Load setup from file in IVI scopes

[malosh]

Hi,

 I'm using LabVIEW 7.1 and just started writing code for my IVI scope.

One of the first things I wanted was to load a previously saved setup from a file, but I couldnt find a way to do so.

Is this a limitation of the IVI-Scope class or am I just missing something?

[gagi1]

Malosh,

Could you please provide us with more details on what you would like to accomplish? Are you using IVI Compliance Package and which version?

Thanks,

Vesna

[malosh]

I am using the IVI Compliance Package 2.1.1

I configured manually all the setup details on my scope (TDS7404B, TDS3054B) and then used the option 'Save setup to file'.

Now I wan't to load this setup from the file I created programmatically, using LabVIEW. I have IVI drivers for both scopes - the first has an IVI-COM driver and the 2nd has an IVI-C driver, but searching through the properties of these drivers I didn't find a way to load a setup from file.

Any idea why is that?

[Dennis_Knutson]

Write and Save to File is not part of the IVI-Scope class and it appears that the author of the instrument specific drivers chose not to include the functions. In the case of the tkds30xx driver (the only one I downloaded), there is the function tkds30xx Write Instrument Data in which you can send the specific command to the instrument. The 7404 driver should have something equivalent. Note, however, that reading an instrument setup from file will invalidate the IVI cache of the instrument settings. This is one of the major reasons to use IVI and by using the read from file command, you will also make your program specific to a certain instrument. This would also eliminate one of the major benefits of using IVI. Imho, these are the only two reasons for using IVI. If you truly want to use IVI, then the best way is read the setups from a file that you create and format (i.e. a windows INI file) and then setup the instrument (i.e. config horizontal, config vertical, etc.) with the functions in the driver.

[gagi1]

Features such as display features (e.g., changing color of traces on instrument display), saving/recalling/accessing non-volatile memory (hard disk, memory card), and other features which are not normally accessed through the programmatic interface are not included in most IVI drivers. We do provide two low level VIs, Write Instrument Data.vi and Read Instrument Data.vi, found under the specific driver Utility>Instrument I/O palette in LabVIEW that you can use to send other commands that are not implemented in the driver.

Regards,

Vesna