Overview of controller and logger settings for synchronization and timestamping
The controller (e.g., Q.station, Q.monixx) operates with its own internal clock but can also be synchronized to an external time source. This synchronization, along with the GI.bench software, can impact the timestamps of the data and logged files.
Set RTC
The controller has its own device time or real-time clock (RTC). To manually sync this to PC/UTC-0 time follow these instructions:
https://knowledge.gantner-instruments.com/how-to-adjust-the-clock-of-a-controller
Timezone
Performing the RTC sync sets the device time to UTC-0 time. GI.bench visualization in a dashboard automatically adjusts the data's time based on the PC's timezone. To adjust the logged file's timestamp though an offset can be set in the controller settings.
https://knowledge.gantner-instruments.com/timezone-settings
A Q.station logger's files will be adjusted based on the timezone settings but a PC/host level data logger timezone hasn't been implemented yet.
Time Synchronization
There are multiple options for setting up external time synchronization of the controller's RTC.
https://knowledge.gantner-instruments.com/synchronize-a-controller-with-an-external-time-source
If you have a multi-controller system the main controller can be set to the external time source and the subsequent controllers are synced to the main controller using our Q.sync protocol.
https://knowledge.gantner-instruments.com/how-to-sync-multiple-q.series-controllers-together
Logged Files
Files from a data logger will have the following format:
[Logger Name]__[Logger Index]_[Year]-[Month]-[Day]_[Hour]-[Minute]-[Seconds]_[Milliseconds].[File Format]
Example:
ThermocoupleLogger__1_2025-03-04_04-19-42_437000.dat
How the data and time itself in the logged file appears in a csv file depends on the date/time settings.
https://knowledge.gantner-instruments.com/csv-data-logging
Example:
