General Tab
Scale Properties Dialog |
The Scale Properties dialog, accessible from the Properties button of the Scale property page or the Weighing Scale Setup dialog, contains important information regarding the configuration of the selected scale. Using this dialog, you can modify a scale's connection settings, configure how a scale obtains the weight of a product, or add a comment to an installed scale.
The following tabs are available:
General Tab
The General tab contains general information about the selected scale, including the model of the scale reported by the manufacturer. In addition to viewing this information, you can use the General tab to modify the following scale properties:
Name. Specifies a name that will identify the selected scale throughout the
Comment. Contains optional text describing the selected scale.
Connection Tab
The Connection tab specifies how
Connection Type
When Connection Type is set to Serial Port, you can configure the following controls using the Connection tab:
Port. Specifies the COM port that connects the scale to your computer.
Baud. Also known as "bits per second," sets the speed that data flows from the device to the port. Common values are 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, and 57600, with 9600 being the most common default setting.
Data Bits. Defines the number of "bits" used to encode each character sent via the serial port. The most common value is 8.
Parity. Sends an extra bit after the data bits of a character for the purpose of error checking. Common settings are odd, even, and none.
Stop Bits. Sets the length of the pause at the end of a transmitted character. The most common value is 1.
Flow Control. Controls the stopping and restarting of data transmission. Options include "hardware" (also known as RTS/CTS) or "Xon/Xoff" (also known as "software" flow control).
When Connection Type is set to TCP/IP Network Port, you can configure the following controls using the Connection tab:
Address. Specifies the network location of the selected scale. You can specify a network location by entering a computer name (i.e. MyServer) or an IP address (i.e. 192.168.1.101).
Port Number. Define the TCP/IP port that
Test Connection
Once you have defined the connection type, select Test Connection to verify that BarTender successfully connects to the scale.
Advanced Tab
The Advanced tab contains configurable options for the selected scale that are not available in other tabs of the Scale Properties dialog. Typically, these settings are complex, and should only be changed as instructed by the scale's user manual or by a technical support representative.
Stable Weight Options
Control Method. Describes which device is used to control how the scale returns the weight to
Auto. If the scale has built-in support for stable weight capture, the Auto setting behaves like the Use Scale setting. Otherwise, the Auto setting behaves like the Use PC setting.
Use PC. Uses the computer to capture the stable weight based on the settings you choose below for Minimum Weight, Stable Weight Period, and Maximum Variance.
Use Scale. Uses the scale's built-in settings to determine a stable weight. To configure these settings, please consult your scale's user manual. This option is only available when you have connected to a scale that has built-in support for stable weight capture.
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The settings for Minimum Weight, Stable Weight Period, and Maximum Variance are available when the Control Method is set to Use PC, or when it is set to Auto and the scale does not have built-in support for stable weight capture. |
Minimum Weight. Specifies the smallest amount of weight that can be applied to the scale while still recognizing a stable weight. This option is only available when you have selected Use Scale as the Control Method.
Stable Weight Period. Specifies the length of time
Maximum Variance. Refers to the percent change between the lowest sampled value and the highest sampled value within the Stable Weight Period. When the percent change is less than the specified value, the weight is considered stable.
Other Options
Polling Interval. Determines how often
Tare Control Method. Describes how the tare command is controlled. The following options are available:
Auto. Uses the scale's built-in support for setting and clearing the tare weight on the scale. If the selected protocol does not support a tare command, it will use the PC to simulate the tare and clear tare commands.
Use PC. Uses the computer's settings to simulate the "tare" and "clear tare" functions. You can specify the tare weight using the Input Tare Weight option in the Linked Data Sources property page.
Use Scale. Uses the scale's built-in settings for determining the tare weight. To configure these settings, please consult your scale's user manual.
Protocol. Defines the weight commands that are applicable to the selected scale.
Units. Defines the units of measurement of weight that
