Error in Agilent 415x Series Instrument Driver

[stefan_munich]

Hi guys,

I am trying to use the Agilent 4155B with the 415x Series Instrument Driver for Labview version 2009, 9.0.1.

When I open the Agilent 415X Dual Source Sweep Display.vi and run it I get an error "VISA Open in Agilent 415X Series.lvlib:Initialize.vi->Agilent 415X Dual Source Sweep Display.vi".

So I thought maybe that's because I didn't write the VISA name of my device in the Initialize.vi. But also if I do that, it still doesn't work.

How do I get this to run properly?

Thanks a lot!

Stefan

[jjp377]

---

@stefan_munich wrote:
So I thought maybe that's because I didn't write the VISA name of my device in the Initialize.vi. But also if I do that, it still doesn't work.

---

Did you configure your instrument in MAX?

What is the error that is being generated when you are trying to run the example?

[stefan_munich]

Thanks for your reply!

I think the instrument is working in MAX. When I open the Visa Test Panel and write "*IDN?\n", I can then read the basic info, as it should be. Is there any other possibility to test, if it is configured correctly?

When I run the initialize.vi from Agilent 415x Series.lvproj, with the correct Visa resource name inserted there is no error, but the script ends again immediately, I'm not sure if that is intended. If I don't enter a Visa name, it ends with an error, though. Same thing for the global-initialize.vi.

Now when I try to run the Agilent 415X Dual Source Sweep Display.vi there is no field where I can enter the Visa resource name, so where do I have to do that?

When I just try to run it I get error code "-1073807346" and the text "VISA Open in Agilent 415X Series.lvlib:Initialize.vi->Agilent 415X Dual Source Sweep Display.vi" in the error out.

What is the problem here?

[GuentherS]

Hi Stefan,

try the following: in the block diagram of "Agilent 415X Dual Source Sweep Display.vi" go to VISA resource name input of "Initialize.vi", right mouse click --> create control. This will create a VISA control on the front panel of the top VI. Enter your VISA resource name there and try again

By the way: these drivers use the SCPI codes to control the 4155B, which are slow and clumsy. If you want to have better performace, use the FLEX codes.

Good luck

Guenther

[stefan_munich]

Thanks for your reply!

Unfortunately the option create -> control is grayed out... I now exchanged the input form of the initialize.vi against a string constant with the VISA name. Now the Agilent 415x Dual Source Sweep Display.vi at least starts and keeps running! After a while it ends without error code, though.

Is this vi actually the main vi to use in this package and it just uses the other vis or are there others I should use as a frontend?

Since the block diagram with all the subvis is quite complex I think I didn't get all the options I have yet. So how is the use of this vi actually intended? Should it run continuously or should I just start it, enter my parameters and then get the result as a graph?

Thanks a lot for your help!

[Dennis_Knutson]

It is simply an example that demonstrates some of the functions that come in the driver. Of course it is not supposed to run continuously. There is no while loop there. First thing, you should start with the basic LabVIEW tutorial. Then,go to the main Instrument Driver Network and look at the links that explain what a driver is and how to use one. Study the functions in the instrument palette with Context Help turned on.

[stefan_munich]

Yes, I already read through all that, but really working with it is something different than understanding the basic principples.

So I would first like to just perform a measurement with the example mentioned above. What's odd is that there is nothing displayed in the graph when I run a scan. Shouldn't there at least be noise visible when nothing is connected to the device?

Thanks!

[GuentherS]

In the version I have for the secondary source the compliance input is hard wired to an integer of 2. The instrument will interpret this as a complinace level of 2 Amps, which is way beyond what it is able to do, and therefore the instrument won't do a thing.

Replace the 2 by a control and set the compliance level accordingly.

In this example there is a number of things hard wired to constants, like the number of points for the sweep. Better do a sanity check with all of them.

Good luck,

guenther