LabVIEW Communication with AWG TGA12104

[Versatilesamudia]

Hi all,

I am currently exploring the use of LabVIEW VISA for communication with instruments. I am looking at communicating over the different interfaces (USB, LAN AND RS232). I had no problem establishing communication with Agilent DSO1012A and 33220A over the USB and Ethernet interfaces.

However, I have got an AWG TGA12104 with USB and RS232 communication interface. I have not been able to establish any successful communication with this instrument except the identity query. First I had problems installing the USB driver. Information that came along with the driver CD states that when the remote interface of the instrument is set to USB, the system plug and play will automatically detect the USB device when it is first connected and there will be onscreen directions to follow to install the driver. This I did but the device driver failed to be installed the first time and there was no onscreen direction to follow. I have tried other USB ports to see whether the system will recognise the device but this has been without success.

A second attempt to communicate with the device was through the NI-MAX. The only communication was the *IDN? query. This was achieved through the Serial communication port.

Can anyone please tell me what to do so that the device can be recognised as a USB device? I would also like to know how I can establish communication with this device. I have got a list of the instrument programming commands from the user's guide.

Please every useful suggestion will be welcomed.

Thanks

Peter

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

The USB issue is one you need to take up with the manufacturer.

If  you are able to do a *IDN? query via serial then you should be able to issue other commands and/or queries via same manner.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Check the instrument manual to see if you need to switch the programming interface to USB from serial or GPIB. If that does not work, you need to contact the vendor as it does not appear to be a problem with NI hardware or software.

[Versatilesamudia]

Thank you very much NYC and Dennis,

@ NYC, the programming commands are quite different from the one I have been using with Agilent 33220A. They are something like WAVESINE (in place of FUNC SIN), OUTPUTON (in place of OUTP ON), WAVFREQ1000 ( in place of FREQ 1000 HZ). I think i should contact the manufacturer as you suggested.

@ Dennis, the instrument manual states that the programming interface have to be switched to USB for USB communication. That I have done. I have also succeded in getting windows to install the USB driver manually. I can only see the device on the list of devices in the devices and printers windows of my PC. MAX can still not recognise that any USB device have bee plugged in. Same with NI instrument driver finder.

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

Sounds like you also have Agilent IO Control installed.

If you want to have both Agilent VISA and NI-VISA installed, you must designate one as the primary.

There is documentation from NI and Agilent on how to do this.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Is the instrument listed as usbtmc in Windows device manager? Your difficulty in installing the Windows driver still makes me think there is an issue with the vendor's driver and you should be talking with them. Especially since you can recognize other usbtmc devices.

[Versatilesamudia]

Thank you very much NYC and Dennis for you interest in my challenge. I must quickly confess that I am a beginner in instrument communication and would apeal for pardon for any display of ignorance.

@ NYC I have checked through my system and can confirm that NI-VISA is the only VISA installed.

@ Dennis, the instrument is listed under universal serial bus controllers in the windows device manager -  Have you got something to say about that? other instruments which I have communicated with are listed under USBTMC. I tried checking out what it means for an instrument to be classified under USB controllers but haven't gotten any document that explains that yet. I have also sent a complaint to the vendor through the technical query form available on their website and I am now waiting to hear what they have to say.