Products that support SCPI full function and IVI driver

[nonomiya]

Hello All,

I try to know what is the possible relationship between SCPI and the function and attribute definition of IVI driver.
I found the specific chapter about Digital Meters in Instrument class that from SCPI-99.pdf.

That mean SCPI also define the fundmental class for instrument, just like IVI's eight existed classes.

But I can not find any useful information from the source about DMM from IVI C-Shared component.
It seems IVI DMM driver does not have any SCPI implement issue.

I want to find out any possible examples/products that support SCPI full function and IVI driver.
Even other instrument classes are okay for reference,

Is there any existed products with the both drivers supported above?

much thanks,

[Dennis_Knutson]

When you try to compare SCPI with IVI, you're really comparing apples to oranges. SCPI defines the command set that an instrument uses for it's programming. IVI defines the functions that an instrument implements. I believe that the only software component that IVI specifies is that an IVI driver will use VISA. So, in the case of a DMM, SCPI will say that a command such as CONF:VOLT:DC will set it to measure volts while IVI will say that a compliant DMM will have a voltage measurement function. An IVI DMM does not have to implement SCPI. Use of an IVI driver hides all of the details of the actual programming implementation. You can, for example, replace a DMM from vendor A that uses SCPI, with a DMM from vendor B that uses register based programming. That is the advantage of IVI. SCPI predates IVI and was an attempt to standardize instrument commands. In theory, a DMM from vendor A that used SCPI would have the exact same command set as a DMM from vendor B that also used SCPI. That fact that vendor A and vendor B actually used slightly different command sets is one reason for the creation of IVI. An IVI class driver is a further layer of abstraction that defines common functions and lets the lower level instrument driver perform the actual implementation.

If you just want ot find a DMM that has an IVI driver and is programmed with SCPI, then I would suggest you look at the Agilent 34401.

[nonomiya]

Thanks Dennis and all,

Actually, we are developing a IVI driver that the programming command sets based on SCPI. We have some native DLL's libraries to directly control our instrument products already. However, there is no similiar SCPI command sets about our instrument class.

We try to rewrite all DLL function to SCPI's one, and prepare for IVI function programming that based on these SCPI commands.

So, we can announce our products that support pure SCPI programming approach, and also support IVI driver function. Therefore, I am trying to find out some possible reference for our private products(not in default class of SCPI and IVI)

However, I am newbie for SCPI, I just know some basic commands. I am wondering if the SCPI can completely replace a standard DLL-style windows API, such as the parameter of C STRUCTURE, POINTER..

I think it seem the only way to implement callback by VISA's Events and Handlers.

[Dennis_Knutson]

For information on SCPI, you can go here and follow the links to buy the standard or download the pdf file. What type of instruments are you talking about? I'm guessing that they're pc based since you are currently using a DLL to communicate with them. If that's the case, then I'm not sure you can completely replace your DLL. I'm more familiar with GPIB and VXI instruments where the SCPI parser is in the instrument itself. In order for your driver to work, I would think you would need to command the instrument using a VISA Write and send a string. VISA events and handlers have nothing to do with SCPI. They are hardware events such as asserting the GPIB SRQ, or a PXI interupt.