How to control a parallel port using VISA

[srms]

Hi,

I have a XY stage which I can control using mach3 software. I want to control a signal generator, VNA and the XY stage at the same time. I have programmed SG and VNA using Labview VISA but I am having difficulties controlling XY stage using Labview. I have never controlled an instrument connected through parallel port using labview.

Can anybody give me some ideas to start with? How do I use VISA to control the parallel port? I really appreciate your help. Thank you in advance.

[srms]

Hi,

I have a XY stage which I can control using mach3 software. I want to control a signal generator, VNA and the XY stage at the same time. I have programmed SG and VNA using Labview VISA but I am having difficulties controlling XY stage using Labview. I have never controlled an instrument connected through parallel port using labview.

Can anybody give me some ideas to start with? How do I use VISA to control the parallel port? I really appreciate your help. Thank you in advance.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Accessing a parallel port is no different than accessing a serial/GPIB/Ethernet port. The alias for the printer port is typically LPT1 but use whatever is listed in MAX. What you write/read to the port will depend on the instrument - just like any other instrument. A basic example is shown here. Without details on the xy stage, impossible to provide any more information.

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

Per LabVIEW Help  --->

(Windows) NI-VISA supports interaction with parallel ports as well as with serial ports on your computer. You can use the VISA properties to communicate with parallel ports in the same way you communicate with serial ports.

[srms]

Hi Dennis,

Thank you for the reply. I went through the example. but PC does not communicate with XY stage. what changes I should do to the program.

XY stage has two pac-sci Nema34 stepper Motors

slo-syn ss2000D6 Driver

sound logic breakout board

Thank you

[Dennis_Knutson]

I have no idea what changes you made to the example in order to send a command or what commands are supposed to be sent. You have to provide those sort of details if you want any kind of help.

[srms]

I tried to run the example program. But I can not detect LPT1 port in VISA resource name. so I get an error(-107.....). tried several methods given by other people. what should I do to detect parallel port? my Labview version is 10.0

Thanks

[Dennis_Knutson]

Posting a partial error code is just silly. Agian, what sort of help do you expect? Your version of LabVIEW is irrelevant. You, of course, need to have NI-VISA installed and the parallel port should appear in MAX. It is a built-in port, isn't it?

[srms]

problem is MAX does not detect the parallel port in VISA resources. please help me to resolve this problem.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Finally some details.

How is the port shown in windows device manager? Does anything change if you click 'Device enabled' box? What version of NI-VISA are you using and what is your OS?

[srms]

In Device manager, its enabled. I use NI VISA 5.2 and my OS is windows 7.

I get this error when I pressed Open Visa test panel in MAX

Error opening resource:
ASRL10::INSTR

VISA:  (Hex 0xBFFF00A5) The interface type is valid, but the specified interface number is not configured.

Error -1073807342 occurs when I tried to run a Labview program

Thank you