failed to initialize component GPIBCONF.DLL

[takis]

I am running labview 7.1 (windows XP) using Agilent USB/GPIB interface. I have installed some software of Lakeshore to communicate with one of the instruments. However during installation it changed the file GPIB-32.dll. Since then, when I try to run my programs, I get an error saying : "failed to initialize component" related to GPIBCONF.DLL.

Thank you

[Dennis_Knutson]

Do you know that it actually changed the dll or is the Lakeshore merely using the LabVIEW GPIB functions? You can only use the VISA functions in LabVIEW to communicate to an Agilent GPIB controller. Is it only the Lakeshore VIs that cause an error or do previous programs that use VISA also fail? If older programs fail, what exactly was the Lakeshore software that you installed? Have you tried doing a repair of the Agilent software?

[takis]

Thanks for the help.

Actually this program provided by Lakeshore allows to communicate with some of their temperature controllers either using GPIB either Serial port so as to modifiy some calibration curves written in the EEPROM of the controller. However, it does not use Labview. This must be the bad part since it tries to add some dll of its own (it tried to modifiy GPIB-32.DLL dring installation).

Now I uninstalled it without even trying to use it when I realized to it could not be used using VISA. During UNINSTALL, I was proposed to delete many shared dlls which I did not do. Now the trouble is that my previous VI's (using VISA) no longer work. (this GPIBCONF.DLL error). Up to now I have reinstalled the drivers provided by Agilent for the 82357A USB/GPIB interface. It did not help. However, the Agilent interface seems to be still working correctly. It seems to be related to Labview. Besides, the error arrives some time after launching the vi's.

Now I have looked for the GPIBCONF.DLL file on the disk and I have not found it. Maybe I will try to repair the labview installation and reinstall NI488 drivers ?

Thanks for the help

[Dennis_Knutson]

The gpib-32.dll is installed for both Agilent and NI controllers I believe. I'm not sure what the gpibconf.dll does aside from guessing that it used for some configuration. I have a copy and it has an NI copyright notice in the file. It may be that NI-VISA expects to find this file even though you are using Agilent's controller. I think doing a repair of NI-488 should do the trick.

[takis]

thanks a bunch. I will let you know the result as soon as I try it.

[takis]

Finally, I had to reinstall Visa. The lakeshore software I tried to install (curve handler) had copied its own dll. I had ended up having 2 sets of dll, (gpib-32.dll for example), one provided by agilent and the other provided by National instruments.

Thanks for the help.