Ocean Optics Support

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Rapid-scan (including FTIR) spectrometers are controlled through ActiveX EXE servers like Ocean2.exe which can be run standalone for setup/testing and via MEASURE/Scantraq BASIC and Excel VBA.

FTG Software supports Ocean Optics spectrometers through 32-bit OmniDriver. OceanView is not required. The FilmStar (Scantraq) setup file installs Ocean2.exe for OmniDriver 2.56 (32-bit, 29 May 2018). When running the OmniDriver setup, select Redistributable version and WinUSB drivers.

Legacy USB2000, HR2000
Windows 8.x/10 Issue

After successfully installing OmniDriver 2.56 you might get this message after attaching the USB plug.

This indicates that your instrument requires a firmware update as described here.

If you do not wish to update Ocean1.exe, select Complete FilmStar installation instead of Update current FilmStar programs and DO NOT CHECK Ocean Optics Server. If Ocean2.exe is currently working, it is not necessary to update OmniDriver. Please contact us with any questions.

The FTG Ocean Optics Server (FTG OOS) is an ActiveX EXE which provides an interface to OmniDriver. The advantage of this approach is that the server can be run standalone for testing and then run invisibly from FilmStar. Since the FTG OOS processes data (converts to %R or %T) it can be used in DESIGN as well as MEASURE. An FTG HASP enabled for MEASURE or Scantraq is required.

When installing FilmStar (Setup32.exe), select PE Lambda 2-950 (Mpe983.exe) and Ocean Optics Server in the Select Components dialog. Other versions of MEASURE (Scantraq) do not support ActiveX servers.

This installs Ocean2.exe as well as corresponding FilmStar BASIC macros. It also installs Scan Method OOI2 Trns.scw which references the BASIC macros.

Ocean Optics
Testing OOI Server in standalone mode

By 'process data' we mean that the server manipulates Dark, Reference and Sample scans. A Standard File provides means to include known reflectance values corresponding to the Reference scan. The Standard is what the Reference is known to be.

This is different from a 'raw data' server where the processing takes place in the host application. BASIC macros for processed data are simpler. As shown below, the FTG OOS includes a Scan Method dialog, but in actual operation, settings are specified in FilmStar BASIC code.

To help determine values for an FTG OOI Scan Method, run SpectraSuite to quickly determine Integration Time and other factors.

Setup parameters in FTG Ocean Optics Server. Most
important is setting Integration Time below saturation level.

In DESIGN the Macro Commands dialog assigns scan functions to macro buttons:

Assigning scans to macro buttons 1-4 in DESIGN

You could use the same Macro Commands in MEASURE, but it is better to assign macros in the Scan Method 1B dialog shown below. Dark and Reference scans are triggered by Setup menu commands, while the Sample scan is assigned to the Scan button. The Scan Method stores the required macros.

Assigning scans to Setup Menu (Dark, Reference)
and Scan button (Sample) in MEASURE

Ultimately, Ocean Optics scanning appears seamlessly built into DESIGN or MEASURE:

Hesa-Glas 5063L (light red appearance)

If Ocean2.exe standalone mode works but MEASURE does not, it is probable that ActiveX references have been changed or lost. In that case merely re-establish the reference in each BASIC program listed in the Scan Method 1B dialog, i.e. BASIC programs assigned to menu commands.

OOI2 Sample.bas reference to ActiveX server Ocean2.exe

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