PSI » Scientific products » bTop » Software » Sample application
bTop.app is a free application used to control the bTop USB device. Multiple bTop cards may be connected; each may be selected and controlled from the same window. Some features and functionality provided by the bTop hardware are not yet included in bTop.app. You can download the latest version of bTop.app here.
The bTop.app interface
Notice the convenient tabs provided by the application to group the functions of the app.
The bTop app provides convenient tabs to organize the user interface though which you can monitor and control devices connected to a bTop-2 box.
The meanings of each tab are as follows:
- The A/D tab displays the sampled values for 8 analog to digital channels.
- The D/A tab lets the user set the current output values for the 8 digital to analog ports.
- The Digital I/O tab includes controls to set or accept 1-bit values from one of 8 pins.
- The Capture tab allows you to acquire a set of data from analog inputs on the bTop-2 box.
- The Scope tab provides an oscilliscope-like plot from captured data.
- The Tools tab includes a console for low-level board debugging and testing.
- The PSI tab is a link to the Perfectly Scientific website.
Digital inputs and outputs
Digital I/O: Digital inputs monitored (left) and outputs can be controlled (right).
Analog I/O: Analog inputs monitored (left) and outputs can be controlled (right).
The A/D panel displays sampled values from the 8 A/D channels. The D/A panel controls the current output values of the 8 D/A ports. These are 8 bit values, ranging from 0 to FF (0 to 5 volts).
The digital I/O panel monitors/controls the two digital I/O ports. By default, ports are configured as input. The current pin state is graphically shown by the buttons in the "Val" column. Clicking the "Out" check box drives that pin. When a pin is configured for output, clicking the button in the "Val" column toggles the pin on or off.
Timed data acquisition
This panel allows you to set up and initiate a timed acquisition from one or more of the 8 A/D channels. Parameters are as follows:
- Scan Count: how many samples will be acquired for each selected channel.
- Interval: time in milliseconds from scan to scan.
- Rate: scans per second
- Time: total recording time
When the each scan starts, bTop records a value from each selected channel as quickly as possible, then waits for the next scan time. The intra channel sample time is about 1/4 millisecond.
As the data is recorded, it is inserted into the table on the right. The data are 12 bit values, ranging from 0 to 4095 (0 to 5 volts), or 0 to FFF if you turn on the Hex checkbox control. The ms checkbox controls whether or not the scan time in milliseconds is included in the table (in the first column).
Capture: Data can be gathered from timed data acquisitions from one or more of the 8 A/D channels. This is the default window when the bTop test app launches.
Export data
You can export the data as a tab delimited text file (once recording has stopped) by clicking on the Export... button.
Scope
This panel gives you a pseudo-oscilloscope display of one or more A/D channels.
The default setting is to use the data collected in the Capture pane. Click Refresh to trigger a new data acquisition sequence.
Scope: An oscilloscope displays data from one or more A/D channels.