After applying fix for using Agilent E5810A LAN/GPIB with NI-VISA 5.2 or greater, I receive error code 0xBFFF00A5 with all configured instruments

[Opus20]

After upgrading to the latest MAX, it could no longer detect the instruments attached to my Agilent E5810A LAN/GPIB. I applied the fix suggested in "NI KnowledgeBase" "Using NI-VISA 5.2 or greater with the Agilent E5810A LAN/GPIB Gateway" and it sort of worked. Now when validating an instrument attached to the E5810A, TCPIP0::[IPADDRESS]::gpib0,6::INSTR"[VISA Alias]", MAX just return error code 0xBFFF00A5. And to boot, all instruments that previously where working are now returning the same error.

I also applied "KnowledgeBase" "Error -1073807195 When Using VISA Test Panel with GPIB Instrument" and it did not help. All passports under NI-VISA are selected to no avail. When trying to open a VISA session or verifying connection all I get from MAX is error 0xBFFF00A5 - The interface type is valid, but the specified interface is not configured".

Tried reverting to the original state, (un-checking "NiVisaTulip.dll"), but it did not make any difference. Seems that I am stuck.

Any help on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

Opus20

[Edna-S]

So does your device show up in device manager without any problems? can you just right click on it there, and update the drivers for it.Can you also try this http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/2C7480E856987FFF862573AE005AB0D9. 

Seems like this forum post also talks about the error: http://forums.ni.com/t5/Instrument-Control-GPIB-Serial/How-to-control-a-parallel-port-using-VISA/m-p....

[Opus20]

Thank you for your response Edna-S.

The instrument Agilent E5810A LAN/GPIB would not show up in device manager. It is a gateway connected to the local LAN and it is used to access two GPIB and one COM instrument. With MAX 5.1.2 or earlier, it is detected with no problems and a VISA session can be opened. Once I updated to MAX 5.2 or later, MAX stopped detecting the instruments connected to the gateway (E5810A). The gateway is accessible by MAX at its current IP address and the web interface displays just fine. The problems is that MAX cannot access the instruments connected to the gateway.

To access an instrument in the gateway, you input the device name as "gpib0,6", or "gpib0,7", or "COM1,488" and the IP address stays the same (i.e..,192.168.1.1) in other words it would look something like this in MAX: TCPIP0::192.168.1.1::gpib0,6::INSTR"[VISA Alias]" but after upgrading to NI-VISA 5.2 or greater, the instrument should be addressed as GPIB0::6::INSTR"[VISA Alias]". When entering the device name, MAX does not accept GPIB0::6 and only gpib0,6 so that when verifying the address it comes back with the error 0xBFFF00A5. There must be a way to input GPIB0::6 in MAX....

Anyhow, I applied the fix referenced in your response (resetting the database), and the rest of the instruments seem to be working fine except for the gateway (E5810A) but now I am receiving a new error code, 0xBFFF0011. Go figure. Well at least is progress in the right direction.

Thank you again

Opus20

[Edna-S]

My guess is that you need to uninsall/reinstall NI-VISA that automaticly downloads MAX with it. This solution is also mentioned in one of the forum post below.

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/VISA-Hex-0xBFFF0011-Insufficient-location-information-or-the/td-p/69...

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/VISA-Hex-0xBFFF0011-Insufficient-location-information-or-the/m-p/237...

[Opus20]

Edna-S

Thank you again, but either post deals with the COM port in the host computer. My problems is with MAX sending the right information to the gateway (E5810A) so that it can answer back with information from its internal COM and GPIB ports. Since the gateway receives the wrong information from MAX it does not answer hence MAX reports the error. Before MAX 5.2 this was a none issue, once I updated MAX to the latest iteration the issue showed up. I guess that I can uninstall MAX and reinstall an earlier version of MAX but I'll rather not.

I tried un-installing and re-installing MAX to no avail. The system is isolated so the software cannot check for updates with the LabVIEW servers and connecting the system to the internet is a none option.

When MAX sends information to the gateway as "HTCPIP::192.168.1.1::gpib0::INSTR" everything works fine but if I want to address an equipment designated as 7 (for example) in the GPIB tree then I get the error. The command that MAX needs to send is "HTCPIP::192.168.1.1::gpib0,7::INSTR" but instead sends "...gpib::7..."which it is not understood by the gateway (E5810A). Reading on some documentation for MAX 5.2 and later, the "gpib0,7" part of the command has been changed to "gpib0::7" automatically. My guess is that the gateway does not understand "gpib0::7" and its expecting "gpib0,7" instead.

I'll look into a firmware upgrade to the Agilent E5810A gateway.

Thank you again.

Opus20

[Edna-S]

Have you seen this knowledgeBase regarding setting Agilent VISA as secondary: http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/C6ADD4D65354570086257AA1002F5F67

Otherwise it could be a good idea to also contact Agilent support as well too.

[Opus20]

Edna S,

Yes. It is the original fix I applied when upgrading to the latest MAX. Agilent does not have firmware updates for this unit since they now have a new model (E5810B). Since I cannot get MAX to address the unit as it did prior to NI-VISA 5.2 then I am stuck with a system with old software installed or need to explore a way to address the unit using SCPI commands (I prefer the latter).

If I come up with a fix, I'll be sure to post it.

Thank you.

Opus20

[Edna-S]

Sounds good, good luck.

[IMS_zheng]

I am experiencing the same problem as you. You are right that the MAX is expecting gpib::xx rather than gpbi,xx. If I found out a solution, will post here.

zheng 

[Edna-S]

Unfortunatly, there is no way to change how MAX addresses the instruments. Only way would be to see if you can change the way instrument sees the address and modify it to match with MAX.