Quick functions

This page will show you how to use the quick functions to easily use your TiePie engineering measuring instrument as different virtual instruments: oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer, data logger or voltmeter.

The quick functions can be accessed via the main menu and the quick functions toolbar.

The easiest way to use the quick functions, is to use the buttons on the quick functions toolbar, but they can also be accessed via the main menu.

The available quick functions are listed in the following table.

Icon	Action	Short description
	Create new graph	Create a new, empty graph
	Create Yt graph	Create a Yt graph for the active instrument
	Create XY graph	Create an XY graph for the active instrument
	Spectrum analyzer	Create a spectrum graph for the active instrument
	Data logger	Set the active instrument to streaming mode and make a data logger graph
	Create voltmeter	Create a voltmeter for the active instrument
	CAN decoder	Create a CAN decoder I/O and connect it to the active instrument
	I2C decoder	Create a I2C decoder I/O and connect it to the active instrument
	UART / Serial decoder	Create a UART / Serial decoder I/O and connect it to the active instrument

Quick functions act on the active instrument, in the program settings can be determined on which channels the quick functions act.

An example of each function is given in the following sections. A Handyscope HS3 is used, but other instruments supported by the Multi Channel oscilloscope software can also be used.

To create a new, empty graph, click the Add graph button on the quick function toolbar. This will create a new graph in the in the area of the largest available graph, dividing that area in two. When the width of the area is larger than √2 times its height, the new graph will be created next to the existing graph. Otherwise, it will be created below it. The new graph will be made the active graph.

An oscilloscope can be used to display measurements against time (Yt mode) or to display one channel against another (XY mode). You can manually set a graph to either Yt or XY mode, and drag the desired channels into the graph, or you can use the Yt or XY quick functions.

Information about using graphs can be found in the graph section. To learn more about basic measurements, read the digital data acquisition page and the triggering page.

Yt mode

XY mode

To use the active measuring instrument as a spectrum analyzer, click the Spectrm analyzer button on the quick function toolbar.

An FFT object will be created and connected to each channel of the active instrument. The FFT objects convert the measured time base signals to a spectrum by means of a Fast Fourier Transform. Its window function is set to Flat top. The outputs of the newly created FFT objects will be shown in an empty graph. A new graph will be created when no empty graph is present. The new graph will be made the active graph.

To use the active measuring instrument as a data logger, click the Data logger button on the quick function toolbar.

The active instrument will be set to streaming mode and a data collector object will be created and connected to each channel of the active instrument. The outputs of the newly created data collector objects will be shown in an empty graph. A new graph will be created when no empty graph is present. The new graph will be made the active graph.

The data logger is usually used for relatively slow signals. The instrument is set to streaming mode. The advantages over normal scope mode operation are:

• The measurement display is constantly updated during the measurement. You don't have to wait until the whole measurement is completed to see the result.
• Longer measurements are possible than would fit in the instrument's memory in normal scope operation.

Read more about the differences between scope mode and streaming mode on the streaming measurements page.

To use the active measuring instrument as a voltmeter, click the Meter button on the quick function toolbar.

The channels of the active instrument will be shown in a newly created meter object.

By default, the measurements "Mean" and "RMS" are enabled. Other measurements can be added for each channel. Examples are: minimum, maximum, top-bottom, variance, standard deviation, frequency and for frequency data: Total Harmonic Distortion.

To use the active measuring instrument as a CAN decoder, click the CAN decoder button on the quick function toolbar. A new CAN decoder I/O will be created and connected to an newly created table sink to display the decoded CAN data.

If the active instrument has two or more channels, the user is asked whether one or two channels should be used. When two channels are used, both the CAN high and CAN low signal should be measured. The difference signal H-L is calculated with a Add / Subtract I/O and fed into the analyzer. If only one channel is used, this may measure CAN high, or the differential CAN signal H-L. The latter is only possible with a differential input.

To use the active measuring instrument as a I²C decoder, click the I²C decoder button on the quick function toolbar. A new I²C decoder I/O will be created and connected to the first two channels of the active instrument and connected to an newly created table sink to display the decoded I²C data. The I2C decoder can only be used with instruments with two or more channels. The first channel will be used as I²C SCL (clock) and the second as I²C SDA (data).

To use the active measuring instrument as a serial decoder, click the UART / Serial decoder button on the quick function toolbar. A new UART / Serial decoder I/O will be created and connected to the first active channel of the active instrument and connected to an newly created table sink to display the decoded UART / Serial data. It can be used to analyze RS232, RS485, MIDI, DMX or other compatible serial buses.