Screen image form Tektronix TDS2004C scope using tktds1k2k IVI driver

[kirkm]

I'm developing using Labwindows/CVI 2009.

Does anyone know if you can use the tktds1k2k IVI driver to capture a screen image from a Tektronix TDS2004C scope?

I know I can read waveforms.

What I'd really like to do is grab a full screen image off the scope.  (like the "hardcopy" sends to a printer).

Thanks,
Kirk

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

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@kirkm wrote:

I'm developing using Labwindows/CVI 2009.

Does anyone know if you can use the tktds1k2k IVI driver to capture a screen image from a Tektronix TDS2004C scope?

I know I can read waveforms.

What I'd really like to do is grab a full screen image off the scope.  (like the "hardcopy" sends to a printer).

Thanks,
Kirk

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You are asking this because you know the feature is available?

If it isn't in the driver, I guess you'll need to add that feature to the driver then.

[kirkm]

I don't know if the feature is available.  In fact I just looked in the programmer manual for the scope and don't see anything.

I hope maybe I'm missing something.

The scope will be added to a production test fixture.  The customer wants scope screen images of some of the measurements to be included with the test data sheet that ships with the final product.

I guess we could save the scope images to the USB flash drive that plugs into the front of the scope.  But then there is the problem of pulling the flash drive out and plugging it into the computer and then figuring out which images go with which serial number being tested.  I wonder if you may be able to annotate the screen image before it is saved???  Or maybe time & date.  Just thinking outloud.

Any other ideas will be appreciated.

Kirk

[crossrulz]

There's should be a hardcopy command.  I am assuming that the TDS2000 series works the same as the TDS3000 series here.  But you should be able to setup the hardcopy parameters (set to output a PNG file over the GPIB bus) and then perform a hardcopy.

You should check out this thread that dealt with the MSO4000 series scope:http://forums.ni.com/t5/Instrument-Control-GPIB-Serial/Screen-capture-of-Tektronix-MSO4104B-using-La...

[JÞB]

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@kirkm wrote:

I don't know if the feature is available.  In fact I just looked in the programmer manual for the scope and don't see anything.

I hope maybe I'm missing something.

The scope will be added to a production test fixture.  The customer wants scope screen images of some of the measurements to be included with the test data sheet that ships with the final product.

Any other ideas will be appreciated.

Kirk

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Wrong way to go about it.  No seriously-  that bitmap image is just WAY TOO MUCH data to send over GPIB in an automated test.  Grab the record (the points in the acquisition) and display it on a graph in CVI. Make the graph look like a scope's display and "Export simplified image" to your report

[crossrulz]

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@JÞB wrote:

Wrong way to go about it.  No seriously-  that bitmap image is just WAY TOO MUCH data to send over GPIB in an automated test.  Grab the record (the points in the acquisition) and display it on a graph in CVI. Make the graph look like a scope's display and "Export simplified image" to your report

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There are customers that don't like that.  They want to see everything on the scope's screen.  I have dealt with them.  If you can configure to hardcopy as a png, the file size drops considerably and is not that bad to do over GPIB.

[kirkm]

Looks like there's some software on the Tektronix website that can do the screen image capture.

Here's a thread on the Tek support forum with information about it:

http://www1.tek.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5223

[JÞB]

Sorry- pet peeve of mine so I appologize in advance for ranting.

<Rant on == FULLY>

Yes, I know there are "engineers" that prefer "PICTURES" to data.  I disresepectfully differ in opinion with them.  The pictures are "easy to analize" any idiot can look at one and draw some erroneous conclusions.  The data, on the other hand, can be analized in detail and has some tracability to engineering units and NIST standards.

If your "engineer" needs the pictures and cannot use data instead..... ?  Is your resume current?

<Rant off>