UT803 Uni-Trend Bench Multimeter Driver

[Kaletho]

Hi!

I write this in the edge of desperation for I´m REALLY new to LabView

I´m trying to use the UT803 Uni-Trend bench multimeter for data acquisition in LabView through RS232

I started searching on how to do it, and came to this posts

in this post:

http://forums.ni.com/t5/Discussions-de-produit-de-NI/Passage-RS232-vers-USB/m-p/1548790

the user says he developed his own IV for the multimeter, I reply the post trying to reach him but he´s not online since like 2008 so I guess he won´t reply soon

So I searched for the driver and found this one

http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.download_page?p_id_guid=5A2A9076B4C65AEBE04400144F1EF8...

which is for the UT804 Multimeter. I tried to use it but I don´t really know how. I just copied it to the <LabVIEW>\instr.lib like they show in here

http://www.ni.com/devzone/idnet/inetinst.htm

and now I can see the Functions -> Instrument I/O -> Instrument Drivers -> UT804 Multimeter. But when I´m to use it I´m totally lost

Having done that I searched for the driver of the UT803 from the Manufacturer CD like they say in here

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/ut60e/m-p/172930

but there´s no DLL file, so I searched it in their homepage to see it they provided it online

http://www.uni-trend.com/UT803.html

but still no DLL to use in the driver wizard.

Having done that I looked for how to control the RS232 "Manually" so I looked in these post on how to do it

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/ut60e/m-p/172930

http://forums.ni.com/t5/Discussions-de-produit-de-NI/Acquisition-de-trames-sur-port-serie/m-p/624378

(This one in Chinese is called) RS-232接電表一直出現錯誤 

but still no clue

I did quite a research, but still I´m a starter so I guess without knowledge I can´t do much.

Can anyone help me? please I really need to get this multimeter to work 

Thank you in advance

Julian

Physics Student

I´m using LabView Student Ed 8.0 

Measurement and Automation Explorer ver 4.3.0f 0

Windows Vista (I know what you´re thinking...It was not my choice)

By mistake I posted this same message in: http://forums.ni.com/t5/Driver-Development-Kit-DDK/UT803-Uni-Trend-Bench-Multimeter-Driver/m-p/15495...

[kris.mattews]

Hi

ive got the same problem.

ive bought the meter works fine with the software provided but can figure out how to use it with labview.

There is a driver on the CD which came with the meter but don't know how you import this into labview.

Have you figured it out yet?

Regards

Kris

[Albert.Geven]

As you can see in the 804 driver a dll is not needed, so why are you searching for it?

If somebody provides the manual for the Uni Trend meters, I can check if both drivers can deal with the same driver.

Anyhow the driver for the UT804 has some strange programming elements for a driver. but It seems to be tested.

One of the quircks is why the vi's are reentrant when no local data is stored over more than one call.

[Kaletho]

PS: Hi!

someone replied to my post! (And its not about posting in the wrong place )

I don´t understand the drivers thing, I guess I simply don´t know where to start looking or what to do.

What I´m doing is very basic,

1- I installed the driver provided in the CD with the UI they provide and cheked the multimeter communicated with the computer via USB with it

2- I try to get it veryfied in the Measurement and Automation Explore under the "Devices and Interfaces -> GPIB0 (GPIB-USB-HS)" but it is not listed there, not even after I install the UT 804 drivers "from NI" 

What should I do? 

PS: I attach the manuals from the CD provided for the UT 803. I don´t know if it´s legal to upload any other content from the CD but you can download a better manual from here http://www.uni-trend.com/UT803.html and the same software from the CD 

[Albert.Geven]

This instrument has nothing to do with gpib it has a serial interface.

So you need to find out which serial port appears in the devicemanager (windows not NI) and the select that port in LabVIEW in the driver for the 804 or 803.

I don't mean the driver from the cd but from NI.

Can you please test this first.

[Kaletho]

Ok,
I connected the multimeter trough the RS232 cable and updated the driver of the COM1 port in the Device Manager with the CD provided (as you can see in the screenshot I attach). Also, in the driver directory in the CD there´s a PDF that says to "Choose the required COM
port number from the list and click OK." I don´t know what that means (srry for my ignorance)
In the Measurement and automation explorer I see no change in the devices and interfases COM1 port, also, changing that in the LabVIEW driver for the 804 takes no effect.
I attach some images to ilustrate what I´m doing

Tanks for your patience

Julian

[Albert.Geven]

So for sure it is a serial port, FTDi is known for good serial ports on usb.

Now you can forget that it has something  to do with USB. You see a serial port in LabVIEW and that it is connected via a usb port and a copper wire is completely invisible for the software!

So now try the downloaded driver and use the correct comport number probably not COM1 !

make it something like 4 or higher.

And then try the example again.

I'm leaving today for a vacation so don't worry when I don't find an ethernet connectio or time to reply.

[Kaletho]

HI!

I'll bring back to life this threat (after so long) so someone can help me understand  how to control a device via serial without a driver, or how to program that driver. 

I'll start by uploading some files

1- The ut804 driver found in the Developer Zone of NI

2- My attempt to use that driver to control the ut803 (Not working)

3- My attempt to use VISA control (In the Instrument I/O panel) (Also not working)

Now you must be thinking that an attempt using the Serial control in the Instrument I/O panel is missing, but the Test Panel in the Measurement & Automation explorer -> Serial & Parallel (COM4) brings back a timeout in any of the Input/Output commands (write, read query, etc).

Yet I have tested my serial port by shorting the 2nd and 3rd pin of serial port and tried this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM8a66g2eGo 

And it works!

So I guess... Help! What am I doing wrong?

Why doesn't my Visa control attempt work?

Can anyone test it?

PS. About the RS232 settings, the UNI-T 803 Operating manual reads.

(Page 54)

C. Setting of RS232C Serial Ports

Default of RS232C serial port for communication is set as:

Baud Rate  19200

Start bit     1

Stop bit     1

Data bits   7

Parity       Odd

[Stigwood]

Has anyone solved this yet..... why is it so hard! 

I have the manual for the recieved bits, but how do you get thise out? what command do you need to send?

regards,

James