Z Channel of Quad Encoder Signal

[Engineering Services]

Okay guys, I've got one for yous....
Here's what must be done:
I have to use a PCI 6602 to generate all six
channels of a quad encoder signal. This signal
must be of variable frequency, and have the
capability to be ramped. By ramped I mean I must
be able to change the frequency of the signal on
the fly at a defined rate (or acceleration).

Here is what I have so far:
Right now, the first four channels of the quad
encoder signal are set up (A,A',B,B'). To do this,
I set up a regular encoder signal (Channel X) to
trigger these four channels. Each of these
channels supports variable frequency and the
ramping previously described.

What I'm stuck on:
I am bei
ng thrown by the Z-reset. This channel is
supposed to output a pulse every 2000 counts from
channel A. I configured Z to produce a triggered
pulse that has a 2000 count low part and a single
count high part. This works fine until I try to
ramp it.

[Engineering Services]

Um yeah....Its me again. I submitted it on accident.

As I said, I am having trouble ramping the Z-reset
signal. When I try to change the frequency of this
channel, I get an error saying "you must give the
counter time for changes to take affect." Does
anyone have any ideas on how to solve this problem?
I am not sure how else to set up this channel Z
other than how I described.

I am using a PCI 6602, NIDAQ(6.9.3) + Visual Basic
without any CW components.

Thanks....sorry so long,
Signed....a Really Frustrated coop.

[Spencer S.]

Greetings,

Since your Z-reset is a retriggerable pulse generation, is this signal not automatically ramped by the ramping of Channel A? Maybe I am a bit confused. Which function is giving you the error?

Spencer S.

[Engineering Services]

Hey Spencer,
I appreciate your response. What was holding me up what the Z-Reset. To change the frequency of the all seven signals at once, I would manually go through and change the number of ticks each pulse was on. The Z reset would error out because the counter would still be outtputting a really long pulse while I was trying to change its frequency. Then one your your collegues suggested just changing the timebase's frequency instead of the number of timebase ticks each counter was on. This magically solved the problem. Now whenever I ramp the signal, I only have to change the timebase's frequency to change the frequency of the other seven counters! This makes the ramp function simpler and noticeably smoother!
Thanks for the he
lp
Dave