Exportation problem with ITC 4005

[HuguesR]

Hello everyone,

I am doing an internship and I have to solve a problem with the export of a LabVIEW application. This application uses an ITC 4005 made by Thorlabs, and an Agilent 34401A to do measures. I can not tell much more since everything I do is confidential. This application works well on the development computer, but nobody found a way to export it properly to be able to do measures without locking the computer.

So I searched on the net and found the tutorial explaining how to use the Application builder to build and installer. I did it, including the run-time engine and installed it on my laptop. Then, I installed the NI-VISA ans the drivers for both the ITC 4005 ans the 34401A. Finally, I launched the application, hoping for the best.

The application didn't work as expected. It could communicate with the 34401A, but it didn't communicate with the ITC 4005. The application should send an order to the ITC to change the current value, but it doesn't send anything. And I can't find why.

That's why I decided to come here and require assistance, since I an a novice with LabVIEW and don't have enough experience to find where the problem is.

I really hope someone will be able to helpme, because everything I do seems useless and I have already been stuck on this problem for too long.

Hugues.

ps : Sorry if my english is not quite good and if I do mistake, I am french; so english is not my mother tongue.

[Dennis_Knutson]

The first thing you need to provide is the physical connection to the instrument. Is it gpib, usb, serial, Ethernet? Have you tried communication to it with MAX? Does the connection show up there? Unless you are using IVI, there is usually no need to install the drivers.

[HuguesR]

It is plugged with USB.

I don't really know what MAX is (and I'll look at it), but I tried to use the VISA Interactive Control, and the ITC apperead. I could use the I/O commands (though I don't know what it is used for) and it didn't return any error.

I don't know if the application is using IVI, how can I know if it does? I looked up in the application, and it used VISA.

Sorry for my incompetence, I never used labview before.

[Dennis_Knutson]

MAX is Measurement and Automation Explorer and if you are using the interactive control, you are using MAX. It's important to be able to differentiate between a USBTMC type of instrument and an instrument that emulates a serial port with the USB connection. The 34401 is a USBTMC type. I have no idea about the other. Best to show a screen shot from MAX from the working computer and one from the one that doesn't work. Need to see the interfaces list.

You need to provide details on what exactly you did with the interactive control. If it is a serial port, you won't typically get any errors on a write, even without an instrument connected.

[HuguesR]

You will find attached the screenshots of the MAX on the development computer and on my personnal computer. 

I just clicked on the Write and Query buttons without changing the command (*IDN?\n) to see what the results were.

I got "Return Count : 6 bytes" with the Write Operation,

and  "Return Count: 45 bytes  Thorlabs, ITC4005,M00240739,1.4.0/1.4.0/2.1.0\n" with the Query Operation.

However, after your reply I tried the Read operation, and, as you can see in the third picture, it got an error. "VISA: (Hex 0xBFFF015) : Timeout expired before operation completed. I didn't notice it and will look forward to it when I'll be at my work office tomorrow.

[pbelles]

I understand that your application works on the development machine and uses VISA functions. Right?

Do you have the NI-VISA Run Time Engine installed on the targets (the PCs on which you deployed your application)?

http://www.ni.com/download/ni-visa-run-time-engine-14.0.1/5024/en/

Check you include all the necessary files when you distribute an application : http://www.ni.com/tutorial/3303/en/

Cheers

[HuguesR]

It uses VISA functions.

I downloaded and installed the VISA Runtime Engine.

I used the project builder and the application builder to check if all the dependancies were included in the application.

But it still doesn't work and I can't seem to find why.