LV program to control instrument without driver over GPIB

[Nick4]

I am kind of new to LabView and instrument control, so will start with basic queries.

- Are commands to control instrument via GPIB standardized, or differs across instruments?

We have HP instrument connected via GPIB, for which instrument driver exists. I now want to use the same LabView software to control another instrument (Keithley 595) using GPIB, for which there is no instrument driver in NI/Labview.

- Does having instrument driver even matter, if we are basically issuing commands over GPIB?

- What exactly I need to look in existing VI files? (That is, if it is using standard GPIB instructions or instrument specific commands)?

- Is it feasible to modify VI files to work with Keithley 595 without availability of instrument driver?

Thanks, Nick

[crossrulz]

There is a standard out there for commands over GPIB.  It is called SCPI.  But it is a pure guess if the instrument in question actually uses it.  Even if it does, it likely will not react the same.

So there's no canned driver?  Make your own.  All your driver needs to be is a bunch of VIs that wrap up the SCPI commands and GPIB communication.  The first thing you need to do is look up the command structure of your new instrument.  If it looks like the commands are the same, then go ahead and give your current drivers a try.  I would not expect actual success, but it can't hurt to try.