I've got to second what Jay says. I previously developed an app where the
client wanted the realtime graph in excel.  It can be done but it is not a
good solution because excel grabs the focus when plotting and would tend to
cause the vb app to lock up.

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: pic microcontroller discussion list [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU] On
Behalf Of Joe McCauley
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2004 9:15 AM
To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: [pic:] VB Serial data Logger

Jay,

If you are writing in VB, then I would suggest dispensing with Excel
altogether & plotting the data in a VB app. Here you have a couple of
options.

1. Use the MSChart OCX control which ships as part of VB. (At least it did
with my VB6 pro)
2. Several freeware OCX controls are on the net which allow straightforward
plotting of data in VB or VC.

Of these options #2 is my preference for work like this. Normally these
controls do not have all the bells & whistles of the MSChart OCX & can in
many cases be easier to use. Many will also allow you to plot the data as it
comes in. (Sort of like a stripchart.) I am currently using one called
NTGraph. It is the best one I've found so far. I've just finished a progect
using it. The control is available at
<http://www.codeproject.com/miscctrl/ntgraph_activex.asp>

Joe

-----Original Message-----
From: pic microcontroller discussion list
[mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of jay chen
Sent: 08 January 2004 14:51
To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [pic:] VB Serial data Logger


Thanks for the help on previous topic about serial logger data to excel
directly.

i just write and test a basic Visual Basic program for serial port
communication, i make a loop-back circuit on my computer COM 1 (9-pin)
serial port so i can type whatever from the keyboard and return to the same
serial port and display on the program window. the program is working, so i
am thinking next project: write a Visual Basic program to collect
information from a PIC and send the data to some kinda application
software(excel, access...) and automatic creat a plotting graphic in real
time(or maybe every 30 seconds). i don't know what is the simple and easy
way to work on this project. can someone direct me to finish this project,
any tip, code, website, or book?
thanks!!

ps. it does not have to use excel.  at the beginning i was thinking excel
could be the easy one to plot the data

here i attach my simple VB code for the serial port communication:
*************************************************************
*************************************************************

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    End                                   'exit
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
MSComm1.CommPort = 1                     'com port = 1
MSComm1.Settings = "9600,N,8,1"
MSComm1.InputLen = 0
MSComm1.PortOpen = True
MSComm1.RThreshold = 1
'MSComm1.InputMode = comInputModeText
End Sub

Private Sub Text1_KeyPress(KeyAscii As Integer) 'text1 box show the key
input from key board
Dim TempAscii As String
TempAscii = KeyAscii
MSComm1.Output = TempAscii                        'send it to serial port
End Sub


Private Sub MSComm1_OnComm()                   'read the input and display
on text2 box
Dim Buffer As Long
If (MSComm1.CommEvent = comEvReceive) Then
Buffer = MSComm1.Input

Debug.Print "Receive - " & StrConv(Buffer, vbUnicode)
Text2.Text = Text2.Text & Chr$(Buffer)
End If
End Sub
**************************************************
**************************************************

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