Instrument Control (GPIB, Serial, VISA, IVI)

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failure of serial communication

Hi, I have a problem about the serial communication between LabVIEW and a FTDI chip (UART to USB). I cannot read from this serial port. Even no response when I sent *IDN?\n in MAX.
 
Here is some other information:
 
I can detect the port (COM4).
I have installed the driver of FTDI chip.
I have called the DLL file.
I can write and read through another software made by the chip company.
When highlighting the data flow and setting an pin point in the output of “VISA read”, it reads zero bytes. It’s like the data I wrote did not enter into VISA.
 
 
Could you give me some advice?  


Thanks!

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Message 1 of 16
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You're expecting the FTDI chip to respond to *IDN?\n    ?

If so, why?

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Message 2 of 16
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Hi,

 

Maybe I am not sure about the meaning of *IDN?\n . I thought the if I write *IDN?\n, then I will read the information of the chip, such as name, version.

 

Actually, I wanna read the register of a Maxim chip using UART communication. FTDI chip was used to transfer to USB interface. So I said I wanna read information from FTDI.

 

Do I make it clear?

 

Thanks!

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Message 3 of 16
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Forget the *IDN? That is a standard command used by instruments, primarily GPIB, to request the instrument's identification.

 

I have never heard of a chip responding to that command.

 

The typical way that the FTDI chip is used is to create a virtual RS-232 port which actually communicates via USB. It appears that that is working for you because you detect COM4.

 

Now you need to determine the communications protocol used by the Maxim chip. You have not told us what device it is or how it communicates.

 

Lynn

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Message 4 of 16
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Thank you for answering.

 

The Maxim chip is 78M6610+PSU, and using UART communication method.

 

I want to read the information of the registers of Maxim chip. I need to write the address of register first, and then read from other register address. But I read nothing.

 

Do you have any suggestions?

 

Thank you:)

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Message 5 of 16
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From the attached picture, my problem is that I can write bytes, while the Bytes Read is zero.

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Message 6 of 16
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This is the picture.Write and Read_FT232R USB UART.png

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Message 7 of 16
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A picture of the front panel does not help very much when trying to determine what is not working.

 

The device data sheet has several pages describing how it communicates via the serial interface. On page 41 it states that the data rate is 38400 baud.  Your image shows a different value.  Do you have the Serial Interface Selection and Device Address pins set correctly? Are you formatting the command-response bytes correctly? The data sheet does not appear to define the checksum calculation - for example does the checksum include the synchronization header?

 

Please post your VI so we can see what you have tried.

 

Lynn

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Message 8 of 16
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Thank you very much. I will read the data sheet again.

 

BTW, how to set "Device Address pins"? From MAX or the chip itself?

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Message 9 of 16
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Page 39 of the data sheet.  Read the Warning box.

 

Lynn

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Message 10 of 16
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