- Data from bs2sx to MS Excel - your opinion, please
Mrdavidjenkins
Posts: 49
Backround - I am building a device to monitor the rate that boxes are made at work.· If the rate falls below the spec, a light comes on to alert the foreman to check things out.· The supervisor would like to get a historical report on the rate every 10 minutes·when need arose·· I was planning on using a SMP-III printer to output it to paper, but the supervisor changed his mind.· He would like to get the data into Excel somehow for monthly reports. · The basic stamp ·machine is remote and difficult to connect using wires.· The IT guys at the plant are pretty stuffy - for some very good reasons - and putting in additional PCs are not received with any enthusiasm.
---· Now the real stuff ---
Has anyone come up with a good way to collect data from a remote site location?· I had a couple ideas that I would like your opinions on.· I am fully up to speed in excel, so I would use CSV files and use VBA to get it into excel.
1 - Use a chip, like a·AT45D0xx Dataflash mounted with a connection that I could take off the Basic Stamp and bring it into a lab.·· Not a great idea, but it might work.· No radio or Bluetooth
2 -·Use a·RF connection from the basic stamp, buy a small pc and use it to download the data from the basic stamp to a text file onto a small pc.·
3· - Use an IPAQ Pocket PC and use a·IR connection to·send the data to the IPAQ.···I could use·embedded visual basic on the·ipaq·to wait·for·IR input.· Then take the Ipaq to the lab and download the text file there.
4· - Use the RS 232 port on the· BS2sx OEM module and hook up some unknown commercial device on the Stamp and on the PC.· This would be like a virtual cable between the two.
5 - Use a bluetooth connection like the toothpick.· Nice thing is that I can have line of sight pretty easily and the distance is about 100 ft.
I recognize these ideas are kind of goofy, but I would appreciate your thoughts.·· The supervisor did change his requirements on the fly and I haven't thought this through yet.···Your help is very much appreciated.··
Thanks· Dave
---· Now the real stuff ---
Has anyone come up with a good way to collect data from a remote site location?· I had a couple ideas that I would like your opinions on.· I am fully up to speed in excel, so I would use CSV files and use VBA to get it into excel.
1 - Use a chip, like a·AT45D0xx Dataflash mounted with a connection that I could take off the Basic Stamp and bring it into a lab.·· Not a great idea, but it might work.· No radio or Bluetooth
2 -·Use a·RF connection from the basic stamp, buy a small pc and use it to download the data from the basic stamp to a text file onto a small pc.·
3· - Use an IPAQ Pocket PC and use a·IR connection to·send the data to the IPAQ.···I could use·embedded visual basic on the·ipaq·to wait·for·IR input.· Then take the Ipaq to the lab and download the text file there.
4· - Use the RS 232 port on the· BS2sx OEM module and hook up some unknown commercial device on the Stamp and on the PC.· This would be like a virtual cable between the two.
5 - Use a bluetooth connection like the toothpick.· Nice thing is that I can have line of sight pretty easily and the distance is about 100 ft.
I recognize these ideas are kind of goofy, but I would appreciate your thoughts.·· The supervisor did change his requirements on the fly and I haven't thought this through yet.···Your help is very much appreciated.··
Thanks· Dave
Comments
You'll get better answers than I can provide, but here a few ideas. Look on the Stamp Software Downloads page for StampDAQ and StampPlot (Lite & Pro). StampDAQ is an Excel spreadsheet for real-time data aquisition, and StampPlot is a stand-alone app for DAQ. Anyf these programs might meet your needs and save you some time coding.
The programs were created by the guys who wrote Parallax's Industrial Control text, which is also freely downloadable in PDF format. The book gives examples for StampPlot Lite, as well as industrial control theory, and will probably be very relevant to your situation.
Depending on your requirements & environment, you might want to look into RS-485. There is quite a bit on the forums for RS-232 vs. Rs-485. The best way to search is search.parallax.com --> Advanced Search --> forums.parallax.com in the domain box for forum search.
You can also look at Jan Axelson's website at www.lvr.com. She wrote Serial Port Complete, which gets high remarks here. There is a book link which has a downloadable RS-485 project with schematics, VB code, and PBasic code that you can look at to get some ideas for your project.