Teledyne Marine Instruments 5499 User Manual
SOFTWARE INSTRUCTION MANUAL  
APIcom  
Instrument Control Software  
Version 3.9.2  
Teledyne Advanced Pollution Instrumentation, Inc.  
9480 Carroll Park Drive  
San Diego, CA 92121  
TOLL-FREE:  
FAX:  
800-324-5190  
858-657-9816  
TEL:  
858-657-9800  
E-MAIL:  
WEB SITE:  
[email protected]  
http://www.teledyne-api/software/apicom  
API part #: 05499  
Rev. A  
Copyright 1998-2005 Teledyne API Inc.  
29. September 2005  
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TABLE OF CONTENTS  
TABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................................................................................III  
LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................................................................... IV  
LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................................... V  
1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................. 1-1  
1.1.  
1.2.  
1.3.  
1.4.  
1.5.  
1.6.  
FEATURES........................................................................................................................................................1-1  
FEATURES NEW WITH THIS VERSION...................................................................................................................1-1  
SUPPORTED INSTRUMENTS ...............................................................................................................................1-2  
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................................................1-2  
TYPOGRAPHIC CONVENTIONS USED IN THIS MANUAL .........................................................................................1-2  
INSTALLING APICOM.........................................................................................................................................1-3  
2. CONFIGURATION ............................................................................................................................... 2-1  
2.1.  
2.2.  
2.3.  
2.4.  
2.5.  
MAIN APPLICATION WINDOW.............................................................................................................................2-1  
QUICK START (DIRECT CABLE CONNECTION).....................................................................................................2-1  
PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT SETTINGS.....................................................................................................................2-3  
GLOBAL OPTIONS.............................................................................................................................................2-4  
THE APICOM NETWORK: INSTRUMENTS AND SITES. CABLE, MODEM AND ETHERNET CONNECTIONS....................2-5  
Configuring APIcom Instruments...........................................................................................................2-6  
Configuring Sites .................................................................................................................................2-11  
Direct Cable Connections....................................................................................................................2-12  
Windows (TAPI) Modem Connections ................................................................................................2-13  
Non-Windows Modem Connections....................................................................................................2-13  
Modems...............................................................................................................................................2-14  
Ethernet Connections..........................................................................................................................2-16  
CONFIGURATION STORAGE .............................................................................................................................2-16  
Global Options.....................................................................................................................................2-16  
APIcom Network Configuration: ..........................................................................................................2-16  
APIcom Network Configuration File Types..........................................................................................2-17  
Saving Network Configuration Files ....................................................................................................2-17  
2.5.1.  
2.5.2.  
2.5.3.  
2.5.4.  
2.5.5.  
2.5.6.  
2.5.7.  
2.6.  
2.6.1.  
2.6.2.  
2.6.3.  
2.6.4.  
3. BASIC OPERATION............................................................................................................................ 3-1  
3.1.  
3.2.  
3.3.  
3.4.  
3.5.  
CONNECTING TO AN INSTRUMENT......................................................................................................................3-1  
FRONT PANEL BUTTONS ...................................................................................................................................3-1  
DISCONNECTING FROM AN INSTRUMENT ............................................................................................................3-1  
EXITING APICOM ..............................................................................................................................................3-1  
USING APICOM WITH THE TMS9000.................................................................................................................3-2  
4. IDAS CONFIGURATION AND DATA ACCESS.................................................................................. 4-1  
4.1.  
4.2.  
4.3.  
4.4.  
4.5.  
SUPPORTED INSTRUMENTS ...............................................................................................................................4-1  
IDAS CONFIGURATION AND DOWNLOADED DATA DIALOG...................................................................................4-1  
DOWNLOADING THE IDAS CONFIGURATION .......................................................................................................4-3  
SAVING THE IDAS CONFIGURATION...................................................................................................................4-4  
MODIFYING THE IDAS CONFIGURATION.............................................................................................................4-4  
Adding or Modifying a Channel .............................................................................................................4-4  
iDAS Channel Names............................................................................................................................4-7  
Duplicating a Channel ...........................................................................................................................4-7  
Deleting a Channel................................................................................................................................4-7  
Adding or Modifying a Parameter..........................................................................................................4-7  
Duplicating a Parameter........................................................................................................................4-8  
Deleting a Parameter.............................................................................................................................4-8  
SENDING THE IDAS CONFIGURATION TO THE INSTRUMENT.................................................................................4-9  
DOWNLOADING IDAS DATA ..............................................................................................................................4-9  
iDAS Record Sets................................................................................................................................4-12  
GRAPHING IDAS DATA ...................................................................................................................................4-12  
VIEWING IDAS DATA ......................................................................................................................................4-13  
Changing the Precision of iDAS Data When Viewing or Saving.........................................................4-14  
4.5.1.  
4.5.2.  
4.5.3.  
4.5.4.  
4.5.5.  
4.5.6.  
4.5.7.  
4.6.  
4.7.  
4.7.1.  
4.8.  
4.9.  
4.9.1.  
4.10. SAVING IDAS DATA........................................................................................................................................4-14  
4.10.1.  
4.10.2.  
iDAS Data File Names.........................................................................................................................4-14  
Saving iDAS Data To An Existing File.................................................................................................4-14  
4.11. DISCARDING IDAS DATA ................................................................................................................................4-14  
4.12. DOWNLOADING IDAS DATA AUTOMATICALLY...................................................................................................4-15  
4.12.1.  
Configuring Channels for Automatic Download ..................................................................................4-15  
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4.12.2.  
4.12.3.  
4.12.4.  
Selecting Channels for Automatic Download......................................................................................4-15  
Activating Automatic Download Mode.................................................................................................4-15  
File Names For Automatic Download..................................................................................................4-15  
5. M700 CALIBRATOR SEQUENCES .................................................................................................... 5-1  
5.1.  
5.2.  
5.3.  
5.4.  
SEQUENCE CONFIGURATION DIALOG.................................................................................................................5-1  
DOWNLOADING A SEQUENCE CONFIGURATION...................................................................................................5-2  
SAVING A SEQUENCE CONFIGURATION ..............................................................................................................5-2  
MODIFYING A SEQUENCE CONFIGURATION.........................................................................................................5-3  
Adding or Modifying a Sequence ..........................................................................................................5-3  
Sequence Names..................................................................................................................................5-5  
Duplicating a Sequence ........................................................................................................................5-5  
Moving a Sequence...............................................................................................................................5-5  
Deleting a Sequence.............................................................................................................................5-5  
Adding Steps to a Sequence.................................................................................................................5-5  
Generate Step .......................................................................................................................................5-7  
GPT and GPT Preset Steps..................................................................................................................5-7  
Manual Steps.........................................................................................................................................5-8  
5.4.1.  
5.4.2.  
5.4.3.  
5.4.4.  
5.4.5.  
5.4.6.  
5.4.7.  
5.4.8.  
5.4.9.  
5.4.10.  
5.4.11.  
5.4.12.  
5.4.13.  
5.4.14.  
5.4.15.  
5.4.16.  
Duration Steps.......................................................................................................................................5-8  
Execute Sequence Steps......................................................................................................................5-9  
Select Output Steps...............................................................................................................................5-9  
Select Output Steps...............................................................................................................................5-9  
Duplicating a Step ...............................................................................................................................5-10  
Moving a Step......................................................................................................................................5-10  
Deleting a Step....................................................................................................................................5-10  
5.5.  
SENDING THE SEQUENCE CONFIGURATION TO THE INSTRUMENT.......................................................................5-10  
6. ADVANCED FEATURES..................................................................................................................... 6-1  
6.1.  
6.2.  
INSTRUMENT INFORMATION DIALOG...................................................................................................................6-1  
COMMUNICATION LOGGING ...............................................................................................................................6-3  
APPENDIX A. FIRMWARE COMPATIBILITY.............................................................................A-1  
A.1.  
A.2.  
REMOTE (RS-232) CONFIGURATION OF IDAS .................................................................................................. A-1  
NUMBER OF SAMPLES IN CONCENTRATION AVERAGE ........................................................................................ A-2  
LIST OF FIGURES  
Figure 1-1:  
Figure 2-1:  
Figure 2-2:  
Figure 2-3:  
Figure 2-4:  
Figure 2-5:  
Figure 2-6:  
Figure 2-7:  
Figure 2-8:  
Figure 2-9:  
Figure 2-10:  
Figure 2-11:  
Figure 2-12:  
Figure 2-13:  
Figure 2-14:  
Figure 2-15:  
Figure 2-16:  
Figure 2-17:  
Figure 3-1:  
Figure 4-1:  
Figure 4-2:  
Figure 4-3:  
Figure 4-4:  
Figure 4-5:  
Figure 4-6:  
Front Panel Window ..............................................................................................................................1-1  
Main Application Window ......................................................................................................................2-1  
Connection Dialog .................................................................................................................................2-3  
Global Program Options Dialogs...........................................................................................................2-4  
Instruments, Sites, and Connectors ......................................................................................................2-6  
Instrument Dialog Box ...........................................................................................................................2-6  
Instrument Properties Dialog Box, Basic Tab .......................................................................................2-7  
Instrument Properties Dialog Box, Automatic Disconnect Tab .............................................................2-8  
Instrument Properties Dialog Box, Code Activated Switch Tab............................................................2-9  
Instrument Properties Dialog Box, Handshaking Tab .........................................................................2-10  
Instrument Properties Dialog Box, Security Tab .................................................................................2-10  
Site List Dialog and Site Properties Dialog .........................................................................................2-11  
Direct Cable Connection Properties and Port Settings Dialogs..........................................................2-12  
Windows Modem Connection Properties Dialog.................................................................................2-13  
Non-Windows Modem Connection Properties Dialog.........................................................................2-13  
Modem List Dialog...............................................................................................................................2-14  
Modem Properties Dialog....................................................................................................................2-15  
TCP/IP Connection Properties Dialog Box..........................................................................................2-16  
Operation with TMS9000.......................................................................................................................3-2  
iDAS Configuration and Downloaded Data Dialog................................................................................4-2  
iDAS Channel Context Menu – Adding or Modifying a Channel...........................................................4-5  
iDAS Channel Properties Dialog – Basic and Advanced Tabs.............................................................4-5  
iDAS Parameter Context Menu – Adding or Modifying a Parameter....................................................4-8  
iDAS Parameter Properties Dialog........................................................................................................4-8  
Successful iDAS Send Dialog ...............................................................................................................4-9  
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Figure 4-7:  
Figure 4-8:  
Figure 4-9:  
Figure 4-10:  
Figure 4-11:  
Figure 4-12:  
Figure 4-13:  
Figure 5-1:  
Figure 5-2:  
Figure 5-3:  
Figure 5-4:  
Figure 5-5:  
Figure 5-6:  
Figure 5-7:  
Figure 5-8:  
Figure 5-9:  
Figure 5-10:  
Figure 5-11:  
Figure 5-12:  
Figure 5-13:  
Figure 5-14:  
Figure 5-15:  
Figure 5-16:  
Figure 5-17:  
Figure 5-18:  
Figure 5-19:  
Figure 6-1:  
Figure 6-2:  
Unsuccessful iDAS Send Dialog ...........................................................................................................4-9  
Select Records Dialog.........................................................................................................................4-10  
Downloading iDAS Data....................................................................................................................4-11  
Downloaded iDAS Data.......................................................................................................................4-12  
Graphing Multiple iDAS Parameters With Different Scales.................................................................4-13  
Viewing iDAS Data ..............................................................................................................................4-13  
Saved iDAS Data.................................................................................................................................4-14  
Sequence Configuration Dialog.............................................................................................................5-1  
Sequence Context Menu – Adding or Modifying a Sequence ..............................................................5-3  
Sequence Properties Dialog..................................................................................................................5-4  
Invalid Sequence Name Dialog.............................................................................................................5-5  
Delete Sequence Confirmation Dialog ..................................................................................................5-5  
Select Step Type Dialog........................................................................................................................5-6  
Sequence Step Context Menu ..............................................................................................................5-6  
Generate Step Properties Dialog ..........................................................................................................5-7  
GPT Step Properties Dialog..................................................................................................................5-7  
GPT Preset Step Properties Dialog.......................................................................................................5-7  
Manual Step Properties Dialog..............................................................................................................5-8  
Duration Step Properties Dialog............................................................................................................5-8  
Execute Sequence Step Properties Dialog...........................................................................................5-9  
Select Output Step Properties Dialog....................................................................................................5-9  
Set CC Output Step Properties Dialog................................................................................................5-10  
Delete Step Confirmation Dialog.........................................................................................................5-10  
Sequence Send Configuration Confirmation Dialog............................................................................5-11  
Successful Sequence Send Dialog .....................................................................................................5-11  
Unsuccessful Sequence Send Dialog .................................................................................................5-11  
Instrument Information Dialog ...............................................................................................................6-1  
Sample Log File.....................................................................................................................................6-3  
LIST OF TABLES  
Table 2-1: Main Application Window Toolbar Buttons................................................................................................2-1  
Table 2-2: Global Options ...........................................................................................................................................2-4  
Table 2-3: Instrument Properties, Basic Tab ..............................................................................................................2-7  
Table 2-4: Instrument Properties, Automatic Disconnect Tab ....................................................................................2-8  
Table 2-5: Instrument Properties, Code Activated Switch Tab...................................................................................2-9  
Table 2-6: Instrument Properties, Handshaking Tab................................................................................................2-10  
Table 2-7: Instrument Properties, Security Tab ........................................................................................................2-11  
Table 2-8: Site Properties .........................................................................................................................................2-12  
Table 2-9: Windows Modem Connection Properties ................................................................................................2-13  
Table 2-10:  
Table 2-11:  
Non-Windows Modem Connection Properties ....................................................................................2-14  
Modem Properties ...............................................................................................................................2-15  
Table 4-1: Instruments Containing iDAS.....................................................................................................................4-1  
Table 4-2: iDAS Configuration and Downloaded Data Dialog Buttons.......................................................................4-2  
Table 4-3: iDAS Channel Properties...........................................................................................................................4-5  
Table 4-4: iDAS Parameter Properties .......................................................................................................................4-8  
Table 4-5: Select Records Dialog .............................................................................................................................4-10  
Table 5-1: Sequence Configuration Dialog Buttons....................................................................................................5-1  
Table 5-2: Sequence Properties .................................................................................................................................5-4  
Table 5-3: Sequence Step Types ...............................................................................................................................5-5  
Table 5-4: Generate Step Properties..........................................................................................................................5-7  
Table 5-5: GPT and GPT Preset Step Properties.......................................................................................................5-8  
Table 5-6: Manual Step Properties .............................................................................................................................5-8  
Table 5-7: Duration Step Properties ...........................................................................................................................5-9  
Table 5-8: Execute Sequence Step Properties...........................................................................................................5-9  
Table 5-9: Select Output Step Properties ...................................................................................................................5-9  
Table 5-10:  
Set CC Output Step Properties ...........................................................................................................5-10  
Table 6-1: Instrument Information Dialog....................................................................................................................6-1  
Table 6-2: Log Entry Classification Codes..................................................................................................................6-3  
Table 6-3: Instruments Supporting iDAS Configuration Through RS-232................................................................. A-1  
Table 6-4: Models Supporting "Number of samples" in iDAS channels & "Use internal clock" in iDAS download... A-2  
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1. INTRODUCTION  
This manual describes APIcom, a graphical interface that permits users to connect to the standard suite  
of ambient and stack-gas API instruments from remote locations and to operate those instruments as  
easily as if the user were sitting in front of the instrument.  
The user interface is simple and intuitive. Anyone who is familiar with API’s instruments can use  
APIcom. The figure below shows the primary APIcom interface to a remote instrument.  
Figure 1-1: Front Panel Window  
APIcom features a graphical display that emulates the real instrument's look with a push button, menu-  
driven interface. In addition to the basic front-panel functionality, APIcom also includes advanced data  
acquisition system and sequence configuration functions (AMX instruments only).  
1.1. Features  
ꢀ APIcom provides a simple means to connect to multiple local or remote API instruments, view their  
status, and change their settings.  
ꢀ Use APIcom to connect to multiple instruments at the same or different sites simultaneously,  
optionally using API’s multidrop protocol or a code-operated RS-232 switch.  
ꢀ User interface is identical to that built into API’s instruments. Anyone who is familiar with the user  
interface built into API’s instruments can use APIcom immediately.  
ꢀ Full access to all the capabilities built into the instrument.  
ꢀ Works with most of API’s standard, microprocessor-based instruments.  
ꢀ Download the iDAS data that are stored in the instrument, view it on screen, graphically plot it, and  
save it to a file (AMX instruments only).  
ꢀ Access the iDAS configuration from an instrument, modify it, save it on the local computer, and  
then send the modified configuration to the instrument (newer AMX instruments only, see website  
for compatibility table: http://teledyne-api.com/software/apicom/compatibility.html  
ꢀ Download the sequence configuration from an M700 calibrator, modify it, save it on the local  
computer, and then send the modified configuration to the instrument (M700 calibrators with  
firmware revision D.3 or higher).  
ꢀ APIcom can edit the iDAS or sequence configuration off-line, saving money in long distance phone  
charges.  
ꢀ APIcom uses Windows modem support for maximum compatibility with a customer’s equipment.  
APIcom also supports older modems directly even if Windows does not support them.  
1.2. Features new with this version  
ꢀ Use of the term iDAS, rather than DAS, to describe the internal Data Acquisition System function  
in AMX and E-series instruments. This change was made to reduce the confusion that arises  
when instruments are used with external data loggers or acquisition systems.  
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ꢀ Supports the new iDAS SDEV sampling mode.  
ꢀ Lengthy data downloads from the iDAS can now be aborted using a “Cancel” button to the iDAS  
dialog to abort lengthy data downloads.  
ꢀ APIcom now supports “total flow rate” specification for the M700 (M700 software revisions F.3 and  
later), as well as Generate, GPT, and GPT-preset steps.  
ꢀ Support for the TMS Terminus and TMS modules via the terminus, but not standalone TMS  
modules.  
ꢀ The Instrument Information dialog (see section 6.1) has been enhanced to show the instrument’s  
software part number, whether the instrument’s iDAS has the new SDEV mode, and whether the  
target instrument supports the “Download Cancel” feature.  
ꢀ The default file type when saving data downloaded from the iDAS has been changed to “.CSV”.  
This was done to better support users that analyze data with Excel.  
ꢀ Online help is now a Portable Document File (.pdf) that can also be used for printing the manual.  
1.3. Supported Instruments  
Since APIcom uses standard commands that are built into all API instruments, it will work with all API  
microprocessor-based instruments. However, APIcom works much better with AMX instruments and all  
E-series instruments because of the higher baud rates supported by these models.  
When connecting to older instruments operating at 2400 baud, it takes nearly one second for APIcom to  
transmit a button press and receive the display contents. When connecting to AMX instruments  
operating at 19,200 baud, the same action will appear instantaneously.  
Some of the iDAS functionality is supported only by newer revisions of firmware. Please refer to the  
tables in Appendix A to find out if your instrument’s firmware revision is supported. Consult our sales  
department or the APIcom website to find out if and how it can be upgraded to support that functionality:  
http://teledyne-api.com/software/apicom/compatibility.html  
The basic front-panel functionality is supported by all our analyzers.  
1.4. System Requirements  
APIcom runs only on 32-bit Windows operating systems (Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP). Do not  
attempt to run the program on Windows 3.1.  
APIcom requires 4–20 MB of RAM during normal operation, 5 MB of disk space for installation, and  
more disk space for storing iDAS data and scripts.  
Some versions of Windows 95 and NT4 may not have the correct common user interface dynamic link  
libraries that APIcom requires in order to display checkboxes in the iDAS configuration tree. These  
checkboxes make it convenient to select iDAS channels and parameters to download iDAS data from.  
See Section 4.6 for a work-around solution.  
The problem can be corrected by installing Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher. Please point your  
internet browser to this location to see the latest updates: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/  
1.5. Typographic Conventions Used in this Manual  
All of the examples used in this manual refer to specific instruments and sites. Keep in mind that names  
of instruments and sites will be different from those of the user.  
In this manual, names of push buttons on the actual instrument front panel are indicated using bold  
capital characters, for example, SETUP. Push button sequences are denoted by a series of button  
names, separated by dashes, such as SETUP-MORE-COMM-BAUD.  
APIcom menus are depicted in bold, as in File-New. Buttons in dialog boxes and on the toolbar are  
shown as bitmap images, like this:  
.
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Names of items such as files and setup variables are indicated using italicized capital characters, as in  
RS232_MODE.  
1.6. Installing APIcom  
If the installation file was downloaded, simply locate the file named APIcom.Installer.X.X.exe on the hard  
drive and double-click on it, then follow the instructions. (X.X being the revision number).  
If APIcom was received on CD, locate your CD drive in Explorer, locate the file named  
APIcom.Installer.X.X.exe and double-click on it, then follow the instructions. (X.X being the revision  
number).  
The APIcom installer is a stand-alone, executable installation routine, which copies the following files to  
the hard drive into a user-selected directory/folder:  
APIcom.exe - the program  
README.txt - a readme file with late-breaking news and latest changes to the program. You will have a  
chance to read this file during installation.  
APIcom.license.agreement.txt - the software license agreement to which you have to agree upon  
installation of APIcom. You will have a chance to read this file during installation.  
APIcom_User_Manual.pdf - User manual in Acrobat PDF format for printing purposes and for online  
help. This file MUST be located in the same directory as APIcom.  
For advanced users: Upon installation, APIcom creates the following registry entries. These entries -  
including all previously stored program and window settings - are completely removed when uninstalling  
APIcom. Note that network configuration files (site, instrument and iDAS settings) are not affected by  
uninstalling APIcom.  
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Advanced Pollution Instrumentation\APIcom  
DAS Settings  
Recent File List  
Settings  
NOTE  
If there already is a previous version of APIcom installed, the installation utility will prompt to  
replace the previous version. However, the previous version can be "upgraded" to the latest  
version by selecting "NO" when prompted to uninstall. This will leave the existing program settings  
(window locations, last used configuration files etc.) intact and only over-write any existing files  
listed above. This is recommended for upgrades of version 3.0 and above.  
CAUTION  
Site and instrument definitions created with older versions of APIcom are stored in the network  
configuration files (.cfg). These files may not be compatible with the latest version of APIcom.  
When upgrading from version 1.17 to APIcom 3+, these sites and instruments may need to be re-  
defined. In this case, we recommend to select "YES" from the uninstall prompt and then choose a  
different directory to install APIcom 3.5. This will still leave the old 1.17 installation intact but will  
reset the program configuration settings. Note that old and new versions will share the same  
registry entries and, for example, a change in windows locations in version 3.5 will also be used  
for version 1.17. This makes it easy to maintain identical program settings for both versions.  
For safety, we recommend to make a backup of all configuration and script files before installing or  
upgrading APIcom. We cannot take any responsibility for lost files, time or revenue due to lost or altered  
configuration settings and files.  
The APIcom installer is virus-checked and safe to run. Never accept installation files from third parties  
(including your API distributor or representative), always download your own copy and do not trust that  
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executables sent to you from anybody outside of API are safe to run. If in doubt, run a virus checker  
before and after running the installer file.  
Uninstalling APIcom versions 3 and higher with the provided uninstallation utility (to be found in the  
APIcom program group) or when running the Installer again and selecting YES to uninstall previous  
versions, will delete all of the registry entries (program and iDAS settings) and the entire folder with  
APIcom files. The installer will not delete the folder if files were added by the user (e.g., network  
configuration files, iDAS scripts etc.). In this case, only the originally installed files will be removed.  
Likewise, if the program group folder is open in Explorer during the uninstallation, it will not be removed,  
only its shortcuts. Registry entries created by APIcom versions lower than 3 may not be removed  
properly upon installing version 3 and higher but this should not cause any problems.  
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2. CONFIGURATION  
This section explains how to configure APIcom to connect to an instrument.  
2.1. Main Application Window  
The following figure shows the top-level window of APIcom. This window will always be open in addition  
to one window for each instrument front panel.  
Figure 2-1: Main Application Window  
All configuration tasks can be carried out with the buttons on the toolbar, which are summarized in the  
table below.  
Table 2-1: Main Application Window Toolbar Buttons  
Button Menu Equivalent  
Description  
File-Connect  
Connects to an instrument  
File-New  
Creates a new, empty network configuration  
Opens an existing network configuration  
Saves current network configuration  
Edits list of instruments  
File-Open  
File-Save  
Settings-Instruments  
Settings-Sites  
Settings-Modems  
Settings-Options  
Help-About APIcom  
Edits list of sites  
Edits list of non-Windows modems  
Changes program options  
Displays the APIcom help file  
2.2. Quick Start (Direct Cable Connection)  
This section explains how to get the software running as quickly as possible with a local instrument that  
is connected to a host computer via a direct serial cable. This is useful for getting acquainted with the  
program and to test and setup instruments before deployment.  
Configure APIcom  
When APIcom is run for the first time at least one site and one instrument need to be created.  
Step Action  
1.  
Comment  
Select Settings-Sites from the menu or click on  
the toolbar button  
Create a site.  
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Step Action  
Comment  
2.  
Click on  
to create a new site  
3.  
4.  
Specify the site’s properties.  
Click  
to finish  
5.  
Select Settings-Instruments from the menu or  
Create an instrument.  
click on the  
Click on  
toolbar button  
to create a new instrument  
6.  
and specify the instrument’s properties  
7.  
8.  
Click  
to finish  
Attach a serial cable  
Refer to the following paragraph.  
Attach a serial cable from the computer’s COM (Serial) port that was specified in the site configuration to  
the RS-232 port of the instrument. The cable must be a “straight-through” cable with a DB-9, female  
plug on the instrument’s site and either a DB-9 or DB-25, female plug at the computer’s side. Please  
refer to the computer’s user manual on how to use the Serial port. Make sure that the plugs are securely  
fastened to ensure proper connection.  
9.  
Configure the COM port  
Refer to the following paragraphs.  
From the Windows START menu, select Settings-Control Panels-Ports and make sure that the  
computer’s COM/Serial port is configured to the same baud rate as specified in the Instrument settings  
above. The COM settings must be as follows:  
BAUD rate: up to 19200 kbaud, we recommend 9600. Longer cables may require lower baud rates.  
E-series instruments support up to 115 kbaud.  
Data bits: 8  
Parity: None  
Stop bits: 1  
Flow control: None  
Optionally, newer instruments support Xon/Xoff flow control, which must be enabled in both the  
instrument and APIcom and must also be available for all instruments within one multi-drop chain.  
Once all settings are configured, perform the remaining steps to connect to the instrument.  
10.  
APIcom displays the Instrument  
connection dialog box (refer to Figure  
2-2).  
Click  
from the menu  
on the toolbar or select File-Connect  
11.  
12.  
Click on the name of the desired instrument  
In this example, you would click on Local  
Instrument (refer to Figure 2-2).  
Click  
to finish.  
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Figure 2-2: Connection Dialog  
2.3. Physical Instrument Settings  
This section briefly explains how to configure an API analyzer to work with APIcom. Refer to the  
instrument’s manual for detailed information.  
Baud Rate  
In most instruments pressing SETUP-MORE-COMM-BAUD sets the baud rate. The higher the baud  
rate, the faster the communication with the instrument. However, long serial cables or those with low  
quality, poor cable connection or noisy phone lines (when using a modem) may require lower baud  
rates. You may have to experiment to find the optimal baud rate for connection. Keep in mind that the  
baud rate specified in APIcom needs to match the baud rate of the instrument! Baud rates vary between  
2400 and 19200 baud (115000 in E-series models).  
ID Number  
The instrument ID allows you to use more than one instrument on a multi-drop setup as well as multiple  
instruments of the same model. In most instruments, pressing SETUP-MORE-COMM-ID sets the  
instrument’s ID.  
Xon/Xoff Handshaking  
Flow control improves communication between host computer and instrument and may prevent many  
transfer failures (particularly when uploading the iDAS configuration). To enable Xon/Xoff flow control in  
APIcom, it must also be enabled in the instrument by setting the instrument’s RS232_MODE variable  
properly.  
Older API instruments do not have Xon/Xoff, hence, the default value for flow control in APIcom is set to  
NONE.  
Modem  
Modem support can be enabled in instruments by setting the RS232_MODE and the MODEM_INIT  
setup variables properly. Please consult the instrument documentation and/or the factory for details on  
doing this.  
If modem support is enabled it is critical that “computer” mode is also enabled. Otherwise, the  
instrument will try to send the modem initialization string to the modem when the instrument powers up.  
Most likely, the modem is also in echo mode at that time and the modem will echo an AT command to  
the instrument returning an AT echo from the instrument in an indefinite loop.  
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In addition, most of API’s instruments have a password protection capability in which the instrument will  
only accept commands after a password has been submitted. This security feature must be used  
carefully with modems. The problem is that while the modem is answering an incoming call, it sends  
status messages such as “RING” and “CONNECT” to the instrument, to which the instrument responds  
“MUST LOG ON” if the security mode is enabled. These messages sent by the instrument may cause  
some modems to hang up during the call. So the modem must be configured, using the MODEM_INIT  
setup variable, to not issue responses to the instrument if the security feature is used. This is  
accomplished in some modems with the AT command “Q1”.  
2.4. Global Options  
Global application settings can be accessed by selecting Settings-Options or the  
toolbar button.  
This dialog is tabbed because it contains several categories of settings (refer to the following figure).  
Figure 2-3: Global Program Options Dialogs  
Global APIcom program options are stored in the computer’s registry. See Section 1.6 for installed  
registry keys. The global options are summarized in the table below.  
Table 2-2: Global Options  
Tab  
Property  
Description  
General  
Load previous  
network  
configuration on  
startup  
If checked, APIcom will attempt to open the network configuration  
file it was using previously. If APIcom cannot open the file —  
because the file has been moved or renamed — it will issue an  
error message and the file will have to be opened manually using  
the File-Open menu or the  
toolbar button.  
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Tab  
Property  
Description  
General  
(continued)  
Save network  
configuration  
automatically on  
exit  
If checked, APIcom will automatically save the network  
configuration when it exits. If it’s not checked and the  
configuration is modified, APIcom will prompt to save the  
configuration when it exits. This is useful to temporarily modify  
some settings but not save them.  
Confirm deleting  
items when  
editing  
If checked, APIcom will prompt for all delete actions.  
configuration  
Use checkboxes  
in configuration  
trees  
If checked, APIcom will attempt to use checkboxes in  
configuration trees. Some versions of Windows do not support  
the checkboxes.  
Front Panel  
Update all front  
panel displays at  
this periodic  
If checked, APIcom will update all the front panel windows at the  
specified periodic rate. The default is checked and set to 10  
seconds. When using slow connections, this setting should not  
be set too low. For example, if 5 instruments are simultaneously  
connected over a 2400 baud connection, and the update period  
is set to 5 seconds, APIcom will not be able to fetch the display  
contents from all 5 instruments within 5 seconds. This will result  
in display requests getting queued up, which will make APIcom  
appear unresponsive to key presses. In this example, an update  
interval of 15 seconds is more appropriate. Keep in mind that the  
front panel display is always refreshed immediately whenever a  
button is pressed. If this option is unchecked, APIcom will only  
refresh the front panel when a button is pressed.  
interval (seconds)  
Logging  
Log commands  
sent to  
instruments  
If checked, APIcom will write each command that it sends to an  
instrument to the log file.  
(Advanced  
Feature)  
Log responses  
received from  
instruments  
If checked, APIcom will write each response that it receives from  
an instrument to the log file.  
Log errors  
If checked, APIcom will write error messages to the log file.  
2.5. The APIcom Network: Instruments and Sites.  
Cable, Modem and Ethernet Connections  
APIcom works with three distinct types of objects: instruments, sites, and connectors. The diagram  
below shows how these three objects (using modems as connectors) are related to each other and to  
the physical equipment. Other connectors can be: direct cable, RS-232 to Ethernet converter or direct  
Ethernet connection (future instruments)  
In the figure below, everything inside the box labeled “APIcom” represents APIcom program objects, not  
physical equipment. From left to right, the diagram shows instruments, sites, and modems. Everything  
else in the diagram represents physical equipment. Notice how APIcom program objects mirror the  
arrangement of the physical equipment.  
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Remote Site A  
Modem  
APICOM  
(local computer)  
APICOM  
M100A  
M100A  
M200A  
M300  
APICOM  
Modem  
APICOM  
M200A  
APICOM  
Site A  
Modem  
APICOM  
M300  
Remote Site B  
Modem  
APICOM  
M100A  
M100A  
M200A  
M700  
APICOM  
Modem  
APICOM  
M200A  
APICOM  
Site B  
Modem  
APICOM  
M700  
Figure 2-4: Instruments, Sites, and Connectors  
2.5.1. Configuring APIcom Instruments  
APIcom maintains a list of all the instruments, which can be accessed by selecting Settings-  
Instruments or clicking on the toolbar button (refer to the following figure). This dialog is similar to  
the connection dialog shown in Figure 2-2, except that the CONNECT button is not available and the  
“Close on connect” option is grayed-out. Each instrument in the list represents one monitor or calibrator.  
APIcom maintains separate properties for each instrument.  
Figure 2-5: Instrument Dialog Box  
2.5.1.1.  
To open the Instrument Properties dialog box  
Step Action  
Comment  
1.  
Using the mouse, click on the desired  
instrument  
2.  
The Instrument Properties dialog box  
appears (refer to Figure 2-6).  
Click on  
instrument  
or double-click on the  
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Most of the instrument properties are optional and are included for maximum compatibility with all of  
API’s instruments. The button in the Basic tab (Figure 2-6) will reset all options to their  
default values. Notice that only the instrument-specific communication settings appear in this dialog box.  
The remaining communication settings are specified on a site-by-site basis. The following section  
describes all instrument properties.  
2.5.1.2.  
Instrument Properties Tabs  
Basic Tab  
The following figure shows the instrument properties screen Basic tab. Table 2-3 identifies the instrument properties and provides a  
brief description of each property.  
Figure 2-6: Instrument Properties Dialog Box, Basic Tab  
Table 2-3: Instrument Properties, Basic Tab  
Property  
Description  
Instrument Name  
A user-defined name for the instrument. We recommend to use the model  
number and an identifier (if more than one of the same model are used) This  
name also appears in graphs and window captions as well as data file names.  
Instrument ID  
An ID number for the instrument. Not needed for single-instrument operation.  
Must be unique if the API multidrop protocol is being used. Also, it must match  
the ID number specified by the MACHINE_ID setup variable in the instrument, or  
in the SETUP-MORE-COMM-ID menu in most instruments. Used only if Enable  
is checked.  
Instrument Port  
One of several RS-232 ports of the instrument that APIcom is connected to.  
Some newer instruments use different names for the setup variables that control  
the RS-232 port settings, the Custom option allows to specify the variable name.  
Mode Var. Name  
Site Name  
Setup variable name in the instrument for the RS-232 port settings. Used only if  
the Instrument Port property is set to Custom.  
The site that the instrument resides at. Select the site from the list or define a  
new site by clicking on  
.
Sets all the properties for the instrument to their default values.  
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Property  
Description  
iDAS configuration  
Permits off-line editing of the instrument’s iDAS configuration. Enabled only if  
instrument has iDAS and APIcom was connected to the instrument and  
downloaded its iDAS configuration at least once. After connecting to an  
instrument, it takes a few seconds to make this option available. During this time,  
APIcom does not respond to any user input.  
Sequence  
configuration  
Permits off-line editing of the instrument’s sequence configuration. Enabled only  
if instrument is an M700 and APIcom was connected to it and downloaded its  
sequence configuration at least once. Also takes several seconds to become  
available.  
Automatic Disconnect Tab  
The following figure shows the instrument properties screen Automatic Disconnect tab.  
Table 2-4 identifies the instrument properties and provides a brief description of each property.  
Figure 2-7: Instrument Properties Dialog Box, Automatic Disconnect Tab  
Table 2-4: Instrument Properties, Automatic Disconnect Tab  
Property  
Description  
Automatically  
disconnects  
APIcom from the  
instrument  
If checked, APIcom will automatically disconnect from the instrument, including  
hanging up the modem, after the specified number of minutes of inactivity. The  
inactivity timer is reset to zero every time a button on the front panel window is  
pressed. Automatic disconnect is disabled while the iDAS or sequence  
configuration dialog boxes are open!  
(minutes)  
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Code Activated Switch Tab  
The following figure shows the instrument properties screen Code Activated Switch tab.  
Table 2-5 identifies the instrument properties and provides a brief description of each property.  
Figure 2-8: Instrument Properties Dialog Box, Code Activated Switch Tab  
Table 2-5: Instrument Properties, Code Activated Switch Tab  
Property  
Description  
Send this code to  
select instrument  
This property allows to connect to multiple instruments by means of a code-  
operated RS-232 switch (COS) instead of the API multidrop protocol. APIcom will  
transmit the characters specified in this property before communicating with the  
instrument. Non-printable characters can be encoded by entering them as a  
backslash character (\), followed by a lower case ‘x’, followed by two hex digits.  
For example, enter the Ctrl-D (ASCII code 4) character in the switch prefix  
property as “\x04”. If a hexadecimal sequence is followed by a character in the  
hexadecimal range (i.e. 0-9 or A-D), that character must also be entered using  
hexadecimal notation. For instance, to enter the sequence <Ctrl-D><2> to select  
port 2 on the COS, “\x04\x32” must be entered (04 for D, 32 for 2). See COS  
manual; available at the APIcom website: http://www.teledyne-  
api.com/software/apicom/  
Send this code to  
deselect instrument  
Like “Send this code to select instrument” except that it’s sent to the code-  
operated RS-232 switch after APIcom is finished communicating with the  
instrument. This property can be used to restore the switch position to a specific  
port. Most communication with the instrument — pressing a button, for instance  
— takes only a few seconds.  
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Handshaking Tab  
The following figure shows the instrument properties screen Handshaking tab. Table 2-6 identifies the  
instrument properties and provides a brief description of each property.  
Figure 2-9: Instrument Properties Dialog Box, Handshaking Tab  
Table 2-6: Instrument Properties, Handshaking Tab  
Property  
Description  
Receive timeout  
Maximum time (in milliseconds) that APIcom waits for a response from the  
instrument after a command is sent. The instrument’s response time varies  
depending on a number of factors, including its operating firmware, the  
connection type, the baud rate, etc.  
Transmit delay  
Most of the instruments do not use any conventional RS-232 handshaking, such  
as RTS/CTS or XON/XOFF. Newer instruments do support XON/XOFF  
handshaking, which APIcom also supports (see site configuration). This transmit  
delay property inserts a brief delay between each line of iDAS or sequence  
configuration information that APIcom sends to the instrument, in lieu of  
conventional handshaking. This transmit delay prevents APIcom from  
overflowing the receive buffers of slower instruments, which will cause them to  
reject the iDAS or sequence configuration.  
Security Tab  
The following figure shows the instrument properties screen Security tab.  
Table 2-7 identifies the instrument properties and provides a brief description of each property.  
Figure 2-10: Instrument Properties Dialog Box, Security Tab  
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Table 2-7: Instrument Properties, Security Tab  
Property  
Description  
Use this password  
to logon to an  
instrument  
If checked, APIcom will use the specified password to logon to the instrument  
when establishing a connection. Most of API’s instruments have some password  
mode in which the instrument will only accept commands after a password has  
been submitted. Also refer to the section titled Modems below.  
2.5.2. Configuring Sites  
APIcom maintains a list of all the sites, which can be accessed by selecting Settings-Sites, as shown  
below. Each site represents one physical site or one physical port on the host PC, at which multiple  
instruments may reside. APIcom maintains separate properties for each site. To modify the properties  
for a site, double-click on the name, which will display the dialog box shown in Figure 2-11.  
2.5.2.1.  
To modify Site settings  
Step Action  
Comment  
1.  
While in the Instrument dialog box, double-  
click on the desired instrument (refer to  
Figure 2-5)  
The Site dialog box will open (refer to Figure  
2-11).  
2.  
The Instrument Properties dialog box appears  
(refer to Figure 2-11).  
Click on  
instrument  
or double-click on the  
Figure 2-11: Site List Dialog and Site Properties Dialog  
The site maintains all of the information necessary to connect to a particular site, including connection  
type (direct cable or a modem), telephone number, connection speed, etc. One site may be shared by  
several instruments. Since each site requires one COM port, modem or ethernet address on the  
computer, a user may only connect simultaneously to as many different sites as there are COM ports or  
modems. Ethernet connection allows multiple sites with different IP addresses and is limited only by the  
bandwidth of the host computer's TCP/IP connection. However, a user can connect simultaneously to  
many different instruments at a single site, using either the API multidrop feature or a code-operated  
RS-232 switch. Regardless of the number of COM ports or modems, a user can specify multiple sites for  
the same port. In this case, only one site can be used at a time. A click on  
will reset all of  
the properties to their default values. The table below describes the site connection properties shown in  
Figure 2-11.  
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Table 2-8: Site Properties  
Description  
Property  
Name  
A user-defined name for the site. The name appears in graphs and window  
captions. The site name is combined with the instrument name to form a title for  
dialog boxes and graphs. For example, a “M300E” instrument name and a “San  
Francisco Lab” site name are combined for front panel window titles such as  
“M300E at San Francisco Lab”  
Connection Type  
Selects whether the connection is made by means of a direct cable, modem or  
by TCP/IP (Ethernet). Two kinds of modems are supported: Windows (TAPI)  
modems and non-Windows modems. The use of Windows modems is  
recommended, however, some older modems may not be supported by  
Windows. In these cases, the non-Windows modem support can be used. The  
TCP/IP option is an experimental implementation only at this time and is  
supported only for a few specific RS-232 to Ethernet converters.  
Once a connection type is selected, it must be configured by clicking on  
.
2.5.3. Direct Cable Connections  
If a site’s Connection Type property is set to Direct Cable, then clicking on  
will display the  
first dialog box shown in the following figure.  
Figure 2-12: Direct Cable Connection Properties and Port Settings Dialogs  
The first dialog box only displays the COM ports that are present on the host computer. It is possible  
that even though a COM port is physically present, it is reserved by some other application, and  
consequently it doesn’t appear in the list. Furthermore, devices such as mouse, games and terminal  
programs may be using one COM port. Even though these ports would show in the list, they cannot be  
used for APIcom. APIcom needs a dedicated, free COM port to operate (However, several programs  
can share one COM port if operated in alternating sequence, one at a time). Select the COM port to use  
and click on  
, which will display the second dialog box in Figure 2-12.  
This dialog box is a standard Windows dialog. APIcom only uses the Bits per second, Data bits, Parity,  
Stop bits, and Flow control (NONE or XON/XOFF only) properties, even if the COM port hardware has  
more settings. APIcom does not support Hardware (RTS/CTS) flow control because none of the  
instruments do. APIcom does support XON/XOFF flow control, but all instruments at one site need to do  
so. In that case, XON/XOFF flow control needs to be enabled in each instrument by setting its  
RS232_MODE variable.  
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2.5.4. Windows (TAPI) Modem Connections  
If a site’s Connection Type property is set to Windows Modem, then clicking on  
will display  
the following dialog box.  
Figure 2-13: Windows Modem Connection Properties Dialog  
Editing the Windows modem settings must be done using the Windows Control Panel or the software  
provided by the modem manufacturer. This approach was chosen in order to keep APIcom as simple as  
possible. The following table describes the Windows modem connection properties.  
Table 2-9: Windows Modem Connection Properties  
Property  
Description  
Modem  
The Windows modem to use. Configure the modem with the Windows Control  
Panel.  
Telephone Number  
The telephone number to dial if the connection is a modem connection. Insert the  
tilde (~) character to impose a delay in the dialing process.  
Connection  
Timeout  
The maximum number of seconds to wait for the modem connection to be  
established.  
2.5.5. Non-Windows Modem Connections  
If a site’s Connection Type property is set to Other Modem, then clicking on  
will display the  
following dialog box.  
Figure 2-14: Non-Windows Modem Connection Properties Dialog  
Notice that this connection type has properties in common with both the direct cable and Windows  
modem connection types. As for direct cable connections, this dialog box only displays the COM ports  
that are present on the host computer. It is possible that even though a COM port is physically present  
on the computer, it is reserved by some other application and does not appear in the list. Select the  
COM port to be used and click on  
, which will display the same port settings dialog box as for  
direct cable connections. A modem type must be selected as well. If no modem types are defined, click  
on to define a modem type (see the section below). The table below describes the non-Windows  
modem connection properties shown in Figure 2-14.  
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Table 2-10: Non-Windows Modem Connection Properties  
Description  
Property  
Comm. Port  
The COM port on the computer that the modem is attached to. Most internal  
modems emulate a COM port. Consult the modem documentation or the  
Windows Control Panel to determine which COM port the modem emulates.  
Modem Type  
The modem type to use. Click on  
to define or edit a modem type.  
Telephone Number  
The telephone number to dial if the connection is a modem connection. Insert  
the tilde (~) character to impose a delay in the dialing process.  
Connection  
Timeout  
The maximum number of seconds to wait for the modem connection to be  
established.  
2.5.6. Modems  
APIcom maintains a list of all the non-Windows modems, which can be accessed by selecting Settings-  
Modems or clicking on the toolbar button (refer to Figure 2-15). The list of Windows modems is  
maintained and managed by the Windows operating system, not APIcom.  
Each modem represents one type of modem that can be used to connect to a site. This is the modem  
attached to the computer running APIcom, not the modem at the remote site.  
Usually, the standard Hayes-compatible modem will work. But if the modem requires special settings, a  
new modem type can be defined and select it in the site connection dialog.  
Figure 2-15: Modem List Dialog  
The modem properties are shared by all sites using that modem type, so only one modem configuration  
has to be created for each type of modem. APIcom maintains separate properties for each modem type.  
To modify the properties for a modem, select the modem in the list with the mouse and click on  
, which will display the dialog box shown in the following figure.  
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Figure 2-16: Modem Properties Dialog  
The default properties should work for most standard modems. If properties were changed, clicking on  
will reset all parameters to the defaults. Notice that the commands include the “AT”  
command prefix. When APIcom establishes a non-Windows modem connection it sends the commands  
to the modem in the following order:  
ꢀ Reset command (e.g. “ATZ”)  
ꢀ Wait for OK response (e.g. “OK”)  
ꢀ Initialization command (e.g. “AT &F E0 M0 Q0 V1”)  
ꢀ Wait for OK response (e.g. “OK”)  
ꢀ Dial command + telephone number (e.g. “ATDT456 7890”)  
ꢀ Wait for connect response (e.g. “CONNECT”)  
When APIcom terminates a non-Windows modem connection it sends the commands to the modem in  
the following order:  
ꢀ Wait 1 second  
ꢀ Data mode command (e.g. “+++”)  
ꢀ Wait for OK response (e.g. “OK”)  
ꢀ Hangup command (e.g. “ATH0”)  
ꢀ Wait for OK response (e.g. “OK”)  
ꢀ Reset command (e.g. “ATZ”)  
ꢀ Wait for OK response (e.g. “OK”)  
The following table describes the modem type properties.  
Table 2-11: Modem Properties  
Property  
Description  
Name  
A user-defined name for the modem. Should be something descriptive, such as  
the manufacturer and model name. For user interface only.  
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Property  
Description  
OK response  
The string that the modem sends to APIcom to indicate successful execution of  
a command.  
Connect response  
The string that the modem sends to APIcom to indicate that a connection has  
been established.  
Data mode  
command  
The command that switches the modem from online mode into data mode.  
Reset command  
The command that resets the modem to its power up state.  
The command that initializes the modem.  
Initialization  
command  
Dial command  
The command that tells the modem to dial a telephone number, using either  
tone or pulse dialing.  
Hangup command  
The command that tells the modem to hang up.  
2.5.7. Ethernet Connections  
If the Connection Type is set to TCP/IP, clicking on  
will bring up TCP/IP Connection  
Properties dialog box in which the IP (Internet Protocol) address and the TCP Port need to be specified  
(refer to the following figure). The TCP/IP option is an experimental implementation only at this time and  
is not supported by API. It works only for a few specific RS-232 to Ethernet converters. Please monitor  
our website for more information on this issue. Manufacturer and model information will be provided as  
soon as testing is completed.  
Figure 2-17: TCP/IP Connection Properties Dialog Box  
Future E-series instruments may have the option for internal TCP/IP connectivity.  
2.6. Configuration Storage  
APIcom stores information in different places, as described below.  
2.6.1. Global Options  
APIcom stores its global options in the computer’s registry under  
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Advanced Pollution Instrumentation\APIcom  
Global options include all of the settings in the Settings-Options menu, the name of the network  
configuration file last used, the names of the most recently used network configuration files, the global  
iDAS record selection criteria, and the position and size of various windows and dialog boxes. APIcom  
permits to change the size of many dialog boxes and windows, and it remembers the last used size and  
position of each window. APIcom also remembers the names of the four most recently used network  
configuration files, which appear in the File menu.  
2.6.2. APIcom Network Configuration:  
The APIcom network configuration (see Section 2.5), which consists of instruments, sites, and non-  
Windows modems, is stored in a file traditionally called APIcom.cfg, which - by default - is located in the  
same directory as APIcom.EXE. However, the network configuration can be stored in a file with any  
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name and a .CFG extension in any location on disk or a local area network. This enables to create  
different configuration files to represent different networks and to share configuration settings with other  
users.  
APIcom also stores the iDAS or sequence configuration for each instrument in this file. This allows you  
to create predefined standard iDAS and sequence configurations and easily upload them to an  
instrument upon connection. These configurations can also be edited offline after they were created or  
downloaded without connecting to an instrument. Maintaining different .CFG files allows to create any  
number of instruments, each with distinct names, and various configurations to suit all needs.  
2.6.3. APIcom Network Configuration File Types  
APIcom supports two different network configuration file formats: a binary format (.CFG) and a text  
format (.CFX). The binary format is used for operation and the text format is provided for future versions  
of APIcom to be able to read configurations created by earlier versions. Configurations can be stored in  
either format for APIcom to work. However, the .CFX format stores only the instrument, site, and modem  
configuration. It does not store the iDAS and sequence configuration for an instrument. To store the  
iDAS and sequence configuration for each instrument, the .CFG format must be used.  
To save a configuration in the text format, select File–Save As and select Text network configuration  
Files from the Save as type drop-down field. Enter the file name, and click on  
.
NOTE  
.CFX configuration files should not be directly edited because syntax or typographical errors  
could render a configuration file unreadable by APIcom or the instrument.  
APIcom displays the name of the currently used configuration file in the title bar of its main application  
window.  
APIcom also indicates that a configuration has been modified by appending “(Modified)” to the  
configuration file name in the application’s title bar:  
2.6.4. Saving Network Configuration Files  
The current network configuration can be saved at any time by clicking on the  
selecting File-Save from the main menu.  
toolbar button or by  
APIcom will automatically save modified configuration files upon exiting if that option was enabled in the  
Settings-Options menu. However, if that option was not enabled and the configuration has been  
modified before exiting the program, APIcom will prompt to save the changes.  
Opening Network Configuration Files With Windows Shortcuts  
Different network configurations can be maintained and easily used by creating a Windows shortcut that  
specifies the configuration file on APIcom’s command line. A user could, for example, create a different  
icon on the desktop to represent each network configuration. To do this, simply locate the .CFG file and  
right-click and drag the icon to the desktop, then select "Create Shortcut" from the menu.  
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3. BASIC OPERATION  
3.1. Connecting to an Instrument  
To connect to an instrument and display its Front Panel Window, click on  
, type  
Ctrl-C on the computer keyboard, or select File-Connect from the Main Application Window. See Figure  
2-2 for an example of the connection dialog box.  
There are three ways to establish the connection:  
ꢀ Select an instrument from the list and click on  
ꢀ Press Enter on the computer keyboard.  
.
ꢀ Double-click an the instrument name in the list.  
If the “Close on connect” option at the bottom of the connection dialog is checked, the dialog window will  
automatically close while APIcom establishes the connection. If this option is not checked, the dialog will  
remain open, permitting the user to initiate several connections in one step.  
If the connection is via a direct cable, the Front Panel Window should promptly display the contents of  
the instrument’s physical display. If the connection is via a modem, it will take some time for APIcom to  
dial the remote site. Ethernet connection speed may vary depending on the internet speed.  
APIcom establishes the front panel first and then connects to the underlying software. The front panel  
cannot be used until the button Download, graph, save data… is displayed in black. Older instruments  
without this functionality can be used right away.  
APIcom may not be able to connect to the instrument for many reasons. The wrong COM port or  
settings may be in use. The cable may be the wrong type or low quality. The wrong modem type may be  
selected. The connection may be a direct cable connection when it should be a modem connection. The  
cables may not be attached. The instrument ID may be incorrect. A switch prefix may be in use when it  
should not be, or is not in use when it should be.  
3.2. Front Panel Buttons  
A button on the Front Panel Window can be activated two different ways: by clicking on the button with  
the mouse, or by typing key 1–8 on the computer keyboard. As buttons on the Front Panel Window are  
activated, the graphical display changes.  
NOTE  
While using APIcom, be careful not to change any setting that may affect the RS-232 connection,  
such as the RS-232 mode, the baud rate, or the instrument ID number.  
3.3. Disconnecting From an Instrument  
To disconnect from an instrument, press the Esc key on the computer keyboard while the Front Panel  
Window is displayed, or click on  
in the upper right hand corner of the Front Panel Window. APIcom  
will prompt for confirmation and will also prompt if the iDAS settings were changed without saving or  
uploading them. When all instruments from a particular site are closed, the site and modem connection  
is closed, too.  
3.4. Exiting APIcom  
To exit APIcom, press Alt-F4 on the computer keyboard while the Main Application Window is displayed  
(see Figure 2-1), or click on  
in the upper right hand corner of the Main Application Window or select  
File-Exit from the main menu.  
APIcom will prompt the user if there is any front panel left open and if the network configuration file was  
changed and not yet saved.  
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3.5. Using APIcom with the TMS9000  
APIcom can be used with terminus-equipped TMS9000 systems that are configured for ASCII data  
mode (see TMS9000 Terminus manual), either directly to the serial port or via the Ethernet port using a  
TCP connection. At present APIcom does not support MODBUS operation for the TMS9000. When  
connected to a TMS9000 the  
button is replaced by a  
button which allows the user to scroll between system and sensor  
modules of the TMS9000.  
Figure 3-1: Operation with TMS9000  
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4. iDAS CONFIGURATION AND DATA ACCESS  
A major feature of APIcom is its ability to modify the built-in iDAS configuration and access the iDAS  
data in a remote instrument. The current instrument configuration can be downloaded, modified, and  
then sent back to the instrument. Once the iDAS configuration was downloaded, it can be edited off-line,  
saving money on long distance phone connections to the instrument. For more information on the  
instrument's iDAS, see the iDAS manual, API part # 02837A, available for download at:  
http://advpol.com/manuals/  
NOTE  
Sending a iDAS configuration to the instrument will completely replace its existing configuration  
and discard all of the instrument's stored data. We suggest that you download any data and save  
both data and the configuration on local disk before making any changes to the iDAS.  
iDAS data can be safely downloaded, graphed and saved in a file without discarding the configuration or  
data in the instrument. The iDAS configuration can also be changed by using the instrument’s own  
menus through the Front Panel Window by pressing the appropriate buttons. Changing the configuration  
using the instrument’s own menus will only discard data stored in the instrument if the number of  
records or parameters is changed. APIcom can also be used to automatically download data in  
unattended mode and to append the data to existing files (see Section 4.12).  
4.1. Supported Instruments  
The iDAS capability of APIcom is only supported by AMX-based analyzers, not calibrators, as shown in  
Table 4-1. Remote iDAS configuration is only supported in AMX instruments with library revision 2.1 or  
higher. Check the library revision of an instrument by pressing SETUP-CFG or in the Instrument  
Information Dialog. Please see Appendix A or the APIcom website for compatibility issues on advanced  
iDAS functionality: http://www.teledyne-api.com/software/apicom.html  
Table 4-1: Instruments Containing iDAS  
Instrument  
M100A-AMX  
M101A-AMX  
M265A-AMX  
M300-AMX  
M400-AMX  
M400A-AMX  
TMS-9000  
M102A-AMX  
M200A-AMX  
All E-Series Products  
Upon connection to an instrument, APIcom attempts to determine if that instrument contains the iDAS  
capability, and if so, it enables the button in the Front Panel Window (see  
Figure 1-1). If this button is not enabled even though the instrument has the iDAS capability, simply  
disconnect from the instrument and reconnect.  
4.2. iDAS Configuration and Downloaded Data Dialog  
Click on  
in the Front Panel Window (see Figure 1-1) or select Download,  
graph, save data… in the system menu (icon in the top-left corner of the instrument window) to display  
the following dialog box:  
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Figure 4-1: iDAS Configuration and Downloaded Data Dialog  
This dialog box displays both the iDAS configuration and the number of records downloaded for each  
parameter. Initially, the configuration list is empty. Press the button to download the  
instrument’s iDAS configuration. This dialog box can also be entered off-line when editing the  
instrument’s properties by clicking on . When the iDAS configuration is  
edited off-line, the buttons related to downloading, uploading, and data access are disabled. Note that  
the configuration must have been downloaded at least once to edit it off-line. A new configuration can be  
edited off-line without prior download.  
The table below summarizes the functions of the buttons in the iDAS Configuration and Downloaded  
Data Dialog (Figure 4-1).  
Table 4-2: iDAS Configuration and Downloaded Data Dialog Buttons  
Button  
Description  
Configuration Buttons  
Downloads the iDAS configuration from the instrument into APIcom and discards  
any data stored in APIcom.  
Sends the iDAS configuration in APIcom to the instrument. This will completely  
replace the instrument’s current iDAS configuration and discard all of the data stored  
in the instrument.  
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Button  
iDAS Configuration and Data Access  
Description  
Loads the iDAS configuration from a text file stored on the computer. This  
configuration may be edited and saved on the computer again, or it may be sent to  
an instrument. This configuration file may have been downloaded from the  
instrument using the “D PRINT SCRIPT” RS-232 command, or it may have been  
created using the  
button in APIcom.  
Saves the iDAS configuration to a text file on the computer. This configuration file is  
suitable for uploading to the instrument via its RS-232 interface.  
Creates a new, empty iDAS configuration.  
Creates a new channel.  
Creates a new parameter on the selected channel.  
Creates a duplicate of the selected channel or parameter. This button facilitates  
creating channels or parameters that are minor variations of existing ones. When  
selected, it will prompt for a new channel name. Channel names must be unique.  
Edits the properties of the selected parameter or channel.  
Deletes the selected parameter or channel.  
Data Buttons  
Turns the automatic data download feature on and off.  
Downloads the data for the selected parameter or channel from the instrument.  
Graphs the data for the selected parameter or channel.  
Saves the data for the selected parameter or channel in a text file.  
Views the data for the selected parameter or channel as a table on the computer  
screen.  
Enables downloading, viewing, or saving the number of samples in each average.  
Only newer instruments support this option.  
Selection Buttons  
Selects all the channels and parameters in the list.  
Unselects all the channels and parameters in the list.  
Expands all the channels in the list, showing all the parameters.  
Collapses all the channels in the list, hiding all the parameters.  
4.3. Downloading the iDAS Configuration  
Download the remote instrument’s iDAS configuration by clicking on  
. Any iDAS data that  
were previously downloaded by APIcom will be discarded (but are not affected within the instrument).  
APIcom stores the last used iDAS configuration of any instrument in the network configuration file  
(.CFG). If the configuration was already downloaded from this instrument, the iDAS configuration will  
appear in the dialog. After downloading the iDAS configuration, which should take a few seconds, the  
dialog box will look similar to the following example:  
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In Figure 4-1, the channels have been expanded to show all the parameters. The dialog box displays a  
summary of the channels, including the channel name, the triggering event, and the maximum number  
of records the channel stores. The parameter summary includes the parameter name and numeric units,  
the sampling mode, the record set number, and the number of records actually downloaded from the  
instrument. Since no data have been downloaded yet, the number of records is zero for all the  
parameters.  
4.4. Saving the iDAS Configuration  
Saving the iDAS configuration of any instrument to disk is useful to maintain several different  
measurement protocols (frequent data acquisition for trouble-shooting and engineering, long-term  
averages for monitoring, etc.) or simply to keep a backup when replacing the firmware of the analyzer.  
API provides standard and custom sample iDAS scripts at the APIcom website:  
http://teledyne-api.com/software/apicom/sample_scripts.html  
There are two ways to save the iDAS configuration. APIcom automatically stores the iDAS configuration  
in its network configuration file when the configuration file is saved. This copy is not permanent. The  
second way is to save the iDAS configuration as a text file on disk. When using the  
APIcom prompts for a file name. The default file name format is:  
button,  
“<Instrument Name>-< Instrument Serial Number> iDAS Configuration.txt”  
This name can be changed to any other file name. Once saved as a text file, it can be loaded by using  
the  
button or uploaded to the instrument by using APIcom (  
) or a simple terminal  
program.  
4.5. Modifying the iDAS Configuration  
APIcom can only modify the iDAS configuration in AMX instruments with library revision 2.4 or higher.  
This section assumes familiarity with configuring the iDAS in an instrument. Refer to the built-in iDAS  
manual (Built-In iDAS Manual.doc) for more information on configuring the iDAS. APIcom facilitates  
configuring the instrument’s iDAS in the following ways:  
APIcom takes advantage of the larger area of the computer screen to display more of the iDAS  
configuration than the instrument can on its instrument display.  
APIcom validates the user’s inputs and verifies that the configuration is successfully sent to the  
instrument. An error message is displayed on unsuccessful upload.  
APIcom allows to load iDAS configurations stored on the computer and to send them to the instrument,  
making it quick and easy to load the same configuration into multiple instruments.  
APIcom can store many iDAS configurations on the computer, allowing a user to download different  
configurations for different purposes.  
To download the current configuration, click on  
. To start a new, empty configuration, click on  
. To start with a configuration that was previously saved, click on  
.
4.5.1. Adding or Modifying a Channel  
A channel can be expanded to see its parameters by clicking on the “+” boxes next to the channel  
names. A channel can also be expanded or collapsed by double-clicking on it. To add a new channel,  
either click on  
or right-click on any existing channel, which will bring up the context menu  
shown below, and select New Channel. The maximum number of channels that can be configured is 20  
per instrument. The maximum number of parameters in each channel is 10 and the maximum number of  
data records in each channel is 64000. However, the A-series analyzers are limited by 64 KB data  
memory, hence the average number of records (depending on the number of channels and parameters  
and if the number of samples in a concentration average is recorded) is much lower, typically around  
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3000-12000 records. E-series instruments will have 1 MB of data storage capacity and the ability to  
store up to about 1000000 records.  
Figure 4-2: iDAS Channel Context Menu – Adding or Modifying a Channel  
To edit the existing channel, select Edit Channel or click on  
, which will bring up the  
following tabbed dialog box.  
Figure 4-3: iDAS Channel Properties Dialog – Basic and Advanced Tabs  
The following table describes the tab parameter properties shown above.  
Table 4-3: iDAS Channel Properties  
Tab  
Property  
Description  
Basic  
Channel Name  
The name of the channel, up to 20 characters long. For RS-  
232 reports of this channel, the name will be truncated to 6  
characters in order to maintain a neat printed format. The  
name should not contain any spaces.  
Number of Records  
Trigger Event  
The number of records to store for this channel. The  
maximum number of records that can be stored (across all  
channels) typically ranges from 3000–12000 and depends on  
the number of parameters in each channel and the number of  
channels.  
The instrument event that triggers recording of this channel:  
an automatic timer event, a calibration event, or a warning  
event.  
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Tab  
Property  
Description  
Enable Channel  
If checked, the channel will store records. If unchecked, the  
channel will not store records. This property can disable a  
channel without having to delete it.  
Hold Off  
If checked, this channel will not store any records during the  
hold off interval (calibration period). If unchecked, this  
channel will store records regardless of the hold off state.  
Print Reports  
If checked, this channel will print each record that it stores to  
the RS-232 interface (and dump is to e.g. a Terminal  
program). If unchecked, it will store the record but not print it.  
When APIcom is connected to the instrument, the records will  
not be printed to the RS-232 interface, regardless of the  
setting of this property.  
Basic  
(cont.)  
Compact Reports  
Start Date  
If checked, records printed to the RS-232 will be printed with  
up to 5 records per line. If unchecked, each record will be  
printed on a separate line. This property only applies if the  
Print Reports property is checked.  
The date when the iDAS starts storing records. By default,  
this is a date in the past, but if set to the future, the  
instrument won’t start storing records until that date.  
Start Time  
Time on the starting date when the iDAS should start storing  
records.  
Sample Period  
Number of days, hours, and minutes, measured from the  
starting date and time, between each sampled data point. At  
least one of the three fields of this property must be non-zero.  
Report Period  
Number of days, hours, and minutes, measured from the  
starting date and time, between each reported record. At  
least one of the three fields of this property must be non-zero.  
If sample period is larger or identical to the report period, the  
resulting value will be an instantaneous value every report  
period. If the sample period is smaller than the report period  
(and the parameter is set to AVG), the resulting value is an  
average over Report/Sample number of instantaneous values  
every report period.  
Advanced  
Select this channel for  
automatic download  
If checked, data for this channel will be downloaded  
automatically when the  
button is pressed.  
Download Period  
This is the number of days, hours, and minutes, between  
each automatic data download. At least one of the three  
fields of this property must be non-zero.  
Date/time of last  
download  
The last date and time that data was downloaded from this  
channel. This is a read-only field, it cannot be modified  
Specify record selection  
criteria for automatic  
downloads  
This specifies the criteria for downloading data records  
automatically. This selection criteria is separate from the  
global one used with the  
button, and is specified  
for each channel to afford maximum flexibility.  
File to download data to  
This is the file to download data to automatically. The name  
can be freely chosen, i.e. with user-defined extension .csv,  
.prn, .dat, .apicom etc for easier import into data analysis  
programs.  
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Tab  
Property  
Description  
Append downloaded  
data to file  
If checked, APIcom will append new data to the existing file.  
Otherwise it will completely overwrite the file.  
4.5.2. iDAS Channel Names  
When a channel’s properties are edited, APIcom checks to make sure that the channel name is unique  
and contains valid characters. APIcom does not perform this check when downloading a configuration  
from an instrument or when loading a configuration from a file because it assumes that the names are  
already valid in these cases. If the name is invalid because it isn’t unique or because it contains invalid  
characters, APIcom will display an error message and remain in the channel property dialog.  
When editing the iDAS channel names through the front panel push buttons, the instrument will only  
allow to use upper case characters with no more than 6 characters. However, APIcom permits to use  
longer names and lower case characters. When viewing the channel names using the instrument’s  
menus, however, the display will be truncated to 6 characters (with the remaining name stored and  
recognized in memory). This limitation is due to the size of the instrument’s display.  
Some older instruments with iDAS support may require unique, 6 character names. If long channel  
names create problems, we recommend to make the names unique within the first 6 characters and,  
failing that, make the names no longer than 6 characters. The names are not case-sensitive in any  
instrument.  
4.5.3. Duplicating a Channel  
APIcom can duplicate a channel and all its properties including parameters. Simply select a channel and  
click on  
or right-click on a channel and select Duplicate Channel from the context menu.  
APIcom will create a new channel and prompt the user for a new channel name to ensure a unique  
name.  
4.5.4. Deleting a Channel  
To delete a channel, simply select the channel and click on  
. Alternatively, the user can right-  
click on a channel and select Delete Channel from the context menu. In either case, APIcom prompts to  
confirm the deletion. Prompts like this can be disabled in the Settings-Options menu. When a channel  
is deleted, all the parameters in it and all the data downloaded for the channel are automatically deleted  
as well. It is recommended to make frequent backups of iDAS scripts on disk to avoid duplicate work in  
case of accidental deletion.  
4.5.5. Adding or Modifying a Parameter  
In order to capture any data, a channel must contain at least one parameter. To add a new parameter to  
a channel, either click on  
while a channel is selected, or right-click on any existing  
parameter in the channel, which will bring up the menu shown below, and select New Parameter. If  
APIcom refuses to create a new parameter, the maximum number of parameters may have been  
exceeded. The maximum number of channels is 20 per instrument, the maximum number of parameters  
in each channel is 10 and the maximum number of data records in each channel is 64000. However, the  
A-series analyzers are limited by 64 KB data memory, hence the average number of records (depending  
on the number of channels and parameters and if the number of samples in a concentration average is  
recorded) is much lower, typically around 3000-12000 records. E-series instruments have 1 MB of data  
storage capacity and the ability to store up to about 100000 records.  
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Figure 4-4: iDAS Parameter Context Menu – Adding or Modifying a Parameter  
To edit any existing parameter, click on Edit Parameter or  
, which will bring up the following  
dialog box.  
Figure 4-5: iDAS Parameter Properties Dialog  
The following table describes the parameter properties shown above.  
Table 4-4: iDAS Parameter Properties  
Description  
Property  
Parameter  
This is the instrument-specific parameter to sample. The list of parameters differs  
from instrument to instrument, and even from one instrument firmware version to  
another.  
Sample Mode  
Precision  
This is the mode to sample the parameter with. Choices are AVG (average), INST  
(instantaneous), MIN (minimum), or MAX (maximum), SDEV (standard deviation).  
This is the numeric precision to use when displaying a parameter value (range 0-4).  
It is used to display the parameter values in the menus and in the RS-232 reports. It  
is used by APIcom when viewing and saving downloaded data.  
Store number of  
This option will store the number of samples in each concentration average (no  
samples in average other parameters). This option is only available in newer instruments and will be  
disabled if the instrument doesn’t support it.  
4.5.6. Duplicating a Parameter  
To duplicate a parameter and all its properties, simply select a parameter and click on  
right-click on a parameter and select Duplicate Parameter from the context menu. APIcom will create a  
new parameter of the same type and add it to the end of the channel’s parameter list. The parameter  
name can be identical to the original without conflict. This can be used to, e.g., sample one parameter  
using the MIN, AVG, and MAX sampling modes.  
or  
4.5.7. Deleting a Parameter  
To delete a parameter, simply select the parameter and click on  
. Alternatively, the user can  
right-click on a parameter and select Delete Parameter from the context menu. In either case, APIcom  
prompts to confirm the deletion. This prompt can be disabled in the Settings-Options menu.  
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4.6. Sending the iDAS Configuration to the Instrument  
To send the iDAS configuration to the instrument, click on  
. Sending the iDAS configuration  
to the instrument will completely replace the instrument’s current iDAS configuration and discard all of  
the data stored in the instrument. Therefore, APIcom will prompt to confirm the operation before  
proceeding.  
Older analyzer firmware revisions may not support this functionality, see Appendix A or the website for  
more information. In this case, the  
and other buttons will be grayed-out.  
If the send operation is successful, APIcom will display the following dialog box.  
Figure 4-6: Successful iDAS Send Dialog  
If the send operation is unsuccessful, APIcom will display the following dialog box. Some possible  
causes of this error are that a channel name contains spaces or that the instrument’s receive buffer  
overflowed while receiving the iDAS configuration. Try enabling one or more handshaking options,  
particularly the Transmit Delay option in the instrument properties dialog. Also, lowering the baud rate  
often solves this problem.  
Figure 4-7: Unsuccessful iDAS Send Dialog  
4.7. Downloading iDAS Data  
To download iDAS data, check the desired channels or parameters in the dialog box by clicking in the  
checkboxes next to each name. (The checkboxes may not appear in some versions of Windows. If this  
is the case, the problem can be fixed by upgrading to Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher and NT 4.0, service  
pack 4 or higher.) A work-around is to right-click on a channel or parameter and use Select Channel or  
Select Parameter to select it or deselect it. The checkmark next to the menu item shows the channel’s  
or parameter’s current selection state.  
When a channel is selected or deselected, all of its parameters are automatically selected or  
deselected, too. Alternatively, the user can choose to SELECT ALL or DESELCT ALL by using the  
appropriate buttons on the bottom right of the window. Upon clicking on  
, APIcom will  
present the following record selection dialog to choose which records should be downloaded. See table  
for explanation of each option.  
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Figure 4-8: Select Records Dialog  
The following table describes the properties shown above.  
Table 4-5: Select Records Dialog  
Description  
Property  
All  
Downloads all the records stored in the instrument for the selected channels or  
parameters.  
Since last  
download  
Downloads all the records stored since the last download.  
Most recent  
records  
Downloads the most recent N records.  
Most recent hours  
Downloads the records from the most recent N hourly intervals. For instance, a  
value of 1 will download all records from the beginning of the current hour; a  
value of 2, from the beginning of the previous hour, etc.  
Most recent days  
Most recent weeks  
Most recent months  
Between, and  
Downloads the records from the most recent N daily intervals.  
Downloads the records from the most recent N weekly intervals.  
Downloads the records from the most recent N monthly intervals.  
Downloads only the records between specified range of dates and times.  
Use instrument’s  
date/time selection  
commands  
If checked APIcom will let the instrument search for records within the  
requested date/time range using the instrument’s date/time records. This may  
speed up download times, as only the requested data are downloaded.  
However, some instruments are very slow at this, particularly if the iDAS data  
files in the instrument are large, and APIcom might timeout while waiting for the  
instrument to respond (set time-out period in the Instrument Properties -  
Handshaking dialog). If APIcom cannot successfully use this option with an  
instrument, simply uncheck it and APIcom will download all the records and  
then filter out the ones that are not in the requested date/time range, using the  
date/time listing of the downloaded file. This is potentially slower, but may be  
more reliable. Only newer firmware revisions will support this functionality, see  
website for a table of supported firmware revisions.  
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Property  
Description  
All  
Downloads all the records stored in the instrument for the selected channels or  
parameters.  
Specify the record selection criteria to use and click on  
to begin downloading. Note that  
iDAS data downloads can take several minutes, depending on the baud rate and how many data were  
selected. For instruments with the proper software downloads can be canceled by pressing the cancel  
button  
. The instrument information dialog, section 6.1, indicates whether the instrument  
supports this feature.  
Instruments actually store iDAS records approximately one second after the programmed time. For  
instance, if an instrument is programmed to store a record at 10:00:00, it will actually store it at 10:00:01.  
This slight delay ensures that the record is stored after the sampling interval is completed. It is important  
to be aware of this behavior when using the Between option above, and set the ending time a few  
seconds beyond the last time of desired download. For example, if records up to 10:00:00 are desired,  
the ending time limit should be 10:00:05.  
Figure 4-9: Downloading iDAS Data  
For instruments that do not support the date range download, APIcom must download all the records  
and then discard the ones outside the requested date range. Thus, in many instruments it takes just as  
long to download records by date range as it does to download all the records. After the records have  
been downloaded, the iDAS Configuration and Downloaded Data Dialog might look like the following  
figure:  
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Figure 4-10: Downloaded iDAS Data  
Note the number of records that were downloaded from the Concentration and Pneumatic channels  
(32), and from the SlopeOffset channel (1).  
APIcom remembers the downloaded iDAS data as long as it is connected to the instrument or until the  
configuration is downloaded again. When the instrument is disconnected, the data are discarded to  
conserve memory.  
4.7.1. iDAS Record Sets  
APIcom implements the notion of a record set. Each time iDAS data are downloaded from an  
instrument, APIcom increments the record set number. Only parameters downloaded as part of the  
same record set may be combined in group operations, such as graphing, saving to a file, or viewing.  
Records downloaded from different channels are implicitly in different record sets. In the example above  
three record sets are created: 18, 19, and 20. Records from different record sets cannot be mixed  
because they may contain a different number of records or have different time stamps or intervals.  
4.8. Graphing iDAS Data  
After downloading data, they can be graphed in a window by selecting one or more parameters in the  
Parameters list that are in the same record set and clicking  
. All parameters will be plotted on  
the same graph.  
The Graph Window can be resized by dragging the window border with the mouse. APIcom remembers  
the position and size of the last closed graph window. Up to three graph windows can be opened at any  
time. When graphing data that are significantly different in magnitude, each parameter should be  
graphed in a separate window as shown in the following figure.  
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Figure 4-11: Graphing Multiple iDAS Parameters With Different Scales  
In the example above, each graph window has a different Y-axis scale that is appropriate for the range  
of data values being graphed; as all data stem from the same record set, X-axes are time-aligned.  
The primary purpose of the Graph Window is to preview the data. For more sophisticated graphs we  
recommend to download and save the data, then import them into e.g., a spreadsheet program.  
4.9. Viewing iDAS Data  
Data can also be viewed on-screen in table format. To view iDAS data, select one or more parameters  
from the same record set or an entire channel and click  
format like that shown in Figure 4-12.  
. This will display the data in a table  
This window can be resized by dragging its edges with the mouse and adjusting the column widths as  
needed. APIcom remembers the position and size of the dialog, except for the column layout, which  
changes with different parameters.  
Figure 4-12: Viewing iDAS Data  
Newer versions of the iDAS can store the number of samples in an average. If this option is enabled for  
a parameter, there will be an additional column after each parameter showing the number of samples in  
each average, as shown in the example below. This extra column will only show after a parameter is  
storing the number of samples. Storing the number of samples will decrease the maximum possible  
number of data that can be stored in the iDAS!  
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4.9.1. Changing the Precision of iDAS Data When Viewing or  
Saving  
Downloaded data are formatted using the precision setting specified in the instrument’s iDAS  
configuration. However, iDAS data are always downloaded in their full resolution, hence, the precision of  
downloaded data can be changed for viewing or saving by editing the parameter’s properties and  
changing the precision as desired.  
4.10. Saving iDAS Data  
After download, data can be saved to a file by selecting one or more parameters in the Parameters list  
and clicking  
. Only data from the same record set can be saved in the same file. APIcom will  
store each selected parameter in a separate column in the file, separated by commas so that the file can  
be imported into other programs, such as a spreadsheet program for further analysis. The following  
figure shows a sample of a saved data file, which is similar to the view format shown above, except. that  
the saved file separates date and time columns.  
Figure 4-13: Saved iDAS Data  
The first line in the example above is the header line, which labels the columns. The data records begin  
on the second line, and each consists of a complete time stamp and one or more readings. All fields are  
separated by commas. Storing the number of samples will create another column labeled “Samples,”  
which shows how many samples are in each average reading. Renaming this output file to an extension  
“.csv” enables to launch it directly into Microsoft Excel when double-clicking on the file.  
4.10.1. iDAS Data File Names  
APIcom utilizes the long filename capability of Windows to help distinguish data files:  
“<Instrument Name>-< Instrument Serial Number>-<Channel Name>-<1st Parameter Name>-  
<YYYYMMDD>-<Record Set #>.txt”  
4.10.2. Saving iDAS Data To An Existing File  
iDAS data can be appended to an existing file by following the same steps as for saving the data.  
Instead of accepting the automatically generated file name, simply click on an existing file in the file save  
dialog. APIcom will prompt to replace the file with the new data or to append the new data to the end of  
the file. When appending data, APIcom will not write a new header line.  
Caution: APIcom allows to append data from different parameters or channels. This is because the  
program does not log all saved data file names. Make sure to append data only to a file with compatible  
column format, otherwise data may not line up with their correct date/time stamps.  
4.11. Discarding iDAS Data  
APIcom stores the downloaded iDAS data as long as it is connected to the instrument. When the  
instrument is disconnected, the data are discarded to conserve memory. Make sure to download and  
save data before they get overwritten in the iDAS.  
iDAS data can consume up to several megabytes of the computer’s RAM memory. If the host computer  
is experiencing memory shortages, try reducing the data amount that APIcom stores by only  
downloading required data. Furthermore, data are duplicated for every graph window that is displayed.  
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4.12. Downloading iDAS Data Automatically  
APIcom can be configured to download iDAS data automatically at periodic intervals. Different intervals  
and record selection criteria can be chosen for each channel. Each channel must be configured  
separately for automatic download using the Advanced tab of the channel property dialog (see Figure  
4-3).  
4.12.1. Configuring Channels for Automatic Download  
APIcom allows to specify the download period, the record selection criteria, the data file name, and  
whether to append to or replace the data file, on a channel-by-channel basis. When combining "Since  
last download.” with the “Append downloaded data to file” option, the instrument’s iDAS storage capacity  
is essentially only limited by the host computer's disk space. Auto-download configuration has to be  
done only once, APIcom stores the automatic settings in its network configuration file.  
4.12.2. Selecting Channels for Automatic Download  
After configuring the channels on how to automatically download, they also need to be checked for  
download. This is done by checking the checkbox next to the channel’s name in the iDAS configuration  
list or right-clicking on a channel and clicking Select Channel in the context menu. Or the option “Select  
this channel for automatic download” in the Advanced tab can be used.  
4.12.3. Activating Automatic Download Mode  
Finally, press  
to activate automatic mode. While this button is pressed, all of the other  
buttons in the iDAS configuration dialog are disabled and the user cannot access any front panel, the  
main window or any other APIcom settings. This is to prevent conflicts between automatic and manual  
downloads. To regain access to the windows, simply de-press  
then press the button again to resume automatic mode.  
, finish the desired operation,  
4.12.4. File Names For Automatic Download  
The file name that APIcom generates when clicking  
in the Advanced tab has a different  
default format from the file name that APIcom generates when saving data manually:  
“<Instrument Name>-< Instrument Serial Number>-<Channel Name>-Auto.txt”  
Unlike the file name format for manual saves, the date and record set number are not included. This is  
because APIcom will repeatedly add data to this file or replace it entirely, hence those additional fields  
are meaningless in automatic mode.  
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5. M700 CALIBRATOR SEQUENCES  
APIcom includes support for modifying the sequence configuration in M700 calibrators. APIcom can only  
modify the sequence configuration in M700 calibrators with firmware revision D.3 or higher. However,  
calibrators with firmware prior to D.3 can still be edited through the front panel. The user interface for  
sequence configuration is very similar to that for configuring the iDAS. If APIcom detects that the  
instrument is an M700 calibrator, the front-panel iDAS configuration button,  
, is changed to  
. The M700 does not contain  
a iDAS and stores sequences in a different memory space than the iDAS is usually saved. The current  
sequence configuration can be downloaded, saved, modified, and sent it back to the instrument.  
Sending a sequence configuration to the instrument will completely replace its existing configuration. A  
sequence configuration can also be changed by using the instrument’s own menus through the Front  
Panel Window (see Figure 1-1).  
5.1. Sequence Configuration Dialog  
Clicking  
in the Front Panel Window or clicking Configure Sequences…  
in the System Menu (top left corner of each window) of the Front Panel Window will produce the  
following dialog box.  
Figure 5-1: Sequence Configuration Dialog  
Initially, this window is empty. Download the instrument’s sequence configuration using the  
button. It is also possible to open this dialog off-line when editing the instrument’s properties (see Figure  
5-1) by clicking on  
. When editing the sequence configuration off-line, the  
buttons related to downloading and uploading are disabled. The following table summarizes the  
functions of the buttons in the Sequence Configuration Dialog.  
Table 5-1: Sequence Configuration Dialog Buttons  
Property  
Description  
Configuration Buttons  
Downloads the sequence configuration from the instrument into APIcom.  
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Property Description  
M700 Calibrator Sequences  
Sends the sequence configuration in APIcom to the instrument. This will completely  
replace the instrument’s current sequence configuration.  
Loads a sequence configuration from a text file stored on the computer. This  
configuration many be edited and saved on the computer again, or it may be sent to  
an instrument. This configuration file may have been downloaded from the  
instrument using the “C PRINT SCRIPT” RS-232 command, or it may have been  
created using  
in APIcom.  
Saves the sequence configuration to a text file on the computer. The format of this  
configuration file is suitable for uploading to the instrument via its RS-232 interface.  
Creates a new, empty sequence configuration.  
Creates a new sequence.  
Creates a new step in the selected sequence.  
Creates a duplicate of the selected sequence or step. When creating a duplicate,  
APIcom will prompt for a new, unique sequence name.  
Edits the properties of the selected sequence or step.  
Deletes the selected sequence or step.  
Selection Buttons  
Moves the selected sequence or step up one position relative to the other sequences  
or steps.  
Moves the selected sequence or step down one position relative to the other  
sequences or steps.  
Expands all the sequences in the list, showing all the steps.  
Collapses all the sequences in the list, hiding all the steps.  
5.2. Downloading a Sequence Configuration  
Download the remote instrument’s sequence configuration by clicking  
. APIcom stores the  
sequence configuration in the network configuration file (.CFG). If the configuration from this instrument  
was already downloaded, the sequence configuration will appear in the dialog.  
In Figure 1-1 some sequences have been expanded to show the steps. The dialog box displays a  
summary of each sequence, including the sequence name, the number of steps in the sequence, and  
the number of times the sequence will run when executed. Below each sequence is a list of steps in the  
sequence. Each step summary shows the step type and the properties that are specific to that step type.  
For instance, a generate step shows the concentration and gas that will be generated; a delay step  
shows the duration of the delay; and a standby step shows no additional properties.  
5.3. Saving a Sequence Configuration  
There are two ways to save a sequence configuration. APIcom automatically stores the sequence  
configuration in its network configuration file when saving it. The second way is to save the sequence  
configuration as a text file using  
. APIcom will prompt for a file name, the default format is:  
“<Instrument Name>-<Instrument Serial Number> Sequence Configuration.txt”  
Once saved as a text file, it can be loaded again using  
button.  
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5.4. Modifying a Sequence Configuration  
APIcom can only modify the sequence configuration in M700 calibrators with firmware revision D.3 or  
higher. This section assumes familiarity with configuring the sequences in an instrument. APIcom  
facilitates configuring the instrument’s sequences in the following ways:  
ꢀ APIcom takes advantage of the larger area of the computer screen to display more of the  
sequence configuration than the instrument can with its vacuum fluorescent display.  
ꢀ APIcom validates the user’s inputs and verifies that the configuration is successfully sent to the  
instrument. Scripts with unsupported entries are rejected by the instrument!  
ꢀ APIcom allows to load sequence configurations stored on the computer and to send them to the  
instrument, making it quick and easy to load the same configuration into multiple instruments.  
ꢀ APIcom can store many sequence configurations on the computer, allowing the download of  
different configurations for different purposes.  
The basic procedure for modifying the instrument’s sequence configuration is to download the current  
configuration from the instrument, modify it, and then send it back to the instrument and saving it to disk  
for backup purposes. These steps are discussed in more detail below.  
To download the current configuration, click  
To start a new, empty configuration by clicking  
.
or load a previously saved sequence by  
clicking  
.
5.4.1. Adding or Modifying a Sequence  
Expand a sequence to see its steps by clicking on the “+” box next to the sequence name. To add a new  
sequence, either click on or right-click on any existing sequence, which will bring up the  
context menu shown below, and select New Sequence. If APIcom will not create a new sequence, it’s  
because the maximum number of sequences have already been created. The number of sequences or  
steps is limited only by available memory. However, APIcom limits the number of sequences and steps  
to 100 sequences and 100 steps per sequence. These limits are larger than the M700 can actually  
accommodate.  
Figure 5-2: Sequence Context Menu – Adding or Modifying a Sequence  
To edit an existing sequence, click on Edit Sequence in the context menu  
, which will bring  
up the dialog box in Figure 5-3. Table 5-2 describes the sequence properties shown in the following  
figure.  
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Figure 5-3: Sequence Properties Dialog  
The following table describes the properties shown above.  
Table 5-2: Sequence Properties  
Description  
Property  
Name  
Name of this sequence. The name cannot contain any spaces.  
Run mode  
Run one time: runs the sequence one time when it’s executed. This is the usual  
case.  
Run several times: runs the sequence the number of times specified (0-100).  
Note that a value of 0 is the same as Run until halted, and a value of 1 is the  
same as Run one time.  
Run until halted: runs the sequence indefinitely until interrupted by pressing  
STBY on the front panel.  
Enable Automatic  
Timer  
If checked, the sequence will be executed automatically at timed intervals and the  
Start Date, Start Time, and Repeat Period properties will be enabled.  
Start Date  
Date when the sequence should first execute. It is typically a date in the past, but  
if it is a date in the future, the instrument won’t execute the sequence until that  
date.  
Start Time  
Time on the starting date when the sequence should first execute.  
Repeat Period  
Number of days, hours, and minutes, measured from the starting date and time,  
between each execution of the sequence. At least one of the three fields of this  
property must be non-zero.  
Contact Closure  
Inputs  
If Enable checked, the sequence will execute when the contact closure input  
pattern specified by checkboxes 1–12 is detected. If Enable is unchecked, the  
sequence will ignore the contact closure inputs.  
Contact Closure  
Outputs  
If Enable checked, the contact closure outputs will be set to the pattern indicated  
by checkboxes 1–12 when the sequence is executed. If Enable is unchecked, the  
contact closure outputs will not be altered when the sequence executes. Note that  
there is a contact closure output step that can alter the contact closure outputs at  
any point in the sequence.  
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5.4.2. Sequence Names  
When editing a sequence’s properties and clicking  
, APIcom checks that the sequence name  
is unique and contains valid characters. APIcom does not perform this check when downloading a  
configuration from an instrument or when loading a configuration from a file because it assumes that the  
names are already valid in these cases. If the name is invalid because it isn’t unique or because it  
contains invalid characters, APIcom will display the error shown in the following figure and remain in the  
sequence property dialog.  
Figure 5-4: Invalid Sequence Name Dialog  
When editing the sequence names using the instrument’s own menus, the instrument will only allow  
upper case characters, numbers, and the ‘_’ character. However, APIcom will permit longer names and  
lower case characters. When viewing the sequence names using the instrument’s menus, however, the  
names may be truncated to fit on the display. This limitation is due to the size of the instrument’s  
display. The names are not case-sensitive.  
5.4.3. Duplicating a Sequence  
Duplicate a sequence by clicking  
or right-click on the sequence and select Duplicate  
Sequence from the context menu. APIcom will prompt for a new, unique sequence name.  
5.4.4. Moving a Sequence  
To move a sequence relative to the other sequences, select the sequence and reposition it using the  
and  
buttons.  
5.4.5. Deleting a Sequence  
To delete a sequence, simply select the sequence and click on  
. Alternatively, right-clicking  
on a sequence and selecting Delete Sequence from the context menu will do the same. In either case,  
APIcom will confirm the deletion with a dialog box like that is shown in the following figure. When a  
sequence is deleted, all the steps in it are automatically deleted as well. Such prompts can be disabled  
in the Settings-Options menu.  
Figure 5-5: Delete Sequence Confirmation Dialog  
5.4.6. Adding Steps to a Sequence  
Sequences consist of a list of steps that are executed. There are several different types of steps,  
summarized in the table below. Refer to the M700 manual for a detailed description of these step types.  
Table 5-3: Sequence Step Types  
Step Type  
Description  
GENERATE  
Generates a concentration of specified gas and units.  
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Step Type  
GPT  
Description  
Generates a GPT consisting of NO and O3.  
Generates a GPT-preset consisting of NO and O3.  
GPT PRESET  
MANUAL  
Generates gas under manual control using the specified gas, flows, and O3  
generator setting.  
PURGE  
STANDBY  
DELAY  
Purges the system with high flowrate and zero air.  
Stops all actions and puts calibrator in standby mode.  
Generates a delay of the specified action (in minutes)  
Executes a sequence by name (subroutine call).  
EXECUTE  
SEQUENCE  
SELECT OUTPUT  
SET CC OUTPUT  
Specifies which output valve to open when generating gas. This functionality is  
available only for firmware E.4 and higher.  
Sets the contact closure outputs to the specified pattern. This functionality is  
available only for firmware E.4 and higher.  
To add a step to a sequence, select a sequence and click  
. The following dialog box opens.  
Figure 5-6: Select Step Type Dialog  
Select one of the available step types from the list and click on  
. The context menu will  
appear (see Figure 5-7). Steps that are not supported by a particular firmware revision will not be  
available from this drop-down menu.  
A step can also be added by right-clicking on a sequence and selecting one of the step types from the  
sequence context menu. Alternatively, right-clicking on a step within the sequence will bring up the  
slightly different sequence step context menu shown below. Click on one of the step types to add a step.  
If APIcom will not create a new step, it is because the maximum number of steps has already been  
created for the sequence (100).  
Figure 5-7: Sequence Step Context Menu  
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5.4.7. Generate Step  
Editing a Generate step will bring up the following dialog box. The properties are described in Table 5-4.  
Figure 5-8: Generate Step Properties Dialog  
The following table describes the properties shown above.  
Table 5-4: Generate Step Properties  
Property  
Concentration  
Units  
Description  
The numeric concentration to generate.  
The concentration unit to use. The M700 will perform any necessary unit  
conversions.  
Gas  
The gas type to generate. APIcom permits to specify several different gases,  
although the M700 may not be able to generate them all. In this case, it will simply  
generate zero air.  
5.4.8. GPT and GPT Preset Steps  
A GPT step will display the following property dialog.  
Figure 5-9: GPT Step Properties Dialog  
A GPT Preset step will display the following property dialog.  
Figure 5-10: GPT Preset Step Properties Dialog  
These two steps are almost identical. The properties are described in the following table.  
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Table 5-5: GPT and GPT Preset Step Properties  
Property  
O3 Conc.  
O3 Units  
Description  
The numeric concentration of O3 gas to generate.  
The O3 concentration unit to use. The M700 will perform any necessary unit  
conversions.  
NO Conc.  
NO Units  
The numeric concentration of NO gas to generate.  
The NO concentration units to use.  
5.4.9. Manual Steps  
A Manual step will display the following property dialog. The properties are described in Table 5-6.  
Figure 5-11: Manual Step Properties Dialog  
Table 5-6: Manual Step Properties  
Property  
Cal. Flow  
Cal. Gas  
Description  
Flow rate of calibration gas (LPM - liters per minute).  
The gas type to generate. Although APIcom permits to specify several different  
gases, the M700 may not be able to generate them all. If the M700 cannot generate  
a specified gas, it will simply generate zero air.  
Dil. Flow  
Flow rate of the diluent gas (LPM - liters per minute).  
O3 Generator  
Mode  
For manual GPT. If Constant Drive or Reference Feedback are selected, the units  
for O3 are mV. If Bench Feedback is selected, the units for O3 are PPB.  
O3 Setpoint  
The mV or PPB setting for O3.  
5.4.10. Duration Steps  
Property dialog box & properties table.  
Figure 5-12: Duration Step Properties Dialog  
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The following table describes the property shown above.  
Table 5-7: Duration Step Properties  
Description  
The duration of the step in minutes.  
Property  
Duration  
5.4.11. Execute Sequence Steps  
Property dialog box and properties table.  
Figure 5-13: Execute Sequence Step Properties Dialog  
The following table describes the property shown above.  
Table 5-8: Execute Sequence Step Properties  
Description  
Property  
Sequence  
The name of the sequence to edit. For convenience, all the names of existing  
sequences will appear in the dropdown list. However any name can be entered into  
the Sequence field. If the specified sequence does not exist when the M700 tries to  
execute this step, the M700 will return to standby mode.  
5.4.12. Select Output Steps  
Property dialog & properties table.  
Figure 5-14: Select Output Step Properties Dialog  
The following table describes the property shown above.  
Table 5-9: Select Output Step Properties  
Description  
Property  
Output Port  
Opens output valve A or B when generating gas. Note that this is an optional  
feature in the M700. This step will be ignored if the M700 doesn’t have this option.  
5.4.13. Select Output Steps  
There are two ways to control the contact closure outputs while executing a sequence. The contact  
closure outputs can be specified as one of the sequence properties, in which case the outputs will  
remain the same during the execution of the sequence. Or one or more set CC output steps can be  
inserted in a sequence, which allows to change the contact closure outputs while the sequence is  
executing, for example, to control other equipment. This option is only available for firmware revision E.4  
or higher.  
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Figure 5-15: Set CC Output Step Properties Dialog  
The following table describes the property shown above.  
Table 5-10: Set CC Output Step Properties  
Description  
Property  
Output Pattern  
The contact closure outputs will be set to the pattern indicated by checkboxes 1–12  
when the step is executed.  
5.4.14. Duplicating a Step  
To duplicate an existing step, select the step to duplicate and click  
or right-click on the step  
and select Duplicate Step from the context menu. APIcom will duplicate the step and add it to the end  
of the sequence, but it can be repositioned using  
and  
buttons.  
5.4.15. Moving a Step  
To move a step relative to the other steps in the sequence, select the step and reposition it using the  
and buttons.  
5.4.16. Deleting a Step  
To delete a step from a sequence, select the step and click  
. Right-clicking on a step and  
selecting Delete Step from the context menu will do the same. In either case, APIcom will confirm the  
deletion with a dialog box like the following figure. Such confirmation prompts can be disabled in the  
Settings-Options menu.  
Figure 5-16: Delete Step Confirmation Dialog  
5.5. Sending the Sequence Configuration to the  
Instrument  
To send the sequence configuration to the instrument, click  
. Sending the sequence  
configuration to the instrument will completely replace the instrument’s current sequence  
configuration. Therefore, APIcom will confirm the operation with the following dialog box before  
proceeding.  
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M700 Calibrator Sequences  
Figure 5-17: Sequence Send Configuration Confirmation Dialog  
If the send operation is successful, APIcom will display the following dialog box:  
Figure 5-18: Successful Sequence Send Dialog  
If the send operation is unsuccessful, APIcom will display the following dialog box. Some possible  
causes of this error are that a sequence name contains spaces or that the instrument’s receive buffer  
overflowed while receiving the sequence configuration or that an incompatible sequence was loaded  
from disk and sent to the instrument. Try enabling one or more handshaking options, particularly the  
Transmit Delay option in the instrument properties dialog or trouble-shoot the configuration for  
compatibility.  
Figure 5-19: Unsuccessful Sequence Send Dialog  
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6. ADVANCED FEATURES  
6.1. Instrument Information Dialog  
Whenever APIcom connects to an instrument it interrogates the instrument to determine the type of  
instrument and its capabilities. Since APIcom supports all standard API instruments (except industrial  
ozone), there are many options to be supported on an instrument-by-instrument basis.  
If APIcom doesn’t seem to support a particular capability that the instrument has, APIcom’s instrument  
information dialog should show the capabilities APIcom thinks the instrument has. This is mainly a  
diagnostic tool, but offers information similar to that found under the instrument’s own SETUP-CFG  
menu.  
To view the instrument information dialog, connect to an instrument and click on the system menu in the  
upper left-hand corner of the Front Panel Window. Then click on the Instrument information… menu  
item. This should bring up a dialog like the following. The fields shown in the dialog are described in  
Table 6-1.  
Figure 6-1: Instrument Information Dialog  
Table 6-1: Instrument Information Dialog  
Field  
Description  
Instrument Type  
Serial Number  
Monitor or Calibrator.  
Instrument’s serial number. If the instrument doesn’t have a serial number, it  
displays “000000.”  
Firmware Revision  
Library Revision  
Revision number of the instrument firmware. If APIcom cannot determine the  
firmware revision number, it displays “Unknown.”  
Revision number of the standard library used by the instrument firmware. If  
APIcom cannot determine the library revision number, it displays “Unknown.”  
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Advanced Features  
Field  
Description  
Has AMX  
Yes = has AMX operating system.  
No = has older operating system.  
Yes = Has DAS.  
Has DAS  
No = Does not have DAS.  
Has New DAS  
Yes = Has DAS from standard library revision 3.0 that is flash-friendly and much  
faster.  
No = Earlier DAS.  
Has DAS Hex  
Command  
Yes = DAS supports HEX option to download records in compressed hex  
format. This is faster and more reliable than text format.  
No = DAS supports downloading records only in text format.  
Has DAS From/To  
Commands  
Yes = DAS supports FROM/TO options to download records by date/time.  
No = DAS doesn’t have these options. Download by date/time range is still  
supported, but has to be done by APIcom on the host computer rather than in  
the instrument.  
Has DAS Records  
Command  
Yes = DAS supports RECORDS option for requesting most recent records.  
No = DAS lacks this option.  
Has DAS Script  
Command  
Yes = DAS supports SCRIPT option for downloading and uploading DAS  
configuration. Necessary for APIcom to support DAS configuration.  
No = APIcom lacks this option. APIcom can still download the configuration and  
data even if the instrument lacks this option.  
Has DAS  
Event/Parameter  
Commands  
Yes = DAS has EVENT and PARAMETER commands for requesting lists of  
events and parameters in instrument. Necessary for APIcom to support DAS  
configuration.  
No = APIcom lacks these commands. APIcom can still download the  
configuration and data even if the instrument lacks these commands.  
Has DAS Standard  
Deviation Mode  
This sampling mode emulates the stability test measurement present in most  
instruments, but extends it to all data points and is simply the standard deviation  
of the samples taken during the report interval.  
Has Calibrator  
Script Command  
Yes = Calibrator supports SCRIPT option for downloading and uploading  
sequence configuration. Necessary for APIcom to support sequence  
configuration.  
No = APIcom lacks these commands. APIcom cannot download or modify the  
sequence configuration if the instrument lacks this option.  
Has Calibrator  
Duration Command  
Yes = Calibrator uses the new DURATION step name.  
No = Calibrator uses the old DELAY step name.  
Has Calibrator  
Level Command  
Yes = Calibrator supports extensions that include the LEVEL command.  
No = Calibrator doesn’t support these extensions.  
Has Keyboard  
Slash Command  
Yes = Instrument uses newer style commands for “pressing” keys and getting  
the display contents.  
No = Instrument uses very old style commands.  
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Advanced Features  
Field  
Description  
Has XON/XOFF  
Flow Control  
Yes = Instrument has bi-directional XON/XOFF flow control. This is useful when  
using APIcom to upload large DAS or sequence configurations to the  
instrument. This does not mean that XON/XOFF flow control is enabled in this  
instrument, only that it is available.  
No = Instrument either lacks XON/XOFF flow control entirely or supports it only  
when sending data, and not when receiving.  
6.2. Communication Logging  
APIcom has a communication logging feature that is capable of recording all commands sent to the  
instruments, all responses from the instruments, errors that occur, and status changes. The logging  
feature can be configured in the Logging tab in the Settings-Options menu.  
This logging feature is intended to be used as a diagnostic tool by advanced users. For instance, when  
having problems connecting to an instrument, message logging shows what was transmitted to and  
received from the instrument. This logging feature is a simple alternative to using an external RS-232  
monitor. The following figure shows a sample log file.  
Figure 6-2: Sample Log File  
Each log entry resides on a single line in the log file, and consists of three fields: a time stamp, a  
classification code (see the following table), and a message. The fields are separated by commas,  
making it easy to import the log file into another program. The time stamp field shows the date and time,  
to the nearest second. The time stamp has the same format as that in iDAS data files saved by APIcom.  
The classification code field indicates the type of log entry. It can be one of the values in the following  
table.  
Table 6-2: Log Entry Classification Codes  
Code  
Description  
Misc  
Miscellaneous log entry (currently there are no entries of this type).  
Status change, such as opening or closing the log file.  
A command sent to an instrument.  
Status  
Command  
Response  
Error  
A response from an instrument.  
Any error, including communication errors or internal errors.  
The message field contains the text of the log entry. It may be an error or status message generated  
internally by APIcom, or a command sent to an instrument, or a response from an instrument. Non-  
printable characters are represented as hexadecimal characters of the form “\xhh”, where the “hh” part  
is the hexadecimal character code.  
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Beware that the log files can get very large. For example, if automatic display updating at 5-second  
intervals is enabled, APIcom stores about 280 bytes per display update, per instrument in the log file.  
That works out to about 67.2 kbytes per hour, or about 1.6 MB per day, per instrument. Also, the log file  
is locked for access while APIcom is running.  
Timeout errors will always appear in the log file. These are not necessarily errors, though they might be.  
In some cases, the APIcom can detect the end of a transmission of data from an instrument only by  
waiting for a timeout to occur. Rather than have APIcom determine whether a timeout is normal or an  
error, it is easier to record all timeouts as errors in the log file.  
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APPENDIX A. FIRMWARE COMPATIBILITY  
A.1. Remote (RS-232) Configuration of iDAS  
Whereas the basic functionality (remote control of the front panel functions) of APIcom works with all of  
our standard analyzers, new features that are introduced from time to time may require updates of the  
analyzer's firmware. The iDAS feature built into AMX instruments was created around 1996. But the  
ability to configure the iDAS through the RS-232 interface wasn't added to the standard libraries until  
revision 2.1 in 1999.  
APIcom only supports configuring the iDAS in the iDAS Configuration Dialog if the instrument has library  
revision 2.1 or higher. This capability corresponds to the "Has Calibrator Script Command" field in the  
Instrument Information Dialog.  
APIcom can download the iDAS configuration and data in all instruments containing the iDAS because  
this was an original requirement of the iDAS. That is why with some instruments, APIcom shows the  
iDAS Configuration Dialog but disables some buttons used for uploading iDAS configuration and others.  
The instrument revisions listed in the following table are required to support configuration of the iDAS in  
APIcom without limitations.  
If you would like to find out, which version firmware and which library revision your instrument is using,  
please select SETUP - CFG from the front panel and scroll through the list of information. Note the  
firmware revision and the library revision and submit an error report form to inquire about our available  
upgrades.  
Table 6-3: Instruments Supporting iDAS Configuration Through RS-232  
Instrument  
M100A-AMX  
M101A-AMX,  
M102A-AMX  
E.5  
Firmware Revision  
Date  
C.7  
30-Mar-99  
24-Jul-01  
15-Jan-99  
A.0  
A.8  
29-Jan-99  
A.0  
M200E-AMX  
M265A-AMX  
09-Jul-01  
12-Jan-00  
A.0  
M300-AMX,  
M300H-AMX,  
M300M-AMX,  
M300S-AMX,  
M320-AMX,  
M360-AMX,  
M360U-AMX,  
M306-AMX  
C.1  
02-Mar-99  
M300E-AMX  
M400-AMX  
M400A-AMX  
A.0  
D.0  
C.0  
16-Jan-00  
06-Jul-00  
18-Aug-99  
M450-AMX  
(has no iDAS!)  
D.7  
D.3  
24-Apr-00  
11-Apr-01  
M700-AMX  
(scripts only)  
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A.2. Number of Samples in Concentration Average  
Another new feature of APIcom is to store the number of samples in averaged iDAS concentration data.  
This feature is supported starting with the firmware revisions listed in the following table.  
Newer firmware also allows APIcom to use the internal iDAS clock when extracting a range of data  
(instead of "all" data). This feature speeds up download because it transfers only those data that were  
requested. Previous versions of APIcom and older firmware revisions downloaded all data and then  
extracted the range of interest locally (i.e. in computer memory). Here is the list of firmware revisions  
that support this feature.  
This option starts with Software Library Revision 3.0 (21-May-01)  
Table 6-4: Models Supporting "Number of samples" in iDAS channels &  
"Use internal clock" in iDAS download  
Instrument  
M100A-AMX  
M100E-AMX  
Firmware Revision  
none yet.  
Date  
A.0  
24-July-01  
M101A-AMX,  
M102A-AMX  
none yet.  
M101E  
M102E  
M108E  
All  
M200A-AMX,  
M200AH-AMX,  
M200AF-AMX,  
M200AU-AMX,  
M201A-AMX,  
M202AM-AMX,  
M202AH-AMX  
H.2  
24-May-01  
M200E-AMX  
M200EM  
M200EU  
M201E  
All  
not yet released  
03-July-01  
M265A-AMX  
A.7  
M300-AMX,  
M300H-AMX,  
M300M-AMX,  
M300S-AMX,  
M320-AMX,  
M360-AMX,  
M360U-AMX,  
M306-AMX  
G.3  
M300E-AMX  
M300EM  
M300EU  
M320E  
B.4  
All  
19-June-01  
M320EU  
M360E  
M360EM  
M360EU  
M400-AMX  
none yet.  
A-2  
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Instrument  
Advanced Features  
Firmware Revision  
Date  
M400A-AMX  
M400E-AMX  
C.7  
All  
11-July-01  
M450-AMX  
(has no iDAS!)  
n/a  
n/a  
M700-AMX  
(scripts only)  
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