AVR-Chat

Chuck Hackett wrote:
> Is anyone aware of software similar to StampPlot
> 
> http://www.selmaware.com/stampplotlite/home.htm
> 
> that can be used with AVRs?  As I understand it the software plots values sent
> out a serial port.  I'm interested in it for testing, not final installation.
> 
> I can write Windows stuff (VB, etc.) but I'd rather concentrate on the task at
> hand on the AVR side of things.
> 
> I have Excel, is there a way (thru VBA, etc.) to get Excel to serve this
> function?
> 

You can use the serial object in VBA so it wouldn't be too hard to parse an 
ASCII string.

I use either the Windmill DDE server or my PLC's DDE server to provide the 
serial link and then talk to the DDE server to get the data into Excel.

Using this system I created a full Citect style operator interface to a research 
boiling rig in a sugar mill. The system had ~120 I/O points including 40 analog 
I/O's. It functioned well & allowed researchers to operate in the familiarity of 
the Excel environment however I wouldn't like to have had to control much more 
than the existing plant as it was getting pretty busy for Excel.

We logged at 1 sec intervals & had pages of real time scrolling charts ( with 
zoom & offset controls ) and user interface button / slide panels for 
controlling the PID controllers and valves attached to the PLC.

One advantage of the resultant system was that the VBA lived with the data as a 
new work book template was used for each days work. Later when the data was 
being analysed all of the chart controls were still with the data.

Have a look at www.windmill.co.uk for some ideas on real time charting in Excel.

Cheers

Don