What is the difference between triggering, gating, and using the external clock to acquire analog data?

TRIGGERS

Triggering is utilized to fire the collection of data from a specified input channel(s) (note that
it is not unique to analog data collection and can also apply to digital applications also). In
essence, the trigger fires an event. Trigger sources can be defined as internal software
(triggers occur via software commands); external digital, and external analog. Refer to the
Universal Library documentation for board specific information to determine what triggering
configuration your product will support. Note that the EXTTRIGGER argument must be
specified in order to utilize a trigger event with most functions (not all however; cbATrig(),
for example, does not require this argument).

Software triggers occur when a function which utilizes A/D conversions is called.

Digital signals will trigger an event when the external TTL signal goes high, low, or on the
positive or negative edge of the signal. This condition can be set via the cbSetTrigger()
function. Once the condition is met and the conversions are enabled, the external trigger is
ignored. You can rearm the trigger by recalling the function which specifies the external
trigger option.

For boards that support external triggers, analog signals will trigger an event when the
external signal goes above or below a specified value. This condition is set in the
cbSetTrigger() function. Once the condition is met and the conversions are enabled, the
external trigger is ignored. You can rearm the trigger by recalling the function which
specifies the external trigger option.

GATING

Gating is used to enable or disable A/D conversions at a specified sampling rate. The
conversions will continue to run while a specified condition is met. Both analog and digital
signals can be used for gating applications.

Gate conditions for digital TTL signals are specified by identifying conversions to occur either
on a logic high or low input signal. This can be set using the cbSetTrigger() function.

Analog signal sources offer a wider variety of choices for gating applications. These include
enabling conversions above or below a specified value, or within or out of two specified high
and low threshold values (hysterisis). These conditions are also set via the cbSetTrigger()
function.

EXTERNAL CLOCK
What is the difference between triggering, gating, and using the external clock to acquire analog data?

If this option is used then A/D conversions will be controlled by the signal on the clock input
line rather than by the board’s internal pacer. Each conversion will begin on the appropriate
edge of the input signal (see board specific info). When this option is used the Rate
argument in the function call is ignored. The sampling rate is dependent on the clock input
signal. Options for the board will default to a transfer mode that will allow the maximum
conversion rate to be attained unless otherwise specified. The maximum external clock
frequency that can be utilized is generally equal to the maximum sampling rate specified for
the board (refer to board-specific specifications and user’s manual).

NOTE: If the rate of the external clock is very slow (say less than 200 Hz) and the board
you are using supports BLOCKIO, you may want to include the SINGLEIO option. The reason
for this is that status for the operation is not available until one packets worth of data has
been collected (typically 512 samples) .

Measurement Computing Data Acquisition Knowledgebase

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