Feature Request - "PAUSE" Button

Ask any questions about using PicoScope 6 Automotive software here.
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FioranoCars
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Re: Feature Request - "PAUSE" Button

Post by FioranoCars »

Hi Tom
Thanks, yes that work around can in a few instances overcome the pico gap (more like a black hole, gap hardly does justice to the software flaw! IMHO), but only where the capture is slow enough to manually pause.

It fails to allow repetitive perfect sync, as the trigger feature is being used to overcome the bug
It fails to work on time bases that are faster than the user can react to
It only allows a single frame

A proper fix would rid us of this issue, the scope has the technical capability for at least some level of GAPLESS data (based on scope memory and PC data speeds) and the issue has been raised for many years, I'd just like to hear some form of acknowledgement from the pico that they are dealing with it. Sometimes adding more bells and whistles is all well and good but fixing fundamental logic bombs and programming flaws is surely got to take priority. I understand how and why this might have been the best approach when the software was written, but it's now a Diesel engine without direct injection or DPF filter .... Time and technology has overtaken the best, time to address the flaw and bring it into a fresh clean new world, seamless, GAPLESS and black hole free ... :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Same goes for the over sample calculations up to 16bit, as this code is equally flawed and based on "screen view" data sample not "recorded" samples (zoom in to see this on any over sample) but worse it's coding is not optimal and IMHO has display choices that could be implemented far more efficiently but buy into the same bug/logic bomb... iMHO of course. :oops: :oops:

It's good to have the issue discussed, but every time it is, Pico appear very quiet ... Anyone from Pico care to comment please? PM is fine if you want !?

Anyway thanks Tom for sharing, the workaround has saved me a few times.

Martyn
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Re: Feature Request - "PAUSE" Button

Post by Martyn »

Not hiding, just busy. I will read through your comments and get back to you later on when I have read through your posts.
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Martyn
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Re: Feature Request - "PAUSE" Button

Post by Martyn »

The main issue with streaming data is that it can generate vast quantities of data very quickly, for example some of the Test and Measurement scopes can produce 156 million samples per second and the 4225/4425 are not too far behind that.

What to do with the data is the conundrum, capture everything and wade through all the data to find the parts of interest, or throw data away on the fly just keeping the interesting bits.

The PicoScope software has been built around the concept of waveform buffers, so when streaming it collects a buffer of data, before throwing a little bit away in the gap before repeating. The gap is between 0,001 and 0.05 seconds when free running without triggers, but also allows the use of repeat triggering to control the amount of data collected, and just collect and show data of interest.

So rather than thinking of this mode as streaming, it is really a slow collection mode where you can actually see the data before the buffer is full, a better approach than having a blank screen for a number of seconds or minutes.

To add an out an out streaming mode would require a significant amount of work not just in the PicoScope application, but also in the drivers,and would need to work for the Test and Measurement software as well, they are the same under the hood.

I will discuss this with the development team, so suggestions as to real life scenarios where it would be of benefit would be welcome. We would need to know how much data you need to collect, in how much detail, and what criteria you would use to discard this data.
Martyn
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FioranoCars
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Re: Feature Request - "PAUSE" Button

Post by FioranoCars »

Hi Martyn
Thanks for the reply, it does follow a verbal response I had from one of the team a while ago, but nice to see it written up!

The need for a "gap" between buffers, rather than contiguous data is a throw back to slower transfers and smaller memory, and while the core software (Test & Measurement and Automotives shared internal "Engine"/core code base) was written on this buffer and gap necessity (based on the various technology limitations of the era), it was a compromise ... one that if you started again today you almost certainly would avoid.

I will try to put some thought into some scenarios where the current methodology is a problem, but as I've hit it in real life 3-4 times, and then escalated to support to final be told about the coding of the gap, means it's been worth the hassle of chasing your support team to understand why my data was doing things it ought not to have done. Since those 1st 3-4 instances I've been aware and knew I had to use workarounds, but doubtless there are lots of times when this has meant compromised data collection or analysis when the workarounds have been unable to flex to my needs.

I will try to throw some numerical data together too, but lets see how much time I can throw at this!

Thanks again
Richard

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STC
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Re: Feature Request - "PAUSE" Button

Post by STC »

It only allows a single frame
If that "Single Frame" had the best part of 14 hours across it and the Brucie Bonus of the Zoom Facility - Would that still be an Issue?

Minus the "Trigger" which serves a great purpose for beginners, much like the "Guided tests" the scope is more than fit for purpose as a stand alone measuring device.

Thank you Steve for getting the "Pause Function" into the ideas funnel.

Eagerly anticipating :D :D :D Thanks

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Re: Feature Request - "PAUSE" Button

Post by STC »

Bump !

Menges
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Re: Feature Request - "PAUSE" Button

Post by Menges »

A pause button would be much appreciated!

lukas945945
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Re: Feature Request - "PAUSE" Button

Post by lukas945945 »

Hi,

For years I've been using PICO. I recently got a TEXVIK oscilloscope in my hand. Not as powerful as PICO, but it has a great advantage over PICO that at the bottom of the program is a cursor (see attachment) that you can move freely throughout the measurement record. So it can not be as bad as it occurred to me that the occurrence of a malfunction hit me through the windows of the record and the whole record is bad. Therefore, I would like to have such an element implemented in PICO.
Attachments
texvik.jpg

marcfuller
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Re: Feature Request - "PAUSE" Button

Post by marcfuller »

STC wrote:
It only allows a single frame
If that "Single Frame" had the best part of 14 hours across it and the Brucie Bonus of the Zoom Facility - Would that still be an Issue?

Minus the "Trigger" which serves a great purpose for the crazy bulk beginners, much like the "Guided tests" the scope is more than fit for purpose as a stand alone measuring device.

Thank you Steve for getting the "Pause Function" into the ideas funnel.

Eagerly anticipating :D :D :D Thanks
The pause function works great now. I was waiting for that functionality.

victor2k
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Re: Feature Request - "PAUSE" Button

Post by victor2k »

edited

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