GPIB Recognized, Can't Communicate

[LaserSpeckler]

Hello,

I'm working on a Laser Speckling research project and have run across a problem that has completely halted my progress. I'm using LabVIEW 8.2 with a CyberResearch GPIB-PCI card < http://www.cyberresearch.com/store/communications/data-acquisition-control/gpib/GPIB_PCI_1140.2.htm >. I installed the GPIB-32 library, then turned off the computer, installed the GPIB card, and rebooted. When the computer loaded, it said 'found new hardware' and installed the drivers. The card appears in the device manager, passes the CBTEST32 DOS utility, and can be completely run via the CBIC32 utility. However, anytime I have LabVIEW execute a GPIB command (init, clear, read, write, etc...) I get an error. I've tried everything I can think of, but I'm out of ideas. I don't understand why I can have complete control of it via CBIC32 and can't do a darn thing via LabVIEW.


HELP


~LaserSpeckler

[Dennis_Knutson]

You can only use the built-in low level GPIB functions with a GPIB board from NI. That's only to be expected when two different boards, from two different companies, use completely different designs, and different firmware. It's no different than two different graphics boards and low level functions. Compatibility between different vendors is possible when you use the LabVIEW VISA functions and if the vendor provides a VISA library for their board. If they haven't done that, then see if they provide a LabVIEW driver. If they don't do that either, then you will have to use the Call Library Function Node to access their dll.

[LaserSpeckler]

I've used the standard initialize, clear, write, read functions hundreds if not thousands of times to access Agilent power supplies, Fluke 45 DMMs, Kiethley Ammeters, and Lock-In Amplifiers using the same GPIB board and LabVIEW interface. The school I'm at purchased several dozen of the exact board from CR. All the other boards seem to have no problem with the GPIB interface.


Am I missing some link to a .dll or .sys file in a LabVIEW setting somewhere?

[LaserSpeckler]

This is the message I get:

Error 0 occurred at GPIB Write in LabVIEW <-> GPIB.vi

[Dennis_Knutson]

If the board works with LabVIEW, then their driver must be an exact replacement of NI's and they are duplicating the 'ib' commands that NI boards use. There is nothing in LabVIEW that you can do to change which driver the OS is using. I would suspect that there is some part of the driver that did not get installed correctly. Did you install any NI software after installing your board? What does Cyber Research tech support say?

[LaserSpeckler]

I haven't yet contacted CR tech support about the board.  I was hoping to not have to sit on the phone to resolve the issue.

THis particular board has not interfaced with LabVIEW yet, I just know that the other boards we have in the building interface fine with LabVIEW.  If I switch out my board for on that I know works; I get the same result:  A working board in the other computer and a recognized board that I can communicate with via CBIC32, but not LabVIEW.

I've tried uninstalling the drivers and reinstalling them about a half dozen times, so that doesn't seem to be it.  The order of installations goes as follows:  LabVIEW 8.2, GPIB-32 Library Drivers, GPIB Card.  That gets me to where I am.  Other combinations had worse results.


I still feel that it's an interfacting issue with LabVIEW.... There's got be a little trick I'm missing that has been done on all the other computers to make them work.