Read and plot data from multiple *.lvm files generated from Labview 8.0

[johnnyc]

i would like to extract the same output data (i.e., calculated vehicle speed, distance traveled between sensors) from multiple, identically formatted *.lbv files created by labview during previous labview runs and plot this data on a simple x-y plot.  Can something like this be done all within diadem and is their an example diadem solution close to this application i can get as a start for my specific application.  Note, i am a new user of Diadem 10.0.

thanks in advance for any help.

[Brad_Turpin]

Hi jonnyc,

The short answer is "yes".  In fact, you could do this interactively with relatively few mouse clicks.  Are you not succeeding in importing your data, or only the channels you specifically want?  Or are you importing the data just fine, but you're not sure how to graph them?  Or are you able to import the data and graph it, but you want to automate this so that it runs with just one or two mouse clicks?

Important question-- do you want to see N traces on your graph, all with a different curve color, or do you want to load all the data and plot it as a single curve?

How about if you send over 3 of your *.LVM files, so I can better see what you're looking at?

Let us know, and we'll take the next steps together,
Brad Turpin
DIAdem Product Support Engineer
National Instruments

[johnnyc]

thanks for responding brad...

i haven't tried importing an lvm file into diadem yet.  I'd like to be able to 'point' to 30 of these similar lvm files saved within a folder from earlier DAQ sessions and then run a diadem 'script file' (?) to extract the data i want ploted on one plot; no connecting of data pts with lines nor curves; ea lvm contains: 1x true sensor velocity (mph) & 6x sensor ranges (m); plot of true sensor velocity (mph) vs ea respective sensor range value; 6x trials at ea 'target' sensor velocity; distinct color for these set of coordinates at this 'target velocity'; .  They'll be 5 sets of different-colored coordinates, ea color representing a target velocity set of 10, 20, 30, 40 & 50mph for a total of 180 coordinate pts on one plot.

i could send you 2 or 3 sample lvm files to show you what i need extracted and plotted as a start.

-johnnyc

[Brad_Turpin]

Hi jonnyc,

Yes, that would be very helpful, please do.

Brad

[johnnyc]

brad,

i sent these att'd files and associated info to you friday but i didn't see my msg posted so i don't know if you got this msg...please let me know.  Maybe the unzipped files were too big to go thru.  These attached are zipped.  I'll explain how i'd like the data plotted by diadem once i know you got the files.

thanks,

john

[johnnyc]

brad,

looks like my msg and zipped files made it to the msg board this time.  If you open the files w/in Excel, I'd like Diadem to plot the data in file "10mph_2m_trial1_config1.lvm", specifically, R1 cell (measured sensor velocity, x-coordinate) against each of the T1, V1, X1, Z1, AB, & AD (measured sensor distances, y-coordinates)...so 6 pts on plot in one color for config 1 file.  Similarly, on this same plot, i'd like config2 and config3 file data plotted in different colors.  Typically, i'd have 6 trials per config at 5 different speeds each and i would transfer this data manually into excel to plot.  Is there a script within diadem you can provide to get me started as an example.  It would be nice to either pt to a number of files for Diadem to include in the plotting routine all at once....but it would also be nice to have diadem update this plot in diadem if running concurrently w/ Labview (w/ connected diadem express vi) after ea successive 'run' of Labview DAQ session.

thanks for any guidance,

johnnyc

[Brad_Turpin]

Hi John,

Well, I have a nice solution for you, but its robustness will depend on how static your LVM file format is.  Each of the 3 files you sent me had exactly 30 channels, and the information you said you cared about started at channel 18 and skipped every other channel for a total of 1 X value and 6 Y values.  For the time being I am completely ignoring the first 17 channels and hoping both the number 17 and the number 6 are static.

What I did was three-fold:

1)  Created a DataPlugin to read in just the values you wanted in the first line of the LVM file
2)  Created a VBScript to pop up a multi-select file dialog and load the data from N files as well as the REPORT layout
3)  Created a REPORT layout using the "channel expansion" principle to automatically handle N data sets

Just detach and unzip the below files to the same directory, double-click on the URI file to register it, then run the VBScript in DIAdem.  You should see a REPORT like what you described.

We can handle bullet-proofing and lily-gilding as a second step,
Brad Turpin
DIAdem Product Support Engineer
National Instruments

[johnnyc]

hi Brad,

thanks for help, i will try your solution/s today.....

just to clarify, in all 3 files i sent, column #18 value is a static, calculated velocity & columns#'s 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, & 30 are static, calculated distances. (note all distances are Y-coord of plot, the one velocity value is the X-coord for all 6 distance values).

-johnnyc

[johnnyc]

hi brad,

thanks for help!!!  This script i ran w/in diadem looks good.  Is there any way to assign colors of the data pts based on the files initially chosen by the script...i.e., if i wanted to choose 2 lbv files that were of "config1" and i wanted all 12 data pts w/in these 2 files to be red, and then, i wanted to choose 3 other lbv files that were of "config2" and i wanted all 12 data pts w/in these 2 files to be blue.

i want to take training for diadem soon, so please bear w/ me...i'll stop pestering you once i feel comfortable editing this script file myself.  How do i edit this script file w/in diadem?

thanks again,

johnnyc

[Josh_W]

johnnyc

Brad's out of the office this week, so I'll continue to help you during this time.

What version of DIAdem do you have?  Only the Professional and Advanced Editions support editing scripts from within DIAdem.  You can probably edit your script from an external VBScripting interface (or even notepad) if you know the commands to use.  You can check the differences between the versions of DIAdem at www.ni.com/diadem.

If you want to check which version is activated on your computer, you can go to Start>>All Programs>>National Instruments>>NI License Manager.  If you expand the DIAdem tree, only one Edition will be activated.

Josh W. | National Instruments | Applications Engineer