How to start on controlling a GPIB device?

[otcs]

Currently i am requested to use labview(version 5.0) to write an application VI to communicate with a GPIB device: HP 83712B synthesized CW generator. I started doing this by looking for its instrument driver from your website under the "NI developer zone" and luckily, there is one. But i saw the device driver is only for version6.x & 7.0...so, does it mean i cannot use for 5.0? Actually i have downloaded the driver under version6.0, but cannot open the VI, and an error message box says "cannot find source file..."etc. So, if it cannot be used, how should i start to learn for the GPIB device application for VI creation? I really lost my way....thanks for your kind help!

[KileenC]

Hi otcs,

National Instruments has discontinued support for LabVIEW versions prior to 6.0. Unfortunately, the instrument drivers available for download will not be openable in LabVIEW 5.0. I would highly recommend updating your LabVIEW application to take advantage of the numerous applications that are available for use with your HP 83712B synthesized CW generator. This would definitely help jump-start development for your device and would take much of the frustrations of low-level programming away.

Otherwise, to communicate with your device using LabVIEW 5.0, I would suggest first opening up the National Instruments Measurement and Automation Explorer (MAX) and making sure that your computer has recognized the hardware device installed on your co
mputer. Then, use the VISA Interactive Control (VISAIC) found under Tools->NI VISA->Visa Interactive Control. Then, there's a shipping example in LabVIEW called LabVIEW<->GPIB that you can find under Help->Find Examples...->Hardware Input and Output->GPIB.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Kileen Cheng
Applications Engineer
National Instruments