Can I use VISA libraries with PCI-8232, PCMCIA IEEE_488int

[donna]

I am using a laptop and I need to connect via ethernet using TCP/IP as well as connect via GPIB to a Spectrum Analyzer. My application is written in C and is using LabWindows/CVI. What device would I need to buy (PCI-8232, PCMCIA IEEE_488i nt, or GIB-ENET/100 and NI-488.2... or other)? I was originally planning on using (before my requirement was changed from using a PC to a laptop) the VISA libraries to communicate via GPIB to the Spectrum Analyzer. Can I use the VISA libraries with LabWindows/CVI with the appropriate device that I need to connect a Laptop to a GPIB cable while still being able to communicate over the Ethernet?

[Dan_Mondrik]

Regardless of which NI GPIB controller product you use - PCI, PCMCIA, USB, or ENET - you can use either NI-488 or NI-VISA. Both APIs are independent of the underlying bus connection hardware type.

You can also use each API with C (eg, using LabWindows/CVI or MSVC) or C++ or C# (eg, using Measurement Studio and MSVC) or LabVIEW. Each API is tuned slightly for the particular development environment, but the concepts are the same.

Dan Mondrik
National Instruments