Podium Data Analysis Software User Manual
Contents
1. PolyLogic Podium Data Analysis Software User Manual RCA40 Version Issue 1 00 March 2003 PolyLogic Contents 1 Introduction 1 What is Podium 2 About This Manual 3 Typographical Conventions 4 Getting Technical Support Getting Started 1 System Requirements 2 Installing Podium 3 Uninstalling Podium 4 Using Online Help 5 Starting Podium 6 Selecting Data Logger 7 Licences 8 Exiting Podium Getting to Know Podium NINNNNMNN N N 3 1 Tour of the Podium User Interface 2 Main Menu 3 Main Toolbar 4 Lap Explorer 5 Cursor Values 6 Notes 7 Circuit Map 8 Graphs 9 Reports 10 Status Bar 11 Resizing Windows 12 Command Reference 4 Managing Session Data 1 Downloading Session Data 2 Importing Old Data 3 Changing the Beacon Position 4 Changing Session Details Graphs 1 Setting the Current Lap 2 Adding Graphs 3 Removing Graphs 4 Setting the Reference Lap 5 Clearing the Reference Lap 6 C 1 2 6 6 6 R Ww w w w w w w w w W w w A KR BR BR 5 O1 OF U1 U1 O1 UITI Moving the Graph Cursor ircuit Mapping Creating a New Circuit Map Map Segments 6 Ov O 2 1 Adding Segments 2 2 Deleting Segments 2 3 Deleting All Segments 7 eports 7 1 Min Max Values Report Issue 1 00 Page 2 of 43 Podium Data Analysis Software User Manual Oo O CO CO CO CON NNO OO U1 UI UI March 2003 Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 7 22. Number of pulses for 2 engine revs 4 W Enable performance display and data logging Clear data lagging memory Set Defaults OF Cancel Figure 31 Setup Data Logger Data Logging Page Number of Magnets Enter a number or use the up down arrows to set the number of magnets fitted to the sensing wheel Wheel Turns Per Enter a number or use the up down arrows to set the number Sample of turns per sample value Wheel Circumference Enter a number or use the up down arrows to set the wheel circumference value Engine Pulses Enter a number or use the up down arrows to set the number of sensor pulses for two revolutions of the engine Enable Data Logging Check the box to enable performance mode and data logging Clear Memory Check the box to clear the data logging memory 8 1 6 Writing New Configuration Once all the required changes to the configuration of the lap timer have been made click OK The Configuration Upload Dialog Figure 32 appears Issue 1 00 Page 36 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual Connect P to data logger and click OK Status Ready Figure 32 Configuration Upload Dialog Verify that the data logger is still connected to the host computer and click OK The updated configuration is transferred to the data logger 8 2 Show Setup For Session To examine the data logger configuration used for a session do the following 1 Highlight the se
3. e Click the Circuit Map tab next to the Notes tab or e Click the Circuit Map button on the main toolbar or e Choose View Circuit Map from the main menu The buttons on the toolbar immediately below the title bar are enabled whenever a map is displayed and they perform the following I Shows hides segments ne Allows the segments for the current circuit map to be edited To see the name of a button place the cursor over it without clicking To execute the command associated with a toolbar button click the button If a button is greyed out the command is not available Issue 1 00 Page 14 of 43 March 2003 Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 3 8 Graphs Distance Pict Figure 11 Graphs Window The Graphs window Figure 11 displays logged values for a lap against either distance or time This window is used to plot data for the laps of interest and to compare two laps from the same or different sessions Clicking on a graph moves the graph cursor to that point on the graph This also moves the map cursor to the same point The values of the displayed parameters at the current cursor position are displayed in the Cursor Values window Once a lap has been highlighted in the Lap Explorer window a graph of any of the logged parameters is displayed using either of the following methods e Activate the graphs drop down menu by clicking on the arrow w next to the Graphs button on the main toolb
4. 8 5 Colours The colours used to display the graphs and circuit map can be changed if required In each case the standard colour dialog Figure 36 is used to set the new colour Forty eight standard colours are available as well as an almost infinite number of user defined custom colours Basic colors fe Bee sees Gee f g BORER EES EERE E Custom colors BREE gU ii E te ee W Define Custom Colors gt gt Figure 36 Standard Colour Dialog Issue 1 00 Page 40 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 8 5 1 Current Lap Graph The colour used to display graphs for the Current Lap is changed in the following way 1 Choose Setup Graph Colours Current Lap from the main menu The Standard Colour Dialog Figure 36 appears 2 Select the new colour for Current Lap graphs and click OK or click Cancel to leave the colour unchanged 8 5 2 Reference Lap Graph The colour used to display graphs for the Reference Lap is changed in the following way 1 Choose Setup Graph Colours Reference Lap from the main menu The Standard Colour Dialog Figure 36 appears 2 Select the new colour for Reference Lap graphs and click OK or click Cancel to leave the colour unchanged 8 5 3 Circuit Map Outline The colour used to display the track outline for the circuit map is changed in the following way 1 Choose Setup Map Colours Track from the main menu The Standard Colour
5. Dialog Licence Details Dialog Add Licence Dialog Podium Main Screen Podium Main Menu Podium Main Toolbar Lap Explorer Window Cursor Values Window Notes Window Circuit Map Window Reports Window Podium Status Bar Session Data Download Dialog Idle Save Session Data Dialog Open RCA40 Dump File Dialog Edit Beacon Position Dialog Edit Session Details Dialog New Circuit Map Dialog Edit Map Segments Dialog Defining a Segment Edit Map Segments Dialog Deleting a Segment Edit Map Segments Dialog Delete All Segments Configuration Download Dialog Setup Data Logger Dialog General Page Setup Data Logger Lap Timing Page Setup Data Logger Display Page Setup Channels Dialog Filtering Page Page 4 of 43 Podium Data Analysis Software User Manual March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 1 Introduction 1 1 What is Podium PolyLogic s Podium Data Analysis Software enables data logged by the Farringdon Instruments RCA40 lap timer to be downloaded to a host PC and analysed in a variety of ways Podium also provides facilities for configuring the lap timer via the serial port of the host PC With PolyLogic s Podium Data Analysis Software you can e Download and store data logged by the Farringdon Instruments RCA40 e Group related data together under common headings e Display graphs of Wheel speed Engine speed Two user channels Overlay and compare lap data from different
6. available via the setup mode of the RCA40 lap timer can also be accessed using Podium 8 1 1 Reading Current Configuration Before the configuration of the lap timer can be changed the current configuration must be downloaded to the host computer This is achieved in the following way 1 Choose Setup Data Logger from the main menu The Configuration Download Dialog Figure 27 appears RCA40 Configuration Download EW OF Connect PC to data l logger and click OF Ta Status Ready Figure 27 Configuration Download Dialog 2 Connect the data logger to the serial port of the host computer using the cable provided and click OK The current configuration of the lap timer is transferred to the host computer and the Setup Data Logger Dialog Figure 28 appears The Setup Data Logger Dialog contains four pages which are described in the following sections Note that any configuration changes made in the Setup Data Logger Dialog will only come into effect when they have been transferred back to the lap timer Refer to the RCA40 User Manual for a more complete description of the purpose of each of the configuration settings 8 1 2 General Click the General tab to display the General page Figure 28 of the Setup Data Logger Dialog Issue 1 00 Page 32 of 43 March 2003 Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual Setup Data Logger Data Logging Faringdon Instruments ARCA 40 Sothware revizion 3
7. important aspects of a specific lap or session They are a particularly useful way of comparing relative times and speeds when a circuit map has been divided up into segments This chapter describes how reports are produced from stored data 7 1 Min Max Values Report A min max values report shows the minimum and maximum values attained for each parameter for the currently selected lap or laps If both a Current Lap and a Reference Lap have been selected then the difference between each minimum and maximum value is also displayed Use either of the following methods to produce a min max values report e Activate the reports drop down menu by clicking on the arrow w next to the Reports button on the main toolbar and select Min Max Values or e Choose View Reports from the main menu and select Min Max Values 7 2 Speed Report A speed report shows the minimum and maximum speeds for each segment for the currently selected lap or laps If both a Current Lap and a Reference Lap have been selected then the difference between each minimum and maximum value is also displayed Use either of the following methods to produce a speed report e Activate the reports drop down menu by clicking on the arrow w next to the Reports button on the main toolbar and select Speed Report or e Choose View Reports from the main menu and select Speed Report 7 3 Split Report A split report shows the time taken to complete each segment for each la
8. sessions Create a track map for each circuit visited using optional lateral accelerometer Define segments for each circuit map Produce reports of Minimum and maximum values logged for a lap Minimum and maximum speeds for each segment for a lap Split times for all laps in a session e Configure the RCA40 via the serial port of the host PC 1 2 About This Manual This User Manual is intended to complement the help files built into the Podium application The chapters are presented in an order intended to help new users understand the program as quickly as possible Be aware however that this manual and the program s help file assume that you are comfortable using the Microsoft Windows 98 2000 Me NT4 XP operating system If you are new to Windows you may find the Windows Online Help file useful To access Microsoft Windows Help choose Help from the start menu on your Windows desktop Issue 1 00 Page 5 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 1 3 Typographical Conventions Please be aware of the following typographical conventions when reading this manual e Menu items that you are instructed to choose appear with an arrow symbol separating each menu level For example if you if you are instructed to choose the Download command in the File menu it will appear as File Download If you are instructed to select the Track command from the Map Colours sub menu in the Setup menu it will appear as S
9. to the serial port of the host computer using the cable provided and click OK The process of transferring the data from the data logger to the host computer will start RCA40 Session Data Download Ed Connect PC to data x logger and click OK Status Reading session data Figure 15 Session Data Download Dialog Downloading 3 When the data has been successfully transferred the Save Session Data dialog Figure 16 appears Podium will populate the Session field with a unique identifier for this session based on the current date Other fields will be set to the values used previously Issue 1 00 Page 19 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual Save Session Data Circuit Brands Hatch Indy Sessiore 030206 Driver John Smith Weather Sunny Track Dry x Comment Debris on tack re Figure 16 Save Session Data Dialog 4 Update the fields to reflect the prevailing conditions and add a comment if necessary Note that the Driver Weather Track and Comment fields are all optional but the Circuit and Session fields determine where the data is stored so cannot be left blank If the current circuit is not listed then the name can be typed in The optional fields can be changed at a later date using the Edit Session Details option from the main menu See Section 4 4 for more information 5 When all the required information has been entered click Save and the data
10. to update the session or Cancel to leave the session details unchanged Issue 1 00 Page 22 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 5 Graphs This chapter describes how graphs are produced from stored lap data and how graphs for different laps can be compared Podium allows data to be plotted for up to two laps at any one time One lap is designated the Current Lap whilst the other is the Reference Lap The Reference Lap is typically the fastest lap for a particular session driver or circuit and is used as a benchmark against which other laps completed at the same circuit are compared 5 1 Setting the Current Lap The Current Lap is set as follows 1 Highlight the lap in the Lap Explorer window 2 Click the Graphs button on the Lap Explorer toolbar 3 A graph of wheel speed vs distance is plotted in the Graphs window and the session and lap details for the new Current Lap are displayed in the status bar If a circuit map has been defined for this circuit then this will appear in the Circuit Map window The colour of the graph lines for the Current Lap can be changed via the Setup option of the main menu See Section 8 5 1 for more information 5 2 Adding Graphs Further graphs are added by either of the following methods e Activate the graphs drop down menu by clicking on the arrow w next to the Graphs button on the main toolbar and select the graph to display or e Choose View G
11. 1 Session number 1 Driver code 2 Track code 3 H Set Defaults OF Cancel Figure 28 Setup Data Logger Dialog General Page The model and software revision of the lap timer are displayed at the top of the page Session Number Type anumber or use the up down arrows to set the Session Number value Driver Code Type a number or use the up down arrows to set the Driver Code value Track Code Type a number or use the up down arrows to set the Track Code value Issue 1 00 Page 33 of 43 March 2003 PolyLogic Podium Data Analysis Software User Manual 8 1 3 Lap Timing Click the Lap Timing tab to display the Lap Timing page Figure 29 of the Setup Data Logger Dialog Main Channel IN Channel Hold Time Blank Time Issue 1 00 Setup Data Logger Main channel 1 IN channel 23 4 Hold time in seconds 534 Blank time in seconds HE Set Defaults OF Cancel Figure 29 Setup Data Logger Lap Timing Page Type a number or use the up down arrows to set the Main Channel value Type a number or use the up down arrows to set the IN Channel value Type a number or use the up down arrows to set the Hold Time value Type a number or use the up down arrows to set the Blank Time value Page 34 of 43 March 2003 PolyLogic 8 1 4 Display Podium Data Analysis Software User Manual Click the Display tab to display the Display page Figure 30 of the Setup Data Lo
12. 2 06 1 05 61 Figure 4 Podium Main Screen At the top of the main program window a menu and toolbar provide access to a majority of the program s features Issue 1 00 Page 10 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual A status bar at the bottom of the screen identifies the laps for which data is currently being displayed 3 2 Main Menu s Podium File Edit View Map Setup Help Figure 5 Podium Main Menu The Main Menu Figure 5 which is directly below the title bar displays the menu headings Click a menu heading to open the menu and choose a command Use either of the following methods to choose a menu command e Open the menu and click the command or e Open the menu use the Up arrow or Down arrow key to highlight a command and then press lt Enter gt In addition each menu may be opened by pressing the lt Alt gt key and then pressing the key associated with the required menu Section 3 12 lists all the available menu commands 3 3 Main Toolbar BEQAS BES A ea A A Figure 6 Podium Main Toolbar The Main Toolbar Figure 6 which is located directly below the Main Menu contains buttons for accessing frequently used menu commands To see the name of a button place the cursor over it without clicking To execute the command associated with a toolbar button click the button If a button is greyed out the command is not available Section 3 12 lists the function of each
13. Dialog Figure 36 appears 2 Select the new colour for the track outline and click OK or click Cancel to leave the colour unchanged 8 5 4 Circuit Map Segments The colour used to display the map segments for the circuit map is changed in the following way 1 Choose Setup Map Colours Segments from the main menu The Standard Colour Dialog Figure 36 appears 2 Select the new colour for the map segments and click OK or click Cancel to leave the colour unchanged Issue 1 00 Page 41 of 43 March 2003 PolyLogic Podium Data Analysis Software User Manual 9 Troubleshooting Problem Cause Action Cause Action Cause Action Cause Action Problem Cause Action Cause Action Issue 1 00 can t download data from the lap timer or read write its configuration The lap timer is not powered up Turn on the Master switch and the ignition switch if necessary The download lead is not connected Connect the data logger to the serial port of the host computer using the cable provided and try again The lead is not making a good connection Ensure both connectors are fully home and that the lead is not damaged in any way The serial port is not configured correctly Choose Setup Serial Port from the main menu and select the correct serial port The circuit map doesn t match the track layout The lateral accelerometer has not been installed in the correct orient
14. Speed Report 30 7 3 Split Report 30 7 4 Removing Reports 31 8 Configuration 32 8 1 Data Logger 32 8 1 1 Reading Current Configuration 32 8 1 2 General 32 8 1 3 Lap Timing 34 8 1 4 Display 35 8 1 5 Data Logging 36 8 1 6 Writing New Configuration 36 8 2 Show Setup For Session 37 8 3 Channels 37 8 3 1 User Channels 38 8 3 2 Filtering 38 8 4 Serial Port 40 8 5 Colours 40 8 5 1 Current Lap Graph 41 8 5 2 Reference Lap Graph 41 8 5 3 Circuit Map Outline 41 8 5 4 Circuit Map Segments 41 9 Troubleshooting 42 10 Glossary 43 Issue 1 00 Page 3 of 43 March 2003 PolyLogic Table of Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Graphs Window Figure 12 Figure 13 Figure 14 Session Data Download Dialog Downloading Figure 16 Figure 17 Figure 18 Figure 19 Figure 20 Edit Map Segments Dialog No Segments Figure 11 Figure 15 Figure 21 Figure 22 Edit Map Segments Dialog Segment Defined Figure 23 Figure 24 Edit Map Segments Dialog Segment Deleted Figure 25 Figure 26 Figure 27 Figure 28 Figure 29 Figure 30 Setup Data Logger Data Logging Page Configuration Upload Dialog Setup Channels Dialog User Channel Page Figure 34 Setup Serial Port Dialog Standard Colour Dialog Figure 31 Figure 32 Figure 33 Figure 35 Figure 36 Issue 1 00 Select Data Logger
15. ar and select the parameter to display or e Choose View Graphs from the main menu and select the parameter required Clicking the Graphs button on either the main toolbar or the Lap Explorer toolbar will either display the current graphs for the highlighted lap or display a graph of wheel speed against distance for the highlighted lap if no graphs are currently displayed Issue 1 00 Page 15 of 43 March 2003 Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 3 9 Reports Wheel speed 50 2 mph 50 8 mph 0 6 mph 127 9 mph 127 7 mph 0 2 mph Engine speed 5013 rpm 5074 rpm 61 rpm 8351 rpm 5370 rpm 19 rpm Throttle position 3 3 6 7 3 3 9 9 W352 3 3 User channel 72 bits 75 bits 3 bits 105 bits 104 bits 1 bits Battery voltage 13 6 Volks 13 5 Volts 0 1 Volks 13 9 Volts 13 9 Volts 0 0 Volks Fuel level 100 e 100 O 100 100 O Lateral G 1 096 1 20 G 0 10 G 1 306 1 30 0 00 6 Longitudinal amp L74G 1 53 6 0 096 0 096 0 396 0 306 Oil pressure 255 psi 255 psi 0 psi 255 psi 255 psi 0 psi Oil temperature 26 ee c oo 25 C 267 oe Water temperature 2o Ph 2o Tt 0 C aun 25 C OFC MiniMax values Speed Report Split Report Figure 12 Reports Window The Reports window Figure 12 displays tabular data for the currently selected laps or session This window is used to compare laps in more detail Once at least one graph is displayed in the Graphs window any of the available reports can be selected using
16. ata Logger The first time that Podium is run the Select Data Logger Dialog Figure 1 is displayed Podium Data Logger f Lap Timer RCA40 C Steering heel 51510 3 Cancel Figure 1 Select Data Logger Dialog Select the Lap Timer RCA40 option and then click OK Issue 1 00 Page 8 of 43 March 2003 Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 2 Licences A licence is require to access certain features within Podium such as downloading data from the data logger To enter the licence code supplied do the following 1 Select Help Licences from the main menu the Licence Details Dialog Figure 2 appears Podium Licences Expiry Date Figure 2 Licence Details Dialog 2 Click Add to display the Add Licence Dialog Figure 3 enter the licence code and then click OK Add New Licence OF Cancel Figure 3 Add Licence Dialog 2 8 Exiting Podium You can exit Podium using either of the following methods e Choose File Exit from the main menu or e Click the close button x in the upper right corner of the title bar or e Press the key combination Ctrl Q or e Press the key combination Alt F4 Issue 1 00 Page 9 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 3 Getting to Know Podium This chapter provides an overview of the Podium user interface It describes the main windows menu toolbars and other important features To help y
17. ation Re position the accelerometer so that the arrow is perpendicular to the direction of travel The zero and gain values are incorrect Enter the correct zero and gain values and try again Page 42 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 10 Glossary Accelerometer A sensor for measuring acceleration or the rate of change of speed Calibration The process of scaling logged data into engineering units Downloading The process of transferring stored data from a data logger to a host computer Filtering A mathematical method for removing noise from a graph Gain of sensor The relationship between the logged value in bits and the physical value in engineering units Lateral G The sideways acceleration caused by cornering Longitudinal G The fore aft acceleration caused by accelerating and braking Session Data stored for one or more track outing and downloaded to the host computer Zero of sensor The value logged by the data logger when the parameter being measured by the sensor is zero Issue 1 00 Page 43 of 43 March 2003
18. e moved by clicking or dragging the mouse or by using the following keys Action o Resat Moves the cursor one sample to the right Moves the cursor one sample to the left Note that the cursor can only be moved using the keyboard when the Graphs window has the input focus i e immediately after it has been clicked Issue 1 00 Page 24 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 6 Circuit Mapping Podium allows a track map to be produced for each circuit for which data has been logged and stored This chapter describes how circuit maps are produced and how they may be divided up into segments that allow more detailed analysis to be performed Note that data must have been logged from a suitable lateral accelerometer connected to one of the user channels for circuit maps to be produced 6 1 Creating a New Circuit Map A new circuit map is created in the following way 1 Highlight the lap to use as the basis for the circuit map in the Lap Explorer window 2 Choose Map New from the main menu The New Circuit Map dialog Figure 20 appears Hew map for Oulton Park Fosters Settings Zero 1284 bits Gain 0 0300 Gbit Source f User channel 1 f User channel 2 Save Cancel Figure 20 New Circuit Map Dialog 3 The mapping process produces an approximate map based on the current zero and gain values for the lateral accelerometer connected to the chosen user chann
19. either of the following methods e Activate the reports drop down menu by clicking on the arrow w next to the Reports button 2 on the main toolbar and selecting the report to display or e Choose View Reports from the main menu and select the report required 3 10Status Bar D natswea Lap 001 04 1 02 39 W natsw2a Lap ooo 1 03 59 Figure 13 Podium Status Bar The Status Bar Figure 13 identifies the laps for which data is currently being displayed together with the colours used 3 11 Resizing Windows The relative proportions of the various windows can be altered to suit the data being displayed To adjust the position of the line dividing two windows do the following 1 Move the mouse over the space between the two windows until the mouse pointer changes shape 2 Drag the dividing line to the required position The windows either side of the dividing line will be redrawn to fill their new boundaries when the mouse button is released Issue 1 00 Page 16 of 43 March 2003 PolyLogic 3 12 Command Reference The following commands are available Menu Command Keyboard Shortcut File Menu Alt F Download Import Old Data Export Page Setup Print Preview Print Ctrl P Exit Ctrl Q Edit Menu Alt E Beacon Position Session Details View Menu Alt V Zoom In Ctrl Zoom Out Ctrl O Lap Explorer Cursor Values Notes Circuit Map Graphs Reports Histograms X Y Plots Map Menu Alt M New Ed
20. el Some adjustment may be necessary to make the plotted map resemble the actual circuit 4 To make an adjustment alter the zero or gain value and then click Draw Map The circuit map is redrawn using the new settings Experiment with the zero and gain settings until the map most closely matches the actual layout of the circuit 5 Click Save to make this the default map for this circuit or Cancel to abandon any changes made Issue 1 00 Page 25 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 6 2 Map Segments Once a map has been created and stored for a circuit it can then be divided up into segments 6 2 1 Adding Segments Segments are added to an existing circuit map in the following way 1 Highlight the circuit or any session or lap for the circuit in the Lap Explorer window 2 Choose Map Edit Segments from the main menu The Edit Map Segments dialog Figure 21 appears Edit Map Segments for Oulton Fosters Figure 21 Edit Map Segments Dialog No Segments 3 Mark the start point of the segment by clicking on the map and then clicking Start The start point of the segment is marked with a square drawn in a dashed line see Figure 22 The Start button is disabled and the End and Abandon buttons are enabled Issue 1 00 Page 26 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual Edit Map Segments for Oulton Fosters Figure 22 Edit Map Segments D
21. etup Map Colours Track e Where a button or other control needs to be clicked the name of the button or control will be shown in bold text 1 4 Getting Technical Support For technical support with Podium please contact support polylogic co uk In addition there are pages dedicated to support issues with PolyLogic s products on the PolyLogic web site The table below lists the ways to contact PolyLogic Mail PolyLogic Limited 21 Cambridge Road Langford Biggleswade Bedfordshire SG18 9PR UK Issue 1 00 Page 6 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 2 Getting Started Podium is supplied on a CD ROM The CD ROM also includes some sample data so you can start exploring the software straightaway 2 1 System Requirements Before attempting to install Podium make sure that your computer meets the following minimum system requirements shown in the table below System Memory 32Mb 64Mb recommended Other Drives CD ROM Monitor Display Super VGA 800 x 600 or higher resolution with 256 colours Serial Port One serial port or USB port with USB serial adapter Pointing Device Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device 2 2 Installing Podium Before you can run Podium you must install it on the hard disk of your computer Follow these steps to install the software e Switch on your computer and log on in the normal way Insert the Podium CD into the CD drive The Podiu
22. gger Dialog Backlight On Backlight On for Hold Time Only Display Hours Minutes Bar Graph Range In Seconds Top Left Top Right Issue 1 00 Setup Data Logger Backlight on Display hoursminutes Backlight on for hold time only Performance Display Ear graph range in seconds 2 0 Top Left Top Right C Laps completed f Wheel speed C Elapsed time C Relative time C User channel 1 C User channel 2 f Engine speed Set Defaults OF Cancel Figure 30 Setup Data Logger Display Page Check this box if you want the backlight to be on all the time the lap timer is on Check this box if you want the backlight to come on as the beacon is passed and stay on for the hold time Check this box if you want the elapsed time displayed as hours and minutes rather than minutes and seconds Select the required full scale range of the bar graph displayed in performance mode Choose the parameter you want to be displayed in the top left of the the screen in performance mode Choose the parameter you want to be displayed in the top right of the screen in performance mode Page 35 of 43 March 2003 Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 8 1 5 Data Logging Click the Data Logging tab to display the Data Logging page Figure 31 of the Setup Data Logger Dialog Setup Data Logger Humber of magnets 4 Number of wheel tums per sample 2 Wheel circumference in cm 200
23. hlight the session or any lap within the session in the Lap Explorer window 2 Select Edit Beacon Position from the main menu The Edit Beacon Position dialog Figure 18 appears Edit Beacon Position Session Brands Hatch Indy Tuesday 04 Februar 2003 O30204a Beacon Position Direction Offset f Forwards 0 m C Backwards Faset Save Cancel Figure 18 Edit Beacon Position Dialog 3 Enter the required beacon offset in m and indicate whether the beacon position is to be moved forwards or backwards from its current point Clicking Reset sets the offset to zero 4 Click Save to update the session All laps in the session will now use the revised beacon position Click Cancel to leave the beacon offset unchanged Issue 1 00 Page 21 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 4 4 Changing Session Details The details associated with a session may be changed in the following way 1 Highlight the session or any lap within the session in the Lap Explorer window 2 Select Edit Session Details from the main menu The Edit Session Details dialog Figure 19 appears Edit Session Details Session Brands Hatch Indy Tuesday 04 Februare 2003 O30204a Details Driver John Smith Wi eather Sunny Track Dry Comment Debris on track Save Cancel Figure 19 Edit Session Details Dialog 3 Enter the new details for the session 4 Click Save
24. ialog Defining a Segment 4 If you want a segment to start at the end of another segment place the cursor anywhere in the other segment before clicking Start 5 Mark the end point of the segment by clicking on the map and then clicking End The portion of the map between the start and end points changes colour with small bars marking the extents of the segment see Figure 23 Clicking Abandon before marking the end point of a segment allows the definition of the current segment to be cancelled Edit Map Segments for Oulton Fosters Figure 23 Edit Map Segments Dialog Segment Defined 6 If you want a segment to end at the start of another segment place the cursor anywhere in the other segment before clicking End 7 Continue to define more segments if required 8 Click Save to update the segments for the circuit map or Cancel to abandon any changes made Issue 1 00 Page 27 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual The Edit Map Segments dialog can also be accessed using the Edit Segments button on the Circuit Map toolbar The colours for both the track and the segments can be changed via the Setup option of the main menu See Section 8 5 for more information 6 2 2 Deleting Segments Unwanted circuit map segments are deleted in the following way 1 Highlight the circuit or any session or lap for the circuit in the Lap Explorer window 2 Choose Map Edit Segments from the
25. it Segments Issue 1 00 Page 17 of 43 Podium Data Analysis Software User Manual Toolbar Button Section 4 2 ch 2 6 4 3 4 4 a N 3 4 Fr 3 0 g 3 7 amp 6 El 3 845 en 3 9 amp 7 lh Re 6 1 G 6 2 On Circuit Map toolbar March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual Menu Command Keyboard Shortcut Toolbar Button Section Setup Menu Alt S Data Logger 8 1 Show Setup For Session 8 2 Channels 8 3 Serial Port 8 4 Graph Colours 8 5 Map Colours 8 5 Help Menu Alt H Help Topics F1 About PolyLogic Podium Licences 2 7 Issue 1 00 Page 18 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 4 Managing Session Data This chapter describes how Podium allows you to download and manage data logged by the Farringdon Instruments RCA40 lap timer 4 1 Downloading Session Data Before any analysis can be performed the logged data must be transferred from the data logger to the hard disk of the host computer This process referred to as downloading is straightforward and is achieved in the following way 1 Click the Download button on either the main toolbar or the Lap Explorer tool bar or select File Download from the main menu The Session Data Download dialog Figure 14 appears Connect PC to data logger and click OK TE Status Ready Figure 14 Session Data Download Dialog Idle 2 Connect the data logger
26. m Setup Wizard dialog will appear automatically Click Next Choose the installation folder for the software and click Next Click Next again to complete the installation Click Close once the installation is complete The installation process places shortcuts to Podium on the computer s desktop and Start menu NOTE f the Podium installation process does not start automatically you can start it manually by using My Computer or Windows Explorer to navigate to the contents of the CD and then double clicking the file SETUP EXE Issue 1 00 Page 7 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 2 3 Uninstalling Podium Podium can be removed from your computer by selecting the Add and Remove Programs option within Windows Control Panel Find Podium in the list of installed software select it and then click Remove This will remove the Podium software together with its shortcuts and configuration entries but all logged data including the sample data provided on the installation CD will remain on the hard disk of the computer 2 4 Using Online Help Once Podium is running you can view items in the Help menu at any time To display the online Help file press F1 or choose Help Topics 2 5 Starting Podium Start Podium by either double clicking the shortcut on the computer s desktop or by selecting Programs PolyLogic Podium from the Start button on the desktop s toolbar 2 6 Selecting D
27. main menu The Edit Segments dialog appears 3 Place the cursor over the segment to be deleted by clicking the map anywhere in the segment The Delete button is enabled see Figure 24 Edit Map Segments for Oulton Fosters Figure 24 Edit Map Segments Dialog Deleting a Segment 4 Click Delete The segment is removed from the map see Figure 25 Issue 1 00 Page 28 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual Edit Map Segments for Oulton Fosters Figure 25 Edit Map Segments Dialog Segment Deleted 5 Click Save to update the segments for the circuit map or Cancel to abandon any changes made 6 2 3 Deleting All Segments All the segments for a circuit map are deleted in the following way 1 Highlight the circuit or any session or lap for the circuit in the Lap Explorer window 2 Choose Map Edit Segments from the main menu The Edit Segments dialog appears 3 Click Delete All A message box is displayed which requests confirmation of the delete operation see Figure 26 Edit Map Segments for Oulton Fosters Figure 26 Edit Map Segments Dialog Delete All Segments 4 Click Yes to delete all the map segments or No otherwise 5 Click Save to update the segments for the circuit map or Cancel to abandon any changes made Issue 1 00 Page 29 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 7 Reports Reports are used to summarise
28. of the toolbar buttons Issue 1 00 Page 11 of 43 March 2003 Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 3 4 Lap Explorer The Lap Explorer window Figure 7 displays the available data in a tree or hierarchical manner L 4 Lap Explorer 6 circuits cae This window is used to select the laps to be analysed Fangs Fate nga y E Nodes are displayed for each circuit and session for E natswt which data exists To expand a node either click on the Lap 001 02 1 27 93 es Lan 001 03 1 23 77 next to the node or double click the node s icon or i Lap 001 04 1 23 54 in natswea text 0 Snetberton E 8 Thruxton Once a node has been expanded it can be collapsed by either clicking on the l next to the node or double clicking the node s icon or text again Figure 7 Lap Explorer Window If the Lap Explorer window is not currently visible it can be activated in any of the following methods e Click the Lap Explorer tab next to the Cursor Values tab or e Click the Lap Explorer button 4 on the main toolbar or e Choose View Lap Explorer from the main menu The content of the toolbar below the window s title bar changes depending on the type of node that is currently highlighted as shown below Highlighted Node To see the name of a button place the cursor over it without clicking To execute the command associated with a toolbar button click the button If a button i
29. ou better understand the program and become familiar with its features please review this chapter thoroughly prior to analysing any data 3 1 Tour of the Podium User Interface When you start Podium the main program window appears This window is your work area and is divided up into sections where specific types of information are displayed The following screen shot shows the main program window during a typical session The Lap Explorer and Notes window are displayed on the right hand side with four overlay graphs plotted on the left w Podium File Edit wiew Map Setup Help Se SS a we E S aa o a a Distance Flot Anglesey Brands Hatch Indy Rockingham Sportscar Silverstone National nats natswea Lap 001 02 10 58 93 Lap 001 03 1 03 91 Lap 001 04 1 02 39 Lap 001 05 1 02 52 Lap 001 06 1 03 73 Lap 001 07 1 03 59 Lap 001 08 1 02 79 Lap 001 09 1 06 06 Lap 001 10 1 02 23 HA lan nnii ine 70 Lap Explorer E Cursor values eN 1 AN a h it i h ril i Session natswea Lap 001 04 ka l a At J A Gap to Fastest lap 0 16 Values at beacon RPM tell tale 0 rpm n Hf A Battery voltage 13 8 Volks Fuel level 100 LA n ik Oil temperature 26 FL ade T rai j i Water temperature 26 9 it ET Oil pressure 255 psi nin of Throttle position 353 0 4 fe fii User channel 2 100 bits Distance O 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000 2250 2500 m Notes 49 Circuit Map E natswea Lap 002 04 1 05 49 BB natswea Lap 00
30. ow Figure 9 displays additional information about the item currently highlighted in the Lap Explorer window This window is used in conjunction with the Lap Explorer window to identify the laps to be analysed The list of information displayed depends on the type of node highlighted in the Lap Explorer node Session date Wednesday 30 October 2002 Session time 11 2 Laps 17 Best lap time 1 02 23 Odometer 10 miles RPM tell tale 8561 rpm Driver John Smith weather Bright Track Drying Old tyres Figure 9 Notes Window If the Notes window is not currently visible it can be activated in any of the following methods e Click the Notes tab next to the Circuit Map tab or e Click the Notes button on the main toolbar or e Choose View Notes from the main menu Issue 1 00 Page 13 of 43 March 2003 Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 3 7 Circuit Map The Circuit Map window Figure 10 displays a map of pal the circuit for the Current Lap l X This window is used in conjunction with the Graphs window to relate the graph cursor position to a specific D point on the lap Clicking on the map moves the map cursor to the point on the track closest to the mouse click This also moves the graph cursor to the same point gt Notes E circuit Map Figure 10 Circuit Map Window If the Circuit Map window is not currently visible it can be activated in any of the following methods
31. p in the current session The theoretical fastest lap time is calculated together with the fastest rolling lap achieved in the session The theoretical fastest lap is made up of the fastest time for each segment and these are highlighted in the report The values of the segments making up the fastest rolling lap are shown in a different text colour Issue 1 00 Page 30 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual Use either of the following methods to produce a split report e Activate the reports drop down menu by clicking on the arrow w next to the Reports button 2 on the main toolbar and select Split Report or e Choose View Reports from the main menu and select Split Report 7 4 Removing Reports Use either of the following methods to remove a report e Activate the reports drop down menu by clicking on the arrow w next to the Reports button on the main toolbar and select the report to be removed or e Choose View Reports from the main menu and select the report to remove Issue 1 00 Page 31 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 8 Configuration Podium provides facilities for the RCA40 lap timer to be configured via the serial port The way in which Podium itself operates can also be configured to suit each particular application or personal taste This chapter describes how this configuration is carried out 8 1 Data Logger The parameters
32. r use the up down arrows to set the zero point of the sensor attached to the user channel Gain Enter a number or use the up down arrows to set the gain of the sensor attached to the user channel 8 3 2 Filtering Click the Filtering tab to display the Filtering page Figure 34 of the Setup Channels Dialog Setup Channels Engine Speed W User Channel 1 Wheel Speed W User Channel 2 Cancel Figure 34 Setup Channels Dialog Filtering Page Issue 1 00 Page 38 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual Podium uses a simple but effective averaging filter to remove noise from logged data To filter data for a particular channel check the box adjacent to the channel name on the Filtering page Note that filtering cannot compensate for poor quality data due to electrical noise or poorly mounted sensors If the data is excessively noisy then filtering may give unpredictable results Issue 1 00 Page 39 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 8 4 Serial Port To alter the serial port that Podium uses to communicate with the RCA40 do the following 1 Choose Setup Serial Port from the main menu The Setup Serial Port Dialog Figure 35 appears setup Serial Port Eg Cancel Figure 35 Setup Serial Port Dialog 2 Select the new serial port from the list 3 Click OK to update the serial port or Cancel to leave it unchanged
33. raphs from the main menu and select the graph required 5 3 Removing Graphs Existing graphs are removed by either of the following methods e Activate the graphs drop down menu by clicking on the arrow w next to the Graphs button 1 on the main toolbar and select the graph to remove or e Choose View Graphs from the main menu and select the graph no longer required Issue 1 00 Page 23 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 5 4 Setting the Reference Lap The Reference Lap is set as follows 1 Select a Current Lap and plot data for it as described in Section 5 1 2 Highlight the lap to use as a Reference Lap in the Lap Explorer 3 Click the Set Reference button on the Lap Explorer toolbar 4 Anew line is added to each graph showing the data for the new Reference Lap The session and lap details of the new Reference Lap are displayed in the status bar The colour of the graph lines for the Reference Lap can be changed via the Setup option of the main menu See Section 8 5 2 for more information 5 5 Clearing the Reference Lap The Reference Lap is cleared as follows 1 Highlight any lap in the Lap Explorer window 2 Click the Clear Reference button amp on the Lap Explorer toolbar 3 The lines for the Reference Lap are removed from each graph in the Graphs window and the details of the Reference Lap are removed from the status bar 5 6 Moving the Graph Cursor The graph cursor can b
34. s greyed out the command is not available 345 Downloads data from data logger Makes the highlighted lap the Reference Lap Removes the Reference Lap T Makes the highlighted lap the Current Lap E Refreshes the contents of the Lap Explorer window A Makes the Notes window visible Issue 1 00 Page 12 of 43 March 2003 PolyLogic 3 5 Cursor Values Cursor Values 12 45 12 55 Podium Data Analysis Software User Manual The Cursor Values window Figure 8 displays the value of each graph at the current cursor position Distance 596 m S96 m r e e Wheel peed 117 6mph 116 9 mph This window is used to compare parameters at any point Lateral i 0256 O21 Longitudinal G 0 996 0 486 ona lap Throttle posit 83 39 50 0 Engine speed 7153 rpm 7046 rpm The values change as the graph or map cursor are moved Time and distance are always displayed with other parameters being added when a graph for that parameter is selected Removing a graph removes that parameter from the list of parameters displayed in the Cursor Values window Lap Explorer EE Cursor Values Figure 8 Cursor Values Window If the Cursor Values window is not currently visible it can be activated in any of the following methods e Click the Cursor Values tab next to the Lap Explorer tab or e Click the Cursor Values button on the main toolbar or e Choose View Cursor Values from the main menu 3 6 Notes The Notes wind
35. ssion of interest or any lap within it in the Lap Explorer window 2 Choose Setup Show Setup For Session from the main menu The configuration for the chosen session will be displayed using the Setup Data Logger Dialog as described above 8 3 Channels Podium needs to know how the sensors connected to the RCA40 are configured so that logged data can be displayed correctly The sensors are setup or calibrated in the following way 1 Choose Setup Channels from the main menu The Setup Channels Dialog Figure 33 appears 2 Make the necessary changes and click Apply to update the current configuration Click Cancel to abandon any changes made The Setup Channels Dialog has five pages which are described in the following sections Issue 1 00 Page 37 of 43 March 2003 Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 8 3 1 User Channels The two user channels of the RCA40 are configured in the same way so the pages used to set them up are identical Click the User Channel 1 tab to display the User Channel 1 page Figure 33 and the User Channel 2 tab to display the User Channel 2 page Setup Channels Mame User channel 1 Units Units Zero TA bits Gair 1 004 Units bit Cancel Figure 33 Setup Channels Dialog User Channel Page Name Type the name for the user channel Units Type in the units of measurement for the user channel or pick an option from the list Zero Enter a number o
36. will be stored on the hard disk of the host computer 6 The Save Session Data Dialog closes and the new session appears highlighted and expanded in the Lap Explorer window 4 2 Importing Old Data To import data downloaded using the FIDAP application do the following 1 Select File Import Old Data from the main menu The Open RCA40 Dump File Dialog Figure 17 appears Open RCA40 Dump File Look in E Oulton Park 3 EY practice_7Sep2002 dmp OF race _7Sep2002 dmp My Recent Documents Desktop My Network File name Places Files of type Figure 17 Open RCA40 Dump File Dialog Issue 1 00 Page 20 of 43 March 2003 Q Podium Data Analysis Software PolyLogic User Manual 2 Locate the dump file you wish to import highlight it and then click Open 3 The data in the chosen dump file is converted into the correct format and the Save Session Data dialog Figure 16 is displayed when this process is complete 4 Update the fields in the Save Session Data Dialog as required and click Save to store the imported data 4 3 Changing the Beacon Position When using a portable beacon it is not always possible to place the beacon at the same location for each session at a particular track Podium provides a mechanism to move the position of the beacon on a session by session basis so that all sessions for a track can have a common start point The beacon position for a session is changed in the following way 1 Hig
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