Connect instrument to pc to pilatate with LabVIEW using gpib scheduler

[vanny]

Hi, I'm beginner student to LabView. I must to connect Generator to pc with GPIB USB B card. But I haven't drivers.
1) It's necessary drivers for GPIB USB B card or LabView see it automatically?

2) It's necessary drivers for my Generator Signal or LabView see it automatically?

3) To controll Generator by LabView what I must do and what is necessary?

Can u explain step by step all questions?

Thanks, Vanny (vanessaricciardi@live.it)

I desire also pvt answer.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Get the driver for the GPIB-USB-B here. You should also install NI-VISA.

No, it's not necessary for you to have an instrument driver. Since you did not provide the make and model, it's impossible to say whether one exists or not. The existence of a model just makes writing your code easier and faster. And, LabVIEW does not recognize anything. The GPIB controller will recognize the instrument and if you use VISA to communicate, a VISA Resource Control will list all of the instruments detected by the GPIB interface. Setting up the GPIB interface and doing a scan for instruments is explained in the documentation for the GPIB-USB-B. See the little search box at the top of the page? I'll bet if you use it, you can find all of the manuals.

To control the generator, you will be writing commands with a VISA Write and getting data back with a VISA Read. If you have a driver, this will be done in the various functions contained in the driver.

Check out the Instrument Control Fundamentals and the Instrument Driver Network.

p.s. Posting your email in a public forum is only going to get you spam.

[vanny]

Thanks very very much. I've Generator SMIQ02B and Power Meter NRT Z43 of Rohde & Schwarz, but I don't find a driver on site of Rohde & Schwarz. can u help me to find drivers?

After I don't understand why exist 2 type of driver on the site of Rohde & Schwarz: one for the instrument, one for LabView. What is the difference? And what I must use? If I take driver for LabVIEW how I istall it? I must put the folder with files in a cartel of LabVIEW? Thanks very much.

Thanks also for the advrtisement for my email address, but I need help and maybe I fall in error.

Vanny.

[juergenstraub]

 H vanny,

please download these two drivers:

http://www2.rohde-schwarz.com/file/rssmiq_lv7_3_1.zip

http://www2.rohde-schwarz.com/file/rsnrtz_lv8_1_4.zip

Getting Started
Unpack content of archive into LabVIEW Instr.lib folder ( i.e. \Program Files\LabVIEW 8.0\instr.lib ). The driver will then be directly accessible from LabVIEW Instrument Driver function palette menu.

so long,

juergen

[Albert.Geven]

Hi

You surely need the LAbVIEW driver.

Download it and follow the installation guidelines.

[vanny]

juergenstraub can u explain me what is the two files? And can u associate each file to my two instrumentations?

When I will do what u said, I in LabView what I find? I need to pilotate the two instrumentations. But... I in LabVIEW what I will see? Must I have a manual of Instrumentations? I don't understand what appear in LabVIEW to simulate the two my instruments. Thanks.

[juergenstraub]

hi vanny,

pls. have a very close look at the file names... you will figure it out. 😉

Regarding accessing the drivers form LabVIEW: a) RTFM b) Menue palette->Instrument I/0->Instrument Drivers.

For getting started have a look at the NRT-Z application example. For the SMIQ it works the same way... Initialize session, do something, close session.

so long,

juergen.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Before you ask some more basic questions, have you finished the tutorials I linked? If you had, you would have some concept about the difference between LabVIEW,LabWindows/CVI, and IVI. Have you done any LabVIEW training or do you think you can do that through endless questions here? Please see the LabVIEW tutorials.

And yes, you need the instrument manual to know how the instrument works. Sort of like taking a class on LabVIEW before you do anything with it.

p.s. what does pilotate mean? Control?

[vanny]

Yes Dennis, I ask here because I jnow how use LabVIEW to do a VI, but I never connect LabVIEW to Instrumentations. So I have this problem now. I don't know how I must do to connect Instrumentations to LabVIEW.

The problem is that I haven't manual of my Instrumentations and their drivers.

I explain myself.

I must to connect my Generator SMIQ02B of Rohde & Schwarz to my pc and control it by LabVIEW. It use a GPIB USB B card to connect to my pc.

So first of all I have downloaded drivers for  GPIB USB B and for VISA.

1) First of all. What is VISA?

2) Before a user tell me two drivers, but (excuse me) I don't understand each files to what instrument is referred and (I don't understand very good english so for me it's more difficult). 

3) After all istallation... how I must do? How I see my generator by LabVIEW? What I need to controll it?

THANKS.Excuse for my questions, but understand me,

Vanny.

[Dennis_Knutson]

I understand your difficulty but my question remains about studying the tutorials in the links I gave you. You will find explanations of VISA, what an instrument driver is, how to install one, and how to use one. Please take some time now and after you have gone through all of the on-line resources, post back with some specific questions.

If you don't have a manual for an instrument, request one from the manufacturer. Unless you are pretty familiar with the instrument, it's just going to make programming it much more difficult. A fact of drivers is that there is little documentation included. Driver authors usually assume a manual is available and a user is familiar with it.