Is PLX-DAQ dead?

vagulus

I don't see a lot of discussion about the PLX-DAQ macro for MS Excel.
Does anyone still use it?

Tor

Well, on Parallax' web page it says

System Requirements

Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Office/Excel 2000 to 2003
May not work with newer software; no longer supported

Jeff Haas

Check here for an updated version that works with current Office:

http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=437398.msg3251256#msg3251256

Ken Gracey

Parallax paid for the development of this software and released it for free. Martin Hebel created it. Most of the inquiries I've seen are from Arduino users, customers trying to use it with Google sheets, or just those having compatibility problems. To answer the question from vagulus: yes, people are using it every day it seems.

We're not in a position to update it. I'm not sure if the source is even available. Martin could jump in and post it, if he's willing.

Ken Gracey

vagulus

I have a copy working with my Excel 2007. I don't need the upgrade until I upgrade my PC and Office at the same time - hopefully somewhere in the distant future. (I am working on the principle that you don't fix it if it is working

However, I do have an issue.

I have a project which involved two Arduino UNOs. One (remote) reads temperature and humidity from a DHT22 breakout then transmits that data using an nRF24L01+ RC breakout. The second (home) receives the data via RC, assigns it to storage then displays it in an OLED while writing it to Serial Monitor. So far so good.

These two RC units go through an handshaking sequence before starting work. That's my way of trying to ensure that RC is synchronized before trying to do anything useful with it. Once they are running you cannot just restart one of them, you have to start the remote, then the home unit. My current ambition is to have the home unit write the data to a spreadsheet using PLX-DAQ, but I cannot get PLX-DAQ to read the data.

When PLX-DAQ starts you can set it so that it does not restart the UNO. Should it be set to COM6, I have assumed that it sits there (as does Serial Monitor) and watches COM6 until there is some traffic to read when it writes that data to the relevant cells. My idea is that I would start PLX-DAQ and connect it to COM6, then start the UNO from which it reads - when the UNO boots what it writes gets written to the spreadsheet.

Sadly, that isn't working. What do I have wrong? Where have I come unstuck?

All help much appreciated.

vagulus

I'll try to make that a little more clear.
This is the boot sequence required to get the two programs running in concert.
This is what happens when I try to log the data from the outstation to Excel using PLX-DAQ.

I hope this helps - it could mean that someone helps me!

vagulus

Relax everybody. I found the problem. As usual the fault was mine. Coding error!
Everything I expected about PLX-DAQ is correct. All runs just fine.
Thanks you all for your help.