Need help with HP E4437B Signal Generator HPIB to GPIB

[W2LPC]

Hello all. My lab has an HP E4437B that communicates with the old HPIB system. We are running Fluke Mettrack and Metcal 8.3.2 with NI USB to GPIB HS adapters. I need to know HOW to communicate with this instrument so we can run runtime and manual Metcal calibrations with this unit. Does ANYONE know how to write a conversion app for this application? Examples, software, documentation would be great. ANY help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

[GovBob]

Not sure this is the same instrument but here I found a LabVIEW driver. Your best bet is to find the programming manual for that instrument. HPIB on those old instruments don't follow the standard SCIPI commands. If I remember correctly it uses something like ID? instead of IDN?. 

[W2LPC]

Hi. Thank you for the reply. Yes, the ID? will produce a query response from the unit. I can also see it and communicate with it in the Keysight Benchview software. I have NO idea on how to translate the old HPIB to GPIB so we can use our Fluke calibration software. Would you know where the programming manual can be found? Thanks again for your help.

[crossrulz]

I don't think you need to worry about the difference between HPIB and GPIB here.  I specifically remember using GPIB to communicate with a similar model (same series from ~20 years ago).

There may be a setting in the signal generator for the language to use.  That would be something to check on to see if Metcal will work.  I'm fairly sure it used the standard SCPI.

With all of this said, I don't see what exactly you are having issues with.

[W2LPC]

I can not run or control the calibrator from runtime. I don't know what if any special code has to be entered in our existing procedures to make it respond and function under remote (IEEE) control. Attached to this message is a screen shot of a procedure for a Fluke 87 v. I need to know if I have to enter special characters or other programming instructions to make the unit respond.