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You can automate actions using the built-in automation timer. The timer generates timer events after equidistant time intervals. At each timer event

 

othe automation timer is stopped until the actions below are done.

ospectrometers record spectra if the option 'Acquire spectra at automation steps' is activated. This option is available through the command File/Options/Data acquisition/Acquire spectra at aumation steps.

otrigger objects in the list of spectrometers check if their conditions is true or false. Depending on the outcome scripts may be executed.

oa fit is started after data acquisition if the option 'Start fit after acquiring new spectra' is set. You can do this through File/Options/Data acquisition/Start fit after acquiring new spectra.

othe global parameter 'timer' is updated. This parameter counts milliseconds since the start of the automation timer. In most user-defined expressions you can refer to the time elapsed using the key word 'time'. You can, for example, compute values of any fit parameter (which may be a master parameter) as function of time. This way you can generate time dependent spectra for demonstrations, e.g. to show how the reflectance of a layer stack changes when a layer grows.

oview objects may change their position or other properties based on time. This way you can generate dynamic visualizations.

othe optical model is re-computed.

othe visible main view is updated.

othe automation timer is activated again.

 

The automation settings can be changed in the following dialog which shows up through the menu command File/Options/Automation:

 

 

The timer interval is set in ms, also the maximum time of the automation period.

 

If the checkbox Autostart is activated the timer starts to run as soon as the configuration is loaded.

If Cycle is active, the automation is repeated once the maximum time has been reached.

The option Logging controls if values like optical functions or integral quantities in CODE are stored in the workbook for each timer event.

 

Keyboard action

In the main view you can start the automation by pressing the key 't' on your keyboard. Pressing 't' again stops the automation.

 

View element

The view element 'Automation button' can be inserted into any view and serves as a button to start or stop the automation. The view element can display a metafile graph overlayed by the current automation time.