Can't find tams usb gpib interface (agilent io suite) in max

[mike-o-tronic]

Hello,

I am trying to use my TAMS 63488 USB-GPIB Interface in LabView.

There is a manual how to use TAMS Interfaces in LabView. You should uninstall everything of IO Suite excepting the SICL-Parts. The Problem is, this option is not given in the newer versions of the suite running under win7 (14.2+). And according to the driver download homepage, you have to install Suite 14.2+. This is misleading. On my request to a manual for using a newer version of the suite I got no reply until now, so I will try it on own and with your help, I hope.

For this I have installed on my Win7 x86 system:

-LabView 2009

-NI-VISA 4.6

-NI-488.2 2.73

-Measurement & Automation Explorer 4.6.2

-Agilent IO Suite 15.5

-TAMS 63488 driver v1.2

The Tams driver is working on my system. In the Agilent Connection Expert I can see the interface and the connected instrument. And I can communicate over this connection.

To use this interface in LabView I enabled the NI-VISA Passport for Tulip, but I got no new device in MAX. I tried to enable Agilent GPIB Cards for 488 programs in the Connection Expert, but this was not the solution.

So I checked the dll's. The GPIB-32.dll is replaced by Agilent, so the Agilent Cards should be enabled for 488 programs. But the info for the t6348832.dll says "TULIP DLL for the T63488 USB/GPIB". So the 488 option may take no effect, but why didn't I get any effect on enabling the Passport for Tulip? Any ideas?

Thanks for your help and support,

Michael

[mike-o-tronic · Accepted solution]

For anybody who has this special problem:

I figured out a little workaround to solve this Problem. For this you need a Agilent Suite which allows to uninstall VISA without SICL (Agilent IO Libraries revision M.01.01 should be the lastest). With a tool like 7Zip you can unpack the single setup-file to get the installation files. Now you have to activate the compatibility mode for Windows XP on the installation application before you install the libraries. After this you can proceed like described by TAMS:

http://tamsinc.com/hpib/60488/support/ni-60488.htm

Best regards

Michael

[konstantantin]

I don't know exactly what you did there to get it working. I have te same problem and tried a lot of things to get it working. But i cant get it to work, It would be really nice if you or someone else can help me to get this interface to work.

thx

Konstantin

[Daniel_Eduardo]

Hello konstantantin,

I really hope that the ones that solved this issue reply to this comment of you, if not, please create a new thread so that you have more visibility on the community.

Thanks! 

[konstantantin]

Jup I thought so too, thx

[Dennis_Knutson]

Shouldn't you be asking TAMS? This is non-NI hardware that uses a non-NI driver.

[konstantantin]

Kind of and kind of not, first someone found a work around and that is good to know and i'm searching for one. I also talked to TAMS they also said that NI does not have any interest in 3rd Party devices to work with NI. And TAMS is supplying a VISA but NI dous not whant to use it. I'm just searching for an solution.

Konstantin

[mike-o-tronic]

Hi Konstantin,

Sorry for the late answer. I've been on a longer vacation recently and just trying to catch up with things.

As you might have realized I encountered the problem a while ago and I don't know if the work around is still functional for current MAX/LabVIEW versions. If you haven't solved your problem yet, it's still worth a try.

It took me quite a while to recall everything and find all you'd need. But as I mentioned in my original post the issue is that you need to install ONLY the SICL part of the IO Suite. The last version, which had the option to do so was the M version. Can actually be found here:

http://www.keysight.com/find/iosuite  -> Download previous releases from our archive (at the bottom) -> Previous Version (tab)

When I did this I couldn't get the Libraries installed, because the installer wasn't compatible with Windows 7. The solution was to "unzip" the single installer file into a folder. You will another installer plus libraries, but with this one Windows XP compatibility mode made it work. AFTER installing the IO Libraries you have to install NI VISA, go to MAX -> NI-VISA -> VISA Options -> Passports (tab) and enable NIVisaTulip.dll

The manual I had linked before was apperently taken out by TAMS. I found another link: http://www.techsoft.de/htbasic/downloads/NI-60488.pdf

I hoped this helped. Good luck with your installation!

[konstantantin]

Hi,

no Problem im very glad that you are still around. Ok Im going to try it, jup the problem with the SICL option to show up. I dont have to use the latest MAX and i cant get any previous version of it. Ok just tried it on this machine and yes now it sows up first i was thinking u extract the sicl library out of the EXE directory. You mean these options?(Attachments)

Thx for the help now i will see if MAX is willing to cooperate 😉

PS: I know they pulled it from there website, because i contacted them an they sad it is not supported and sad then they will pull it from there Website, but i downloaded all the documents 😉 

[mike-o-tronic]

Yes, that's the screen you need. So it looks promising 😉