GPIB-232CTA box on Linux

[sallyroberts]

Hi,

I have a GPIB-232CT-A box and I have connected a  null modem cable (9 pin to 9 pin -  made up exactly as the GPIB manual describes) connected to a pc which is running Red Hat Linix Enterprise v3.  The IEEE end of the box is connected to an IEEE controlled radio receiver via an IEEE cable.

I have set the dip switches on the GPIB box to:

1 on

2 off

3 on

4 off

5 off

6 off

7 on

8 off

i.e. for 8 data bits - 9600 bauds and 1 stop bit (N81).  Using the command >stty -F /dev/ttyS0 -all confirms that the serial device is set up like this (Note that there is only 1 serial port on my pc so it is definitely plugged into the right hole). 

The GPIB is switched on and the ready light does turn to green.

I have tried sending commands to the serial device but am getting absolutely no confirmation that the device is working - no response, no flashing lights and of course no receiver control.

The manual seems to assume I'm using dos/windows and all the drivers seemed aimed at these platforms but I cannot see any reason why I should not be able to just send commands to the device and see something happen.

So I have two questions;

1. Is there any test program (i.e. c/c++ code) that I could run which would prove that the GPIB device is not faulty?

2. Is there anything obvious I've missed or has anybody got any tips as to how I might get started with controlling my receiver using this box?

Regards,

Sally

[JamesC]

Hi Sally,

Unfortunately the GPIB-232CTA is not supported under Linux. The latest version of the NI-488.2 driver v. 2.5 only supports PXI/PCI/PCIe-GPIB and the GPIB-ENET/100 device under Red Hat Linux.

Sorry for the inconvenience this will cause you.

Regards
JamesC
NIUK and Ireland

[sallyroberts]

Well for the purposes of sending strings down a serial line to the GPIB box the box would not care whether it is getting the bytes from a windows platform or a linux platform.  - all it would see is +\- 12volts RS232. 

As each string can be terminated by either a <CR>, a <LF> or a <CR><LF> then the I do not see why sending commands down the serial line from an xterm should not work.

i.e. echo clr>/dev/ttyS0  (I have tried all sorts of functions listed in the manual but the box sits there with just the power and ready lamps on as if it is not even connected) - the message is definitely going down the line from the pc - I know this because I have monitored the leds on a breakout box - so my linux machine is definitely sending down the serial line (using the null modem cable).

So regardless of whether the message has come from a linux pc or a windows pc the GPIB box should give me some kind of response - is there any command I can get the box to give me any response at all - just something to indicate I have comms with it (i.e. turn the talk/listen light on - I don't care what it does at the moment - I just want it to do something as the box has done absolutely nothing and I'm beginning to think it could be faulty - but I don't know whether to send it back yet.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Sally