Using GPIB to control the HL5500PC(Bio-Rad)

[Jack0713]

Hello all,

I'm trying to use GPIB to control the hall effect measurement system, HL5500PC, produced by BIO-RAD.

Here are the extract from the manual about GPIB command:

      the primary address is always 3 and the secondary address determines the funation to be executed. these have been devided into LISTENER and TALKER mode.

the secondary address of both listener and talker mode are botween 0-30, what I want to ask is that, 1)which function should I use? functions simply from GPIB, functions from 488.2/GPIB, or VISA function? 2)How can i set the address in such case? 3)what function i can use to get the SRQ status bytes?

[Dennis_Knutson]

I would first try the VISA functions. The format for the VISA resource name is GPIB0::primary address::secondary address::INSTR.

VISA has the Read STB function.

[Jack0713]

Dear sir,

thanks for your suggestion. but when i try to use the VISA function, error come out.

the LabVIEW said that it can't find any instrument on the address. 

because i am a new comer of GPIB, i have no idea what i could do for this situation.

I appreciate  for all of your help!

[Dennis_Knutson]

In MAX (Measurement & Automation Explorer), did you do a search for instruments and if you did, was anything detected?

[Jack0713]

the problem is that i can't find anything in the search

[Dennis_Knutson]

If nothing shows up in the search, then something is wrong with the instrument, cable, or GPIB controller. My guess is with the instrument but that's just because I have seldom had problems with an NI GPIB controller. If you have another instrument or another cable, you can try to see if anything is detected. I also want to say that an instrument using secondary addresses - one to talk and one to listen is odd. Is this instrument very old? Are you able to get any help from the manufacturer?

[Albert.Geven]

Hi

You could try a serial poll on the instrument (only use the primary address).

The function to do this is "VISA Read STB" meaning read status byte.

This one is handled by the gpib controller in the instrument.

A byte should return if the instrument is awake.

You also should look on the instruments panel for lights that change to remote or local.