DAT Channels (Mono, Stereo, 4-Chan, 8-Chan)

Controls: DD/Open >> DAT Format >> Channels
Macro: DATch=1, 2, 4, 8

Since Daqarta can't automatically determine the format of headerless or unsupported file types, you have to tell it how many channels to divide the data into. Stereo data alternates samples between Left and Right, so if you have an actual stereo file but set this to Mono, you will see a single trace with a chopped-up wave that jumps between the original two signals on alternate samples. If that is the case, simply re-open the file and set Stereo next time.

The '4-Chan' option assumes the samples are arranged as Left In, Right In, Left Out, Right Out, and that this same pattern repeats for each sample interval.

'8-Chan' mode actually displays only 4 adjacent-numbered channels at a time. When the file is opened, the Display Channels buttons at the lower left will be labeled Ch0-Ch3 (default) instead of L.In to R.Out. Up/Down arrows will appear to the right of these buttons that allow you to scroll the display (and cursor readouts) to Ch1-Ch4, Ch2-Ch5, Ch3-Ch6, or Ch4-Ch7.

Note that you may want to use the Screen Zero Individual controls in the Zero control dialog to position the 4 traces.

Macro Notes:

DATch can be set either with the numeric index of the radio button, or with the number of channels:

    0 = 1 = Mono
    1 = 2 = Stereo
    2 = 4 = 4-Chan
    3 = 8 = 8-Chan

The index method allows variables or expressions to compute, store, or recall any setting. Otherwise, if you use the number of channels directly, you must use a single digit immediate entry. If you compute the number of channels in C and want to convert to the index and store it in I, you can use I=C / 2 or I=C >> 1, where '>>' is the right binary shift operator.

See also File Menu, Open Existing Data File, .DAT File Format Dialog