Old visa open, error code 1073807343, using VISA with a GPIB device, and VISA resource names

[optoelectro]

Alright, so at this point I had to restart my PC several times, but I have Tulip enabled, "Enable Keysight GPIB Cards for 488 Programs" enabled within Keysight Connection Manager, and when I start MAX, it finds my instrument and I can communicate with it.

Because until I hear back that removing NI-VISA is the right thing to do, it seems like a bad idea for now (because I'm not looking to use both NI and Agilent controllers, only Agilent).

Per the suggestion of another NI support guy, I tried one of the more current sample GPIB programs found in Labview->Help->Find examples->Search for GPIB->"Simple GPIB.vi". If I enter my GPIB address (17, not the whole GPIB0::17::INSTR), it queries it with *IDN? and it returns my instrument's info, so that's good.

I tried running the other .vi, "GPIB with VISA functions.vi", but it fails. I think this has more to do with the actual commands though; it says it tries to use SOUR:FUNC and SENS:DATA?, neither of which seem to be in the commands listed in my LCR Meter's manual.

I'll now try the old LCR meter program (updated to get rid of Old VISA open) that came with the LCR driver. If that works, I'll probably consider this solved.

[optoelectro]

Hi Thomas, thanks again.

Hmm, so VISA is a driver... but isn't there also a 488.2 Driver? Or are they the same thing?

The LabVIEW section of the 2nd link is kind of confusingly written. It says "Uninstall NI-VISA, and install HP-VISA. Use the VISA functions in LabVIEW to access the HPIB board." So... You're saying I shouldn't do that?

Ahhh! I appear to have it working, I think! You can see under major/minor parameter values, the C and R values of the test capacitor I have plugged in:

I'm not sure what the underrange error is, but it can't be that terrible if it's reporting the correct value of the physical thing.

So that Labview section is still confusing. It says:

LabVIEW

Uninstall NI-VISA, and install HP-VISA. Use the VISA functions in LabVIEW to access the HPIB board.

By default, a VISA resource name constant or control will only allow devices defined in Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX). Since HPIB boards using HP-VISA will not be found by MAX, you must right-click on the control or constant and select "Allow Undefined Names." This will allow you to manually enter the address of the instrument. Then, you must get the proper board and instrument address from the Agilent/HP I/O configuration utility. Once you have that information, type the resource name according to the standard convention GPIBx::y::INSTR, where x is the board index number (usually 0) and y is the primary address of the instrument.

 So, when it says...

Since HPIB boards using HP-VISA will not be found by MAX

My board (...which is an HPIB board, right?) is found by MAX though, as in my picture in a previous post. So is that why I never had to R-click and select "allow undefined names"?

Anyway, so it seems to work.

[tcap]

Hello,

VISA is a higher level abstraction of multiple different communication protocols.  You use VISA to communicate with a lower level driver, such as 488.2.  This allows you to use VISA to do GPIB.  

I am glad that you got everything up and running.

I am sorry that the second link was unhelpful.  It appears to be out of date, since you didn't have to follow those instruction.

Since the software configuration is currently working, I would not change or uninstall any software.

Regards,

[optoelectro]

thanks for the clarification and help!