peterheldens / data-logger

data logger for makecode and excel data streamer

Open this page at https://peterheldens.github.io/data-logger/

Micro:bit Data Logger

This repository can be used to log data from the micro:bit to the:

1. Makecode Device Console in a Web browser
2. Makecode Device Console in the Windows 10 App
3. DataStreamer add-in in Microsoft Excel using Microsoft 365

Important

The micro:bit can be connected to exactly one target system at a time. So if the micro:bit is connected to MakeCode on the web, it can't be connected to Excel or the Windows 10 App. So to switch data logging from one target to the other, first disconnect the active connection first.

Note

There is a separate MakeCode Extension available for Data Streamer. This extension is not (yet) used in this repository. For more info, see pxt-hacking-stem.

Data logger capabilities in MakeCode Device Console

• real-time data logging
• real-time visual graphics
• recording of data
• export of data to CSV & Excel for offline data analysis

Edit this project

To edit this repository in MakeCode.

• open https://makecode.microbit.org/
• click on Import then click on Import URL
• paste https://github.com/peterheldens/data-logger and click import

Data logging to MakeCode Windows 10 App

Prerequisites

The MakeCode Windows 10 App enables direct read of serial data from your micro:bit for data logging and other experimental projects. To log data from the micro:bit to the Windows 10 MakeCode App just:

• Download and launch the MakeCode App for Windows 10
• Connect the micro:bit to your computer using a USB cable
• Program the micro:bit with some data logging
• Verify the LED at the back of the micro:bit is blinking. This indicated data is transferring

Data logging to MakeCode on the web

To enable direct read of serial data from your micro:bit for data logging and other experimental projects WebUSB is required. WebUSB is an emerging web standard that allows to access micro:bit from web pages. It allows for a one-click download without installing any additional app or software! It also allows to receive data from the micro:bit.

Supported browsers

The following modern web browsers are supported:

• Chrome 79+ browser for Android, Chrome OS, Linux, macOS and Windows 10.
• Microsoft Edge 79+ browser for Android, Chrome OS, Linux, macOS and Windows 10.

Prerequisites

• Make sure that your micro:bit is running version 0249 or above of the firmware. Upgrading is as easy as dragging a file and it takes a few seconds to get it done. Check out the instructions to check and upgrade your micro:bit
• Pair your micro:bit Follow these steps to pair your micro:bit using webusb

Data logging to Excel Data Streamer

What is Data Streamer?

Data Streamer empowers student inventors with a simple way to move data from the physical world in-and-out of Excel's powerful digital canvas.  With a micro:bit, (built-in) sensors and Excel, Data Streamer introduces inventors to the worlds of data science, and the internet of things (IoT).

How it Works

Data Streamer is a two-way data transfer for Excel that streams live data from the micro:bit into Excel, and sends data from Excel back to the micro:bit.

Enable Data Streamer

To enable the data streamer and start streaming real-time data in Excel Follow these steps

If you want to connect live data with the Data Streamer add-in for Excel, but you don't see the Data Streamer tab in the Excel ribbon, you first need to enable the Data Streamer add-in.

1. Go to File > Options > Add-Ins.

2. Make sure COM Add-ins is selected in the Manage box and click Go.

3. In the COM add-Ins dialog box, make sure to select the box next to Microsoft Data Streamer for Excel add-in, then click OK.

[!NOTE] Data Streamer is available for free to all Microsoft 365 subscribers. If you are a Microsoft 365 subscriber, make sure you have the latest version of Office. If you don't see an entry for the Data Streamer add-in in the COM Add-Ins dialog box, it's because either your version of Office or Excel doesn't include it, or your organization's system administrator has made it unavailable.

Configure Data Streamer for micro:bit

To configure the setting in Data Streamer for the micro:bit:

User Interface options:

Contains settings related to the user interface, like adjusting when dialogs appear and streamlining the connection process.

• Always show Device Connected dialog – Sets whether or not you would like to see the Device Connected confirmation dialog, which includes guidance on how to start seeing your data. The default is checked.
• Always show Recording Saved dialog – Sets whether or not you would like to see the Recording Saved confirmation, which includes receiving guidance how to replay that data. The default is checked.
• Automatically stream data on device connect or file import – Do you want to visualize your data faster? Checking this will automatically Start Data from your device, or Play Data from your file after selecting it. The default is unchecked.

Configure COM Port

The COM Port tab contains settings related more generally to serial connections. To communicate Data Streamer with your micro:bit these following settings should be modified:

• Connect your micro:bit to the computer using a USB cable

• Modify these settings:

  • COM Port: depends on your setting
  • Data bits: 8
  • Parity: None
  • Baud Rate: 115200
  • Handshake: None

  This image shows the micro:bit settings for the Excel Data Streamer.

  

Start streaming real-time data with the Data Streamer add-in

Now it's time to start streaming it into Excel. Select the Start Data button on the Data Streamer tab. The data will stream into the Data In worksheet. More info on capturing data, sending data In and Out, and recording data is described in this article.

Usage

The MakeCode script provided in this repository is designed to log data to one of the options above:

• Press Button A to swith to MakeCode (this is the default)
• Press Button B to swith to Excel Data Streamer

// Press A to stream to makecode
input.onButtonPressed(Button.A, function () {
    log_to_data_streamer = false
    basic.pause(100)
    basic.clearScreen()
    basic.showString("M")
})
// Press B to stream to excel datastreamer
input.onButtonPressed(Button.B, function () {
    log_to_data_streamer = true
    basic.pause(100)
    basic.clearScreen()
    basic.showString("E")
})

Design considerations

The MakeCode Device Console can show multiple graphs. Each graph can list values names by writing a key pair of name & value:

    radio.onReceivedValue(function (name, value) {
        serial.writeValue(name, value)
    }

This results in <>

The Exel Data Streamer uses predefined column names (CH1, CH2, .. CHn). Writing key pairs of name,value would result in cells listing name=value which is not desired. <>.

To properly fill values into the Excel Data Streamer cells, we use a sequence of multiple actions writenumber(value) seperated by writeString(","). The end of the sequence (i.e.: the end of a row in Excel) is marked using a writeLine:

        serial.writeNumber(value 0)
        serial.writeString(",")
        ...
        serial.writeNumber(value x)
        serial.writeString(",")
        ...
        serial.writeNumber(value n) --> marked in this script as EOL
        serial.writeLine("")
    }

The script requires a EOL marker to detect the EndOfLine.

Tip

Programm the sender to send the last key pair (name, value) as ("EOL", signalStrength()).

Blocks preview

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Metadata (used for search, rendering)

• for PXT/microbit

<script src="https://makecode.com/gh-pages-embed.js"></script><script>makeCodeRender("{{ site.makecode.home_url }}", "{{ site.github.owner_name }}/{{ site.github.repository_name }}");</script>