Night Owl 6

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Text File | 1991-06-18 | 12KB | 310 lines

How To use HELP The FILE Menu SHORT CUTS Using the DMM Using the OSCILLOSCOPE The SIGNAL GENERATOR NUMERIC CONVENTIONS START UP options About this MODULE /* WELCOME to this LIMITED FUNCTION version of ProtoLab! We automatically opened this HELP function to get you started. Use TOOLS on the sample circuit. Explore the complete selection of work bench instruments using the circuit we have provided. Work with an actual ProtoWare Circuit Module. Select Organ Demo from the FILE menu. Please read through the rest of this message. MOVING THROUGH HELP MESSAGES. The various HELP messages are of different lengths. If the HELP message is longer than will fit in this help window, you can "scroll" through the entire message by using the mouse and "dragging" the window scroll button located on the right of this window down a few lines. Moving the scroll button causes the help message to move down thereby revealing additional text. When the end of the message is reached, you may move to the beginning by positioning the scroll button to the top of the message window. HOW TO GET RID OF HELP. To get back to your work with ProtoLab, just position the mouse outside the HELP message window and click. This will make the help window disappear. When you exit, we will automatically turn the power ON. Calculation takes about a minute. Order ProtoLab NOW by calling 800-345-6251 The FILE menu provides ways to begin a new circuit-(NEW), load from disk an existing circuit-(OPEN), record a circuit file for future use-(SAVE), exit ProtoLab-(QUIT) and obtain important system & version information-(ABOUT PROTOWARE). DIRECTORIES To obtain a DIRECTORY of files select OPEN... Type DIR when asked for the file name. You may also append FILTERS to this command. For example,if you wanted to see only the files with the extension .CHN then type DIR.CHN at the open prompt. To select a directory of another drive, use path name prefixes in the name. Therefore, typing B:DIR will generate the directory for the disk in the B DRIVE. If you specify another drive, make certain that a disk is mounted in the drive BEFORE you issue the DIR command. SAVING TO OTHER DRIVES In like manner, you may SAVE circuit files to other drives and directories by specifying the path as part of the name. The file named B:TEST.CIR will be saved on the disk located in the B drive bay. All standard DOS conventions apply to these names. FILE NAMES & EXTENSIONS DOS file extensions are encouraged as a way of ordering your circuit files. DO NOT USE the extension .CSL because ProtoLab will NOT open a circuit file saved with a .CSL extension. See your manual & DOS manual for more information about file names, extensions, path names and drive specs. This is the end of The FILE Menu Help. USE OF F-KEYS ProtoLab allows you to use FUNCTION KEYS for certain actions. The function keys and their associated actions are displayed on the last line of the display. To obtain the use of the TOOLS via these keys, press the ALT key. You then have access to the DMM, SIGNAL GENERATOR and OSCILLOSCOPE. Function key actions are identical to the menu selections. TEMPERATURE CHANGES To change the TEMPERATURE setting, click on the mousebar read out of the temperature (t:XX C). FREQUENCY CHANGES To alter the frequency of AC sources located in your circuit, click on the mousebar read out of the frequency (f:XX Hz). You will bring up the SIGNAL GENERATOR. AUTO LOAD CIRCUIT FILES When starting ProtoLab from the DOS prompt, you may tell us to have a certain circuit loaded and powered up automatically by entering the file name as part of the start up command. For example - C:>PLAB TEST.CIR will start ProtoLab and dutifully load & power up the circuit file named TEST.CIR by passing the Start Up screen. This is the end of The Short Cuts Help. The DMM is summoned when the VOLTMETER, AMMETER, OHMMETER OR WATTMETER is selected. You may move between these four functions of the DMM by selecting one of the four buttons. The meter mode is highlighted. Put the instrument away by clicking on the GLOBAL logo. VOLTMETER The voltmeter displays both DC and AC voltage. The PHASE angle is shown for AC signals. First, select the REFERENCE node with a mouse click, then choose a MEASUREMENT node. You may reset and choose a new REFERENCE node by clicking off the ProtoBoard area. AMMETER The ammeter displays both AC and DC currents. The PHASE angle is shown for AC currents. Choose a component (not node) or wire in the circuit. The current value will be displayed with the polarity referenced as shown. OHMMETER This instrument will calculate the DC ohms between two nodes. The power must be OFF and all sources REMOVED from the circuit. Click on the component area between the nodes you want measured. WATTMETER This is a four terminal instrument. Select the component for the CURRENT COIL, then choose the REFERENCE & MEASUREMENT nodes for the VOLTAGE SENSE. The value presented may be NEGATIVE due to polarity conventions. This is the end of The DMM Help. The 'Scope supplied with ProtoLab is a two channel single time base unit. The voltage & time scales are selectable by clicking on the associated UP or DOWN arrows beside the control knobs. The GLOBAL logo puts the 'scope back in the cabinet for you. COUPLING Choose coupling method (DC or AC) by using the switch controls located below each voltage scale knob. PROBES & TRACES Select the probe you are PLACING with the PROBE control button group. GROUND, CHANNEL 1 & CHANNEL 2 are individually selected for use. Select which channels are plotted with DISPLAY. COLORS The COLOR of each channel may be altered by clicking in the center of the channel's VOLTAGE scale knob. Select a color from those shown. A click outside the color selection box will CANCEL the color choice screen. In like manner, the screen COLOR of the 'scope may be altered by clicking in the center of the TIME knob. ALT key + click in TIME Knob toggles 'scope GRID. PLOT INHIBIT The scope is updated at every event such as a change in voltage scales. Sometimes you may not want to wait for a screen to be updated. In these cases, hold down the left-hand SHIFT key while clicking on a scope control. A message will be displayed on the 'scope screen indicating that no plot has taken place. To update the display, click on any control. This is the end of The OSCILLOSCOPE Help. The SIG GEN performs double duty in ProtoLab. It controls the frequency of ALL AC voltage and current sources used in your circuit. It also allows you to automatically step through and monitor the frequency response of a circuit. The GLOBAL logo puts the instrument away. BASIC FREQUENCY CONTROL The basic frequency is set by using the UP and DOWN arrows at the control knob. Enter ANY frequency by clicking in the center of the FREQUENCY knob. Key-in a value and then terminate with <CR>. To CANCEL just press <CR>. The AMPLITUDE is controlled by the VOLTAGE level selected for each source as it was placed on the board. SWEEP GENERATOR Select the BEGINNING, ENDING and STEP size of the SWEEP. Click the SWEEP button. Choose a REFERENCE and MEASUREMENT node in a manner similar to using the VOLTMETER. ProtoLab will then build a TABLE of responses based on these sweep frequencies. This table is NOT retained in memory after you click the MOUSE button. Make note of any needed values. To CANCEL this action during a SWEEP, press the SPACE BAR. The sweep will terminate, but probably NOT immediately. This ends the Signal Generator Help. ProtoLab will recognize several numeric formats used in specifying parts for circuit construction. ProtoLab is NOT case sensitive. Example: mA = ma = Ma = MA DO NOT USE COMMAS (,) WHEN SPECIFYING LARGE VALUES. -------------------- OHMS (RESISTORS) ------------------------- .1 = 0.1 OHMS or 1E-1 = 0.1 OHMS 10 = 10 OHMS or 6.82 = 6.82 OHMS 10K = 10,000 OHMS or 6.82K = 6820 OHMS 10M = 10,000,000 OHMS or 6.82M = 6,820,000 OHMS 1E6 = 1,000,000 OHMS ------------------ AMPS (CURRENT SOURCES) --------------------- 10 = 10 AMPS or 6.82 = 6.82 AMPS 1mA = 0.001 AMPS or 6.82ma = 0.00682 AMPS 1uA = 0.0000001 AMPS or 6.82ua = 6.82E-06 AMPS 1nA = 0.0000000001 AMPS or 6.82na = 6.82E-09 AMPS 1pA = 1 E-12 AMPS or 6.82pa = 6.82E-12 AMPS ------------------- FARADS (CAPACITORS) ---------------------- 1 = 1 FARAD or 6.82 = 6.82 FARADS 1mF = 0.001 FARADS or 6.82mF = 0.00682 FARADS 1uF = 0.0000001 FARADS or 6.82uF = 6.82E-06 FARADS 1nF = 0.0000000001 FARADS or 6.82nF = 6.82E-09 FARADS 1pF = 1 E-12 FARADS or 6.82pF = 6.82E-12 FARADS -------------------- HENRYS (INDUCTORS) ----------------------- 1.5 = 1.5 HENRYS or 6.82 = 6.82 HENRYS 1mH = 0.001 HENRYS or 6.82mH = 0.00682 HENRYS 1uH = 0.0000001 HENRYS or 6.82uH = 6.82E-06 HENRYS 1nH = 0.0000000001 HENRYS or 6.82nH = 6.82E-09 HENRYS 1pH = 1 e-12 HENRYS or 6.82pH = 6.82E-12 HENRYS --------------------------------------------------------------- When ProtoLab is first booted you have the opportunity to have access to a User Configuration & Information Screen. Skip Start Up screen - YES causes the program to go directly to the ProtoBoard. NO allows you to see our pretty start up screen Load Help File - YES makes the HELP function active. NO saves time on start up but denies you access to this HELP Check fuse after power up - YES checks after each power up that the fuse isn't blown. NO means you "crowbar" the fuse box and are never alerted. Ask for resistor TYPE - YES allows the specifying of several kinds of resistors. NO will always assume a CARBON resistor. Ask for resistor TOLERANCE - YES gives you control of the quality of resistors used. NO will always assume a 0% factor. Ask for resistor WATTAGE - YES lets you put in resistors properly sized for the job. NO assumes a quarter watt is used. Ask for capacitor WVDC - YES makes you stop and think about cap values in the circuit. NO assumes a 35 Volt cap. Record User Prefs at QUIT - YES means that all color and instrument changes will be the same on start up as the last time used. NO causes all colors and instrument settings to be as last saved not as last used. This is a special version of the BASIC ProtoLab module. You may use the TOOLS to poke around the sample circuit. You may also load a ProtoWare Module. The ever expanding library of ProtoWare Modules available from GLOBAL SPECIALTIES will keep ProtoLab current, exciting and useful for years to come. Have fun with your ProtoLab!