Script with the latest version question

[Stan]

Hello,

P75 running like a charm since the begenning, just having upgraded from 1.3a to 1.3b firmware.

Having tried the new software version too, work fine !

But I have 2 questions about the new sofware version
(currently using 1.3 rev2 for automated measurement)

Is there specific difference with the latest version (1.3b rev4) regarding the script execution:
Using the same script .fms file I see different behaviour with the new version.   

- For the same script I didn't achieve to perform Modulation power after the MPX measurement.

- How do you select via the script the new Extended view for the bandscan and the save the corresponding bitmap ? I have checked on the manual but didn't see a new command for this new view, or maybe I miss it.

Anyway the P75 is a great product !

Best.

[Jan]

It is on page 37 in actual pdf manual, simply said replace the word bandscan by extendedbandscan in your script. Keep all versions incl. pdf manual actual.
About your first question, there has been really a lot of changes made in the script engine between versions 1.3 and 1.3b. The best you can do is to send me the script file via email and mark the line where the result differs from what you expect. Such feedback is welcome.
As fully new control software is being designed, there will be only most important feature request implemented in analfm.exe, however fixing bugs and providing support is - where possible - continuous and No. 1.

[stan]

Thanks Jan for your answer.

I will check that and make a few test again before to send you the script file.

Have a nice weekend

[Stan]

Hello,

Having tested several script reading the last manual version, I found the following conditions:

When using MPX or RF command (mpx.run, mpx.stop and rf.run, rf.stop)  I see an strange behaviour.
Before on the older scripts I was using between a start & stop  a sleep(xx) command to ensure a good display.  Now I must  remove it as it take apparently a while to perform the measurment in this 2 views only. 
But the strange thing is that sometimes the application wait randomly 1 minutes or more (I had up to 18 min) when doing an RF or MPX measurement via the script engine. (doing the same repeted measure on the same signal show it easely).  I have the feeling that when I touch the application to switch any tab view (modulation power Setup). It speed up or ''unlock'' this state (you see the line number after any action on the GUI moving to the next one from the .fms file)
I have this only when running with the latest version of the application  The device is the pira75 with the latest firmware  (app is runnning on a W2k old mini pc and connection is done with the serial port).

Otherwise any other commands (FTP, Save, Full report, Email, RDS, Offset, Freq deviation... ) run fine.

If Using an older version of FM analyser tool app, the behaviour is OK with MPX and RF (with the same Pira75)

This my feedback at this time for the 1.3b V4

Best regards

Stan

[Stan]

In case this is the part of the script I run now to get the RF bitmap (I have removed the MPX command as it is not needed to retreive both bitmap from RF and MPX)

in mode 0:
...

rf.maxhold(1)
rf.mask(1)
rf.histogram(1)
rf.run
sleep(60)
rf.stop
mpx.savebitmap(e:\analyse\monitor\ft%freq.jpg)
rf.savebitmap(e:\analyse\monitor\rf%freq.jpg)
modulationpower.run
sleep(1200)
modulationpower.stop
modulationpower.savebitmap(e:\analyse\monitor\pm%freq.jpg)

etc  ....

Apparently he was not happy with a sequence using  rf.start ... rf.top and immediatly after mpx.start ... mpx stop

the result is there:  http://www.maxxima.org/fm_monitor/index.php

best regards

Stan

[Jan]

In the version 1.3b the MPX rate was increased. Good intention but as I see it must be adjusted 
The MPX scope and FFT now consumes more CPU resources (it's a lot of floating point DSP operations and graphical operations) and your mini PC is probably overloaded. It has been tested on some low power VIA CPU 800 MHz without problems. I'm going to put my 200 MHz machine into operation to fix this mistake... I'll probably contact you via email with fixed exe. Thank you.

[Jan]

The problem with sleep command when mpx is running should be fixed in actual version 1.3b rev. 6. That's all for today, it's too late 

[Stan]

Hello Jan,

Don't worry no emergency     I will try it on the small PC and also test on a newer PC running W7 and another P75.

[Stan]

I did several tryals with 3 computers,  that exactly what you have described, doing RF or MPX measurement with the 1.3b V4  consume far more CPU ressources compared to 1.2.

On a Via Nehemia, the cpu is at 100% during the the RF measurement, otherwise for any other commands it stays at arround 18 to 28 %.    That's why when doing scripting it will ''wait'' for an undifined time on this measurement (from a few minutes to about 1 hour when intruducing any sleep command)

On more powerfull computer you will not have any problem, your diagnostic is right.
I have to think to find another small machine to handle the automatic measurement...
 

[Jan]

Have you tried the actual rev. 6? It should work well although CPU usage is 100 %.

[Stan]

Hi Jan,

Sorry I was trapped by the proxy and getting the V4 when trying to download it again, ... and believing that the V6 was not available yet
Just started to test it on the small PC, the one really not powerfull....  It works well, The CPU still up at 95-100% during the process but the sleep command is now possible with the right timing.
Very good !  Thank for this fast support !
I will leave it a few days runing like this to check the stability, but it seems to be back as in the older version.

[eldoradofm]

Where can this rev. 6 be downloaded, i still see rev. 5 on the site.
Ok i see that rev. 6 is on the site only on the site it says rev. 5. So i have latest version.
Ah that's fixed now also.

[Stan]

Just to give a short feedback,  after more than 3 weeks running 24/7   no problem at all, measurement routine is 'rock steady'

Just perfect Thanks

[Stan]

Just had the time to play with the latest version... Whoaa,  so much changes since  1 year !   I just have installed in parrallel another automated monitoring station based on your scripts,  works just fine.   I will have to learn the news scripting features... as the old one seams to be outdated now (I was running since a few years on an old version

/Best

Stan