USING THE INDEX INSTRUMENTS / OPTICAL
ACTIVITY DATA ACQUISITION SOFTWARE
WITH PTR MODEL REFRACTOMETERS
1) The “Data Acquisition Software” available from
Index Instruments Ltd allows you to collect
readings from your PTR refractometer on a PC,
and, if you wish, generate a spread sheet listing
the data.
A USB cable and RS 232 to USB adapter are
supplied with the Data Acquisition Software.
Before connecting the refractometer, the software
must be loaded onto your PC. Operating system
requirements: Windows XP or later. First insert
the USB adapter disc; It should auto-run; if not
manually run “setup.exe”. Then install the Data
Acquisition Software, which is on the second disc,
in a similar way.
There are two main options for using the Data
Acquisition Software to collect data from a PTR;
the most frequently used is “listening mode” – a
reading is sent from the refractometer every time
the PRINT/START key is pressed – refer to
section 3). For this mode, connect the PC (via the
USB adapter) to the 25 way D data PRINTER port
on the rear of the PTR.
Alternatively, the PC can request data from the
refractometer – refer to section 4). In this case,
connect the PC (via the USB adapter) to the
AUXILIARY port on the rear of the PTR.
The first time you use the Data Acquisition
Software you will see the message “Instrument
not found, check connection”; click OK and go to
Setups on the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Choose Set PORT/instrument and select the
COM port to which the PTR is connected. To find
out which COM port the PTR is connected to, go
to Device Manager in Control Panel and look at
the list of COM port connections.
2) To select “listen” or “request” mode:
Choose Options on the menu bar at the top of the
screen and Request instrument reading?
No tick against ON is “listening” mode.
A tick against “ON” is “request” mode.
With the PTR, using request mode, you must then
choose to tick either ESC D or ESC X. ESC D
requests just the reading and ESC X requests all
the data set for output to a printer (refer to PTR
handbook). (Only use ESC P if you want to use
the PC to command the PTR to print via the
PRINTER port on the PTR; the reading is not
stored on the PC.)
Data Acquisition Software Instructions for PTR refractometers, Issue Date August 2011
3) OPERATION IN LISTENING MODE
(PC must be connected to PTR PRINTER port)
To start listening to the refractometer, click on
START. Then, when the PTR print/start button is
pressed, the reading, scale name and other print
options you have chosen (see PTR programming
guide) are sent to and displayed on the PC. The
PC indicates the total number of readings in this
set. You can scroll through the readings by
clicking on the up or down arrows; the number of
the reading currently displayed is also indicated.
When you have completed your set of readings,
click on STOP. (Note: the menu bar is inoperable
until you press STOP.)
To save your data, select FILE from the menu bar
and Save file; you can create a new file or append
data to an existing file. Follow the on-screen
instructions. (Note: You must have Microsoft
Excel® loaded on your PC before you opt to
create an Excel® spread sheet. If you choose to
create and display an Excel® file, the spreadsheet
may be displayed behind the Data Acquisition
Software page; minimize to view your results.
Screen size can be set under Options/Screen.)
The Data Acquisition Software automatically sets
up the Excel® spread sheet headings; if you want
the software to set up your spread sheet, you
MUST make sure that the first reading sent in any
one set is a typical reading (not, for example, an
error message or zeroing message) otherwise the
headings will not be correctly set for typical
readings. Also, you must not change settings in
the middle of a set of readings, otherwise the
headings and/or formatting will be confused. (If
you want to generate an Excel® spread and are
using the GLP feature on the PTR avoid numbers
in the message headings. Both numbers and
letters can be used in the actual GLP messages.)
If you select not to create an Excel® spread
sheet, the data is saved as a read only text file
which can be viewed with, for example, Notepad
or Word, and as a csv (comma separated
variable) file. These read only files are always
created along with any Excel® files you choose to
save.
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4) OPERATION IN DATA REQUEST MODE
(PC must be connected to PTR AUXILIARY port)
Data request mode can only be used when the
PTR is operating continuously. If you are using
your PTR in stability, single scan or auto-print
mode, the PTR automatically outputs data after
each reading and the PC must be set to “listen”
(refer to sections 2) and3)).
To request data, click on “Get Instrument
Reading”. Make sure the refractometer has
stabilized before requesting data as the result is
sent immediately.
Data returned will depend on whether ESC D or if
ESC X has been preset – see section 2).
Scrolling though your data, saving your data and
creating a spread sheet are then exactly the same
as for Listening mode (see section 3)).
5.4) Options/Echo input to serial printer: if this
option is set to yes, data sent to or requested by
the PC is also output to a SERIAL printer
connected to a USB port on the PC (you must use
Setups/Set PORT/Serial printer to tell the program
which COM port the printer is connected to).
5.5) Options/File saving/Clear input data after
saving: if this option is ticked, the PC displayed
data will be deleted after data is saved, making it
ready to start at 1 for a new set of data. If this
option is not ticked, the PC will carry on adding
data to the existing set after saving.
If you try to EXIT or close the Data Acquisition
Software without saving your data, you will be
prompted to save the data before closing.
5.6) Options/GLP Messaging: If your PTR does
not provide GLP (Good Laboratory Practice)
messaging within the refractometer (e.g. if you
have a PTR 2 model) or you are not using the
GLP facility, this option can be set to NO to
prevent the operator having to identify GLP
headers when saving data.

5) OTHER OPTIONS
5.1) Sample Numbering: Although a sample
number can be added to the data output from the
PTR, alternatively the Data Acquisition Software
can be set to either manually ask the operator to
add a number using the PC, or automatically
number readings, incrementing by 1 each time
data is recorded. The operator can choose to use
the PTR or the PC to add sample numbers, or
both, depending on which is most convenient. To
add a sample number from the PC, choose
Setups from the menu bar and under Sample
Numbering tick either on or off and either manual
or automatic.
5.2) Sample reference: You can use the PC to
add a sample reference identifier to your stored
data. The “Reference” can contain any keyboard
character up to 25 characters. Choose Setups
from the menu bar; under “Sample reference” tick
on or off. PC will pause and ask you to type in the
reference each time data is sent or requested.
5.3) Time and Date: if you prefer you can choose
to use the time and date from the PC rather than
the PTR set time and date. Choose Setups from
the menu bar and under “Add time and date” tick
yes. In this case it would be sensible to set print
options on the PTR to NOT output time and date,
otherwise you will be storing time and date twice
with every reading from two different sources.

Data Acquisition Software Instructions for PTR refractometers, Issue Date August 2011 Page 2 of 2