BarTender

Overview of the Program

1. All Experiments are loaded (LoadExperiments(); called by main)
   • All expts in the same directory as the application get loaded at when first run
   • Experiments are stored in text files of type EXPT, creater BARt
   • The experiment object holds the number of rats and variables per rat, and the tag abbreviations;
   • when a bar code is scanned, the weights window will ask the expt file to interepret the tag
   • The experiment object also holds the current on weights; the on weights are stored in a file with the name “EXPT on wgts” (i.e. for an experiment with tag CL, the weights are stored in the file “CL on wgts”.
2. "On Weight" command -> makes on WeightsWindow the front most window
3. WeightsWindow waits for input of the tag on the bottle ( waits_for_text flag is set to TRUE)
   • The waiting for a tag is just waiting for keystrokes – either hand entered, or entered by the bar code reader
   • if the WeightsWindow receives a return or enter, then it has gotten the full tag (waits_for_text flag is set to FALSE)
   • Having gotten the bottle tag, the weights window now:
   1. ProcessTag();
      • figure out the experiment, item, and subject number
   2. ForceRedraw();
      • If this is the first tag, then the window needs to be updated with the current expt, which means pulling up the different variables, etc.
   3. WaitForWeight();
      • update weight of that item – wait for the scale to transmit the weight
   4. ProcessWeight();
      • Store the weight in the appopriate bottle object(either as on weight or off weight).
   5. Clear();
      • Start all over again ( waits_for_text flag is set to TRUE)
4. When the window is closed, the on weights will get stored on disk in a file with the name “EXPT on wgts” (i.e. for an experiment with tag CL, the weights are stored in the file “CL on wgts”.

Setting up the Balance

Sartorius BP-3100S

Macintosh->Serial port Mac->25 pin printer cable -> null modem adaptor-> balance

Balance menu setup (* = factory default):

1-1-2 stable conditions

5-1-7 = 9600 baud

5-2-3* = odd parity

5-3-1* = 1 stop bit

5-4-2* = hardware handshake with 2 char after CTS

6-1-5 autoprint at stability

6-2-2* autoprint not stoppable

If no weight is being reported (i.e. the balance is working, but the Mac doesn't appear to see it):

• Turn scale off
• unplug serial cable from back of scale
• Turn scale on
• When weight comes up, plug serial cable back in