How do i program GPIB devices in Labview using and agilent 82357B

[kevweath]

I am unable to see my GPIB devices in labview. In Max they appear under Miscellenous VISA resources.

I have tried to follow the tutorial "Using an IVI-COM Instrument Driver in LabVIEW" but i am unable to find a device to attach to the resource name.

Specifically, i run a high speed digital pattern using a PCI-DIO32HS. I wish to program my AGILENT 33250 arbitrary function generator in my labview code and then trigger the generator with one of the digital lines. The function generator is attached to the pc via the 82357B USB to GPIB converter.

[JonBowers]

Hi There,

Bellow is a link to an article describing the procedures to use Agilent GPIB converters with NI VISA. Have you gone through all these steps?

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/F7C187DBF09EBE1186256F550065BD32?OpenDocument

Regards

Jon B
Applications Engineer
NI UK & Ireland

[kevweath]

Yes i have followed these steps. I had to enable the tulip passport to get the devices to show up in visa.

[JonBowers]

Can you post a screen shot of the device in MAX?

Are you able to assign a VISA alias to it?

Jon

[kevweath]

I've attached a screen grab. Thanks

[kevweath]

Other information which may be relevant.

I have enabled the device to work with NI 488.2 compatible programs in the Agilent Connection expert.

I am able to program connected GPIB devices through a VISA test panel from MAX.

If i try to run the example code (Template - Function Generator Standard Waveform.vi) for an attached device (eg. Agilent 33250A) there are no options in the VISA resource name drop down menu. If i try to add a resource name by hand LabVIEW crashes!

[JonBowers]

Hi Kevin,

Does the VISA alias you created for the device show up under VISA aliases for the system? (In MAX expand the software folder the click on VISA and then the Aliases entry under General Settings).  Does changing the I/O name filtering allow you to see the alias you have created?. I/O name filtering can be found by right clicking on the VISA I/O control. See the image bellow for the setting to change.

Regards

Jon

[kevweath]

Hi Jon,

Maybe i'm missing something obvious but i cannot find the visa I/O filter. I've attached a screen grab of what i get.

Thanks

[JonBowers]

 Sorry I think I should have been a bit clearer in my previous post. The VISA I/O name filtering is in LabVIEW from the VISA I/O control (see screen shot bellow). Does changing the filtering settings enable you to select the alias "generator". If not what kind of crash does putting in GPIB0::10::INSTR give? Does the VI error, LabVIEW hang or do you get a microsoft like illegal operation error? Can you run a simple VISA write and read vi and just write *IDN? to the device with this resource name of does that crash too?

Jon

[kevweath]

Hi Jon,

Changing the visa I/O name filtering has no effect, there are still no option appearing in the pull down menu. When i enter GPIB0::10::INSTR by hand, LabVIEW just hangs and then  when i try to stop the vi running i get the windows -program not responding error message. As you suggested, i have tried running a simple write and read vi (from \LabVIEW 8.2\examples\instr\smplserl.llb) and pretty much the same happens. The only difference is that the visa resource name box is not blank but has COM1 instead.(or COM4 and COM5 in the case of Basic 2 Port Serial Write and Read.vi).

Many thanks

Kevin