Copyright: Copyright 2001


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Introduction
Welcome to the 451 Assistant for Excel

The 451 Assistant is an Excel add-in.  An Excel add-in is a program that adds optional commands and features to Microsoft Excel.  The 451 Assistant provides remote control for many of the 451 functions such as, downloading the internal data log, real-time data logging and an integrated dose measurement.  The assistant will work with Microsoft Excel versions 97 and 2000.   The assistant will automatically load with Excel once it is installed.

Installation

Installation is simple.

Starting the Assistant

The Assistant is set to automatically load with Microsoft Excel.

Computer Data Logging

The Assistant will record data in an Excel worksheet in real time.  The alarm state is recorded by color.

Downloading 451 internal data log

Download the entire data log from the 451.

Integrated Dose

The Assistant will help you with an integrated dose measurement.  It will even calculate the average dose rate.

Options

Change the alarm value, colors, sound and acknowledgement function from the Options dialog.  Some of the 451 settings can be changed from here too.

Thank you for purchasing the 451 Assistant for Excel.


System Requirements

The minimum system requirements are as follows:

•	Windows 98, NT 4.0, 2000, XP

•	Microsoft® Excel 2000

•	One serial port (COM1 through COM4)


Installation

An installation program has been provided.  Simply read each screen during installation, follow the instructions, then click Next to continue.  If Excel is not currently installed on your computer, INSTALL EXCEL FIRST. The 451 Assistant for Excel can then be installed following the directions below.

Administrator rights are required to install the software on Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 2000.

Installing on a Windows 95/98/NT 4/2000 System

1.	Start the computer.

2.	Insert the 451 Assistant distribution CD into the CD/DVD drive.

3.	In the Start menu, choose Run.

4.	In the Run dialog box, type the following command line, assuming that the CD is in the D drive: D:\SETUP.

5.	Follow the instructions in each dialog box until the installation is complete, and then click Finish.

Read README.TXT file

A Readme.txt file is copied to the installation folder.  Readme.txt lists any changes to the 451 Assistant for Excel documentation since its publication.  It can be found on Disk 1.  Please consult the file for details and new information about installing the 451 Assistant for Excel.

Uninstalling the 451 Assistant

The 451 Assistant can be properly uninstalled from the Add/Remove Programs Control Panel Application.  Click Start, Control Panel and open the Add/Remove Programs application.  Select Victoreen 451 Assistant for Excel and click on the Add/Remove… button.

Note:  The Add/Remove Program control panel applet is the recommended way to uninstall all Windows applications.


Connecting the 451 to a PC

To use the 451 Assistant, a 451 must be connected to a computer's unused serial communications (RS-232) port.

To connect the 451 to a personal computer, follow the steps below:

1.	Turn ON the 451 and the computer.

2.	Plug the 4-pin round connector of the RS-232 cable into the 4-pin round connector jack on the side of the 451.

3.	Plug the female end of the cable into the RS-232 connector on the personal computer.  If multiple connectors exist, consult the computer's user manual to determine which connector to use.


Starting the 451 Assistant

New for version 1.03

To start the assistant,  use the Start menu.  Press Start, go to 451 Assistant and click on Victoreen Assistant for Excel.  Excel will start and load the Assistant.   If the assistant doest start or you are having problems, see the note below about enabling macros within Excel.

The assistant can be configured to run automatically when Excel runs.  For more information about configuring add-ins for Excel, see "Configuring Excel."

Macros must be enabled in Excel for the 451 Assistant to work.  Select "Enable macros" when prompted.  Excel 97 and 2000 versions offer macro virus protection as an option.  With macro virus protection enabled, Excel prompts the user whenever a workbook containing macros is opened.  If macros are disabled, the 451 Assistant will not work.  Consult the Excel documentation for more information on macros in Excel 97 or 2000 versions.


Configuring Excel to run the 451 Assistant

The installation software configures Excel to run the 451 Assistant automatically, however you may not want Excel to load the assistant all the time.  Excel provides a way to install/uninstall add-ins.  The procedure follows:

1.  Run Excel.

2.  If a worksheet is not loaded, open a new worksheet.

3.  Select the Tools menu.

4.  Click on Add-ins…

The Add-ins dialog displays the add-ins that are registered with Excel.  A checkmark next to the add-in means that the add-in is loaded and will load automatically when Excel starts.  To unload the add-in, clear the checkmark by the add-in.  To load the add-in, check the add-in.  If the add-in is not in the list of registered add-ins click the browse button to browse for the add-in.  The add-in is copied to the C:\Program Files\Victoreen\451 Assistant folder by default.

5.  Click OK.


The 451 Assistant Menu and Toolbar

The 451 Assistant menu provides an interface for the user to remotely control the 451, configure the 451, download the internal data log, start real time data logging, and start an integrated dose measurement.

451 Assistant menu

451 Assistant Tool Bar


Connect/Disconnect

Connects or disconnects the 451 Assistant to the communications port.

Connect - instructs the 451 Assistant to read configuration information such as the alarm settings, unit type, and ranges.

Disconnect  - Disable communications and close the communications port.

 Options

The options dialog allows for the configuration of the 451 Assistants options.  In addition, the 451 settings can be modified or viewed from the options dialog.  Some of the general options are: setting the alarm sound, the real time alarm acknowledge, the real time alarm color, and the COM port.  Some of the 451 settings are:  setting the blink alarm and the 451 logging parameters.

 Start real time data log

Starts real time data logging.  Real time means the 451 is connected to the computer during the entire logging process.  See real time data log properties for information about configuring real time data logging.

 Stop real time data log

Stops real time data logging.

 Real time data log properties

Displays the real time data logging properties.  The sample interval, logging duration time, and the real time alarm value are configured on the properties dialog.

 Integrated Dose

Starts the integrated dose procedure.

 Download Internal Data log

Starts downloading the internal data log from the 451.  All data stored in the 451 is inserted into the Excel workbook.

 Chart

Creates a line chart from the data selected on the worksheet.  Select the data you want to chart then click on the Chart button.


Options

The 451 Assistants’ properties and a few of the 451s’ properties can be changed from the Options dialog.  The options dialog contains two tabs.  The first tab named General contains options for the 451 Assistant.  The other tab named 451 Settings contains options for the 451.

General Tab

Configure COM port and computer data logging alarm.

451 Settings Tab

Configure the 451.


Options (General)

The 451 Assistant has several parameters that can be changed including COM port, alarm configuration and 451 configuration.  The General tab is used to change the alarm functionality and COM port settings.

COM Port - Select COM Port is used to select the communication port used by the 451 (default is COM1).  To change the communications port used, click on the "COM Port" drop down box and select the desired port.  Click OK to start using that port.

Play Alarm Sound – A check indicates that the 451 Assistant will generate an alarm sound for every data point received by the 451 that is in the alarm state.

Configure Sound – Opens the sound control panel applet used to configure Windows sounds.  To change the alarm sound, select the "Victoreen 451 Alarm" in the Sound Events list.  The name box will display the wave file currently used to generate the alarm sound.  Change the sound by typing the filename into the name box or select Browse to search for a wave file.  The play button will play the sound in the name box.

Use Acknowledge functionality

Enables the alarm acknowledge button during real time data logging.

Alarm State Colors

The 451 Assistant can be configured to use 2 or 4 alarm states.  The four alarm states are acknowledged normal, unacknowledged normal, acknowledged alarm, and unacknowledged alarm.  If "Use acknowledge functionality" is not checked then only two alarm states are indicated:  unacknowledged alarm and acknowledged normal.  See Alarm Definitions.


Alarm Definitions

Acknowledged Normal-  The previous alarm has been acknowledged and the radiation rate is below the alarm level.

Unacknowledged Normal -  The previous alarm has NOT been acknowledged and the radiation rate is below the alarm level.

Acknowledged Alarm – The alarm has been acknowledged and the radiation rate is above the alarm level.

Unacknowledged Alarm – The alarm has NOT been acknowledged and the radiation rate is above the alarm level.


Options (451 Settings)

The 451 Settings tab contains information about the 451 currently connected to the PC.  These setting pertain to the 451 only and have no impact on the operation of the Assistant.  The settings are provided to allow the user to change the configuration of the 451.

Serial Number  - The serial number of the 451.  Only provided if the unit is connected.

Logging parameters

Clear Log   -  Select when the 451 internal data log should be cleared.  The 451 has 2 settings to choose from:

At turn on only – The 451 will only clear the data when the unit is first turned on.

At turn on and integrate reset – The 451 will clear data at turn on and at integrate reset.

Data Log Interval  -  The 451 stores rate data in an area of memory.  The interval is the period, in seconds, in which the 451 adds a new data point to the memory.  If you would like the 451 to store data once a minute then set the interval to 60.  Meaning every 60 seconds add a new data point.

Blink Alarm – Enter the rate at which the blink alarm should be activated on the 451.

SaveToEEPROM -  Saves the configuration to the permanent EEPROM in the 451.


Computer Data logging

Once Microsoft Excel has been started and the 451 Assistant has been loaded, data logging can be started and recorded in a worksheet.  When a measurement is performed the Assistant automatically places the measured data in the active worksheet cell, then moves down to the next row of cells where it will place the next set of measured data.

The assistant can be configured for data logging by clicking on the data logging properties button.   The properties dialog allows you to set the length of time to record data and the time interval between recording data points.  The alarm level for computer data logging is also set on the properties dialog.

Note: The time interval and the alarm level are independent of the 451s’ internal functions.  The total sample period is limited to 49 days.

Data Logging Properties

Virtual Instrument Display

Data transfer to Excel


Downloading 451 internal data log

The 451 is capable of storing data at a user defined interval from 1 to 255 seconds.  When the 451 has exhausted the memory used for the data logging function, data logging is stopped until the user clears the data log memory.

To download the data log, select a cell on a workbook to insert the log data then click on the Download log button.  Data download will begin immediately.  The assistant will download the entire data log stored in the 451.

Note:  A worksheet must be open and selected before data can be downloaded.

First column is temperature in Celsius.

Second column is the measured rate.   In this case the value is 31.6 mR/h.


Integrated Dose

The Assistant will also help in taking an integrated dose measurement.  The time length of the integrated dose can be automatically timed or user controlled.  Click the Integrate button on the toolbar to start the integrated dose dialog.  On this dialog you set the timer length, if one is needed, then click start.  The assistant will then start the 451 in the run mode.  The 451 has a 30 second reset period after the run mode is started, after which, the instrument will start integrating.  After the stop button is pressed or the timer has expired, the assistant will read the integrated dose from the 451 and insert the dose in the active cell and the average dose rate in the next cell to the right.

Note: The average dose rate may be inaccurate at low integrate time samples.  The assistant cannot accurately determine the time length, therefore the timer can be off by several seconds.

The following procedure demonstrates the process of taking an integrated dose measurement.

Step 1  Click the integrate [image] button to open the integrated dose measurement dialog box.  See Figure 1.

Step 2  Check the "Use the timer to determine when to stop." button to have the Assistant time the exposure duration.  If this checkbox remains unchecked the user must press the Stop button to read the integrated dose.  Regardless of the timer setting the Stop button can be pressed to read the integrated dose.  If the timer mode is selected enter the duration to integrate.  Press Start to begin the measurement.

Step 3  The Assistant will start the 451 in run mode.  After the run mode is started the 451 will reset the integrated dose for 30 seconds.  During this initial period any radiation presented to the 451 will not be included in the dose measurement.

 Step 4  After the 30 second reset period the assistant will indicate that the 451 is integrating.  The assistant will also indicate the time remaining and time integrating.  Stop can be pressed at any time to stop the integrating process and read the integrated dose measurement.

Step 5  After the specified timer duration or stop is pressed, the Assistant will query the instrument for the integrated dose.  The measurement and the average dose rate will be inserted at the active cell in Excel.

Integrated Dose (mR or uSv)    Integrated Dose Rate (both measurements are in mR/h or uSv/h)

     34.2 mR	  2018.361 mR/h   or 2.018 R/h


Version Information

The 451 Assistant version information can be viewed by clicking on the About 451 Assistant menu in the Help menu.


Technical Support

Work with a support engineer to solve your issue through the following options.

Fluke Biomedical RMS
6045 Cochran Road
Cleveland, Ohio  44139

Voice: Toll Free Voice: Fax:	(440) 248-9300 (800) 850-4608 (440) 349-2307	during regular business hours 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern time.
E-mail:	service@flukebiomedical.com  - E-mails will be responded to during business hours only.


Sales

The sales department can be reached at:

Fluke Biomedical RMS
6045 Cochran Road
Cleveland, Ohio  44139

Voice: Toll Free Voice: FAX:	(440) 248-9300 (800) 850-4608 (440) 349-2307	during regular business hours 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern time.
E-mail	mailto:sales@flukebiomedical.com