Editing Knowledge Base:Advantech Data input

Data input with Advantech interfaces
by Mick Martin | Aug 30, 2019 | Knowledge Base

Artist is designed to interface to any Advantech USB devices installed in the Advantech Device Manager.

Installing Advantech Drivers

Download the DAQNavi SDK from the Advantech support site. Also, download the driver for you specif interface.

Ensure that the interface is disconnected from the computer
Install the DAQNavi SDK
Install the specific driver for your interface
Connect the interface to the computer 
Open the Advantech Navigator from the Windows Start menu. You should see your interface listed. From this dialog you can also test the values are responding to your input connections. Refer to the hardware documentation to understand the input requirements. It is often the case that if you are using contact closures you will have to add pull-up resistors (approx. 1K Ohm should be fine) on each input.

Installing Server

With Artist not running, go to the Program Files (x86)/Artist3 folder and double click AdvantechServer.msi to install the ShowCAD Advantech server. Now when you launch Artist you will see the server applet starting and being placed in the Windows task tray from where you can open it to ensure that it contains your interface. If it is not shown here Artist will not be able to talk to it.

In, Artist go to Navigator/Resources/Interface Manager/Advantech Data Acquisition. You should see your interface ID. This means that Aritst is communicating with it. 

Next. you must connect the devices to a place holder in the Input Output Patch. Where you connect it depends on what type of input you are expecting from the device.

It should be noted that if you plug in an Advantech interface while the system is running you will have to open the server app window and press refresh in order for Artist to see it. You will also have to refresh devices in Artist. Of course on a cold boot this will not be an issue.

Digital Inputs

If your device has digital inputs, right-click Input Output Patch/Digital Inputs and select Properties. The dialog show the number of ports to add. A port is 8 digital inputs. So if you device supports 32 inputs that would be 4 ports.

Right-click on each of your new Digital Inputs and select Properties. From the dialog select the Interface device and the port to connect. 

Analog Input 

If your device has analog inputs, right-click Input Output Patch/Analog Inputs and select Properties. The dialog shows the number of inputs to add.

Right-click on each of your new Analog Inputs and select Properties. From the dialog select the Interface device and the input to connect.

You are now ready to connect these input to Artist functions using the Patch Wizard. 

Using the Digital Inputs

The digital and analog inputs are connect to Artist functions through Patch commands that are located in the Patch file. 

To add a Patch command,

Run Main Menu/Wizards/Patch Wizard
Select ‘Data Acquisition’, then ‘Next’
Select ‘Digital’, then ‘Next’
Select the Digital input port – this is the port that you connected in the Input/output Patch
Select the Action,
BCD byte BCD byte pulseBCD high nibbleBCD high nibble pulseBCD low nibbleBCD low nibble pulseInput line -Input line +Input line both	All 8 inputs of the digital input port are used as a hexadecimal valueThis is the same as above except that the value is expected to return to zeroThe highest 4 inputs of the port are used as a hexadecimal valuePulsed as aboveThe lowest 4 inputs are used as a hexadecimal valuePulsed as aboveA single input is used and triggers the command when the value goes from 1 to 0A single input is used and triggers the command when the value goes from 0 to 1same as above but the command is trigger on both 0 to 1 and 1 to 0 transitions.
* Select the input