keithley 6221 ethernet

[BirdChuang]

Dear All,

I want to control 6221 through ethernet method. The 6221 and 2182A are connected to each other with RS232 and trigger link.

I try to use the demo program Keithley providing to test the instrument. Both instruments are connected to computer successfully, and all functions work by using the demo program.

However, when I use my program, the error show up when the command is sent to "VISA write".

(No error at "VISA open") Further, the instrument do not show any "REM" word.

Could you please give me some suggestions about this problem?

Very Thanks!!

[BirdChuang]

Dear all,

I can successfully control 6221 via ethernet when type command without question(?) mark.

When I type the command with question mark (like: *IDN?), the LabVIEW shows error. (something related to time out)

Furthermore, when I send command through RS-232 and trigger cable to 2182A, the 2182A do not have feedback. The front panel does not change to "REM" mode. ( I think this is the reason why LabVIEW show error related to time out, because LabVIEW cannot receive the feedback from 2182A.)

Please give me any suggestion or advice.

Thanks!

[cstorey]

Your code doesn't seem to wire the VISA Refnum (and Error) in the case you are showing, so the commands aren't being sent to and insrtument and the VISA write just times out.  Connect the wires and you should be good.  See below.

[BirdChuang]

Hi, thanks for your reply.

In fact, I also found that problem yesterday. After I connected it, the other problem show up.

As my second reply, I cannot query the instrument, and the 2182a doesn't be controlled remotely.

[BirdChuang]

Dear all,

I take a picture to show what happened if I query 6221 *IDN?

Although I can get its name, the error still exists...

Hope anyone can give me suggestions.

Thanks!

[cstorey]

For anyone to help you, you need to do 2 things:

1) Draw a diagram of the connections between devices and PC.  (One is LAN and the other is RS-232?  Your code has no RS-232 references.)  Trigger cable is not a communication cable, it just provides a pulse, so its not relevant until you setup the 6221 and 2182 trigger models correctly.

2) Attach your code, not images of it.  Nowhere do I see anything related to the 2182a.    In order to send commands to the 2182a you need to connect it physically (RS232, GPIB, USB, LAN, etc..)  and write code it understands.

Post both of those and helping you will be easier, and it will go a lot faster.

Craig

[BirdChuang]

Dear Cstorey,

1) 6221 connect to PC by LAN. 6221 and 2182A connect to each other by RS-232 and trigger cable.

2) 6221 is commanded directly (*IDN?). 2182A is commanded from 6221 (with the leading code  SYST:COMM:SER:SEND )

I also attached the connections between devices and PC, and my code.

Please take a look.

Thanks!

[cstorey]

Ok, it looks like you have it setup properly.  I don't think you can get the 2182 to reply to *IDN? command in this setup.  *IDN? is a reserved 488.2 command, and in this seyup might not work.  But you can try this..

:SYST:COMM:SER:SEND "*IDN?"

:SYST:COMM:SER:ENT?

And see if that works.  Or try reading the Voltage range as the example in the manual shows.  You never know if they implemented all features or just what they needed.  

Here's a VI to try..

[mwally]

Hi BirdChuang,

I am trying to do exactly the same thing: using the 6221 to provide DC current and the 2182a to measure resistance in nanostructures. 6221 is connected to 2182a via RS-232 and Trigger Link. PC is connected to 6221 via ethernet cable. However, I am having major problems on getting both to work.

1. First of all, how did you manage to get the KI6220.exe example software to work? I always got "Setup unverified".

2. Did you install Keithley I/O Layer too?

3. Which drivers are you using: the ke622x or the ones in project style-drivers Keithley 622x LV 2009?

4. Can you detect the 6221 correctly in the Keithley Configuration Panel? Did you use this tool?

I can get the DC.vi from the driver folder to work (so this means it detects and connects smoothly to the 6221 at least), but can not get a delta measurement example software to work.

I appreciate all the help you (or anyone else) could provide.

Thanks!

[cstorey]

I don't have a 6221 so a bit of guessing.  You probably need the Keithley I/O Layer to get either the KI6220.exe or Keithley Configuration Panel to work. 

But those are not needed for the LabVIEW code as far as I can tell.  BirdChuang was not using the LabVIEW drivers, but just sending VISA commands directly.  If you were going to use drivers, use the newest version.  I don't think there's anything in there that explicitly sets up the delta measurement.  You would need to send those SCPI commands using VISA write.