Powerful Graphics Software Tools for Financial, Scientific and Industrial Applications

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QCRTGraph CF - Real-Time Graphics Tools for .Net Compact Framework

New Revision 1.8

Add scrolling graphs, meters, bar graphs, gauges, annunciators, dynamic text, and UI controls  to Windows CE based applications using the Real-Time Graphics Tools for .Net Compact Framework.

Real-Time Graphics Windows CE

The Quinn-Curtis Real-Time Graphics Tools for .Net Compact Framework (QCRTGraph CF for short) toolkit, written using C# managed code, is for developers who want to add sophisticated real-time graphics to their to their .Net Compact Framework applications. The software integrates the QCChart2D CF charting software with real-time data structures and specialized rendering routines. It is designed for on-the-fly rendering of the real-time data using new specialized classes for scrolling graphs, gauges (bar graphs), meters, annunciators and text. Plot objects created using the QCChart2D CF classes can be freely mixed with the new QCRTGraph CF classes. Advanced user interface features such as zooming and tool-tips can used with real-time scrolling charts. A process variable class manages real-time data, an unlimited number of alarms, and data archiving. A PID (Proportional, Integral and Derivative) control class implements sophisticated control algorithms applicable in a wide array of applications.

QCRTGraph CF User Manual

Download Trial Version

Have any questions ? Contact: info@quinn-curtis.com

Related Quinn-Curtis Products

 Product / Platform .Net .Net Compact Framework Java
QCChart2D QCChart2D for .Net QCChart2D for .Net CF QCChart2D for Java
QCRTGraphics QCRTGraph for .Net QCRTGraph for .Net CF QCRTGraph for Java
QCSPCChart QCSPCChart for .Net X QCSPCChart for Java
QCChart3D QCChart3D for .Net X QCChart3D for Java
QCMatPack QCMatPack for .Net QCMatPack for .Net CF QCMatPack for Java

 

Instrumentation GUI and Graphics

    .Net CF Weather Station    .Net CF Oscilloscope    .Net CF Polygraph  

     .Net CF XY Plot

Real-Time Financial Charting

   .Net CF Real-Time Stock Display                 

  Bio-Medical and Exercise Physiology

  .Net CF Medical Instrumentation          

    Laboratory and Industrial Data Acquisition and Control

   .Net CF Hybrid Car Control   .Net CF PID Tuner    .Net CF Dashboard   

  .Net CF Dynamometer   

JPEG Images of some of the example programs that are included with the software. Click on the thumbnail image to view at actual size.

 

Design Considerations

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Updates of data classes are asynchronous with rendering of graphics to the screen.

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Real-Time plot objects are derived from QCChart2D CF plot objects resulting in standardized methods for setting plot object properties.

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Any standard plot type from the QCChart2D CF software package, both simple and group plot types, can be implemented as scrolling graphs.

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There are no limits on the number of process variable channels, no limits on the number of alarm limits associated with a process variable, no limits on the number of real-time plots in a graph.

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The update of real-time objects will not interfere or overwrite other objects and will follow the z-order precedence established when the graph was created.

Feature Summary

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Add powerful real-time graphics  to your Mobile PC application.

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Includes the QCChart2D CF Charting software - The QCRTGraph CF software includes the complete QCChart2D CF software.

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Compatible with, Visual Studio .Net 2005/2008, .Net CF 2.0,  both Visual Basic .Net and C# .Net. The new 1.8 revision is no longer compatible with Visual Studio 2003

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Based on the .Net CF Drawing routines - Compatible with .Net CF components and applications.

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Process Variable and Alarms - Real-time data is stored in RTProcessVar classes. The RTProcessVar class is designed to represent a single process variable, complete with limit values, an unlimited number of high and low alarms, historical data storage, and descriptive strings for use in displays.

                          

                          

Clockwise from top: Solid bar indicator, segmented bar indicator, custom segmented bar indicator, horizontal solid bar indicator, and pointer indicator. Only the green bars represent the bars (and pointer) represent the bar indicators. Other items also shown include axes, axis labels, panel meters, and alarm indicators.

 

 

                           

          

There are an infinite number of meter designs possible using a variety of meter arc ranges, meter scales, meter axes and meter indicator types

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Single Value Indicators - A single value indicator is a real-time display object that is attached to a single RTProcessVar object. This includes single channel bar indicators (which includes solid, segmented, custom and pointer bar indicators), meter indicators (which includes meter needles, meter arcs and meter symbol indicators), single channel annunciator indicators, panel meter indicators and scrolling graph plots based on a QCChart2D SimplePlot chart object.

 

The only limit to the number of annunciator cells you can have in an RTMultiValueAnnunciator graph is the size of the display and the readability of the text.

 

Each bar in the RTMultiBarIndicator can have individual colors and alarm limits.

 

The RTGroupMultiValuePlot class turns QCChart2D GroupPlot objects, like the MultiLinePlot object above, into scrolling plots.

 

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Multiple Value Indicators - A multiple value indicator is a real-time display object that is attached to a group of RTProcessVar objects. This includes multiple channel bar indicators (which includes solid, segmented, custom and pointer bar indicators), multiple channel annunciator indicators, panel meter indicators organized in a grid, and scrolling graph plots based on a QCChart2D GroupPlot chart object.

 

The alarm indicators can have one of three forms: pointer style symbols, horizontal or vertical lines, or horizontal or vertical filled areas.

 

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Alarm Indicators - Alarm indicators are used to display alarm lines, symbols and fill areas for the RTProcessVar objects associated with the single value and multiple value indicator classes.

             

                     

Numeric panel meters can be the primary display method for real-time data, or they can be used as adjuncts to other real-time indicators such as bar indicators and meters.

 

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Panel Meter Indicators - The RTPanelMeter derived classes are special cases of the single value indicator classes that are used throughout the software to display real-time data in a text format. Panel meters are available for numeric values, string values, time/date values and alarm values.

 

A useful benefit of multiple meter scales is the ability to display both Fahrenheit and Centigrade scales at the same time.

 

          

Meter tick marks can be labeled with strings.

 

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Meter Axis Objects - Meter indicators needed new classes to support the drawing of meter axes, meter axis labels and meter alarm objects.

       

RTFormControlGrid objects are arranged in a row x column format. Additional panel meter objects (numeric and string panel meters in the track bar example above) can be attached to the primary control grid object.

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Form Control Classes - The .Net Button and TrackBar objects have been subclassed and enhanced for use in instrument panels. The RTControlButton class implements on/off colors and on/off text for momentary, toggle and radio button style buttons. The RTTrackBar class adds real-world scaling based on double values to the integer based TrackBar class. RTControlButton and RTTrackBar objects can be group together in a grid, organizing the control objects functionally and visually.

A display can have multiple scroll frames. The frames can be in separate plots and update in a synchronized fashion, or they can overlap the same plotting area.

 

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Scroll Frame -  A scroll frame manages constant rescaling of coordinate systems of plot objects that are displayed in a scrolling graph

 
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Documentation and Demo/Example Programs - The software includes a comprehensive 400 page user manual with many programming examples, XML help for every class. Every programming example, and example program is presented in C# and Visual Basic.

 

QCRTGraph CF for .Net Compact Framework Limitations

bulletDue to the constraints (processing power, memory, display resolution, printer support) of mobile devices, the .Net Compact Framework is a subset of the regular .Net runtime system used on workstations. These limitations restrict some of the features implemented in the QCRTGraph CF software.
bulletBrushes - The .Net Compact Framework Brush class is also very basic. Brushes have only a color attribute, no texture or gradient brushes are included. Even though the .Net Compact framework does not support linear gradients directly, the QCRTGraph CF software implements them indirectly for use in the chart background class.
bulletColor - The .Net Compact Frameworks color model does not support alpha blending so transparent colors are not possible.
bulletPrinter Support -The .Net Compact Framework does not support printer output.
bulletCoordinate Transformations - The .Net Compact Framework does not support the coordinate transform routines found in the .Net System.Drawing.Drawing2D classes. As a result, text and bitmap images used in charts cannot be rotated. Shapes and symbols defined using the QCRTGraph CF software can be scaled, translated and rotated using our own 2D coordinate  transform routines.
bulletImage Output - Charts cannot be saved as image files.

 

QCRTGraph CF Developer Licensing

bulletOur QCRTGraph CF license agreement can be found here.
bulletThe QCRTGraph CF  Developer License is available in a Developers Version (model # NETCF-RTG-DEVR) that does not time out. Free updates for two years.
bulletThe QCRTGraph CF Developer License is licensed to a single individual. It cannot be used by multiple people at the same company, unless a separate license is purchased for each person. Site licenses are also available. Contact sales@quinn-curtis.com with details of how many seats you wish to purchase and we will respond with a quote.
bulletThe QCRTGraph CF Software does not use a redistributable license, unlike the previous versions (1.6, 1.7) of the software.  The basic developer license permits you to include QCRTGraph CF as part of your application and distribute an unlimited number  royalty free.

 

QCRTGraph CF Redistributable Licensing

bulletThe QCRTGraph CF Software does not use a redistributable license,  unlike the previous versions (1.6, 1.7) of the software. The basic developer license permits you to include QCRTGraph CF as part of your application and distribute an unlimited number of copies of your application, royalty free. We do not allow developers to use this software to create a graphics toolkit (a library or any type of graphics component that will be used in combination with a program development environment) for resale to other developers.

 

Custom Programming Services

bulletQCRTGraph CF is an extremely powerful and flexible software package. It contains over 1500 methods and properties in more than 150 classes. The user manual and  help file documentation are more than 1500 pages. This can be overwhelming to the average programmer who wants to start programming today and have the prototype of an application working in a week.
bulletThe variety of user interfaces for real-time graphics applications is as diverse as the industries using the software. The end-user of an application in the automotive industry expects to interact with the real-time display in a manner different than that of an end-user involved in real-time stock trading. The same can be said for other industries: health care, semiconductors, quality control,  biotechnology, etc.
bulletThat is why we have written so many outstanding example programs, pulled from a wide variety of industries using many different styles of user interface.
bulletWe know that your application may be similar to, but still uniquely different from any of our example programs. To that end we offer our programming services to write for you a custom example program that demonstrates how to code the real-time display format and user interface you want. That jump start to your project can save you many weeks of work and make you look like a real-time graphics programming genius. All  you have to be able to do is describe in detail what you want the example to do.
bulletUsing QCRTGraph CF, our range of expertise includes Managed C++ (MC++), VB, and C#  programming languages. For more information or a quote, please contact our sales department at sales@quinn-curtis.com

 

Doesn't have the features you need ? Let us know what those are so we can add them in a subsequent release.  Contact: info@quinn-curtis.com

Ordering Information

The QCRTGraph CF software includes the QCChart2D CF Charting Tools for .Net CF. There is no need to order both.

Click here to go to Download Ordering

Description Model # Price
QCRTGraph CF -  Developer License  (no time out, royalty free) NETCF-RTG-DEVR $300 USD