instruNet World+ (iW+) Software

instruNet World+ (iW+) is a reasonably priced yet powerful and easy to use data acquisition software program for Windows 95-XP (not Macintosh). It enables one to digitize, plot, control, analyze, and save to disk A/D, D/A, and digital I/O data from instruNet hardware. Additionally, it enables one to define their own instrument front panel with buttons, popup menus, edit fields, dynamic text, text editor regions, and waveform graphs; as illustrated below.




iW+ is programmed with a simple script language that can define tasks such as control loops. For example, one can type "Dac1 = OnOff (Ain1, 3)" to define D/A #1 as a function of A/D #1. For a list of script commands, click here.

iW+ software adds valuable features to the FREE instruNet World (not +) software which is included with instruNet hardware. For a list of features in iW+ that are not in instruNet World (not +) click here; and for a list of features in both, click here. For general information on iW+, click here; and for information on how to order iW+, click here.



instruNet World+ (iW+) Features

Below is a list of features available in iW+ that are not available in the free instruNet World (not +) software. For a list of features available in both products, click here.

Generate Analog and Digital Output Waveforms

Define an analog or digital output channel mathematically (e.g. sine wave, square wave, pulse train, etc) that updates in realtime (e.g. every 100ms). For details, click here. For details on maximum I/O rates, click here.

Run Feedback/Control Loops

Define an analog or digital output channel as a realtime function of analog and/or digital input channels (e.g. PID control, on/off control, etc). For details, click here.

Create a Custom Instrument

Create buttons, popup menus, edit fields, dynamic text fields, text edit regions, and pages to build a custom application program; as illustrated below.




Powerful Script Programming Language

iW+ is programmed with a simple BASIC-like script language that provides many feedback/control, waveform generation, math, file, hardware, and user interface functions as summarized below. For a description of each function, click here. For a summary of the iW+ script programming language, click here.

add, subtract, multiply, divide, Modulo, cos, sin, tan, acos, atan, atan2, cosh, sinh, tanh, bAnd, bOr, bEor, shift left, shift right, 1's complement, getbit, setbit, clearbit, And, Or, Not, <, >, <=, >=, ==, !=, absolute value, e'th power, natural log, log10, reciprocal, square, square root, x to y'th power, integer, round down, round up, fractional part, minimum, maximum, average, string length, string compare, string search, string to ascii, Sinewave, TriangleWave, SquareWave, PID, PIDL, OnOff, Limit, Alarm, For Next, Goto, If/Elseif/Endif, If...then, Loop, Synchronize, While, Close, Create, Flush, Open, SetMasterDir, SetPointer, SetSize, Write, Read, Debug, End, Execute, Calibrate Hardware, Calibrate Gages, Calibrate Bridges, Calibrate VDividers, Calibrate Vinit, Calibrate Init, Read Channel, Digitize, SetChannel, SetChannelBit, SetField, SetTrigger, Table, Append, Copy, Clear, Define, Delete, Alert, Beep, Delay, Erase, Print, Question, NewPage, NewButton, Press, Select, Show/Hide page, Show/Hide button, CtoF, FtoC, CtoK, FtoK, KtoF

iW+ includes digitize Direct To Excel software

iW+ includes the Digitize Direct To Excel program, which populates an Excel (Version >= 8.0, Office >= 97) spreadsheet, shown below, while digitizing. For details, click here.




Create Popup Menus

Front panel popup menus allow the selection of one of several choices in a list, as illustrated to the right. One line of script code reads or sets the position of the popup (i.e. 1 refers to the upper-most item, 2 the one below it, etc). The position, label, and list options are easily set, as described here.

Create Edit Fields

Front panel edit fields allow one to select, view and edit segments of text; as shown to the right. One line of script code reads or sets the text in the same way one would read or write to a string variable. The position, label, and initial text are easily set, as described here.

Create Dynamic Text Fields

Front panel dynamic text fields allow one to view non-editable segments of text, as shown to the right. One line of script code sets the text in the same way one would write to a string variable. The position, label, and initial text are easily set, as described here.

Create Buttons

One can easily create buttons that execute script code when pressed (e.g. "Button 1" shown on the right). The position, label, and script text are easily set, as described here.

Create Text Editor Pages

In iW+, a "page" is similar to a "sheet" in Microsoft Excel. One clicks on a tab at the bottom of the window (note the tabs in the illustrations to the right) to show a different set of front panel items (e.g. popup menus, text editor, edit fields, etc). For example, in a simple case, one might create a page called "Help" that when selected, displays documentation on how to use the instrument. The above illustration shows 2 user defined pages, labeled "Page 1" and "Page 2", where Page 1 is currently selected and contains a text editor region that shows the text "One can type …". For details on user defined pages, click here.

Save Waves to Excel

iW+ provides a menu command called "Save Waveforms To Excel" that saves all waves into one large text file that can be loaded by Microsoft Excel, post-acquisition, where each wave is given its own column. For details, click here.

Print Waves and Text On Hard Copy Printer

Print text and waveforms directly to a printer. For details, click here.

Display Time of Day Under Waves

Display waveforms relative to the Date and Time of Day. For example, in the above picture, the first grid corresponds to June 11, 2003, 6:12pm + 31 seconds. Without PLUS, waves are always displayed relative to the start of digitization. For details, click here.

Adjust Horizontal Scale While Digitizing

A front panel popup menu adjusts the displayed horizontal scale (i.e. time per plotted horizontal division) while digitizing. In the non-PLUS verison if iW, this is set automatically, or via the Record Setup dialog.

Copy the Setup of One Channel to Many Channels
Setting up many channels manually can be somewhat laborious. iW+ automates this with a command that copies the setup of one channel (e.g. to a thermocouple, strain gage, etc) to multiple other channels. For details, click here.

Examine Waveform Values with a Cursor
Use the mouse to move a waveform cursor while numerically viewing the time and waveform value at that cursor position, as illustrated to the right.

Digitize in Background while Working in other Programs
Digitize and implement feedback/control loops in instruNet World while working in other application programs (requires Windows 2K/Xp). For example, one can type in a Microsoft Word window while iW+ digitizes and controls outputs. Also, one can minimize the iW+ window (i.e. click on window title bar upper right corner "_" icon to place minimized iW+ window on desktop application bar) while it operates in the background.


How to Order iW+

instruNet World (not +) software is available Free of charge and included on the instruNet CD with each i2x0 controller card (and at www.instrunet.com/d). The "PLUS" version (referred to as "instruNet World+" or "iW+"), with more features, is available at an additional charge under the following product numbers:

  • #iNet-350-SerialNumberOfController, instruNet World+ for pre-existing i2x0 controller card. One must specify the serial number of that controller on their Purchase Order, since license codes are keyed to controller serial numbers.
  • #iNet-200P, instruNet PCI card and instruNet World+
  • #iNet-230P, instruNet PCMCIA card and instruNet World+

Since the PLUS software is included inside the instruNet World (not +) software, one only needs to register the iW+ license code, described below, to enable the PLUS software after installing the instruNet World (not +) software (i.e. after running the instruNet CD).

Licenses are issued for each individual controller card and are keyed to the controller's serial number. Subsequently, the PLUS features are only enabled in the following cases:

  • A valid PLUS license code is installed, yet no controller card is installed.
  • A valid PLUS license code is installed, along with its corresponding controller card.
  • instruNet software is running in Demo mode and simulating a controller card.

Loading an iW+ setup file into instruNet World (not +)

One can load an iW+ setup file (.prf) into instruNet World (not +), yet the advanced iW+ features will not operate unless the iW+ license is installed -- one can only view and delete the advanced iW+ features within instruNet World (not +).



How to Install iW+

To install an iW+ license on your computer and enable its powerful features on Windows 98/Me/Nt/2k/Xp/> computers (iW+ is not supported on Macintosh):

  1. In order to proceed, you must have purchased instruNet World+ (iW+) software and have received an iW+ license code for your controller card. For information on how to obtain a license, click here.
  2. Install instruNet World software Version >= 1.50 onto your computer via the instruNet CD, or from web URL www.instrunet.com/d.
  3. Launch the instruNet World software by double-clicking on its icon, or by selecting START > Programs > instruNet > instruNet World.exe.
  4. Select "Install instruNet World Script License…" in the Script menu.
  5. Enter your license code (i.e. in the zz-ssssss-yyyyy format) into the license field (note that "0" refers to number 0).
  6. Press Ok, and a confirmation alert will appear. To view the status of your license, press the Test tab at the bottom of the window and then press the Search button. From this point forward, whenever you run instruNet World on this computer (i.e. START > Programs > instruNet > instruNet World.exe), you will be running iW+. Since the license code is stored in a file within the System directory, installing newer versions of instruNet software will not require repeating this procedure.
  7. To learn about iW+, please see the Getting Started with iW+ discussion, or the iW+ Software Manual.
Getting Started with iW+

To get started, we recommend the following steps:

  1. Install the instruNet Software, Install the instruNet Hardware, and Verify that your Hardware is working properly per the instruNet User's Manual Chapter 1 or the "Installing instruNet Hardware and Software" sheet included with instruNet.
  2. Obtain an World+ Software License and Install it.
  3. Learn the fundamentals of instruNet World by completing the Tutorial in Chapter 2 of the instruNet User's Manual.
  4. Read the summary of iW+
  5. Review the features unique to iW+".
  6. Read about front panel objects (e.g. pages, panel items, edit field, panel meters, popup menus, and buttons).
  7. Read about writing script code.
  8. Read about the script engine.
  9. Read about debugging scripts.
  10. Do the iW+ tutorial.
  11. Take a quick glance at the iW+ examples.
  12. Become Familiar with the iW+ Manual.