Wednesday, 27 July 2011

Find out Computer Battery Information with BatteryInfoView


BatteryInfoView is a small utility for laptops and netbook computers that displays the current status and information about your battery. The displayed battery information includes the battery name, manufacture name, serial number, manufacture date, power state (charging/discharging), current battery capacity, full charged capacity, voltage, charge/discharge rate, and more... 
BatteryInfoView also provides a log window, which adds a new log line containing the battery status every 30 seconds or any other time interval that you choose.

Using BatteryInfoView

BatteryInfoView doesn't require any installation process or additional dll files. In order to start using it, simply run the executable file - BatteryInfoView.exe
The main window of BatteryInfoView provides 2 view modes:


  • Battery Information: (Press F7 to switch into this mode)
    Displays general status and information about your battery. The information is updated every 10 seconds by default, and you change this update rate in the 'Advanced Options' window (F9). There are 4 calculated fields that are updated only every 30 seconds or more.
  • Battery Log: (Press F8 to switch into this mode)
    In this window, a new log containing the status of the battery (Power State, % Capacity, and so on) is added every 30 seconds. You can change the log interval in the 'Advanced Options' window (F9). A new log line is also added when the computer is suspended (standby/hibernate) and resumed, so you can easily find out in      which rate the battery is discharged while the computer is on standby mode.

In both view modes, you can export the battery information into csv/tab-delimited/html/xml file, by using the 'Save Selected Items' option (Ctrl+S). You can also copy the information into the clipboard, and then paste it into Excel or other spreadsheet application.

Columns Description

  • Battery Name: The name of your battery.
  • Manufacture Name: The name of the company that manufactured the battery.
  • Serial Number: The serial number of your battery. This value is displayed only if the battery supports it.
  • Manufacture Date: The date that the battery was manufactured. This value is displayed only if the battery supports it.
  • Power State: The current power state of the battery: Charging, Discharging, AC Power, or Critical.
  • Current Capacity (in %): The current % capacity, which is the same capacity value displayed by Windows.
  • Current Capacity Value: The current absolute capacity, which is usually displayed in mWh units (milliwatt-hours).
  • Full Charged Capacity: The capacity of the battery, when it's fully charged. This value is usually displayed in mWh units (milliwatt-hours).
  • Designed Capacity: The full capacity of the battery, when it's completely new.
  • Battery Wear Level: The wear level of the battery, in % 
    The wear level of a new battery should be around 100%, and it gradually decreases. This value is calculated according to the 'Designed Capacity' and 'Full Charged Capacity' values.
  • Voltage: Current battery voltage across the battery terminals, in millivolts.
  • Charge/Discharge Rate: The current charge or discharge rate, usually displayed in milliwatts.
  • Chemistry: Battery's chemistry: Lithium Ion, Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Metal Hydride, and so on.
  • Low Battery Capacity: Manufacturers suggestion of a capacity, in mWh, at which a low battery alert should occur.
  • Number of charge/discharge cycles: Number of charge/discharge cycles the battery has experienced. This value is displayed only if the battery supports it.
  • Remaining battery time for the current activity (Estimated): The remaining battery time according to the current activity. This value is calculated according to the change of the 'Current Capacity Value' in the last 30 seconds.
  • Full battery time for the current activity (Estimated): The time that the battery can hold when it's fully charged, according to the current activity. This value is calculated according to the change of the 'Current Capacity Value' in the last 30 seconds.
  • Remaining time for charging the battery (Estimated): The remaining time for charging the battery. This value is calculated according to the change of the 'Current Capacity Value' in the last 30 seconds.
  • Total time for charging the battery (Estimated): The total time that you need to wait in order to charge the battery. (Displayed only when the battery is in 'charging' status) 
    This value is calculated according to the change of the 'Current Capacity Value' in the last 30 seconds.

Translating BatteryInfoView to other languages

In order to translate BatteryInfoView to other language, follow the instructions below:
  1. Run BatteryInfoView with /savelangfile parameter: 
    BatteryInfoView.exe /savelangfile 
    A file named BatteryInfoView_lng.ini will be created in the folder of BatteryInfoView utility.
  2. Open the created language file in Notepad or in any other text editor.
  3. Translate all string entries to the desired language. Optionally, you can also add your name and/or a link to your Web site. (TranslatorName and TranslatorURL values) If you add this information, it'll be used in the 'About' window.
  4. After you finish the translation, Run BatteryInfoView, and all translated strings will be loaded from the language file. 
    If you want to run BatteryInfoView without the translation, simply rename the language file, or move it to another folder.

License

This utility is released as freeware. You are allowed to freely distribute this utility via floppy disk, CD-ROM, Internet, or in any other way, as long as you don't charge anything for this and you don't sell it or distribute it as a part of commercial product. If you distribute this utility, you must include all files in the distribution package, without any modification !


No comments:

Post a Comment