sending .arb files to function generator

[jithesh]

Hi

 i am  very  fresh to labview  programming.

 I have  created some  waveforms  using  HP BenchLink software(and saved in .arb file  format).  Can i send  these  wave forms  to  a  function generater  through Labview  program . if  possible   how  can i do that

Thanks
jith

[GerdW]

Hi jithesh,

have a look at the examples on hardware communication (using keywords like VISA, GPIB or serial port). To control measurement devices you most often need a driver (that can be a library of vi's). You find many of those drivers on the NI webpage.

[jithesh]

Hi GerdW

 Thanks for   the  great advise ,
 
  As  i told  , i am a fresher to Labview ,  it  could  be  helpful for  me  if   u can attach some   basic  example
  programs  for  the  same . i am using  aglint 33120A  function generator .

Thanks
Jith

[GerdW]

Hi jithesh,

have you tried this link?
It's from the Instrument driver network at ni.com.

I don't have an Agilent 33120 nor the HPBench software. So I can't tell you how to handle arb-files. There surely is some manual to read? ;-]

[jithesh]

Hi

 Yes  i have  downloaded the driver ag3xxx and  installed .  and   also got  some  advise from support.india@ni.com

  Their  comments  follows .
          
                Yes you can read the values from the .arb file into LabVIEW and store
the values in 1D array or text file and then send it to the function
generator you are using.

     Basically you would have to use APIs such as read from binary
file(there are examples present in LABVIEW example finder which shows an
example of how you could read a binary file.) After reading from the file
you could store its values in an array or a text file and the read from
this array and send the data to the function generator you are using. If
you are using a function generator which is not made by National
instruments you have to install the device drivers for that instrument fro
LABVIEW, you could install them from www.ni.com/idnet.

             i have  used  some  eg:  programmes   given in LV to read binary files .
             The  function name is  "read binary files vi " .  the  out  put  of "read binary files vi "
             is  data .  I am trying  to store this  data  in an array  , but   got  stucked  ,  in finding
             a sutable  function to send  this  array valuse  to  the  function generator. Can  i send
              the  array out  put  directly to a  FG  ?
 Thanks
 jith
            
            

[Dennis_Knutson]

It happens that I was just asked about the 33120 in an older tester and I have the instrument manual on my desk. There is some example code in chapter 6 that shows how to download a file. You precede the download with the 'DATA VOLATILE' command and then write the waveform data as an ASCII array. The trick with all this is determining the format of the data in the .arb file. If it's ASCII, then to open and read it will be simple. If it's binary, you'll have to get information from Agilent on how their software saves the file.

[jithesh]

 I i have   tryed    the things  as per  your  advise . Thanks for  the
 valuable  informations. but   still stucked some where .

  I  just  followed  the  below steps .


1) I read  a binary file  using  the function   Read from Binary file.vi

2)  The  out   put  from Read from Binary file.vi   is  inputed to another
     function called Convert to dynamic data .
3) Then  i passed the  output of  Convert to dynamic data to  the programm given  in the  ag3xxx (Driver)   ie . ag33xxx - Getting Started.vi

   I am  not  able  to get any display  of  the  wave form . what could be  the reason .
   is  this  a correct method  what i am following ? . i can heare  a small  noise from
   function generator when i  run the  program

[Dennis_Knutson]

Did you check with Agilent on the format of the data? If you didn't then there's a good chance that the Read From Binary is reading the wrong format. I don't know why you want to convert to dynamic data. You would want to convert to DBL if you can get the binary format correct. Lastly, ag33xxx - Getting Started has no inputs let alone an input for an array. It also doesn't implement the function I mentioned. You are going to have to write the function yourself.

[Dennis_Knutson]

I looked at the functions in the driver again and found ag33xxx - Arbitrary Wfm Ops. This VI may do what you want. It accepts and I16 array. If the data in the file is I16, then it's pretty simple.

[jithesh]

The .ARB file format is a binary format used by HP BenchLink/Arb .  and   it   can be  easly  passed to  the F/G from the HP BenchLink/Arb
software .   As  the  .ARB is  a  binary  format , i hope   there  is  nothing   wrong   in using  the  function Read from Binary file.vi .
but  the  problem is  , the   out  put  of  Read from Binary file.vi  is  a  data .  i  realy dont     know   how  i can   pass the  out
of  Read from Binary file.vi to the  function  "g33xxx - Arbitrary Wfm Ops"  and  can you  please  explaing  me what  exactly the
function  "g33xxx - Arbitrary Wfm Ops"  do .