox should be like this:

5) Place two command buttons along with UltimaSerial and Timer  in the UserForm. Now your screen should be like this:

6) Double-click on the CommandButton1, CommandButton2, Ultimaserial, and Timer Objects on the UserForm to create the codes for them.

7) In the Visual Basic code editor, change the default codes (If you decide to type in the codes, you will notice the properties and methods will be displayed in a drop-down menu once you typed in ultimaserial1.)

From:

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
End Sub

Private Sub CommandButton2_Click()
End Sub

Private Sub IeTimer1_Timer()
End Sub

Private Sub UltimaSerial1_DriverError(ByVal ErrorCode As Integer)
End Sub

To (Watch for the blue text, we assume button Command1 and 2 for Start and Stop action)

Dim cellindex As Integer

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
UltimaSerial1.CommPort = USB
UltimaSerial1.Device = DI158
UltimaSerial1.SampleRate = 100
UltimaSerial1.EventLevel = 1
UltimaSerial1.Start
IeTimer1.Interval = 1000
UltimaSerial1.ChannelCount = 1
IeTimer1.Enabled = -1
For cellindex = 1 To 20
ActiveSheet.Cells(cellindex, 1) = ""
ActiveSheet.Cells(cellindex, 2) = ""
Next

cellindex = 1
End Sub

Private Sub CommandButton2_Click()
IeTimer1.Enabled = ValFalse
UltimaSerial1.Stop
End Sub

Private Sub IeTimer1_Timer()
i = UltimaSerial1.AvailableData
'This is here for backward compatibility
'You don't need the above line if you use the latest UltimaSerial (March 4, 2001)

ActiveSheet.Cells(cellindex, 1) = Format$(UltimaSerial1.AnalogInput(Ch1), "0.00")
'This converts the ADReadings to volt, see FAQ page for more info

ActiveSheet.Cells(cellindex, 2) = Time$
'This stamps the time

cellindex = cellindex + 1
'Move to next row

If cellindex > 20 Then cellindex = 1
'We use only the first twenty rows
End Sub

Private Sub UltimaSerial1_DriverError(ByVal ErrorCode As Integer)
i = ErrorCode
End Sub

8) Set up ultimaserial control as below, and save your work as Timer.xls

9) Close the Excel Visual Basic Editor, and back to Excel. Make sure you can see the Control ToolBox in your toolbar (the third row in my sample below) If you don't see it, follow View->Toolbars->Control ToolBox to enable it.

10) Add a button from the Control ToolBox to the spreadsheet (Notice the first button on the Control ToolBox toolbar is down. This indicates we are still in Design Mode)

11) Double-click on the button to enter Visual Basic Editor for sheet1. Now change the default code 

From:

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()

End Sub

To: (Watch for the blue text)

Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
UserForm1.Show

End Sub

12) Back to Excel. Exit Design Mode (The Design Mode button is the first one in the Control ToolBox toolbar, when it is down, it is Design Mode; when it is up, it is Run Mode. See Step 10) for more detail )

Now you can click on the button on the spreadsheet to bring up UserForm1. Click on the CommandButton1 on UserForm1 and you will see data begin to fill the first column of the spreadsheet. Click on CommandButton2 to stop the acquisition.

Please check this out to find out how to pace the data acquisition rate more accurately.

If you need to acquire data from more than one channel, you need to use the Key and ChannelCount properties of UltimaSerial.

Here you can learn how to send data to Excel directly from a VB program.

Last update: 10/05/07

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