Generate arbitrary waveforms for a signal generator - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: justanothername
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2021, 12:55:15 pm
content: Hello all.I'd like a recommendation for a program where I can:Draw arbitrary waveforms in any sample ratePossibility to draw freehand with mouseHas simple generators built inIs free, ideally open sourceExports in generic format for any AWG (csv or similar)Does something like this exists? I need it to generate waveforms for the Analog Discovery and the DG1022.

author: CaptDon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2021, 08:31:00 pm
content: There was one called ARBEXPRESS. I have a Telulex SG100/A and it came with some draw-it-yourself software so you could generate custom waveforms. I'll have to look on the factory CD for the program.

author: justanothername
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2021, 08:56:49 pm
content: @CaptDon Its not opensource but the rest works as desired. Thank you very much!

author: gnuarm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2021, 09:01:08 am
content: Quote from: justanothername on February 11, 2021, 12:55:15 pmI can't think of an AWG application where I would not be happier with describing the waveform as the output of a program. Is a mouse defined waveform really what is useful?

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2021, 09:47:16 am
content: This Hackaday article:https://hackaday.com/2015/07/01/hacking-a-100-signal-generator/mentions a program called "Waveform Manager Plus" which I found at:https://www.aimtti.com/resources/waveform-manager-plus-v404I haven't used it, but it seems likely that it is a standalone program which you might be able to use.

author: poba53
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 12, 2021, 12:31:36 pm
content: Hi I have used the Tektronix Arbexpress for a long time together with Tektronix oscilloscopes and AWG. But I cant remember if this software could be useful for other makes or applications. I am retired since three years so my detailed memories of this has faded away.But the good tools we used was LTSpice, Excel, and DPlot in combination to create any waveform to load the Arbexpress to AWG and large power supplies to test automotive ECM.Either you have a real waveform from an oscilloscope stored in csv-format, put that into excel and shift the timeline back to zero as LTSpice needs time to start at 0. Or you create any virtual waveform in LTSpice. For the first version you use a pwl-file driven voltage generator. Then you run your simulation for the real or virtual waveform and outputs the results to a new text file x.txt. This time-voltage file has a dynamic time scale so you need a tool to create the dynamic time sampling point converted to a fixed time sampling point. For that I used the Dplot.com software (not free) to read in the LTSpice ascii-file and export it as fixed time samples. Maybe a long tool chain but you can create anything needed for a simple or complex wave of any length

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2021, 02:01:05 pm
content: Quote from: gnuarm on February 12, 2021, 09:01:08 amI agree. Many years ago I designed my own Arb. I used one of those hand held scanners to digitize the waveforms from strip chart recorders that I could then load into it. I can't think of case where this would have been helpful for me in the last several decades.Attached is some software I put together using Labview to control my vintage Tek. With LabView now being free for personal use, it may be an option.

author: Mortymore
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2021, 12:45:03 am
content: EasyWaveX is the software provided by Siglent for them AWG generators and it allows you to draw and export a wave to generator, or import one from the generator or oscilloscope.EDIT: The file can also be exported to .csvhttps://siglentna.com/service-and-support/firmware-software/waveform-generators/#sdg1000x-seriesUni-T has the same, at least for the UTG932e/962e AWG generators as can be seen here:

author: notadave
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2021, 05:54:36 pm
content: The Aim TTi Waveform Manager Plus v4.13 is so buggy, that it can not store or load it's own files. The numeric key pad doesn't function. The Zero is sometimes 0 but other times 0x8000 = -32767After a while it would not even start anymore, but crash right away.The arbitrary signal feature of the Aim-TTi is useless without a functioning tool.