GPIB instrument legacy Microlink 4000 using GPIB-USB-HS

[JBYChan]

Hello all,

I'm dealing with three ancient data loggers, Microlink 4000, connected by GPIB and interfacing with my PC via GPIB-USB-HS.

There are no drivers for the data loggers...

Their primary addresses in MAX are displayed and I'm able to send commands but I'm unsure what to do next to begin reading the data logged by each module.

I suspect I'm simply not accessing each module's secondary address or using the wrong commands. I have scoured the web for 488.1 manuals or commands but they're not working in VISA interactive control.

i.e. (Hex 0xBFFF0015) Read error occurs whenever I'm querying the devices...

System specification:

• 3 x 4301 power units
• 3 x 4300 control units
• 1 x 4010 timebase unit
• 34 x 4030 (12 Bit A-D converters)

I apologise if I've not attached enough information still very new to LabVIEW and MAX.

Please advise!

Many thanks,

JChan

[Dennis_Knutson]

Since that abbreviated manual does not have any information on the commands and you have not said what you are actually sending, not much can be done to help you. Older instruments often require a different or additional termination other that EOI.

The vendors web site offers life time support. What do they say?

[JBYChan]

I have the original manual for the software and hardware but the support for this product seems non-existant. i.e. somewhat difficult to get a specific answer.

The software manual does not show much in the way of any commands but rather their own software and some other languages (Basic, C, etc.)

I think I've found another GPIB command list which might work.

[Dennis_Knutson]

The commands written wth Basic or C will be the same commands you write with LabVIEW. Since you have not attached the manual with those commands or this other one, or provided the actual commands you've tried, help from here is going to be difficult.

[JBYChan]

Apologies, I'm somewhat reluctant to post the manual since they're scanned documents.

I appreciate if you could point me in the right direction.

Many thanks.

[JBYChan]

I've attached some of the files included in the drivers for development purposes.

[Dennis_Knutson]

That first document refers to using some .obj file in DOS. That would make sense if the vendor provided their own GPIB controller for the pc. I cannot open the zip file.

I have no idea where you would get the custom driver (obj) but I doubt you could call it from any Windows os.

[JBYChan]

Thanks, I've reattached the drivers which come with the instrument.

Hopefully I'm not on a wild goose chase.

[Dennis_Knutson]

I'm posting from my phone and opening the zip file is a problem with that, not the file itself. If those driver files are using the obj file to call functions, you won't be able to use them.

Do you have any reference to using Windows to communicate? Or anything that refers to the actual GPIB commands? The first attachment refers to it on the table of contents but it is incomplete. The second manual you attached seems much older.

[JBYChan]

Ah yes, there are some commands in the file for GPIB in Basic, C, Fortran & Pascal.

DFMSCS.OBJ interface module for Microsoft C - Small model
DFMSCC.OBJ interface module for Microsoft C - Compact model
DFMSCM.OBJ interface module for Microsoft C - Medium model
DFMSCL.OBJ interface module for Microsoft C - Large & Huge models
GPIBC.H C header file - GPIB constants and function prototypes
GPIBFUNC.H C source file - GPIB transfer functions
CC8.C example C program to read Microlink CC-8 module
HP7470.C example C program to drive HP7470 plotter

Thanks for your quick reply!

The company don't seem to have a complete electronic copy. I only have the documents that came with the machine.

Kind regards.