Trying to Set up Shaker Table

[Jon_1234]

Hi Everyone, I am a beginner trying to set up Labview to remote control a Troemner Orbital Shaker table. I am trying to use the basic serial write and read. I think I have selected the correct port because when I read the *IDN?\r\n it reads 22 bytes and says the Product is in Standby. Which it currently is. However if I take it out of Standby manually. And try to write again I get "Serial Prot Error, Input again please" with 41 bytes read. The manufacture supplied a Interface guide however I am not to sure how to use it properly.

I try and input 'I=*' and I get the same Port Error. I have attached the manual. If anyone can help that would be appreciated. 

Thank you

[CoastalMaineBird]

The manual doesn't tell what "Standby" does or doesn't do, as far as the interface is concerned.

 You said: when I read the *IDN?\r\n it reads 22 bytes and says the Product is in Standby. Which it currently is.

Can you do that repeatedly?

I mean, without taking the machine out of standby, does the message work again and again?

If so, then your comm link settings are likely OK.

If not, then perhaps there's something it doesn't like - maybe it wants \r instead of \r\n, maybe it needs some other delimiter.

If you have a terminal program, that might be a better place to start, just so you can establish the exact commands you need to send.

It's not difficult to write one in LabVIEW, or use a packaged one.

Just send whatever you type out the port, and whatever you receive, display it. 

[CoastalMaineBird]

I get "Serial Prot Error, Input again please" 

Just so you know, this message is NOT from LabVIEW or the serial port driver, it's from your table controller.

In other words, it's communicating to YOU correctly, complaining about what IT hears FROM you. 

[Jon_1234]

Thanks for your help. I do repeadly get the Product in Standby. So I guess it the connection is good. Now I just have to figure out what the table likes to hear from me.  I will keep trying different variations.

[CoastalMaineBird]

I would say your connection is definitely good.  There's something wrong with the command you're sending: maybe it's the terminator, maybe you're missing a space, something like that...

[Jon_1234]

Yeah maybe. I find the Manual a little ambigious. would a typical input be something like

'I=*'\r\n

[CoastalMaineBird]

There is no "typical" - it's whatever they felt like making it.

It's also possible that some commands work in STANDBY mode and not in other modes.

If you still can't make it work, perhaps a call to the manufacturer is in order.