Initialisation settings

PicoScope

Initialisation settings Top  Previous  Next

When you first run PicoScope, it creates a file called psw.ini in its working directory and uses it to hold information about the preferences you set when running the program.

If you wish to use a number of different sets of preferences - for example, to use different converters - you can do so by creating a number of copies of PicoScope, each saved in a separate directory. Each copy of PicoScope will use the
psw.ini file in its own directory.

You can change many of these preferences using the Setup option on the File menu, but there are a number of additional options which you can change only by editing
psw.ini directly, using a text editor such as Notepad. Be sure to close PicoScope before editing the psw.ini file, otherwise your changes may be overwritten when you exit PicoScope.

PicoScope no longer uses the
win.ini file to store its settings.

Preferences in psw.ini
Values shown below are the default settings.

AccumulateLimit=0
When the accumulate option is selected, this defines the number of traces to accumulate before blanking the screen and starting again.

AllowEarlyTrigger=No
In slow sampling mode, the computer normally waits until it has collected a complete scan of data before waiting for the next trigger. If AllowEarlyTrigger is set to Yes, it will restart collecting if a new trigger occurs before the previous scan has completed.

ClipboardMono=No
Some applications cannot print embedded graphs which contain colour. If you wish to use the clipboard to transfer graphs to an application which does not print them correctly, set ClipboardMono to Yes.

Colour0=16777215
The colour of one of the display components, where the digit following 'Colour' is in the range 0 to 7, for background, grid, text, rulers, and channels A to D, in that order. The value is R + 256(G + 256 B), where R, G and B are the eight-bit colour coordinates.

Converter=10
The type of converter to use.

DefaultMaxScopeSamples=2500
The value that MaxScopeSamples is set to when Default is selected in the Scope Advanced Options dialog box.

DisplayNotes=Yes
Whether any notes are to be displayed at the bottom of an instrument window

DisplayTime=Yes
Whether the time and date are to be displayed at the bottom of the instrument window.

DisplayTrigger=Yes
Whether triggering controls are displayed in the sampling bar.

ForceDevice=
Allows the opening of ADC-212/50, ADC-212/100, ADC-200/50 and ADC-200/100 data files without the unit connected.
Allowable values: 50, 100

Language=044
The language the program should use. It is the international dialling code corresponding to the country associated with the language.

MaxOversample=16
The maximum number of readings to take for each sample in oscilloscope mode for the ADC-200/212/216. For PicoScope 2000 and 3000 series oscilloscopes, see MaxScopeOversample. No other products allow oversampling. This setting interacts with the Maximum samples per trace setting in the Scope Advanced Options dialog - which see for details.

MaxScopeOversample=16
The maximum number of readings to take for each sample in oscilloscope mode. Applies only to PicoScope 2000 and 3000 series oscilloscopes. (For ADC-200/212/216 products, see
MaxOversample. No other products allow oversampling.) This setting interacts with the Maximum samples per trace setting in the Scope Advanced Options dialog - which see for details.

MaxSOTFiles=100
The maximum number of files to be collected using the save on trigger option.

MaxSpectrumOversample=1
The maximum number of readings to take for each sample in spectrum analyser mode. It applies to all products capable of oversampling: ADC-200/212/216 and PicoScope 2000/3000 Series oscilloscopes. While oversampling in spectrum analyser mode is useful for reducing the effects of noise, it should be used with caution as it also attenuates signals at the top end of the frequency range.

Patches=f0:2
Whether any patches are to be enabled in the converter driver routine, for example to allow for unusual printer ports. Do not change this unless instructed to do so by Pico technical support.

Port=1
The LPT port to use for parallel-port products. Valid port numbers are 1, 2 and 3. Numbers 101 to 104 are reserved for Pico USB Parallel Port adapters.

Samplebar=Yes
Whether a sampling bar (trigger controls and Run/Stop button) are to be displayed at the bottom of the screen.

SaveUncompressed=No
Whether or not files over 4 KB in size should be compressed.

SlowHoldoff=1000
When the oscilloscope is running at a second or more per scan in standard mode, this specifies the time, in milliseconds, to wait on completion of a scan before starting the next scan.

SpectrumFilterFactor=16
The rate at which the spectrum filter is updated. The larger the number, the slower the update.

TraceWidth=1
The thickness of the oscilloscope trace, in pixels.

UpdatesPerSecond=20
How often the instrument windows will be updated. For ADC-200/212/216 and PicoScope 2000/3000 series oscilloscopes, this value can be increased for better performance. For slower products, a high update rate may slow down keyboard input and make the computer difficult to use.

Viewbar=Yes
Whether a control bar for the active window is to be displayed at the top of the main window.

ZeroDb=707000
The level, in microvolts, that the meter and spectrum analyser should use for zero dB.