Manual revision 017
Section 3: Setting Up System
SBE 33
28
Checking CTD Configuration (.xmlcon or .con) File in Seasave
Seasave, our real-time data acquisition and display program, requires a
configuration file, which defines the CTD - auxiliary sensors integrated with
the CTD, and channels, serial numbers, calibration dates, and coefficients for
all the integrated sensors (conductivity, temperature, and pressure as well as
auxiliary sensors). Seasave (and our data processing software) uses the
information in the configuration file to interpret and process the raw data.
If
the configuration file does not match the actual instrument configuration,
the software will not be able to interpret and process the data correctly.
The configuration file must indicate if NMEA and/or PAR data is being
added to the CTD data.
The configuration file setup overrides the
programmed settings in the SBE 33. In other words, real-time transmission via
Seasave of NMEA position data, NMEA depth data, and/or Surface PAR data
is dependent on the configuration file settings, not on the SBE 33 settings.
To verify the contents of the .xmlcon or .con configuration file:
1.
Double click on Seasave.exe.
2.
Click Configure Inputs. On the Instrument Configuration tab, click
Open
.
In the dialog box, select the .xmlcon or .con file and click Open.
3.
The configuration information appears on the Instrument Configuration
tab. Verify that the sensors match those on your instrument, and that
auxiliary sensors are assigned to the correct channels. Click Modify to
bring up a dialog box (example shown below is for SBE 19
plus
) to change
the configuration and/or to view / modify calibration coefficients.
4.
Click
Save
or
Save As
to save any changes to the .xmlcon or .con file.
Click Exit when done reviewing / modifying the configuration file.
Notes:
Seasave and SBE Data Processing
versions 7.20 introduced .xmlcon
files (in XML format). Versions 7.20
and later allow you to open a .con or
.xmlcon file, and to save it to a .con
or .xmlcon file. Seasave and SBE
Data Processing use the same
configuration file.
A new or recalibrated CTD ships with
a configuration file that reflects the
current configuration
as we know it
.
The file is named with the CTD serial
number, followed by a .xmlcon
extension. For example, for a CTD
with serial number 2375, Sea-Bird
names the file
2375.xmlcon
. You
may rename the file (but not the
extension) if desired; this will not
affect the results.
Shaded sensors
cannot be removed
or changed to
another type of
sensor
. All others
are optional.
Click a (non-shaded)
sensor and click
Select
to pick a different sensor
for that channel. A dialog
box with a list of sensors
appears. Select sensors
after number of voltage
channels have been
specified above.
Channel/Sensor table
reflects this choice.
NMEA
- Select if NMEA navigation
device used,
and
select whether NMEA
device is connected directly to Deck
Unit
or
to computer. You can also
append NMEA depth data (3 bytes)
and NMEA time data (4 bytes) after
Lat/Lon data. Seasave adds current
latitude, longitude, and universal time
code to data header; appends NMEA
data to every scan; and writes NMEA
data to .nav file every time Ctrl F7 is
pressed or Add to .nav File is clicked.
Note: NMEA time can only be
appended if NMEA device connected
directly to computer.
Surface PAR
- Select if Surface PAR
sensor used. Seasave appends
Surface PAR data to every scan.
Adds
2 channels to Channel/Sensor table.
Do not increase
External voltage
channels
to reflect this;
External
voltage channels
reflects only external
voltages going directly to CTD from
auxiliary sensor.
See Application Note 47.
Scan time added
- Select to have
Seasave append time (seconds since
January 1, 1970 GMT) to each data
scan.
Click a sensor and click
Modify
to view/change
calibration coefficients for
that sensor.
