Running Continuum ND 6000 dye laser in LabView

[cweidner0]

so sorry!  must have missed the initial email back in September...

here they are!

[RipRock99]

Thanks Carrie!  We will give these a shot over the next few days!

[EEsRULEtheWORLD]

Message Edited by EEsRULEtheWORLD on 02-02-2010 11:36 AM

[RipRock99]

Hi Carrie,

Did you find that the regular windows software supplied with the ND6000 worked with a regular straight-thru cable, in contrast to the remote control setup (like your labview), which appears to require a NULL modem cable (Tx and Rx swapped as per the manual)? 

Thanks,

RipRock 

[RipRock99]

Hi Carrie -

I have been unable to get your code to work.  I think the code is fine, but it is something about our setup that seems to be the problem.

I can install a straight-through cable, and talk to the laser using the windows software.  I can record these interactions with PORTMON, and see that it is transfering odd commands ("8V2.99", "8D777664", "8G", etc).  I can turn off the software, and reissue the commands above in quotes, and I can hear the motors spinning (even if I don't know what the commands do).

However, if I put a NULL MODEM cable in, at best I can get the port to echo commands back at me.  Under no circumstances can I get any further response, and there is no sign of activity on the computer.  I am stumped.  Any ideas?

One final observation - it appears in your code that you set the stop bits to 2, which differs from the manual (1 stop bit).  Is this an error in the code, or a typo in the manual?

Many thanks,

RipRock

PS:  I don't know if this is verbotten on this board, but I could leave direct contact info if that would help.

[RipRock99]

Whoops - little missing text in the last message makes it hard to interpret:  Trying again:

I can turn off the software, and reissue the commands above in quotes _using hyperterminal_...

[cweidner0]

RipRock,

I'm not sure how much I can help, but I will at least try.  I know that when I installed a regular serial cable that you can buy anywhere, it did not work.  I had to wire up a serial connector using the wiring diagram they give in the manual (Option 2, figure 7.1 in my manual) to get the two computers (i.e. the one running windows 95 w/ DOS and the one running XP and LabView) to talk to one another.  I had to test the programs using the RS01.exe program given with the laser as well.  The latest version of the program (which i think I attached but I will again to be sure) has two stop bits.  I hope this helps, at least to start...

Carrie

[RipRock99]

Thanks for the info Carrie -

So just to be clear, did the windows program they provide for setting the wavelength and zero reseting the ND6000, running on the remote computer, work with a regular cable connecting the remote computer and the computer inside of the ND6000, or only with the one as described in the book (which is a NULL modem cable)?

What I am trying to say is the only way I can control it now is with their windows program running on a remote computer connected to the computer in the ND6000 with a REGULAR serial cable.  I was assuming the NULL modem cable was only required for Labview commanding (for some unknown reason).   Can you control the ND6000 on a remote computer (not the one in the ND6000) using a normal serial cable and the included windows program?

Thanks,

S- 

[cweidner0]

This I do not know.  I should be able to get back to you in a couple of days about that (the laser's down for maintainance now)

[RipRock99]

Carrie -

I think I have finally grokked the difference between our setups.  I believe the issue is that I am only using one computer (case A, below), and I am guessing you are using two (or three, case B):

Is this the case?

Thanks again!

S-