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Importing DASYLab DDF Files to Excel

The document discusses several ways to import DASYLab DDF data files into other programs like Excel, MATLAB, and LabVIEW. It recommends using plugins that allow direct reading of DDF files into these programs. Alternatively, the document describes how to convert DDF files to ASCII or DIADEM TDM format in DASYLab first before importing into the other programs. Converting to ASCII or TDM format avoids the need for specialized plugins. The document provides step-by-step instructions for converting DDF files to ASCII or TDM format using the Read and Write modules in DASYLab.

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Dante Castro
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95 views4 pages

Importing DASYLab DDF Files to Excel

The document discusses several ways to import DASYLab DDF data files into other programs like Excel, MATLAB, and LabVIEW. It recommends using plugins that allow direct reading of DDF files into these programs. Alternatively, the document describes how to convert DDF files to ASCII or DIADEM TDM format in DASYLab first before importing into the other programs. Converting to ASCII or TDM format avoids the need for specialized plugins. The document provides step-by-step instructions for converting DDF files to ASCII or TDM format using the Read and Write modules in DASYLab.

Uploaded by

Dante Castro
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

DASYLab Techniques

Using DASYLab DDF files in other programs


DASYLab V10 and V11
Q: I want to read a DASYLab DDF file with Excel, MATLAB or LabVIEW. How do I do that?

A: There are several ways to do this. You can read DDF data directly into MATLAB or NI LabVIEW; you can
convert the data to ASCII data, or, for EXCEL, you can convert to DIADEM TDM file format.

LabVIEW or DIADEM:
Use the DASYLab DataPlugin1 to read the DDF file using the Storage VIs2, Click on the link to review the
information and download instructions for this plug-in.

You can download the LabVIEW Data Plug-in examples. The Read example is very easy to use – all you have to
do is select the file and the plug-in (DASYLab), and it reads the file with no problems.

To avoid this step, you can save the data directly into the NI DIADEM TDM format.
1
DASYLab Plugin: [Link]
2
NI LabVIEW Plugin information: [Link]
LabVIEW, DIAdem, DASYLab, and LabWindows/CVI use the TDM file format to save measurement data. TDM
files comprise the signals acquired by the measurement hardware and the descriptive meta data. Meta data
could be the name and unit of a measurement channel and the name of the test engineer.

The TDM file format contains the meta data and the bulk data. The meta data is saved in the XML format
(Extensible Markup Language) in a file with the tdm extension. The bulk data are saved in a compact binary form
in a file with the extension tdx.

The TDM data format is based on a data model that groups the descriptive data into data sets, channel groups,
and channels.

Note To evaluate TDM data with Excel use the TDM Excel Add-In for Microsoft Excel. This page also
contains more information on the TDM format.

MATLAB:
3
Use the MatLab/Simulink Import Tool (DDF-Read) for DASYLab Data files. This was created by two users, and
you must register to obtain the password for using the tool. It is free of charge.

If you decide to use this program free of charge you accept the following terms of use:
**********************************************************************
* 1. License agreement *
**********************************************************************
1. You have to register.
2. You must not distribute the program files

As a third party software package, the DASYLab support teams cannot support it directly.

3
MatLab/Simulink Import Tool link: [Link]
CONVERT the file using DASYLab to ASCII
If you have access to DASYLab, you can simply convert the file to the ASCII format, using the File Group modules,
Read Data and Write Data.
1. Configure the Read Data module first, and uncheck the “Output in real time” setting, to allow DASYLab to
replay the data as quickly as possible.

2. Create a Write Data module configured to save the data to ASCII or Diadem TDM format.
When you use ASCII, click on the Options button to configure the file format settings, including the column
separator, number of decimals, and the time/date format. Excel works best if the Tab character is used as
the separator.

3. Connect the two modules and run. This screen shot shows that I added a Chart Recorder to display the data
as it replayed.
You can use the Options menu, Copy Channel Names, to copy the channel names from the Read Data
module and the data file to the Write Data module and the output file.

Importing DASYLab DDF into EXCEL


You must first convert the data to a format that Excel understands. See section 3 for details of converting to
ASCII. It works best if you choose TAB as the column separator.

Please note that EXCEL may interpret the time column and format it depending on the number of milliseconds.
You may need to override EXCEL’s automatic format to display the entire time as hh:mm:ss.000.

You can also convert the data into DIADEM TDM format. Choose DIADEM TDM as the file format for the
example above, and use the NI TDM Excel Add-In for Microsoft Excel to open it directly into EXCEL.

Author: CJ Butler, Measurement Computing

Contact: techsupport@[Link] or 508-946-5100 x2

July 2010, updated January 2011

Common questions

Powered by AI

To export a DASYLab DDF file to the DIADEM TDM format, first configure the Read Data module to read the file without real-time output. Next, connect a Write Data module and configure it to save data in TDM format. This conversion ensures that both the metadata and data structure are preserved for use with Excel, utilizing the NI TDM Excel Add-In for direct import into Excel without additional formatting requirements .

To convert a DASYLab DDF file to ASCII, you configure the Read Data module in DASYLab, ensuring to disable the 'Output in real time' option, and then use the Write Data module to save the data in ASCII format. During this process, options such as column separator and decimal precision can be set. This conversion is useful for Excel integration because ASCII allows flexibility in formatting, and Excel handles data better when tab-separated values are used .

The TDM file format enhances efficient data management by organizing data into structured entities, including data sets, channel groups, and channels, and separating metadata from actual data. This facilitates easier data access, search, and organization, improving data handling during analysis and reporting. Such structured management contrasts with non-structured formats like ASCII, where data might be less organized and require more effort for interpretation and correlation .

In the TDM file format, descriptive metadata is organized into a structure consisting of data sets, channel groups, and channels. The metadata, saved in XML format, includes crucial information such as the name and unit of measurement channels and the identity of the test engineer. This structured approach enables efficient data management and retrieval, facilitating data integrity and traceability during data analysis and reporting tasks .

The DASYLab DataPlugin provides seamless integration of DDF files with LabVIEW and DIADEM, allowing users to read data efficiently without manual conversions. Benefits include maintaining the integrity of data with preserved metadata and simplifying the workflow within NI software environments. However, potential drawbacks include dependency on NI tools and potential compatibility issues with non-NI software, necessitating extra steps for integration with other platforms .

Using the MatLab/Simulink Import Tool to read DASYLab DDF files in MATLAB facilitates direct import, ensuring data integrity and consistency. This process impacts data analysis by streamlining data access, reducing error potential from manual conversion, and allowing MATLAB's powerful analysis capabilities to be utilized efficiently. However, relying on the tool requires registration and compliance with its terms, which may pose limitations for some users .

The TDM format is structured to separately store metadata and bulk data, facilitating organization and readability when imported using compatible tools like the NI TDM Excel Add-In. Unlike ASCII, which is plain text and may require configuring separators and formats, TDM maintains data integrity and organization automatically, leading to more efficient data analysis. However, TDM requires compatible software for access, whereas ASCII is widely readable across many platforms .

DASYLab DDF files can be read by converting them to a format compatible with the desired software. For MATLAB, users can employ the MatLab/Simulink Import Tool to read DDF data after obtaining the necessary credentials. In LabVIEW or DIADEM, the DASYLab DataPlugin allows the files to be read using Storage VIs. To work with Excel, converting the file to an ASCII format using tools in DASYLab or using the NI TDM Excel Add-In to open a DIADEM TDM format is recommended .

The NI TDM Excel Add-In facilitates working with TDM files by simplifying the import process into Excel. This tool allows Excel users to handle TDM files, which consist of both meta and bulk data stored separately. By using this Add-In, users can directly open TDM files in Excel without additional conversion steps, preserving data organization and ensuring that metadata such as channel names and units are accurately displayed .

When converting DASYLab DDF files for Excel use, challenges include Excel's default interpretation of time columns, which might alter the intended time display format. This can be addressed by manually adjusting the cell format to display the entire time stamp accurately (hh:mm:ss.000). Additionally, ensuring that tab is used as a column separator avoids misalignment issues during import. Using the NI TDM Excel Add-In can also mitigate these challenges by allowing direct import of DIADEM TDM files .

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