Campbell Scientific PC208 Datalogger Support Software - Manual (Page 96)

SECTION 7. CSMCOM
7-4
If the card is corrupted do not use the C option
initially. Use the E option to fully test and reset
the card.
7.3.11 Q -- QUIT
Q quits CSMCOM and returns to DOS.
7.4 FILENAME CONVENTIONS:
For all options where CSMCOM asks you for a
filename, if you enter a filename that contains '*'
or a '?' wildcard character a list of files of that
specification is displayed on the screen. You
are then prompted to enter the filename again.
You can abort an option at this point by not
entering any name and pressing the Esc key.
If you have already entered a filename, before
running an option, CSMCOM prompts you with
the same name again. Pressing the Enter key
at this stage accepts the previously entered
name. To enter a different name, type out the
new name in full and press Enter.
CSMCOM assumes a .DLD suffix for program
files and a .DAT suffix for data files, unless you
enter an alternative suffix or specify no suffix by
terminating the filename with a '.'
For options where only one file can be read
from, or stored in the card, e.g. the name of a
program to be stored in the card, CSMCOM
asks you for a specific filename, where the
prefix can be up to eight characters long.
Where the option can generate several files on
disk, e.g. options A or P, CSMCOM asks for a
'root' filename. You should enter a name that
has six characters or less. CSMCOM then
appends a number to the name, which is
incremented with each file collected. Where the
filename is six characters long the numbers 01
to 99 are appended to the name. Shorter
names have a three-digit number appended, i.e.
001..999.
When you first specify the root filename,
CSMCOM scans the disk for files with the same
root name. If none are found, CSMCOM starts
numbering the files at 1, e.g. ROOT001.DAT. If
files with the same root name exist, new files
are numbered sequentially starting with the first
number that does not exist on the disk, e.g. if
ROOT001.DAT and ROOT002.DAT already
exist, the first new file will be called
ROOT003.DAT.
If you specify a file that already exists on disk
you are asked if you wish to overwrite the file. If
you reply 'No', the option aborts and returns to
the option menu.
7.5 DATA FILE FORMAT OPTIONS
Once you have specified a filename for a data
collection option you are asked which format
you want to use for storing the data on disk. The
following message is shown:
File Formats:
D -- Printable ASCII arrays with IDs
C -- Comma separated ASCII arrays
A -- As stored (8 bit data)
Esc -- Escape
Format:
D -- PRINTABLE ASCII DATA WITH IDS
This is the format that is most readable when
printed. Each data value is preceded by an
identifier (see example in section 4 of this
manual). This format occupies the most disk
space on the computer, and can be difficult to
read into some other analysis packages. The
format is ambiguous for arrays of 100 or more
points; it is therefore not recommended for
purposes other than printing.
C -- COMMA SEPARATED ASCII ARRAYS
This format has array elements separated by
commas. No element identifiers are included
and all leading and trailing zeros are removed.
Each array is terminated with a carriage return
and linefeed. Comma separated data is
reasonably compact, can be imported into most
analysis packages, and can also be read when
printed (see example in section 4 of this
manual).
A -- AS STORED (8-BIT DATA)
When this option is used CSMCOM does not
perform any decoding on the data in the card.
Data is read out of the module and is written to
disk as it is.
If data has been stored from a datalogger in a
binary format, the A option writes the data to
disk in the same format. This is the most