How to connect to an old giga-tronics 910 with gpib 488.1 or 488-1978

[bolometer]

Hello,

Tried to use Labview GPIB read and write to communicate with this old giga-tronics 910 but get no response.
The MAE (measurement auto.. explorer) can see this device but it does not response to ?idn. Checked on web and found this command is used for GPIB 488.2.
In the manual it says "in accordance with ... IEEE-STD 488-1978". ANd there is a list of subsets of the standard that are implemented:
SH1, AH1, T8(Basic talker, no serial poll, no talk only, unaddress if MLA), L$(basic listener, no listen only, unaddressed if MTA).

But I supposed that labview GPIB read and write can be used for 488.1 too.
Any hints?

J

[Dennis_Knutson]

Are you able to send any commands or is it just the *idn? As long as MAX sees the instrument, you should be able to send any command query that is supported by the instrument. If the instrument doesn't support the idn? query, that's an issue with the instrument and not LabVIEW. Your instrument manual should list all valid commands. I have a few old instruments that predate 488.2 and have no problem using the GPIB functions in LabVIEW.

[bolometer]

As far as I understand, pls confirm at http://www.icselect.com/pdfs/ab48_11.pdf , ?idn is not available for 488.1
So if there is no response for that command, still do not know if the instrument has a problem or labview.

I already tried with GPIB write to send some command like:
GEN FIXED,
FA 12.3E+3,
etc as specified in the manual, but no response.

The GPIB test program does not report any error, the status is "complete..." which means it should write to the instrument.
And in the manual it says EOI or "", "", ",",";" ... will all be ok.
So there shouldn't be any "wrong ending" problem.

The MAE sees 910 at the address 6.
And 910, when powered up with the GPIB cable connected, goes to lowest frequency and lowest amplitude mode which means it sees the GPIB controller.
So it is in the remode mode.
But there is no command that make it local otherwise that can be used as a simple test.

I am wandering if there are some low level programs (dos or windows) can be used to test this kind of instruments that only has basic listen/talk command sets.

J

Message Edited by bolometer on 03-03-2005 07:00 PM

[Dennis_Knutson]

The *idn? command was required for 488.2 instrument but that doesn't mean that some older instruments did not have the command. But, if it's not in the manual, don't try it. It has nothing to do with LabVIEW. MAX has a couple of utilities for GPIB communication. When you select a listed instrument and right click, you have an option called Communicate with Instrument. You have another option when you select the GPIB card and select Interactive Control. Both of these utilities use low level functions such as ibwrt and ibrd.

The fact that after power up, the instrument goes to specific settings has nothing to do with GPIB. That would just be the default power-up state and would do it with or without a connection. If you were able to send a reset command and the instrument did soemthing, that would indicate that communication is working. When you do a scan for instruments, the instrument should go into remote mode. I hope there's an indicator on the instrument to verify that it is in remote.

Do you have an electronic copy of the manual that you can atttach or have a link to one?

[bolometer]

I didn't know that. I am using the giga 910 now, later will test the MAX. Thx!

If not connected with GPIB cable, the power up state will be the same state as it was turned off.
If it is connected with GPIB cable, the power up state is zero frequency, and lowest amplitude -70 dB. This is the indicator.
There is no remote or local command to send, nor reset.

This device is made in 80s. I didn't find manual online. Here I scanned several page.

J

[bolometer]

another page

[bolometer]

third

[bolometer]

last

[Dennis_Knutson]

Definitely odd that it resets differently when a GPIB cable is connected. I don't think I've ever seen that behavior. One thing I noticed in the documentation is that the instrument supports two different command sets per sect 1.4.1. Check the switch setting.

[bolometer]

Thx! It works! Still some problem though.
I was reluctant to open it.
And in the manual it says can change from one to the other by sending some command, and I tried it, of cause no response.

This time after switch it, the initial power up is local, and then use MAX to san instruments, it goes remote.
Then use MAX to communicate with it, send simple command like LEVEL -20 (SET LEVEL AT -20 DB); and FA 12.3+3(SET FREQUENCY AT 12.3GHZ); and both worked fine.

There is still problem with normal GPIB write and read. After successfully communicate using MAX, I trid GPIB example vi and try to wirte the same commands, but get nothing, and the device goes to some strange status, although still response to command like SEND FREQ; SEND ERROR; but neither FA nor LEVEL works properly.

Then I have to restart the device and rescan with MAX.

I guess the normal GPIB write or read is too fast, and they do some query and the device is too slow to response, that might cause problems.
Is there some subvi in labview that can directly communicate with the device like in MAX?

Below are some lines captured by NI spy, from 26 to 33 are the results of GPIB example vi and caused some problems:

22. ibrd(UD0, " P INT -36.3..", 2000 (0x7D0))
Process ID: 0x00000188 Thread ID: 0x00000B74
Start Time: 08:53:36.421 Call Duration: 00:00:00.000
ibsta: 0x2100 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 15(0xf)

23. ibwrt(UD0, "SEND POWER;", 11 (0xB))
Process ID: 0x00000188 Thread ID: 0x00000B74
Start Time: 08:53:38.765 Call Duration: 00:00:00.000
ibsta: 0x100 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 11(0xb)

24. ibrd(UD0, " P INT -37.1..", 2000 (0x7D0))
Process ID: 0x00000188 Thread ID: 0x00000B74
Start Time: 08:53:39.562 Call Duration: 00:00:00.000
ibsta: 0x2100 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 15(0xf)

25. ibwrt(UD0, "LVERN ON;", 9 (0x9))
Process ID: 0x00000188 Thread ID: 0x00000B74
Start Time: 08:54:27.375 Call Duration: 00:00:00.000
ibsta: 0x100 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 9(0x9)

26. ibwrta(UD2, "FA 10e+3;", 9 (0x9))
Process ID: 0x00000E54 Thread ID: 0x00000E74
Start Time: 08:55:23.109 Call Duration: 00:00:00.000
ibsta: 0x0 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 0(0x0)

27. ThreadIberr()
Process ID: 0x00000E54 Thread ID: 0x00000E74
Start Time: 08:55:23.109 Call Duration: 00:00:00.000
ibsta: 0x0 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 0(0x0)

28. ibwait(UD2, 0x0000)
Process ID: 0x00000E54 Thread ID: 0x00000E74
Start Time: 08:55:23.109 Call Duration: 00:00:00.000
ibsta: 0x0 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 0(0x0)

29. ThreadIberr()
Process ID: 0x00000E54 Thread ID: 0x00000E74
Start Time: 08:55:23.109 Call Duration: 00:00:00.000
ibsta: 0x0 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 0(0x0)

30. ibwait(UD2, 0x0000)
Process ID: 0x00000E54 Thread ID: 0x00000E70
Start Time: 08:55:23.125 Call Duration: 00:00:00.000
ibsta: 0x100 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 9(0x9)

31. Asynchronous I/O Resynchronized for ibwrta()
Process ID: 0x00000E54 Thread ID: 0x00000E70
Start Time: 08:55:23.109 Call Duration: 00:00:00.016
ibsta: 0x100 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 9(0x9)

32. ThreadIberr()
Process ID: 0x00000E54 Thread ID: 0x00000E70
Start Time: 08:55:23.125 Call Duration: 00:00:00.000
ibsta: 0x100 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 9(0x9)

33. ibwait(UD2, 0x0100)
Process ID: 0x00000E54 Thread ID: 0x00000E70
Start Time: 08:55:23.125 Call Duration: 00:00:00.000
ibsta: 0x100 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 9(0x9)

34. ibwrt(UD0, "SEND POWER;", 11 (0xB))
Process ID: 0x00000188 Thread ID: 0x00000B74
Start Time: 08:57:00.125 Call Duration: 00:00:00.000
ibsta: 0x100 iberr: 0 ibcntl: 11(0xb)