Drivers Keithley 3706

[Elohim]

Hello,

I am a new user of Labview. Labview 2013 SP1 (32 bits) is installed on the computer. I use a Keithley 3706 with a 3740-ST card. However, Labview doesn't recognize the keithley, and so I cannot receive any measure on labview. I don't know what drivers to install, I tried to find them on the NI site but it seems the drivers are made for previous versions of Labview. Where can I find the good drivers please ?

Thanks for your help

[GerdW]

Hi Elohim,

you can use drivers made for older LabVIEW versions as well…

I would also check the Keithley support for LabVIEW drivers!

Usually external devices are communicated with using VISA functions. They provide a HAL for the underlying communication bus used, like GPIB, LAN, RS232…

Btw. what's wrong with the driver you find in the IDNet on NI.com? You get redirected to Keithleys support website!

[Elohim]

Thanks for your reply,
So I download the drivers on the NI site, it is a jZip archive file that I extracted. But there is noting to install. Moreover I connected by USB port the keithley, I opened the VISA Interactive Control and my Instruments is well recognized. Then when I want to make data acquisition, I use a DAQ Assist but then in the part Supported Physical Channel, It is written no supported device found. I don't know what I have to do.

Thanks

[GerdW]

Hi Elohim,

the DAQAssistent is only meant to be used with NI DAQmx devices.

For "external"/3rd party devices you use VISA functions (and maybe the InstrumentIO-Assistent if you insist on using ExpressVIs…)!

[Elohim]

So if I understood, to controle the keithley with Labview I have to open a labview file contained in a driver folder that I have already download before. And with this file I should be able to control the keithley with labview. But how can I know if Labview recognizes the keithley ?

Thanks a lot for your answers GerdW, Labview appears more understandable.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Exactly where did you unzip the driver?

[Elohim]

Hello Dennis_Knuston,

I unziped the driver in the download folder, I thought it didn't matter, Where have I to unzip the driver ? In the folder National Instrument ? but then where because there are plenty of other folders.

Thanks for the reply
Best regards

[Dennis_Knutson]

You unzip to the instr.lib folder. You should see the 34401 folder at least. Normally, you would use Find> Instrument Drivers and the install would be automatic. I don't think this works with a driver from a vendor's site though.

[Elohim]

So, I unzipped the drivers in the instr.lib (I can see the Agilent 34401 folder). Plus when I open MAX, in the part Devices and Interfaces I can see "System/Switch Multimeter "USB0::0x05E6::0x3706::01228187::INSTR" ". I can make a right clic to open VISA test panel. On VISA test panel, in Inpout/Outpout when I clic on Query, it is ok (good informations appear).

But now, how to control the keithley with Labview (I want to make an acquisition of several resistance measures) ? I know the tool DAQ Assistance, but when I go on acquire signals then analog input then resistance, it is written "no supported devices found".

What can I do ?

Thanks for your reply

Regards

p.s. Should I use a GPIB connector or USB it is ok ?

[Dennis_Knutson · Accepted solution]

You didn't pay attention to a previous answer. The DAQ Assistant has NOTHING to do with instrument control.

Use the functions from the driver. You should have a palette for them if you installed them correctly.