SAAV Extend can be used in two separate applications.

  • Configurable length applications where the sensorized length of the instrument is determined at the time of installation by immediately combining the base array with lift extensions to reach a desired sensorized length
  • Dam lift applications where a base array is installed and extensions are added sequentially as the dam's height is increased


Converting data collected from these two applications varies slightly based on the application. Detailed instructions for converting SAAV Extend data in each application are provided below.


Converting SAAV Extend Configurable Length Application Data


After some data has been recorded with the new data logger program, it should be collected from the data logger into the same project folder where the combined calibration file and site file that define the geometry of the SAAV Extend assembly are saved. 


NOTE: Converting configurable length application SAAV Extend data follows the same basic process for converting regular SAAV data as described in the Raw2Data How-to Guide except that step 4, specifying the site file, is required and not optional.


This process is also described in the following video on working with SAAV Extend software.





Once new data has been collected to the project folder from the extended array, it must be converted with the Raw2Data software using a Reset conversion. Open Raw2Data from SAASuite by clicking on the Data Conversion button. When prompted, select the Reset conversion option. On the Select tab, click on the New Project button, navigate to the existing project folder, and click the Open button.


Once the data files have been added to the project, they should appear in the listing of files in the Select tab. You must also specify the SAAV Extend site file that was generated with the SAARecorder software. Click on the Browse button next to the Site File field near the bottom of the window and select the SAAV Extend site file (see figure 2 above).


Click on the OK button to continue. When you reach the Settings tab, you will see an entry for data collected from the SAAV Extend. The serial number listed should be the serial number of the topmost segment of the array after extensions were added. 


Click on the Export Settings button to configure the formatting and type of Cartesian output data you wish to include in the DIY export file. Click on the Continue button to finish the conversion.



Converting SAAV Extend Dam Lift Application Data


After data has been recorded from an SAAV Extend with a new data logger program, it should be collected from the data logger into the same project folder where the data from the original base array was collected. The data file names for the diagnostic tables (SAA_DIAGNOSTICS, LOGGER_DIAGNOSTICS, and SERIAL_ERRORS) should not be changed so that newly collected readings can be appended to these files.


However, the data table containing raw readings from the extended ShapeArray must have a different filename than the raw data file collected for the base array or any other previous extensions. Ideally the files containing raw readings from the array would follow the default table naming scheme produced by the File Generator program for each extension added to the base array (e.g. SAA1_DATA for the base array, SAA1_DATA_EXTEND1 for the first extension, SAA1_DATA_EXTEND2 for the second extension, etc).


Once new data has been collected to the project folder from the extended array, it must be converted with the Raw2Data software using a Reset conversion. Open Raw2Data from SAASuite by clicking on the Data Conversion button. When prompted, select the Reset conversion option. On the Select tab, click on the New Project button, navigate to the existing project folder, and click the Open button. Raw2Data will scan the folder for new files and when it detects the new raw data files for the extended array, it will prompt you to add them to the project. Click the Yes button to add them.


Figure 1: Click Yes to add the new SAAV Extend data files to the project


Once the new data files have been added to the project, they should appear in the listing of files in the Select tab. You must also specify the SAAV Extend site file that was generated. Click on the Browse button next to the Site File field near the bottom of the window and select the SAAV Extend site file.


Figure 2: You must specify the site file when converting data collected after a lift


Click on the OK button to continue. When you reach the Settings tab, you will see multiple ShapeArrays listed. One represents the data collected from the base array and the others represent data collected after each extension of that base array. The serial numbers listed represent the serial numbers of the base array or the topmost segment of the array after each extension was added. 


Figure 3: The base SAAV Extend and each extended data set will be listed as separate arrays


Care should be taken to ensure that the adjustments applied to data sets collected from extended ShapeArrays match with the adjustments applied to the base array in the first Reset conversion. By default, Raw2Data will automatically apply the Cyclical adjustment to the base array in the first Reset conversion; however, it will not automatically apply any adjustments in subsequent Reset conversions. You will need to manually enable the Cyclical adjustment on the extended arrays if this adjustment was applied to the base array’s data.


NOTE: Measurand recommends selecting the Raw Filenames option in the DIY Output section of the Export Settings. By default, exported DIY output files will be named based on the serial number of the topmost segment of the ShapeArray. As the topmost segment will change as extensions are added to the SAAV Extend, this serial number will also change. Selecting the Raw Filenames option will change the DIY output filenames to match the names of the raw data files, which, if the default naming scheme is maintained, will make it easier to identify the output data from each extension of the base ShapeArray (e.g. SAA1_DATA for the base array, SAA1_DATA_EXTEND1 for the first extension, SAA1_DATA_EXTEND2 for the second extension, etc).


Figure 4: Select the Raw Filenames DIY export option