Hi Zilla,
There are LabVIEW VIs in the toolkit that write DAT files based on the 2D data array or 1D waveform array you pass it, plus additional descriptive information in arrays of clusters. So once you have the information you want to record in LabVIEW variables, it's a simple matter to pass those to the VI that creates the DAT file for you. Then those parameters are automatically understood and loaded into DIAdem along with the bulk data.
The DAT file format is really 2 separate files. The *.DAT file contains ASCII header information, basically all the descriptive parameters you passed in arrays of clusters, plus information on how the bulk data is stored (data types, start position, etc.). The second file is usually a binary file-- the toolkit VI will create a file storing all the values as DBLs with the file extension *.R64.
You can look at the *.DAT file with NotePad, but the parameters are identified by numeric keycode, so it's not immediately obvious to a new person what the information in that file is, and there's definitely no bulk data in there.
You can convert *.txt files to DAT files, but you need to read the *.txt file into LabVIEW, then map the items of interest, including the data array, to the inputs of the VI that writes the DAT file.
Creating DAT files is about the same in LabVIEW 7.1, but LabVIEW 7.1 natively writes TDM files with it's "Storage VIs". These TDM files are similar in concept to the DAT files described above, as they are the newer standard DIAdem files. DIAdem 8.1 and earlier versions preferred DAT files, but DIAdem 9.0 and later prefers TDM files (though it reads DAT files, and always will). So if you do upgrade to LabVIEW 7.1, I would recommend using the storage VIs that come with it to create TDM files, with no toolkit download necessary. You will find the storage VIs much more user-friendly to the LabVIEW mindset.
But as far as DIAdem is concerned, whether you use DAT files or TDM files, the benefit you get from using either is the same-- all the descriptive data set and channel properties will be automatically loaded from the file and displayed in the Data Portal. These properties will also be easily accessible everywhere else in DIAdem-- including in a text box on all 30 pages of your report.
You will find examples of writing DAT files in the 2.0 toolkit (LabVIEW Connectivity VIs), and if you upgrade to LabVIEW 7.1, you will find examples of creating TDM files in the example finder of LabVIEW.
Brad Turpin
DIAdem Product Support Engineer
National Instruments
