HP6624 gpib programming problem

[what are you people talking about?]

When I send the command "ISET 1,2.0;" using the NI PCII 488 card to the HP6624A power supply, the error flag comes on. Interrogating the error it comes back with a "4" =syntax error. Checking the manual, the syntax looks good.Is this a processor speed problem? I am using a 233 MHz pentium.

[Randy Solomonson]

Hello-

It's difficult to say exactly what caused such an error. Agilent may be able to give some details about this instrument.

However, a more lasting solution is to switch to LabVIEW or CVI. These languages are able to use VISA and instrument drivers. An Instrument Driver is available for this model that abstracts the details of writing to the GPIB bus to a few simple functions. This will substantially decrease development time and such problems.

Randy Solomonson
Application Engineer
National Instruments

[Kamran S.]

This might have to do with your not sending the entire command. For example there may be a command:
"VOLT:RANGESET 2.0" after that it's possible to send either "VOLT:GAINSET 2.0" or "GAINSET 2.0"

The instrument command parser many times maintains a relative path of sorts. I'm not sure about the commands you're using but you had VSET and ISET, it might be worthwhile to send the entire command string for ISET.