YSI 52 - Manual (Page 27)

SECTION 7 PERSONAL COMPUTER INTERFACE
The RS232 port allows you to connect your Model 52 meter directly to an IBM
compatible personal computer (PC). Your PC can then gather, store and analyze the
dissolved oxygen data generated by the meter. The system includes an RS232 cable. We
recommend that you use a commercially available communication software product to
interface the Model 52 to your PC. Some of the products that will work are
CROSSTALK™, ProComm™, and PC Talk™.
The following explanation on how to use one of the commercially available
communications software packages is an example of this easy-to-use feature. To use
ProComm for DOS, run the software package and enter the terminal mode. Press Alt-F1
to open a log file. A prompt on the computer screen will ask you to define the directory
and file name to which you will send readings from the Model 52. Press enter, then
switch the Model 52 to external control. A new reading will scroll to the screen
approximately once per second. To close a log file and save it as an ASCII file, press Alt-
F1 again. This ASCII file can then be imported to a spreadsheet program such as
Microsoft Excel™, Quattro Pro™ or Lotus 123™.
Set the communications parameters required by your PC (see System Setup), then switch
to EXTERNAL CONTROL. The default display is
8 . 2 4 m g / L 2 4 . 9 C
I D : 1 C O : o f f
The top line shows the current dissolved oxygen reading in mg/L. The bottom line
displays an identification number and the status of the communication port. Along with
each dissolved oxygen reading, the identification number increases by one. Each reading
is sent to the PC (about 1 reading a second) as a line of ASCII characters. An excerpt
from a file of readings would look something like this:
ID: 64 7.62 mg/L 83.9 % 20.0 C S= 0.0 03/19/90 02:06
ID: 65 7.62 mg/L 83.9 % 20.0 C S= 0.0 03/19/90 02:06
ID: 66 7.62 mg/L 83.9 % 20.0 C S= 0.0 03/19/90 02:06
ID: 67 7.62 mg/L 83.9 % 20.0 C S= 0.0 03/19/90 02:07
ID: 68 7.62...
7.1 WRITING YOUR OWN APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE
For specific applications, you may design your own software. All functions of the Model
52 can be put under software control: calibration, salinity setting, display, keys, and even
the beeper. Contact YSI Water Quality Systems Technical Support for more information.
YSI, Incorporated Model 52 23