================================= SoftPlot Measurement Presentation Program Installation ================================= Introduction ------------ SoftPlot is designed for putting quality measurement plots into word processor documents and presentation packages. Many instruments, such as spectrum analyzers and network analyzers, have the capability to generate a hard copy of the measurements by connecting a suitable pen-plotter to their GPIB interface. SoftPlot improves on this by using the GPIB to extract only the unformatted data from the instrument and allowing it to be manipulated in a number of ways. For example, the graticule type, style and scaling can be re-defined, and markers and limit lines added. In addition, the graph can be annotated in various ways, and if there are several traces they can be drawn in different pen styles and colours. A wide range of file formats are handled to allow the import and export of measurement data to other software such as Microwave Office (TM AWR), spreadsheets or maths packages. With SoftPlot, the information previously locked up in your hardcopy result is now accessible long after the measurement was made. Contents -------- 1. Hardware Requirements 2. GPIB Cards, RS-232 or LAN Connection to Instruments 3. Software Installation 4. Product Passwords and Demonstration Mode 5. Registration 1. Hardware Requirements ------------------------ The minimum system requirements in order to run the software are : IBM PC compatible Pentium 90 computer, equipped with 16MB RAM (some operating systems require more than this) 4MB hard disk space (for installation) Microsoft Windows 95 / 98 / Me / NT4 / 2000 / XP 2. GPIB Cards, RS-232 or LAN Connection to Instruments ------------------------------------------------------ If a GPIB card is to be used for instrument transfers, this should be installed first. Follow the manufacturer's documentation and use the SETUP program provided with the card. For National Instruments cards, it is only necessary to install the Windows driver (GPIB-32.DLL will be installed in the WINDOWS directory). For HP cards, it is only necessary to install the HP SICL32 driver. Suitable GPIB Cards are: a National Instruments (www.ni.com) GPIB card, type PC-IIA, AT-GPIB/TNT, PCI-GPIB, PCMCIA-GPIB, GPIB-USB-A/B or a ComputerBoards Inc. (www.computerboards.com) GPIB card, type ISA-GPIB, ISA-GPIB/LC, ISA-GPIB-PC2A, PCI-GPIB, PCM-GPIB; or a Hewlett-Packard/Agilent (www.agilent.com) HP82335, HP82340/82341, HP82350 or HP82357 HP-IB card or an ines (www.inesinc.com) GPIB-PCMCIA, GPIB-PCI card. Any other GPIB card with a National Instruments - compatible GPIB-32.DLL driver providing the same programming interface should work, but has not been tested. NOTE the selection between National Instruments and HP cards is selected once SoftPlot is running. Choose "GPIB Card / Serial / LAN Configuration" from the "Edit" menu, and select the type of card to be used. The default is National Instruments. Some instruments are fitted with an RS-232 port, which allows them to be programmed from the PC COM1: or COM2: ports. If you only need to connect to one instrument, and it has a suitable RS-232 port, you can avoid the cost of adding GPIB to your PC. When SoftPlot is running, choose "GPIB Card / Serial / LAN Configuration" from the "Edit" menu, and select "Enable Serial Interface". Then click on the Setup button which will have appeared, in order to configure the PC serial port settings. LAN connections are available on some newer instruments, and SoftPlot has support for this using Socket Services. On the appropriate instrument transfer page, select LAN (just above the Start Transfer button), and enter the IP address of the instrument. In C:\program files\softplot-4\lan utils you will find SktClient.exe, which can be used to help establish basic communication between the PC and the instrument. Enter simple SCPI commands such at "*IDN?" to establish that the network link is working. NOTE: The Agilent PNA series of network analyzers have a network connection but do not implement Socket Services. Copy C:\program files\softplot-4\lan utils\ PNASocketSvr.exe to your instrument and run it on the PNA's PC to implement the required socket services functionality. 3. Software Installation ------------------------ The installation of SoftPlot is automated by running the SETUP.EXE program on the distribution disk. You will be prompted to choose the name of a new top-level directory which will be created to keep the program and other files. "C:\Program Files\SoftPlot-4\" is the default, but you may change this. The following files will be transferred into your chosen directory : SOFTPLOT.EXE the main program SOFTPLOT.INI configuration parameters for the main program SOFTPLOT.HLP the help system TOURGUID.HLP guided tour help file SAMPLES\ a number of sample files will be copied to this directory TEMPLATE\ sample measurement templates A new program group and icon will be created by the install program before it closes. Running SoftPlot will cause it to register itself as an OLE server in the system registration database. If SoftPlot is moved to a different drive or directory, or has been upgraded, it will automatically modify the registration details when it is next run. To uninstall SoftPlot, click on Add/Remove Programs in the Windows control panel. 4. Product Passwords and Demonstration Mode ------------------------------------------- When the program starts for the first time, you will be prompted for user information and a product password. On the distribution disk of the full product you will find a personalised Product Password which should be typed in carefully. Prior to purchase, you can request a time-limited evaluation password, which allows you to fully explore the capabilities of the software with no obligation. Please send your request for a password to enquiries@ph-technology.com. This version of the software can also be run without a product password in a Demonstration Mode. There is a checkbox to enable this on the registration info dialog box. Demonstration Mode includes enough functionality to enable you to evaluate the product thoroughly. A GPIB Card is not required or used in this mode. Certain features are disabled so that it may be freely distributed without copyright infringement and without the need for payment. This mode does not include GPIB transfer drivers, and does not allow files to be saved. On the instrument transfer pages, you can browse the list of supported instrument drivers, and click on the Start Transfer button, as if there were a real instrument connected to the PC. Data files for each instrument category are supplied which simulate the behaviour of a real GPIB transfer, giving traces for you to evaluate and interact with. A number of sample files are also included, which may be loaded and modified, so that you can see how markers can be controlled and how traces can be scaled and overlaid. Demonstration mode may be used as a *.SPT file viewer, and it also allows SPT files to be pasted into documents using OLE. 5. Registration --------------- Purchasers of a full licenced copy of the software are encouraged to fill in and return the enclosed registration card. This entitles you to take advantage of our customer support services. If you have lost your registration card, print out and fill in the following section. Post it to the address given in Further Information below. Name________________________________ Title__________________________________ Company_____________________________ Department_____________________________ Street Address_________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ City________________________________ State/Province_________________________ Country_____________________________ Postal Code____________________________ Telephone___________________________ Fax Number_____________________________ E-Mail Address______________________ Product Purchase Date__________________ Further Information ------------------- SoftPlot was written by and is copyright of P&H Technology Consultants. For further information, contact P&H Technology Consultants, 10, Teversham Road, Fulbourn, Cambridge, United Kingdom CB1 5EB. e-mail: support@ph-technology.com web: http://www.ph-technology.com