Instrument Control (GPIB, Serial, VISA, IVI)

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Curve Tracer 370A Measurements and Controlling through Labview

Hey folks,

 

I am currently trying to control a 370 A Curve Tracer over GPIB through Labview.
As I am rather new to Labview I find it somehow complicated to achieve a remarkable result with it.

 

I managed to access the Curve Tracer through my GPIB Controller but there still are some questionable points:

 

Does anyone of u have a more or less genius user interface programmed with labview for the 370A or similar? Even If it would be for another Curve Tracer it would generally be fine too. I know all the commands that I do need and could more or less quickly adapt the VI to my needs.

 

All commands return the expected values resp. parameters but the "curve?" command does not.

I am not able to receive a useful binary coded string, as tektronix writes in the manual, which I could process to a decent graph through labview. I rather receive some strange string which I cannot interpret. For example like "CURVE\sCURVID:"INDEX\s\s0",%\10\01\00\1A\00\1A\00\1D\00\1E\00\s\00!\...."


Interestingly I do receive another type of string with the built-in command window from the gpib controller compared to the labview query. Still I wasn't able to determine if it either of the data sets are coded binary/ASCII or sth. or if they are just faulty.

 

The highest order bit to me, is to have some well coded Interface which coud either come from one of you or be a labview example which can quicklyy be adapted for the 370A.

 

My plans are to measure some transistors and diodes while automatically choosing the right presets such as horizontal & vertical scaling, peak wattage and voltage, measurement method etc. and on the one hand showing the results in labview as exporting the data to an excel sheet.

Basically really simple measurements. In a second step I'd like to record characteristic curves either through the "Curve?" data or through Step Generator resp. manually increasing the voltage and measuring the current at multiple points.

 

Thank you for your patience and any advice.

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Any questions with an instrument's commands ---> Read the manual


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' Remarkable' and 'genius' are imprecise terms. Be specific. There is an old driver available. Are you using that as a starting point? You have noticed Help> Find Instrument Drivers, haven't you?
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