NI-VXI VXI Interactive Control Won't Start

[TescomAustin]

I have installed v3.9, NIMAX 5.50f0.  My computer is running Windows 7. I have a PCI-GPIB card in the computer. Connected to an HP 1401A VXI chassis. In the Zero Slot is an HP 1406A command module, and HP (Agilent) E8312A Pulse Generator in slot 1.

I have been trying for two days to get this card running to no avail. Sorry, that I am not a programmer, but a metrologist. So this is a challenge for me.

The computer recognizes the HP 1406A, and I can do a *IDN? successfully. I have gone back and forth between Keysight IOSuite 17 and NIMAX 5.6. I also have a VTI Instruments EX2500A card which I have alternately tried using TCPIP.  I can communicate to that card, and even see the Agilent E8312A card in the listing. But it won't recognize a *IDN?, I believe perhaps because it may not be SCPI.

I have tinkered with the address setting on the E8312A (supposed to be set to 112 as factory default). I have downloaded E8312A VXIPNP driver and HP 81100 Soft Panel. I have gotten (while in IOSuite) the software to recognize the "hpE8312A" driver. I have run the SoftPanel but it says not card is present.

When I power up the chassis, I see all the nice blinking lights on the command module card (with either the HP 1406A or VTI EX2500A), and a couple of brief green blinks on the Agilent E8312A. I delete the cards from NIMAX or IOSuite and freshly re-discover, and the Agilent E8312A is again re-discovered.  But can't further access it.

I downloaded programming example file for HP VEE (Keysight Vee 9.3), and it will not connect to the card (after I change the location/address setting in the software to match the unit).

A couple of things I saw in README is that the driver requires the VXI address to be all CAPS (no lowercase) - did that; and OS says Windows NT or 2000 or 95 (something like that). I can't imagine the driver is the issue though.

The system see that the card is there, but won't talk to it.  I've tried a variety of addresses, 36, 96, 111, 112. 112 is supposed to be the OEM default address.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[Captain_K]

Hi TescomAustin,

Since the chassis and E8312A are Agilent/HP hardware, I’m not sure how much insight National Instruments is going to be able to provide.

A couple of suggestions I have are to check the status of the “Access” LED on the E8312A. This may be displaying an error code in the number of flashes.

http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/E8311-91020.pdf?id=1000000818-1:epsg:man#page=10

I’d also verify what the address of the card is. This can be determined by looking at the Logical Address switches on the card.

http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/E8311-91020.pdf?id=1000000818-1:epsg:man#page=13

I can’t say whether this card is SCPI compliant. We do have a LabVIEW Wrapper for the driver that I took a look at. Since this is just calling into the HP E8312A dll, I can’t determine what commands are being sent to the instrument. I’ve linked our page for it below.

http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.download_page?p_id_guid=E3B19B3E96E1659CE034080020E748...

Going forward, I’d recommend contacting Agilent to see if they can provide help with card.