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U1282A Road Test Part 2 (PC Software)

mcb1

This blog continues from my original review here  RoadTest the Keysight U1282A Digital Multimeter - Review

 

 

 

Following some testing using an Android Tablet and Bluetooth connection, I thought I'd see what the PC software offers.

 

Keysight Handheld Meter Logger ver_3_1_51130_01

While the Android version downloads and installs and just works, the PC version has a few issues.

 

1.     The install gives you (the PC Owner) no control over where it will be installed.

          I have a 64bit Win7 machine and yet it gets dumped into C:\ProgramFiles.

 

2.    Despite being an Administrator, it went throught the program and then the install spat the dummy with this error.

          

     So start again and then right click and select "Run as Admin" to prevent this error.

     I've seen this behaviour before and I'm blaming Microsoft, but I'm sure it's not all their doing.

 

     I did also note the odd Agilent label on some files.

     It's been a while since keysight aquired the Agilent label, and this software has migrated with at least one upgrade, so perhaps it's time to check the naming on the install files.

 

 

3.     I captured some data using the Android App and decided that they should be able to be imported into the PC version.

          ( https://www.element14.com/community/community/applications/industrial-automation/blog/2016/05/16/keysight-u1282a-vehicle…  )

          On the tablet, I backed up the database and then transferred the file across to the PC directory where I keep all the info relating to challenges/Road Tests, etc.

    

          When you go to look for the files the default location is the users documents, and despite the ability to select a directory, you can't save it.

          There are three tabs and for each one you have to go through the point and click to select the directory.

          Most windows File open Dialogue boxes allow you type the path or cut and paste into it, but not this software.

 

          So eventually I gave up and dumped the copy into the directory it wanted, BUT it won't recognise it.!!!!

          Surely it can't be too hard to add this into the settings menu and let the user save the directory he wants to use.

 

 

4.     The Logging directory has to be under the Users Documents. You have no ability to point it to a shared drive, or anywhere else.

         

     By now I'm starting to tire of software that is well down the version list just not being friendly to it's users.

 

 

5.     I accidently clicked on the Reports tab and it provided some piccys then a windows error sound caught my attention (luckily the sound was on).

          This error dialogue was in the background.

         

          I didn't want a newer version so I clicked No .... guess it didn't like that because it responded with some more error boxes.

 

          and then it cried enough ...

 

          So my foray into the world of KeysightHandheldMeterLogger_3_1_51130_01 ended and I'm not impressed!

 

 

I've used an earlier version with the Insulation Resistance Tester but I didn't try the import function.

At this point in time I'm going to uninstall ver 3.15 xx and install an earlier version to see if I can get around some of these issues.

I suspect it will be similar for the directories, but who knows.

 

 

 

Impressions

Overall the look of the software is pixelated/soft as if it really doesn't belong on a large PC screen.

I was so looking forward to importing the data captured yesterday and then having a closer look at it.

 

Yes you can export/save the data as a CSV but can you bring it back into the software?

What if you need to send a tech into the field to capture the data, but need to analyse it somewhere else?.

It may be that the Tech focused on one part and missed another part of the capture that is more relevant.

 

The other minor point was that the temperature of the meter is promonently displayed in the upper right corner.

None of the data saves I have done captured that information, yet the calibration is based upon 23 degC at 80% humidity.

Surely it makes sense to capture that information as well.

 

The features of this meter to Engineers is the Logging abilities, yet IMO the software is letting that down.

Sure the Android App and bluetooth connectivity makes it extremely versatile, but capturing the data is only part of the equation.

 

I'm stuck with how do I mark the review

Does the Logging software fall into "Support materials", or "Demo Software"?

 

I decided to mark down the Support materials since the meter itself works.

Because the Android App works, I have only marked it down to 8.

The PC version works but needs some work, so I think this is a fair score.

 

If someone from Keysight wants to make contact, I'm happy to discuss some options and take a much closer look.

These meters deserve to have the software match their capabilities.

 

Mark

  • in reply to tekmeister

    Unfortunately it looks like the software doesn't match the hardware, which is all too often the case with test gear.

    It will do logging, but I think with a little more effort it could do more.

     

    In many cases the customer doesn't ask for this or just accepts the limitations, which doesn't progress the product.

     

     

    I'm hoping that Keysight may look at what they need to do in their next release.

    Mark

  • in reply to tekmeister

    Hi tekmeister!

     

    I too would agree that the software isn't polished (and feels very 1.x despite it being 3.x) but the primary feature (the logging to disk and exporting to CSV or Excel) works reliably. The rest is either functionality you need or a 'nice-to-have-if-it-worked', so really depends on your requirements.

     

    It was very irritating it installed in C:\Program Files, and that it took 55MB disk space there (putting it just-about in the top 25% of the 252 programs I currently have installed on my PC if sorted in terms of file size) but I suppose it could be worse : ( some programs that do not do a whole lot consume several hundred MB (e.g. looking at Intel Wireless Software at 324MB).

     

    By the way, another option is to use the fastlog software here, it is tiny and is command-line driven. It only logs to a CSV file, so it is up to the user to attach additional functionality (e.g. by directing the output into a graphing app).

  • I was quite interested to see how the software performed. The addition of remote data-logging and graphing features would add a lot of extra value to me.

    Unfortunately it looks like the software doesn't match the hardware, which is all too often the case with test gear.

  • in reply to mcb1

    Ah 2003, at least you did not have Office 97 lol. Probably what you have is an install on demand module for XPS files. The O/S will report that you have the capability for something but it's not actually installed. Maybe your system is also internally reporting that you can't view PDFs or maybe they checked XPS first and went with that as your O/S reported that it could use those. Perhaps you have an app that can view XPS but can't save them? Perhaps the application is trying to create PDF but your old version of office has deliberately switched that to XPS?

     

    There are a large number of permutations, the O/S does not always report things correctly and the 3rd party apps don't always play nice.

     

    Writing desktop applications that cope with all these scenarios IS difficult, it's not lazy coding.

     

    So would you be willing to pay more to make those dialogs go away?

     

    >Sadly they can, the installed software is available for checking.

     

    I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader. Write a piece of code that determines if your version of Windows is capable of writing PDF files.

  • in reply to Workshopshed

     

    It displayed enough information for a help desk to identify the problem and for a software engineer to determine what is wrong

    I agree it did, and that is useful BUT it continued on and then self terminated ... that's not so useful.

     

     

    Sadly I don't have MS Works

     

    I didn't even get to choose what format I wanted to save the report in. The Andriod defaults to pdf.

     

    I don't have an issue that I couldn't produce a report because I didn't have xyz installed.

    My concerns are the report portion wanted to use a format that was trying to force me to update and when I chose No it spat the dummy, instead of choosing to not give that report option.

     

    Actually the choice dialogue is MS Windows, you can use them under VB as well.

    It is a standard dialogue box with Yes No buttons.

     

    The final message includes the reference to graph.xps which is an MS default print format that was supposed to end pdf.

    Luckily (or unluckily) it didn't kill pdf's but is still present.

     

     

    desktop applications can rarely know their environment

     

    Sadly they can, the installed software is available for checking.

    IMO when the report button is pressed, then go check what is installed and if suitable ask what format.

     

    Cheers

    mark