I am developing a programme to read and display the XML data files from the DSO. The program will allow you to take the raw data and view the stored data on the PC it allows the adjusting of the time-frame and amplitude of the waveform.
While eagerly awaiting the delivery of my QUAD i was hoping to be able to get my hands on the Quad XML file format or better still an example of the file.
I am hoping to expand my programme to draw all the traces and also to be able to analyse the LA inputs for reading protocols such as I2C/UART.
Once i am happy it is working then i will publish it here along with the source so that other can use and improve on it.
I don’t believe that the current DSO Quad supports XML format. BenF’s DSO Nano FW updates include XML file format in the User Guide. viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1793
You goals would prove useful for Nano users until the Quad supports that file type.
Perhaps then can someone supply me with some sample XML files please to test the software. A sample file with a 1 MHz square wave would be useful, perhaps also a sine at the same frequency. Once i have tested the calibration of my software i will publish it. It is almost complete.
1Mhz is to fast for the Nano, so attached is a zip file with 100K sine and sq wave both xml and bmp. The bmp shows the screen display of the Nano with the signal measurements. Included in the zip is BenF’s latest release v3.61 zip that includes a User Guide PDF file and at the end of that file, he explains the file formats.
There is an excel template file located at viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1772 that may be useful for comparison to your results. It allows easy display of the xml file in an excel waveform chart. But your approach sounds much better.
Good luck. Am looking forward to seeing the results. bainsbunch.zip (403 KB)
You have the right idea here. I only have a few suggestions.
List all the XML file header data including F/W version (include units of measure). Display the filename and file path on the screen. This will help to reduce confusion.
It appears that you have a horizontal offset adjustment. A vertical offset would be useful for zooming in tighter upon the waveform as the V/Div is changed.
Do you intend to allow save and load this program view and program parameters to an alternate filename and format
Do you intend to allow an image file save such as .gif, .jpg, or .pdf?
Do you default all the program settings to match the file parameters when the XML file is first loaded?
Thanks for sharing this program, it is just what we have been looking for. Sorry for overloading you with all these questions, but that is what I do.
Thanks to Lygra for the data samples. Here is my first cut of the XML data file reader. It is written in vb.net and targeting the 3.5 .net framework and coded in visual studio 10. Please feel free to take it use it and modify it, all i ask is that you publish your improvements to the forum for others to enjoy too.
Here is s screen shot of the final screen and attached it the zip file with the complete Visual studio project
It might be worth starting a new thread for this development so that i dont end up cross posting it all the time. Since I am a newbie here I will let Lygra decide where to put it and what to call it.
I’ve only just started it, but I can already export to Matlab, and (once I do a commit) it’ll support both Matlab and Gnuplot. Suggestions are welcome. I’ll also be looking at the source from this thread for ideas.
Your effort, your choice. I would agree that this topic warrants it’s own thread. If you want a lot of traffic to get your code tested, I would recommend to post it under DSO Nano. This way both the Excel and your capability would be available to current XML file users.
The Quad is still in it’s infancy and has very few owners as compared to the Nano. When the Quad becomes capable of XML, that would be the time to post at that location. Just remember most of us were new here within the last 4 months. So don’t feel intimidated because you are new.
My suggestion would be for you and Bainesbunch to agree upon a new thread title and keep both updates available at that thread. Then just add a new post to the current threads pointing to the new common thread. Once again, not my work, not my choice.
Some of us are not familiar with compiling the net software and require more instruction in the form of a help.txt file. Is there a way to provide a binary executable file and include that in your next released zip file? Also let us know what we need installed to use the binary release.
You may want to start adding a version number to your zip filenames and on the product screen so we can keep track of what is current.
Sure if you unzip the file and look in the bin folder you will see a debug folder. In there is the EXE it requires that you have .net 3.5 installed. To compile the program you will need visual studio 2010 with the vb language pack. then you simply click on the DSONanoQuadExportFileReader.sln file in the folder you have unzipped I will start versioning it from the next release this was really just an opportunity to see if there was any interest.
A small change to the system to use invariant culture when loading floating point numbers from the XML file and an additional screen listing version numbers and a change log to be found from the about box.
I just used your 1.002 version and can see good progress. I am answering in this thread because I have no further direction as to which thread you prefer. BenF has a good method of changing thread name or starting a new thread for each released version. This prevents the merging of discussions of various versions.
I believe I was wrong when I earlier suggested combining these two viewer projects in the same thread. Perhaps it would be better for you to select your preferred thread so we can all answer up in the same thread, and only post your updates there in one place.
As usual, I have some comment. First of all, thanks for the binary that works for me for all files. When I load the file in the attachment below, the 1ms view should be half as wide as in the 500us view but it is not. There seems to be a disconnect in resolution changes to the display. Maybe you could test the attached file and let us know what you think.
Maybe your configuration could allow a selection such that the loaded XML file would set the display parameters to match the XML file upon initial load.
I think I have said this before but here goes anyway. The rotary dials are difficult for me. Perhaps you could include up/down arrows next to the display box to increment or decrement the box values, and force the rotary dial to adjust accordingly.
One other item would be to include some form of trigger marker on the waveform so we can see where the trigger event took place.
Once again, thanks for taking on this project. fbign23.zip (11.8 KB)
The system already reads the profile section of the xml file and sets scales (or at least is should).
A tip on the rotary dials, If you click on them and then you can use the scroll wheel on your mouse to rotate them. I may remove them as they where only an attempt to make it look pretty
If you look at the profile info at the top of the form you will see buttons next to the trigger index and the max/min voltage. clicking these will move the waveform to start displaying at the point of these events.
I will look into the idea of a cursor on the time line that gives you an info box with offset from trigger and input value at the cursor point. If i was to implement 2 cursors i could also give a time difference/frequency of the cursors.
I think for my own sanity and ease of updating i will now only post the follwoing thread on the forum
Lots of Changes in this version.
Name changed to “XML data Viewer”
Moved application to an MDI format.
Added Double click events to the index buttons to centre trigger on display.
Added voltage cursors.
Added the ability to re-save a timeframe of the original XML file between time cursors.
Added Up down Buttons to the rotary controls
Changed S to s for seconds
Made data import library more robust to differing XML versions
I need someone to test the matlab and gnuplot exports for me please as i dont have these applicaions.
I could also do with a UART data stream XML export file to test the LA decoding, I have also got I2C and SPI but with only a single trace from the nano these will have to wait a while
when I earlier suggested combining these two viewer projects in the same thread. Perhaps it would be better for you to select your preferred thread so we can all answer up in the same thread, and only post your updates there in one place. 
