tektronix tds3000- acquisition fail

[araaz]

It was not my VI. I have already written it is the one, came with the driver as an example. No matter what VI I am using, which computer I am using, it is giving that error only. So afterwards, I just include initialize.vi, errorquery.vi, errormessage.vi and close.vi...to simply check where the problem is. And it shows again the same problem. we need to use initialize.vi each and everyttime right? In that case, it will for sure give the same error no matter what subVI or VI I am using,

[Dennis_Knutson]

No, the initialize function is not required.

You are still the one who has the instrument and needs to debug the issue. The initialize function does a few things. If you set id query Boolean to true, it sends *IDN? and then goes a read. You have been asked to do this manually with MAX and the VISA interactive control. Please do this followed by the error query. If the scope does not report an error, look at the block diagram of the initialize again. There are one of two things that will happen depending on the reset input. One will be a *RST command. Again, do this in MAX and check for an error with the error query. The other option for a false reset setting is usually a set defaults function. There will be s list of commands there. Repeat the debug process in MAX for each of those.

You can also set a break point and execute each VISA Write one at a time when you run the initialize function. Watch the scope screen and see when it displays an error.

You can turn on IO Trace in MAX, run the initialize function and the trace will provide a complete list of scope commands. This is the list of commands you would send in MAX.

These steps are not all that complicated and need to be done to say whether there is a bug in the driver or a bug with the scope's firmware.

[mcduff]

You got the answer in a previous discussion thread,

http://forums.ni.com/t5/Instrument-Control-GPIB-Serial/Query-interrupted-error-while-acquiring-wavef...

As the poster said, just remove the Error Query part.

I quote

One of our customers has solved the issue just by removing the error query part. Try to check this out and see if it works.

I highly suggest you take som eintorductory classes online.

Cheers,

Andrew

[crossrulz]

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mcduff wrote:

As the poster said, just remove the Error Query part.

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That's not an answer.  It is just covering up the error.  You need to figure out what command is causing the error and fix that.

[mcduff]

I'm going to try to find one of the scopes here to test it out.

But if the error query returns an cryptic answer from the initialize function, which has standard commands like *IDN? and *RST, etc, then there might be something wrong with the firmware in the scope related to that query. A google search indicates that this problem is not new and, and members that have commented here have also commented on the same problem in the past,

see

http://forums.ni.com/t5/facebookforums/facebooksingletopicpage/facebook-app/417075545007603/message-...

http://www1.tek.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=386

I am not as knowledgeable as some on this post, but if skipping the query works then I say go for it. Do you really need to check the error log from the scope after *IDN?

Cheers,

mcduff

[Dennis_Knutson]

The second link is from the op on this thread.

The point being that no one knows which command is causing the error and if it is the firmware, then tek needs to be informed. Not reading the errors is not a solution since the error buffer will just fill up. Many instruments will just stop when the buffer is full.

[araaz]

I have removed the initialize.vi completely, and the VI is not giving any hardware missing query anymore. Thus, for certain, the problem is only with initialize.vi. But, I am not able to fetch the waveform I want, it is giving a straight line only, so I think there are some essential queries in initialize.vi. Can you please provide me, what queries in initialize.vi are mandatory for Tektronix TDS3000 series?

[Dennis_Knutson]

Nothing. You can see for yourself what is inside the initialize fiction and have been repeatedly told to do so.

[araaz]

Inside the initialize.vi is id query, reset query, serial/GPIB setup query and "close if error" block. I am asking if any of them is mandatory, because after deleting the initialize.vi, I am not getting the error, but I am not able to fetch the signal too, it is giving some straight line.

[Dennis_Knutson]

No, none are mandatory. The reset puts it in a known state but you have functions to configure everything you want before doing an acquisition.

Instead of removing the initialize, connect false constants to the request id and reset? inputs. I also suggested that you do an I/O Trace in MAX so you knew exactly what commands were being issued by initialize. If you had done that, this question would not have been necessary.