Import Data File

Import Data File in the File Menu allows you to import data from a .txt or .csv file as if it were coming in through the serial port. This was added for users logging data to file then wishing to plot it. When imported, it simply adds the data to the processing queue and all standard rules apply for data types, etc.

MakerPlot-J can be configured to treat the data in many ways though, just as with serial data.

For an example, if the saved data were a mix of analog and digital data that was saved at 100mS intervals, and has the following format:

data set number, temperature, pressure, heater on-off, fan on-off

1, 125, 20, 1, 0

2, 132, 22, 1, 1

etc

Keep in mind, since this is analog data as it starts with a numeric value, it is parsed as [ain0] (data set number)  [ain1](temperature)  [ain2] (pressure) [ain3] (heater on-off) and [ain4] (fan on-off)

We want to plot Temperature and Pressure as analog values and the heater and fan as digital data at the 100mS intervals with mixed analog and digital on the same plot.

For the analog plot, right-click and open settings. The Analog Channels would be configured as follows (setting to off will prevent plotting of that channel):

Going to the Digital Channels tab, it would be configured as follows:

Since this is analog data, we need to trigger the digital data to be plotted. On the plot, hit F3, and enter the following event code for the analog plot:

<analog>%

Also, through the plot's right-click menu, be sure to enable Plot Digital Channels.

Finally, as this is considered a data dump operation with data at set intervals, so going to the Data menu for the main interface select Set Dump Interval and set to 0.1 or 100m.

There! You should be ready to import and plot your data using menu File-->Import Data File! Remember, for an analog string only the first value needs to be a value, others can be alpha-numeric if needed for other uses.

Be sure to save your Interface so it's ready to go for next time!