Most of those features are not needed to simply collect component data (with no interest in controlling the instrument). Fortunately Foss provides a "Simple CS83" option that can simply output data on the serial port.

This feature was introduced in LabSystem versions 5.72 (build 572.20070202.1) and 6.01 (build 601.20070202.1).

Configuration
In the LabSystem a milk analysis instrument is referred to as a "machine." The Foss CS83 interface is enabled in the LabSystem machine configuration file using a text editor. This option is not available in the LabSystem machine configuration screen. The machine configuration files are located in the same directory as the LabSystem program files (usually C:\LABSYS). The machine configuration files are named LSCONFIG.Mxy where x is the machine number 1 (left) or 2 (right) and y is the configuration sequence (0 to 9 allowing up to 10 different configurations per machine). For example, the file for the first configuration (0) for machine 1 (displayed on left side of data collection screen) is LSCONFIG.M10.

To enable the Foss CS83 interface, set the _FossCS83Mode= option in the [SERIAL] section.

The following values control functions of the CS83 interface:

To enable multiple functions set the _FossCS83Mode= option to the sum of the values of the above functions you wish to enable.

For example, to enable the CS83 interface (1), in verbose mode (16), and using default lactose values (32), set the option as follows:

_FossCS83Mode=49

The value 48 would work here also since the enabled (1) value is optional if other functions are enabled.

To disable CS83 mode set the option to zero:

_FossCS83Mode=0

Notes

Foss CS83 mode overrides the component position and length settings in the machine configuration. It is still necessary to set Active to Y for any components that are to be collected.

The EndOfRead= setting in the [READ] section is also ignored since CS83 packets always end with the ']' (ASCII 93) character.

CS83 Components
The following CS83 components are handled: