SCPI + Language vs. Driver

[Digifusion]

Greetings, 

I have begun a project to use some old but fast digitizers on hand (Agilent/HP E1427A) to collect some data. After some unfruitful hours on the internet looking for manuals for the digitizers, I did some basic research and discovered that the hardware was designed to work under the SCPI standard. 

The digitize is a member of the HP 75000 VXI-bus family, so I am curious if anyone knows whether there exist drivers for this unit already or if it would have to be built from scratch?

In the latter case and for someone with introductory labview programming experience, how feasible would it be to write VISA events and handlers to retreive data. 

I stumbled across a compendium of c files that to me look like driver code, perhaps it may be useful?

http://www.filewatcher.com/b/ftp/ftp.agilent.com/mpusup/hpux/E1427A/src-0.html

I know this is rather introductory, and I apologize for not having done more research before posing these questions. 

[crossrulz]

Typically, you have to request data.  Which means a VISA Write followed by a VISA Read in order to get data back.  Don't worry about the VISA Events.

If you can figure out the SCPI commands, creating a driver is pretty easy.  Make a VI that does a particular job and put the VISA Writes and Reads in them as needed.  You might want to look in the LabVIEW Driver Library to see if a driver hasn't already been written.  I doubt it for VXI cards, but it is worth looking.

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

You are just asking for trouble if you don't have the manual explaining how to program these boards.

[AnalogKid2DigitalMan]

You may want to give some of these links and emails a try (along with Agilent):

http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/editorial.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&ckey=1000002849:epsg:faq&nid=-536900...

-AK2DM

[Digifusion]

I sent off emails to each company on the agilent list to see if they still carry the E1427A manual, thank you for the link. I also checked the NI driver library to no avail.

How long would it roughly take (given the proper SCPI/VISA command set for the instrument) to construct a driver in the category: digitizer. I ask on account of having read that some GPU drivers take years to build. 

[Joe_Geller]

I got one of the emails; kinda feels like winning lotto 

I had a quick look around at all the usual places.  The best I could find was this unsold E1428A manual (no affiliation with seller):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/350542565286

It might be close enough to get you started?

[Dennis_Knutson]

How long it takes is going to depend on a lot of things. What sort of controller does the VXI use (embedded, mxi, GPIB)? How much experience do you have with instrument control? For basic functionality, I would budget something starting at two weeks. A full driver would take much longer.

[Digifusion]

The hardware was designed to work with DOS or Unix. Unfortunately I have no guarantee that the manuals are the same, but thank you. 

[Dennis_Knutson]

That's funny since I've programmed VXI systems (including digitizers) with LabVIEW though that was with external control of the main frame (GPIB or MXI). If the only option you have is an embedded controller, then you would either need to add GPIB connection or learn whatever is installed on the controller. Most HP controllers had some flavor of Rocky Mountain Basic installed.

[Digifusion]

I found the manual in my lab under some dusty shelves! I shall try to scan and upload it to save others the same trouble I've undergone.

I guess I was basing the controller off of this page, I a pretty sure you can run these guys off labview, and they do mention that you can use basic.

http://www.testwall.com/datasheets/HP_E1401A.pdf 

can anyone with some c skills take a quick peak at this and tell me if it is the driver?

ftp://ftp.agilent.com/mpusup/hpux/E1427A/src/E1427A.h

ftp://ftp.agilent.com/mpusup/hpux/E1427A/src/E1427A.c