LabView and Spider8 from HBM

[R.Rabe]

Hi  Andreas,

Thanks for the tip. The ActiveX option sounds a nice solution. Also the HBM home page shows again the option to download the last firmware. So I’ll try to do this first (still no time).

I have access only to an old version of Catman and to and I think it is the “Easy” version. So I need to figure out what is politic of HBM to get/buy any “update” or additional module.  First I’ll check the Catman Pro trial version (there is also announced a Catman Runtime for a more specific purpose) to have a better overview.

It was really a pit this upgrade problem. The basic system and the old VIs were running fine and this Spider has a quite good set of measurements boards inside. What, perhaps, will limit its utilization in the future (for our needs) is the interface (parallel/serial) and the NI boards that we got.

Regards,

Rodolfo

[alexandrehardt]

Does anybody know how to use USB to communicate Spider8 with LABView? I only see the options of serial and parallel port in the S8_InitAll.vi (driver downloaded from HBM's webpage). Thanks for the help!

[Rudi_N]

Alexandre:

If the Spider 8 conforms to the USB Test and Measurement Class (USBTMC) protocol, then no configuration will be necessary to communicate. Once connected to your computer, the device should appear in the Measurement and Automation eXplorer (MAX) under USB devices. If it not, TMC compliant, you will have to use the Visa Driver Development Wizard to configure it. I hope this helps.

Rudi N.

[Seby]

Hy man about your problem two days ago I tried to make my spider 8 to work using the lates driver Spider 32 bit and LV 7.1.

Because the examples for LV are not designed to acces the USB port you have to include in the control wich controls the input for the InitALL function of the Spider32dll, a new option "USB" and to assign to it the value 200 in the case control loop insife the InitAll vi.

Save this new settings and start Spider32.exe configuration software which  will be instaled along with the driver Spider 32 bit and configure the channels you want to be measure. Be carefull to use the same channels that you are calling in the LV example. After you save the settings in an .Sp8 file close the Spider 32 and press run on LV Example 1 provided by the HBM .

For me was working but not so great from time to time it gives me some errors.

If you have quetions write me at tomcatf_142002@yahoo.com   

[Seby]

Bad news guys I have tried Spider 8 with activeX from LV 8.2 and doesn't work.

It works with LV 7.1 but only the ShowDialog function and when I asked the HBM guys about this problem they

said that this is because Active X interface was not intendet to work with the Spider8 but with the MGCplus.

I don't know what is the matter with these guys I guees they do not whan't to sell active X for spider.

If somebody can tell me how can I read data as fast as the Catman does it from LV please let me know.

at tomcatf_1420002@yahoo.com

[rajavieres]

I don't have the spider32.dll file, can anyone mail it to me please?(pabmartinez@udec.cl)

Thanks

Pablo

[Scharnhorst]

Hallo all,

I desperately search for help. 😞 So, could someone, please, write the step by step guide for "dummies" how to set up Spider 8 to work with LabvIEW 7.1. What to do in Windows, what to do in LabVIEW... I have downloaded the drivers for Spider 8 for LabVIEV from the HBM site but I dont know what to do.

I would like to become the signal from the Spider 8 insted of the simulated signal in LabVIEW, but LabVIEW coud not detect my Spider.

Please help.

[Scharnhorst]

I see that I have to be more specific with my problem...

I have copy DLL files from the folder Catman32 to the folders Windows\System and Windows\System32 and the 3 files that I have downloaded from the HBM official sites as Spider's 8 driver, to the folder LabVIEW\User.lib.

Now I can notify the activity between Spider 8 and LabVIEW when I place the Example of Spider 8 from the user's library on the block diagram. But I have the problem in DAQ Assistant and Measurement and Automation. There I can not find Spider. "Not supported device found".

So, what could be the problem and how could I solve it?

Please help...

[Markus_Hentzel]

Hi,

Afaik there is no DAQmx/MAX Driver and  most likely will never be.

You have to write your own code based on the  examples.

Ciao Markus

[Scharnhorst]

Thank you Markus for the answer. So, does exist anywhere on te internet the users manual, how to make the own code based on the examples for the Spider 8?

Message Edited by Scharnhorst on 05-11-2009 04:07 PM