Can’t get Agilent 34972A instrument driver to work with USB connection

[Tomeo]

I want to control an Agilent 34972A with LabVIEW via a USB connection.  I downloaded the instrument driver and ran some of the examples.  The examples error out. 

Here are more details:

I am running LabVIEW Base Development System, Version 8.5.1 on a computer running Microsoft Windows XP Professional Version 2002, Service Pack 3.

I down loaded and installed the instrument driver for the Agilent 34970.  ( Even though I am using a 34972A the National Instruments web sight directed me to download the driver for the 34970)

I also down loaded and installed NI-VISA 3.2.

I connect the 34972A to the computer using a USB cable.  ( I can collect data running the Agilent software on the computer so the USB communications is working.)

I try to run an example VI that was down loaded with the 34970 driver called "Agilent 34970 EZ Scan.vi".  On the front panel window in the “VISA resource name “ window I select the USB address of the 34972A.  I then press the Run Arrow icon.  The 34972A beeps and shows the error enunciator on the display. The front panel window appears to be in a “run” state but nothing happens.  After several minutes an error windoid appears: 

Error- 1073807312 occurred at VISA Read in Agilent 34970.lvlib:EZ Current.vi->Aglient 34970 EX Scan.vi

Possible reason(s): VISA : (Hex:0xBFFF0030) User abort occurred during transfer.

A couple of other things:

I used Measure and Automation Explorer, (MAX) to have a VISA session with the 34972A via the USB port. That seems to work OK. 

Also, on the block diagram of the example VI there is cluster called “Serial Port Configuration”  Should this be a “USB Port Configuration”? There is no “USB Port Configuration” cluster included in the VISA functions.

What do I need to do to get LabVIEW running with the 34972A using a USB connection?

Thanks!

[Dennis_Knutson]

If you are using the Agilent software, I would assume that you also installed Agilent's version of VISA and that is probably causing a conflict. Uninstall or or try enabling tulip support in MAX.

There is no such as USB port configuration. Serial port config is only used when you have an RS-232 connection.

[Tomeo]

Thanks for your reply.  I tried the things you suggested:

● I removed all Agilent software from the computer.

● Windows XP then recognized the 34972A as a new hardware with the driver missing.  I inserted the Agilent IO Libraries Suite CD-ROM in the drive and the driver was installed.

● I ran the 34972A example VI again. The results were the same error message after several minutes.

● I then Enabled the NI-VISA Passport for Tulip in MAX

● I ran the 34972A example VI again. The results were similar with the following error message after several minutes:

Error- 1073807339 occurred at VISA Read in Agilent 34970.lvlib:EZ Current.vi->Agilent 34970 EX Scan.vi

Possible reason(s): VISA : (Hex:0xBFFF0015) Timeout expired before operation completed.

● I then re-installed the Agilent software.  During the install process it said that the Agilent VISA was being installed as secondary.

● I ran the 34972A example VI again. The results were similar with the following error message after several minutes:

Error- 1073807339 occurred at VISA Read in Agilent 34970.lvlib:EZ Current.vi->Agilent 34970 EX Scan.vi

Possible reason(s): VISA : (Hex:0xBFFF0015) Timeout expired before operation completed.

What else do you suggest I try?

I have attached a copy of the VI I am trying to run.

Thanks for your help!

Tom Renner

Test Engineer

Nilfisk-Advance

[Dennis_Knutson]

So you are no longer getting the error you mention in the first post. That's an improvement and since the example calls the initialize function, you know that you can write and read to it. What is your scan list, the function you have selected, and the cards in the instrument? After the timeout, have you run the Error Query function to see if the instrument has thrown an error?

[Tomeo · Accepted solution]

Dennis:

I got it working!

Your question about errors prompted me to check the error displayed on the front panel of the 34972A. It was: “Error 305: Channel 101 not able to perform requested operation.”  I was trying to measure current on a channel that could not measure current. 

When I changed the channel list to 121 it worked.

Problem solved!

Thanks;

Tom Renner

Test Engineer

Nilfisk-Advance

[tomcom]

I'm having a similar issue where I can see my 34972A fine in the Agilent Connection Expert, but I can't even see it in MAX.  I've tried to do the usual tulip thing (I've done it before on previous versions of MAX), but my current MAX (version 4.7.6f0) doesn't seem to have the usual access to the VISA options.  How do I turn the tulip dll on and fix this problem now?

Thanks,

Tom

[James_D]

If you cannot access the VISA options from the Tools menu in MAX, I would double check to ensure that NI-VISA is installed.

[bwc1]

Hi

Ive seen from some of your posts that you have experience with the Agilent 34972A Is it possible for me to use the 34972A with Dasylab 12. I have connected the device to max and installed the IVI drivers and everything seems to be connected ok (VIA LAN CABLE) However when i try to use the IviDmm+ module in Dasylab 12  i get the error.

IVI API Function IviDmm_ConfigureMeasurement return with error -1074135023.

Iam new to MAX and was wondering do you need to set up a channel list in max and if so how do i do this?

Thanyou

Brian

[Sean_N]

I am not sure about using it in Dasylab; there is a separate forum where you can maybe ask that specifically.  As far as the error you are getting, it seems that it is some sort of Resource name conflict.  Can you post a screenshot of your device in MAX?

Thanks,

Sean

[bwc1]

Hi

I have attached screen shots of device in MAX and the error in Dasylab