DCPower IVI Error

[rjohnson]

I'm running TestStand2010.  I have an Agilent N5744A DC Power Supply   My TestStand code has been stable for this IVI Power Supply Step for a year.   I"m now trying to deploy this code onto a replicate system with the same hardware and now i get an IVI error every time it tries to execute one of the DC Power Supply configuration steps.

Here is the error:
=================================================================
An error occurred calling 'RunStep' in 'ISubstep' of 'zNI TestStand Ivi Step Types'
An error occurred while executing the step.
Component Works IVI Control Error: The IVI Configure operation failed for logical name 'DCPowerSupply'.
Details: Unknown physical repeated capability selector. [IVI Error Code:  BFFA0067]
Source: TSIviStepTypes

-30803; User-defined error code.

Step 'IVI Power Supply 0V' of sequence 'DCPower 0V' in 'EIT.seq' 

=================================================================

Thanks for any help you can give.

--RJ

[~jiggawax~]

Hey RJ,

How are you deploying the MAX configuration?  It looks like it may not be configured correctly in the IVI Drivers section in MAX.

Here's a whitepaper on it: http://www.ni.com/white-paper/4594/en/

I know this is starting with the basics but that's what usually gets me with this sort of stuff.

Regards,

[rjohnson]

Thanks.   We're familiar with that document.    i've exported the .nce configuration from existing system to identical system with same instrumentation and  running the same TestStand sequence files.   the DC Power IVI logical and virtual names are the same.   

[~jiggawax~]

Every time I've encountered that error it is usually something not set up correctly in MAX....

OR...

In the steop I don't use the right virtual name for the channels or Logical Name for the devices.  It's hard to get the logical name wrong though because it's in a drop down.  However, when deploying it is almost always a MAX configuration issue.

Do you have the right IVI drivers installed for that Agilent N5744A?

One thing you can try to do to debug is when you are on the deployed machine in the TestStand UI (full featured) hit Ctl->Alt->Shift->Insert.  This will take you to development mode.  You may need to evaluate TS for a few days... 🙂  Then right click on the offending step and choose Edit IVI Power Supply Step.  Then click the Validate button.  This is easier than trying to run the automation.  It helps speed up debugging.  I have to do this with new deployments sometimes to get my MAX settings just right.

Hope this helps,

[rjohnson]

The problem occurs during the IVI Power Supply Step configure, when an IVI call is made to "IviDCPwr_ConfigureOVP( )"....  all the previous IVI functions involved in configure the IviDCPwr (setting voltage, current, etc) were successful, but this one fails.   all subsequent calls related to OVP settings also fail.   See the attached NI Trace screenshot.

I originally have always had OVP setting enabled, and it works without problem on other systems running the same test sequences with the same IVI Power Supply Step command.     But   this time on the replicate system it failed.   So I disabled OVP in the IVI Step settiong, but the OVP calls are still being made (with Enable=FALSE argument), and the command itself is not recognized.

and hence, i continue to get the IVI_ERROR_UNKNOWN_PHYSICAL_IDENTIFIER = 0xBFFA0067

why does the OVP setting cause an IVI error?  

thanks

[rjohnson]

i just saw your reply after i posted; we passed each other in transit.  🙂

FTR, i have a the full development for TestStand 2010.  the agilent N57xx drivers are installed.   i'll continue to look at the logical and virtual name mappings and try and find something we missed.

[rjohnson]

okay.... something weird is going on.   when i reverted the IVI Power Supply Step to go *back* to turning the OVP Enable = TRUE....  well, damned if it didn't start working all of a sudden.

and weirder is that in my existing, working systems, when i turn off OVP (enable = FALSE) it also starts failing in the same manner.

i don't know what's going on here, and it seems like some kind of bug, but since i want OVP enalbed and it's started working correctly, i'm going to quit caring about this now.     

thank you for attempting to help, Jigga.  it's good to review the configuration and logical names, because it often is problematic  🙂