TMS9914 Controller Sample Code???

[mike]

I need some sample code to operate
a TMS9914A chip as a GPIB controller.
I have the 9900 Data Manual.
I'm sure it's all in there, but I
can't figure out how to read the
darn state diagrams.

All I want to do is send and receive data
from a Tek PS2521G power supply.

I have a noname GPIB card for my PC
that has the 9914A.
I followed the partial example in the
databook. I'm using Visual Basic 6 on a
Celeron 400 PC. Win89SE. Accessing the card
through a DLL (inpout32.dll).
I can only make it work by
sprinkling 10mS delays throughout the code.
So there's more to the handshake than
just monitoring BO and BI in the interrupt
status register 0. I seem to be leaving the
system in a bad state between data transmissions,
but it's not at all
clear why adding delays would
fix a state problem or why such long delays would be
needed???

I could use some sample 9914A control code.
And maybe a pointer to a simplified explanation of how
GPIB works in a simple configuration with a
controller and one device.

I have a logic analyzer that can decode GPIB,
but I don't have any idea what to look for.
The databook is clear as mud.

I also have an 8-bit ISA National Instruments card,
GPIB-PC Assy 180100-02 SN 4673,
but the available NI software seems to support only cards
more recent than that. Not sure that card works anyway.

Suggestions appreciated.
Thanks,
mike
spamme0@juno.com

[Randy Solomonson]

Hello-

The old 180xxx cards are part of an upgrade program (http://www.ni.com/support/gpib/upgrade.htm). It is possible to get an upgrade price for a new card. It may be possible to get the noname card to work, but VISA will not work with the card. If VISA will not work, the instrument drivers will not work. http://zone.ni.com/idnet97.nsf/browse/ has an instrument driver for this instrument that will save hours of excitement reading the Tek User's Manual and writing possibly thousands of lines of code. Using the upgraded card will likely save many hours of tedious coding and debugging.

Randy Solomonson
Application Engineer
National Instruments

[mike]

Thanks for the input.
The cost of the upgrade is way out of my range for hobby
applications.
I'm retired. If I saved time, I'd just have to find
something else to do
with it. 🙂

If National sold the card, there should have been some sort
of
software support that went with it. Why can't I download
that original
set of drivers???? I don't have a problem with running them
from DOS.
Don't have a problem with newer 488 functions not being
supported.
Don't need any fancy high level functions. Just need to get
and send
strings to the device.
I'm doin' trivial control stuff here.


The VB Class Module for the 9914 card is pretty trivial.
Problem turned
out to be that my debug.print statement was reading Int0,
inadvertently clearing
BO and BI before I got arou
nd to needing them. Was really
baffling that I could
verify that the bit was set, but the conditional statement
that followed couldn't find
it. Note to self: RTFM.

mike
spamme0@juno.com is a good address, but it has limited mail
size.
If anyone wanted to email drivers, they should email for a
different address first.




Randy Solomonson wrote:
>
> Hello-
>
> The old 180xxx cards are part of an upgrade program
> (http://www.ni.com/support/gpib/upgrade.htm). It is possible to get
> an upgrade price for a new card. It may be possible to get the noname
> card to work, but VISA will not work with the card. If VISA will not
> work, the instrument drivers will not work.
> http://zone.ni.com/idnet97.nsf/browse/ has an instrument driver for
> this instrument that will save hours of excitement reading the Tek
> User's Manual and writing possibly thousands of lines of code. Using
> the upgraded card will likely save many hours of tedious coding and
> debugging.
>
> Randy Solomonson
> A
pplication Engineer
> National Instruments

[Randy Solomonson]

Hello-

The DOS drivers are available at http://www.ni.com/support/gpib/versions.htm#pc_dos.

Randy Solomonson
Application Engineer
National Instruments