VISA remote server under Linux problem

[ggdeboo]

Hello all,

I am trying to setup a VISA remote server under Linux and I'm running into some problems.

I have installed Scientific Linux 6.2 and NI VISA 5.1.2 on two PC's. These are running fine and I am able to communicate with hardware (Serial port, NI GPIB card, NI Daq card).

On other PC's I have VISA running under Windows.

My goal is to have the Linux PC's to be able to use eachother's instruments through the VISA remote server utility. I am able to start the remote server and have modified the visaconf.ini file to allow access to PC's in my network. When I try to connect to a remote server, running either under Windows or Linux, using VISA on a Linux PC I get the error:

VISA: (Hex 0xBFFF00A8) Access to the resource or remote machine is denied. This is due to lack of sufficient privileges for the current user or machine. 

However when I use VISA on a Windows PC to connect to the same remote server, running either under Windows or Linux, it is successful.

In short:

• WindowsVISA->Windows remote server is working
• WindowsVISA->Linux remote server is working
• Linux VISA->    Windows remote server is not working
• Linux VISA->Linux remote server is not working

When I look at the network traffic when a client is trying to connect to a remote server I notice that VISA under Linux is not using the same ports, maybe that is the source of my problem? Is there a way to specify the port to use in the VISA interactive control utility?

For a failed connection from VISA under linux to the remote server running on Windows I see:

VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP 56582 > ni-visa-remote [SYN] Seq=0 Win=14600 Len=0 MSS=1460 TSV=57379 TSER=0 WS=6
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP ni-visa-remote > 56582 [SYN, ACK] Seq=0 Ack=1 Win=64512 Len=0 MSS=1260 WS=0 TSV=0 TSER=0
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP 56582 > ni-visa-remote [ACK] Seq=1 Ack=1 Win=14656 Len=0 TSV=57380 TSER=0
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP ni-visa-remote > 56581 [FIN, ACK] Seq=1 Ack=1 Win=63931 Len=0 TSV=119419 TSER=45905
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP 56581 > ni-visa-remote [ACK] Seq=1 Ack=2 Win=229 Len=0 TSV=57381 TSER=119419
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP 56582 > ni-visa-remote [PSH, ACK] Seq=1 Ack=1 Win=14656 Len=581 TSV=57381 TSER=0
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP ni-visa-remote > 56582 [PSH, ACK] Seq=1 Ack=582 Win=63931 Len=32 TSV=119419 TSER=57381
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP 56582 > ni-visa-remote [ACK] Seq=582 Ack=33 Win=14656 Len=0 TSV=57382 TSER=119419
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP 56582 > ni-visa-remote [FIN, ACK] Seq=582 Ack=33 Win=14656 Len=0 TSV=57382 TSER=119419
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP ni-visa-remote > 56582 [ACK] Seq=33 Ack=583 Win=63931 Len=0 TSV=119419 TSER=573 

and for a successful connection in the reverse direction I see:

VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP seagulllms > ni-visa-remote [SYN] Seq=0 Win=64512 Len=0 MSS=1260
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > seagulllms [SYN, ACK] Seq=0 Ack=1 Win=14600 Len=0 MSS=1460
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP seagulllms > ni-visa-remote [ACK] Seq=1 Ack=1 Win=64512 Len=0
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP seagulllms > ni-visa-remote [PSH, ACK] Seq=1 Ack=1 Win=64512 Len=581
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > seagulllms [ACK] Seq=1 Ack=582 Win=15687 Len=0
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > seagulllms [PSH, ACK] Seq=1 Ack=582 Win=15687 Len=32
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP seagulllms > ni-visa-remote [PSH, ACK] Seq=582 Ack=33 Win=64480 Len=82
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > seagulllms [ACK] Seq=33 Ack=664 Win=15687 Len=0
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > seagulllms [PSH, ACK] Seq=33 Ack=664 Win=15687 Len=300
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP dsdn > ni-visa-remote [SYN] Seq=0 Win=64512 Len=0 MSS=1260
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > dsdn [SYN, ACK] Seq=0 Ack=1 Win=14600 Len=0 MSS=1460
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP dsdn > ni-visa-remote [ACK] Seq=1 Ack=1 Win=64512 Len=0
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP dsdn > ni-visa-remote [PSH, ACK] Seq=1 Ack=1 Win=64512 Len=581
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > dsdn [ACK] Seq=1 Ack=582 Win=15687 Len=0
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > dsdn [PSH, ACK] Seq=1 Ack=582 Win=15687 Len=32
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP dsdn > ni-visa-remote [PSH, ACK] Seq=582 Ack=33 Win=64480 Len=84
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > dsdn [PSH, ACK] Seq=33 Ack=666 Win=15687 Len=36
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP dsdn > ni-visa-remote [FIN, ACK] Seq=666 Ack=69 Win=64444 Len=0
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP seagulllms > ni-visa-remote [PSH, ACK] Seq=664 Ack=333 Win=64180 Len=56
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > seagulllms [ACK] Seq=333 Ack=720 Win=15687 Len=0
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > seagulllms [PSH, ACK] Seq=333 Ack=720 Win=15687 Len=32
VISA_WINDOWS -> VISA_LINUX TCP seagulllms > ni-visa-remote [FIN, ACK] Seq=720 Ack=365 Win=64148 Len=0
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > dsdn [ACK] Seq=69 Ack=667 Win=15687 Len=0
VISA_LINUX -> VISA_WINDOWS TCP ni-visa-remote > seagulllms [ACK] Seq=365 Ack=721 Win=15687 Len=0

Another problem that I have on the Linux installations is that I am not able to use the visaconf utility: whenever it opens or tries to read or write the settings file it gives the following error: 

Error 13 occurred at Call Library Function Node in IniconfWrapper.lvclass:OpenIni.vi->VisaconfModel.lvclass:OpenVisaconfModel.vi->InitializeVisaconf.vi->main.vi->Startup.vi
 
Possible reason(s):
 
LabVIEW:  File is not a resource file.
=========================
NI-488:  Shareable board exclusively owned.

Instead I edit the visaconf.ini file manually. I have added the following to enable the server:

[VISASERVER-CONFIG]
Port=3537

[REMOTE-ACCESS]
Address0="A.A.A.*"
AccessLevel0=1
NumEntries=1

 with A being the IP address of my network.

[KyleP]

ggdeboo,

For your second question, I see that a Corrective Action Request (CAR) has been submitted to the Research & Development team. From CAR #351912:

When attempting to start visaconf using NI VISA 5.1.2 on OpenSuSE 11.3, you receive error 13 immediatly upon launch. (See attached image) All other Visa functionality seems to work.

 Unfortunately, there is no workaround currently available for this issue. 

As for the privileges error, I searched through ni.com for your error code and found this Knowledge Base article. It's written for a PXI Controller but it may apply to your situation as well.

Regards,