SpecLog

SpecLog records data from connected spectrometer instruments and provides a desktop monitor for viewing live and historical measurements.

Quick start

Start the logger:

SpecLogger

Open the monitor:

SpecMonitor

Keep the logger running while using the monitor. The logger collects and saves instrument data; the monitor reads and displays those saved measurements.

Configure SpecLog

Open the configuration editor:

SpecLogger --config

The shared configuration is saved at:

C:\Users\Public\LOG_Config\config.cfg

Use the section list on the left to select global settings or a device.

Global settings

The SETTINGS section contains options such as:

• Logging interval
• Log-folder location
• Maximum log-file size

Device communication

For each device, use the Communication tab to configure its connection:

• Enable or disable the device
• Protocol
• Address or COM port
• Baud rate
• Termination
• Other serial communication attributes

Device commands

Use Commands > Values for ordinary measurements. Each command can contain:

• Variable name
• Instrument command
• Display alias
• Minimum and maximum limits
• Expected static value

Use Commands > Status Indicators for commands that return status bits. Click the indicators button to add, remove, reorder, or reverse individual indicators. The editor calculates bits and bit_static automatically.

Click Save after making changes. The editor validates the configuration and keeps the previous file as config.cfg.bak. Restart the logger and monitor to apply the updated configuration.

Control the logger

Start or stop the logger from a terminal:

SpecLogger start
SpecLogger stop

You can also use Start and Stop at the bottom of the configuration editor. Current status is shown as Running, Stopped, or Status unavailable. Operation results and errors appear in the Messages area.

For troubleshooting, start the logger with a visible debug console:

SpecLogger -debug True

Start logging automatically without login

Open a terminal as Administrator and enable system startup:

SpecLogger -startup True

The logger will start automatically after the next computer boot. A 30-second delay allows USB and serial drivers to initialize first.

To run it immediately without rebooting:

SpecLogger start

Disable automatic startup from an Administrator terminal:

SpecLogger -startup False

The configuration editor also provides Enable and Disable startup buttons. Administrator permission is normally required to use them.

If the startup task was created by another administrator, a standard account may show startup as Unavailable. If new log data is still being written, the logger status displays Running (log activity). Start and Stop remain disabled until the editor is opened with sufficient permission.

Use the monitor

Open the monitor normally:

SpecMonitor

Use the monitoring-item controls to select which measurements are plotted. Use the data-selection controls to choose a start time and duration.

To load all available history, leave the date fields at their defaults and click Ok. The first import may take longer; later queries load only new or changed files.

Start the monitor with a visible debug console when troubleshooting:

SpecMonitor -debug True

Common status messages

• Running: The logger is active and directly detectable.
• Running (log activity): New data confirms that the logger is active, but the current Windows account cannot query the system startup task.
• Stopped: The logger is not running.
• Status unavailable: The current account cannot verify the logger state and no recent log activity was detected.
• Startup Enabled: Automatic logging is configured for system boot.
• Startup Disabled: The startup task exists but automatic boot startup is disabled.
• Startup Unavailable: Open the configuration editor as Administrator to inspect or control a task created by another administrator.