Controlling OPUS by Bruker with Labview

[Giuseppe999]

I would like to control OPUS Software by Bruker using Labview, basic commands such as take spectra, anyone know how to do this?

Thanks 

[Dennis_Knutson]

Controlling a third-party program is a question that is more appropriate to the LabVIEW board. How and if you can do it will depend largely on how the program was written. For example, if the program has an ActiveX interface, you can access the properties and methods. You first step shuld be contacting the vendor to see if they have provided any kind of interface for remote control of their program and what that interface might be.

If you want to control the hardware that this program uses and write your own analysis routines, you need to provide the type of connection from the hardware to the pc. You will also need to know the commands to send to the hardware.

[pbuckley · Accepted solution]

This process is fairly straight forward, because OPUS is an ActiveX compatible program, with a wide array of DLLs to run any process you want. Simply insert an automation refnum on the front panel of your VI. Right click the arrow icon, scroll down to Select ActiveX Class, and browse through the DLLs you have on your PC. You'll want to select OPUSCMD version XX, depending on the version of OPUS you have. You now have free reign on what processes you want to control via Invoke and Property Nodes in the Application Control on the Block Diagram.

It's pretty straight forward from there, and the sky's the limit depending on how complex you want to get with your FTIR automation. If you're familiar with Visual Basic, you can write an experiment file (XPM) file that can do anything (collect Backgrounds, Samples, Analysis, QUANT, you name it). I have attached a screen shot of the block diagram of a program I've put together that Starts a VB Macro to collect a background spectrum at 1 cm-1 resolution. Like I said, the sky's the limit. Good Luck.

[Giuseppe999]

Excellent, that looks like exactly what I was looking for, would it be possible to post a .vi / vb example as I havent looked at this for some time now and my knowledge has plummeted. Many Thanks.

[pbuckley]

Here's a representative program to Start OPUS. This program calls the OPUS DLL, opens a reference using the Automation Refnum on the Front Panel, uses the invoke node to start OPUS ( you may need to change the file path and password), uses a property node to tell you if there are any errors, and then closes the reference.

On the front panel, the important items are wired into the Icon which I use ALL THE TIME when automating my processes.

This type of program can be used for a wide array of OPUS processes (start marcro, close opus, etc). Just play around with it and you'll be on your feet in less than a day.

This program is in LV version 8.2. If you have a newer version, let me know, and I'll just send you the appropriate Block Diagram and Front Panel images. Happy Hunting.

[Giuseppe999]

Excellent, thanks, will give it a go

[nitad54448]

hi

Where do I get the OpusCMD ? I have opus but I can find only OPC servers in the active X list

thanks

N

[eeijiake]

hi,I have the same question.I can't find OpusCMD in my ActiveX list.And I have installed Opus6.5 in my computer.

Thinks!

[nitad54448]

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@eeijiake wrote:

hi,I have the same question.I can't find OpusCMD in my ActiveX list.And I have installed Opus6.5 in my computer.

Thinks!

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Hi,

neither do I (Opus 6.5 as well !) . I used a DDE call but I am not very happy about it....

[pbuckley]

Bruker has a VBToolkit available. I do believe it's free of charge (might have come with the original software bundle... I don't remember). This toolkit makes all the OPUS DLLs available. Attached are the dlls included in the toolkit. If you don't have it, contact Bruker and get them to send you a copy.

FYI: I am running OPUS 5.5 with VBToolkit Pro v. 3.1.9. These are both older versions, but they've never steered me wrong.