Saving data with automatic time intervals

[LuBODK]

Hi everyone

I am a new user with LabVIEW (I just started using it 3 weeks ago) and I am having a problem with data recording and saving.

Basically, what we want to do is to monitor data for four different variables countinuosly but saving them in automatic and specified time intervals. Specifically, we would like to save data countinuosly only for five minutes each hour. After the 5 minutes, only the saving function must be stopped for 1 hour then return to record for 5 minutes without shutting the major loop. Additionally, we would like to collect all the data in this way in one exel file per day for three weeks or more, so instead of creating a data file for each recording we would like to collect them in only one file per day.

Finally, if its possible, we would like to extract the mean of the data for one day in a single file.  We are not interested in modifying the rate of data aquisition, we only want to focus on the saving rate. We tried many timed function (as Elapsed time, Time delay, Wait) and timed loops but it was impossible for us to syncronize different loops or to set up timing function for the saving issue without blocking the main loop work.

Data are collected throught the "write to measurement file" function.

any kind of help will be really appreciated!

Here we submit our front panel and block diagram of our VI.

Best regards

[crossrulz · Accepted solution]

Use a shift register to keep track of your start time.  If the difference between the start time and the current time is less than 5 minutes, save the data.  If the time difference is an hour, save the new time as the start time.

[LuBODK]

I tried to set up the shift register in a for loop and while doing that I was able to get the start time and the "Time elapsed" function in such a way it enables the saving after 55 minutes for 5 miutes than automatically reset itself and right now it seems to works

Thank you very much for your suggestion