GEFviewer

Data acquired during measurements are usually saved as GEF files. In order to visualise the data within these files, a GEFViewer has been built. It runs on Windows 98, 2000 and XP. This program has a simple viewing capability, which enables the user to display registrations of separate or combined transducers, which have been stored in a GEF file. The relation between e.g. time and transducers or between transducers mutually can be visualised. If the user posesses a printer, a hardcopy can be made. The use of the GEFViewer is free.

No knowledge of GEF is needed to use the viewer. However, for more information about GEF, click on GEF information. The information is in pdf, so you need e.g. the popular Acrobat Reader.

How to get it?

The GEFViewer can be downloaded by right clicking on 'GEFViewer'.The file is called GEFviewer_archive.exe, its size is roughly 9 MB. It is a self extracting file, when unpacked it needs roughly 30 MB. It can be installed on any disk, on which the user has write access. No special administrators rights are needed. An exception to this rule may occur when the user tries to install the software in the root of the C: drive.  

Installation

It is pretty straight forward:

1. On the the drive you have chosen, create a new subdirectory, e.g. 'gefviever'
2. Navigate to this subdirectory
3. Copy the file GEFViewer_archive.exe to this subdirectory
4. Run the program GEFviewer_archive.exe once.

A window pops up:

Press on OK. The software is now ready to be used. Optionally you can create a shortcut to the file "gefviewer.cmd" on your desktop.

Usage

In order to start the GEFViewer, run the file GEFViewer.cmd. After some time an equally gray window pops up.

Step 1

Choose a file. "File => Open" allows you to browse in your local drives and network drives. Pick the GEF file of your choice. It is not possible to open more than one file at a time. When a file is successfully read, its name appears in the title bar of the window. In the figure in step 2 the name micro_pr7 appears in the title bar.

Step 2

Choose a layout of the window. The window can be divided into subwindows with multiple rows and columns. Each subwindow contains one pair of XY axes. Use "Edit => Layout" and choose one of the predefined options listed. Option 1*2 means: 1 row and 2 columns. The layout of the window changes into:

If your ideas of layout are not amongst the predefined layouts, you can add a layout of your own by "Edit => Layout => Voeg layout toe". After adding it, it will appear at the bottom of the list with the predefined layouts. More layouts are possible, see section "options" on this web page.

Step 3

Now it is time to choose the transducers to be displayed. Move the mouse cursor to one of the white subwindows and right click. A window pops up in which you can choose the quantity to be displayed on the horizontal axis (Selectie x-as) and the quantity or quantities to be displayed along the vertical axis (Selectie y-as).

Press "Afsluiten" to close the window.

Multiple quantities along the y axis can be selected by simultaneously pressing the Control button and the left mouse button. A window like below will appear.

Repeat the selection of quantities for the remaining subwindows.

Options

1) Templates

The layout of the main window can be stored as a template. It will facilitate an easy re-usage of a favourite layout. To store a template, use "File => Save as template". A file dialog will appear which allows you to browse through your drives and folders. A template file contains the layout of your main window and the selection of transducers displayed in the subwindows. It does not contain the actual data displayed.

In order to reuse a template, you have to start the GEFViewer by opening a GEF file. Next you can load a template by "Edit => Template toepassen". Alternatively you can use "Edit => Template toepassen (originele teksten)", using the same axis titles as being stored in the template.

2) Titles

The user can change the titles along the axes. This option is especially useful when multiple quantities along the y axis are displayed. Navigate your mouse cursor to the subwindow of your choice. Right click on the white of the subwindow. The window "as instellen" will appear. Click on the tab "Titels". There you can change the titles along the x and y axis. End by pressing "Handmatige labels".

3) Scaling

The default scaling is determined by the extreme values of the data to be displayed. Nevertheless a part of the graph can be displayed, to zoom in on details. Navigate your mouse cursor to the subwindow of your choice. Right click on the white of the window. The window "as instellen" will appear. Click on the tab "Grenzen". Uncheck the check box Auto for the axis of your choice.  In the edit boxes Min and Max you can fill in the minimum and maximum value of the axis to be displayed. End with pressing "Toepassen".

If your layout has more than one subwindow, a window will pop up to clarify whether you want to change the minimum and maximum values for the x axis only, for x and the y axis or none of this.

4) Free style subwindows

The standard layouts consist of repetative patterns. Alternatively you can actually draw one or more rectangular subwindows, free style, by using the mouse as a pen. Move the mouse cursor in the main gray window, to one of the corners of the required subwindow. Push the left mouse button, keep it pressed down and drag the cursor to the opposite corner and then release the left button. A rectangular subwindow will appear. The action can be repeated. Overlapping subwindows are not possible, the underlaying subwindows will be deleted.

Repetative windows and free style windows can be mixed. Study the figure below.

The first step is to choose a repetative layout, in this case 1*3. The second step is to navigate to the subwindow in the middle. Right click this subwindow, like choosing the quantities to be displayed. In stead of setting up the axes, click on "Verwijder Grafiek", which will delete this subwindow. The third step is to free style draw the three subwindows in the middle. Hint: keep in mind that next to the digits along the axes, the title has to be displayed.