Froilabo Thermostream driver

[Ben_Arts]

Does somebody has a driver for the Froilabo (Dragon) Thermostream?

I tried to send commands via GPIB with VISA but it doesn't work.

Kind regards,

Bernard Arts

[ThiCop]

Hello Bernard,

I did a search internally and on google, but I did not directly find such an instrument driver.

Which kind of commands did you try sending?

What errors/messages did you get back?

Did you try it from LabVIEW or from inside MAX?

[Ben_Arts]

I did already post the info below on 7 nov but see now respons therefor i post it again. Now a got an internet error.

I used VISA

Firts i search the address and that was found (GPIB0::18::INSTR)

Write VISA command  ("D") with \r  or \n  (or any combination but all not working.

Read VISA but a timer out error occurs.

Both no reaction (head not down) from the thermostream.

I attached 3 files:

FroilaboTestHeadDown.vi

GPIB instructions.PDF

Froilabo error.docx

Please can you help?

Kind Regards,

Bernard Arts

[Ben_Arts]

The error occured by the word docx doc i attached it now as pdf file

Kind regards,

Bernard Arts

[ThiCop]

Hello Bernart,

If I look at the LabVIEW code, then it seems to be going wrong in your used Carriage Return  symbol.

If I look at your text your sending in "\"-codes Display , then you are sending \\r instead of \r.

I think this might be causing your issues.

Are you familiar with the different Display/Enter Options for strings?

I added an adapted version of your VI just in case you're not.

Especially with those "special characters", it can be very useful to use the pre-existing string constants in LabVIEW.

One of them is also called Carriage Return Constant. 

You can also find it in the attached VI.

Can you let me know if this solves the issue?

[Ben_Arts]

Thank you for feedback. That helps.

Using the CR constant then the commands are recognized and executed by the thermostream.

I put some delays (500ms)  between the commands and set all VISA read and write synchronously.

But read back info from the thermostream by VISA read gives error's. The info looks what expected but the error is strange.

Please do have any suggestions?

Kind regards,   Bernard Arts

[ThiCop]

Hello Bernard,

I don't completely understand what you mean with the last sentence.

Are you still getting exactly the same VISA Read error?

Have you tried reducing the amount of bytes you want to read?

[Oli_Wachno]

Hi guys,

we tried to remotely control such a thing in my old company. Long story short: we failed.

After we had solved the issue with the termination character, we found out, that the interface on the device sometimes swallowed characters and finally hung itself.

If I remember right, we then swapped from VISA to GPIB VIs using some low level black magic with restetting bus communication every once in a while. But still, no reliable functionality.

But we were lucky: the thermostream broke and we were able to buy a new one... with a decent interface

Not wanting to discourage you, just sharing experience

Oli

[Oli_Wachno]

Hi guys,

we tried to remotely control such a thing in my old company. Long story short: we failed.

After we had solved the issue with the termination character, we found out, that the interface on the device sometimes swallowed characters and finally hung itself.

If I remember right, we then swapped from VISA to GPIB VIs using some low level black magic with restetting bus communication every once in a while. But still, no reliable functionality.

But we were lucky: the thermostream broke and we were able to buy a new one... with a decent interface

Not wanting to discourage you, just sharing experience

Oli

[Ben_Arts]

I've it working.

I ignore the VISA read error because the temperature values can be read back. (only the first value is empty or quesion mark so i loop it twice and delete the first value). I put some time dealys (0.5 sec or more between some command that works and is not aproblem).

To recognize the connection i used also a temp check (that's not nice but it works).

Remarks: i use this thermostream already 10 years in another automatic test system (not LabVIEW) succesfully (Froilabo aslo named as Dragon).

Here i put a simple VI (labview2010) that is used for study (Froilabo.zip: Froilabstudy.vi, Status.vi, MyTimer.vi, DragonConnect.vi)

I tested many time without any problems.

No i gonna implement it in the software for the test system.

Kind regards,

Bernard Arts