Remote control using attached computer-baby level HELP

[BenAflecIWish]

Hello Helpers,

I am still a baby at this but growing fast (10d on the job). I want to remote control a signal generator that has labview drivers implementing VISA, first I thought to connect a gpib-lan bridge (this device has only gpib bus) and labview it from remote location. But my boss wants to connect gpib-USB and connect this to raspberry pi computer. I have a remote labview assuming that the  RP computer will have a static IP still I dont understand how this will help seems that i need a listener on the RP computer to listen to port and then use another USB driver to send scpi to instrument?

Please help!!!!!!!!!

Ben 

[LV_Pro]

I don't understand what you are trying to do. You have a signal generator with only a gpib interface. Your boss wants to connect from your pc, via GPIB-USB to a RaspPi computer, that will then talk to the signal generator? I don't understand the purpose of the RaspPi in the chain. I'm assuming that the signal generator is too far from the computer to go directly with GPIB, but I don't know how the RaspPi is supposed to fit in. Talking to it via GPIB would add a level of compexity, then you would have to either use it to pass the VISA messages through to the USB port and out to another USB <-> GPIB adapter?   Why not a networked GPIB adapter (GPIB-LAN), even if it is on a dedicated network connection? Please explain the physical layout issues, and why, other than they are currently "cool" to try and fit a RaspPi in the chain? I'm not anit RaspPi, have a few of them I'm playing with, but talking to an instrument can be challenging enough (even when the are directly connected to) without adding degrees of difficulty points.

If it is a cost issue, trust me, at any reasonable engineering overhead rate the cost of debugging a "unique" setup (where assistance from this forum will be sparse) will quickly pay for a more straightforward hardware solution.

Regardless, good luck, keep coming here, we love interesting challenges.

[BenAflecIWish]

Hi,

Thank you for your response. First I am in an  academic environment doing a PhD, so engineering cost (me)  is not an issue,

however hardware cost is. This is due to an invention from the middle ages that instead of paying someone you give him an honor degree. Now regarding this pressing issue, what we want to do: we have an instrument we want to run remotely from any PC, cellular android etc.

There seem to be several architecture options doing this:

Regarding server first I thought to run tomcat and call VI from JSP, since then I learned about server VI so...

1. My first suggestion (to my actually very nice boss/PI) connect the instrument to lan using GPIB-Ethernet bridge, then from a PC (that has the driver)  run a server VI that you can also approach from a client computer using thin LabView runtime Env.

2. My Boss approach is: connect a PC/RasPI to the instrument by USB-GPIB bridge, this PC is connected to lan anyways, run server VI on this PC. and let clients run client IV to that PC.

I think those two approaches are valid although how don't like to use the server VI so much has clients need to download and set their env.

Let me know what u think before I am sending my report to my PI

Thanks,

Ben Aflec I Wish

[BenAflecIWish]

If a PC is connected to the instrument via a USB-GPIB bridge, does it adds a level of complexity? the Visa protocol can talk to USB or  ethernet no? 

[ChrissyC]

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@BenAflecIWish wrote:

If a PC is connected to the instrument via a USB-GPIB bridge, does it adds a level of complexity? 

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I think LV_Pro was assuming that you were going to connect your instrument via GPIB to the RasPi and then try to talk to the Pi with a PC - there's the level of complexity added! TBH that's what I thought when I read your post as well.

To answer your next post:

As far as I know LabVIEW won't run on the Pi as LabVIEW for Linux will only work on Intel based systems. So I think that you will have to scrap the idea of using the Pi as the hardware running your LabVIEW server.

As far as I can see either of your approaches is fine (bar the Pi part) it just depends on where you want/need the PC running the server VI to sit.

-CC

[BenAflecIWish]

I am afraid English is not my native language and I am not aware how it sounds for english speaking audience.

[ChrissyC]

No problem, it wasn't an attack on your english - I was just trying to explain why someone might have got the wrong idea 

[BenAflecIWish]

Thanks for your replay....

[LV_Pro]

In the cases I have been involved with, the USB-GPIB's own drivers make it appear as a GPIB device to LabVIEW under VISA protocol. Try and make sure of this before going down that route though! The, running it on a PC (as mentioned RaspPi really not a target for LabVIEW, yet!) and then you will be able to remotely talk to the instrument through the PC.

[BenAflecIWish]

Hello,

If someone would advice me which option would be easier to implement I would very much appreciate it.

Thank you,

Ben