GPIB-RS232 Converter

[Palang]

Hi:

I have the following setup.

Advantest Programable Voltage/Current Generator's GPIB Port (it is a GPIB Instrument) is conntected to a NI GPIB-RS232 Converter and Convertter Serial Port is conncted to a PC Serial Port..

GPIB-RS232 is configured in S-Mode.

I created a Hyperterminal for communication with  Advantest.

The Hyperterminal seems working, I tested Loop Back test, when typing a character it appears  twice on PC monitor indicating the Hyperterminal is working.

I typed ?, or *ID? , but didn't get anything (expected ID information from Advantest).

Question:

How do you communicate with Advantest? 

For example, if you want to set Advantest for 10 mA current, what command do you use for this.  In otherwords, I don't know what to type  or command language to use in the Hperterminal screen.

Appreciate your comment and suggestions.

Djamshid

[Dennis_Knutson]

You need to refer to the programming manual to determine what commands to use.

Note: I haven't used the RS232-GPIB converter In many years and that was with an instrument that had it embedded inside. It's so much simpler to just use a real GPIB controller. It's much faster and the cost difference is insignificant.

[Palang]

Hi Dennis:

Thanks for your feedback.

I've inhereted this system and have no choice. 

Advantest R6144 which we is also obsolete, I managed to get a its manual (hard to find) by Google search.  It gives a few examples of programing, one shown below, with not much explanation.

Sample Program on HP200 to generate 5 VDC:

10    ABORT 7

20    REMOTE 7

30    !

40    R6144=701

50    CLEAR R6144

60    !

70    OUTPUT R6144; "D5V"

80    OUTPUT R6144; "E"

90    WAIT 5

100  OUTPUT R6144; "H"

110  WAIT 1

120  LOCAL 7

130  END

I typed these in Hyperterminal. nothing happened..

What command language are these? Since Advantest is a GPIB Instrument (and pesumed connected to a GPIB Port of HP200 for their examples), aren't these command suposed to be GPIB Commands.

On the other hand,If in their examples Advantest is connected to Serial Port of HP200, aren't these supposed to be RS232 Commands which then get conerted to equivalent GPIB commands by GPIB-RS232 converter?

thanks.

[Dennis_Knutson]

The language is basic. What exactly did you enter? Surely not the whole line. The commands in that brief example are RSV, E, H. For your converter, you need to add the GPIB address but I don't recall the exact syntax. It should be in your manual.