I’m curious to know if anyone has experience building custom COM objects or windows within Venus, similar to the AswStatusDialog, which dynamically displays line items based on function calls to the library. While I’m not deeply familiar with C-like languages or native Windows application development, I see this as an opportunity to expand my knowledge, and I’m hoping to learn from this community’s experience.
Specifically, I’m looking to graph real-time data using built-in Microsoft tools, like the Windows Forms Chart object (reference). The library I envision would have three core methods: (1) initialize the graph and axis data, along with the window title; (2) append data dynamically to the graph; and (3) terminate and clean up the object.
While I realize this could easily be accomplished using a Python integration, I’m particularly interested in seeing if this can be done using native Windows options—especially in setups where access to third-party tools or compilers may be restricted or impractical.
Additionally, I’m aware that in Venus 6, AswStatusDialog has been deprecated. If anyone knows what has replaced it or has suggestions for how to future-proof a solution like this, I’d greatly appreciate your insights!
Great tip about what to do for Venus 6! I was also wondering if anyone has custom built their own dialogs such as dialogs with graphics, graphs, charts, etc for realtime data visualization using this or some other way to do this as the backbone.
Basically we could have a python and matplotlib to auto graph this data but I want to see if there is a way to natively bring up a window using HSL and Windows .NET/C to be able to do the same thing. And preferably do it in a way which can also utilize a ASW Status Dialog in tandem in an ideal world!
I haven’t looked at the method, but the Hamilton Liquid Verification Kit method has the graph and chart functionality that you are looking for. There’s a table of data, and graph of data, all updated in real time as the data is measured.
The easiest way to write a COM object is C#, you can find many documents on web. With a interface/class and some attributes, you can write a COM object in several minutes. And also in C#, you can use the WnForm and windows form chart object to display GUI and chart.
I’ve done some things with COM in Venus; nothing directly related to what you’re talking about but similar enough that I’d be happy to work with you on it if you would like. What I’ve done so far has been primarily just for fun, which was making libraries to control Opentrons modules or the Fluent Control software via Venus (not for actual use), though I have also used it to make “Mermaid” diagrams directly from Venus. What you want definitely sounds doable and interesting so if you would like to chat more about developing it do let me know.
