ViEnbaleEvent Returns Error 0xBFF003A w/ VI_EVENT_PXI_INTR

[davelclark]

We have a customer that is using a cPCI board in a PXI chassis and is trying to use VISA to handle interrupts. After setting up the module and installing an interrupt handler, he calls viEventEnable() with VI_EVENT_PXI_INTR. The function returns an error 0xBFFF003A. The description of the error is: "Unable to Start Operation because Setup is invalid (usually due to attribuite being set to inconsistant state)."

Can anybody give me any clue as to what might be causing this error? What are some of the reasons viEnableEvent() might be returning this error for VI_EVENT_PXI_INTR?

We are using a inf file created with the PXI Development Wizard. In a different system with the same inf file (actually not exa
ctly the same because I used the Win98 file and the customer is using Win2000 but both inf's where created at the same time) I have verified that I can get interrupts working. The customer has no other problems accessig the module.

David Clark
Software Design Engineer
C&H Technologies, Inc.
dlclark@chtech.com

[BeckyB]

Hello davelclark -

The error you mentioned is discussed in this KnowledgeBase.

Please let me know if this solution works for your customer. Have a great day!

Becky B.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments

[davelclark]

That article discusses the error in VXI with regards to VXI triggers. We are dealing only with PXI so I don't think it applies to us.

David Clark

[Dan_Mondrik]

David:

What version of NI-VISA did you create the INF file with, and what version of NI-VISA is on the customer's computer? The latest NI-VISA upgrade version available for download is 3.0.1.

I ask these questions because there were some changes to the INF files that unfortunately were not 100% backward compatible. This mostly affected devices with submanufacturer/submodel codes that are different from the primary manufacturer/model codes, but it's possible this could be what you're seeing.

If you upgrade to NI-VISA 3.0.1, regenerate the INF files, and still have problems, then please let us know.

But in general viEnableEvent is not a problem with NI-VISA and PXI. We have tested it on all supported platforms in NI-VISA 3.0.x - Windows 98, Me,
NT 4, 2000, XP, and LabVIEW RT.

Dan Mondrik
National Instruments

[davelclark]

Dan,

You might be on to something. The inf file was created in an older version of VISA (I'm not sure which but definitely earlier than 2.6), the cutomer is using VISA 3.0.1, and the device does use a different subsystem device and vendor ID.

I've updated the inf file and emailed it to the cutomer. I'll let you know if it does the trick.

Thanks,
David Clark

[davelclark]

Dan,

I'm not sure if the new inf file did the trick because it turns out that the inf file wasn't ever being installed correctly. The problem is that the system has two cards (F202 from MEN Micro and i3000 one of our OEMs) that both use the same PCI interface chip (the PLX9050) and therefore both return the same Vendor and Device ID (Vendor = 0x10B5 (PLX) & Device = 0x9050). When he tried to install the i3000, Windows found the F202 inf file and used it. We had to remove the F202 inf file in order for it to show up correctly. This is not necessarily a VISA problem but it leads to a question you guys might be able to answer. If two cards return the same Vendor and Device ID, how can you distinguish the two so that the correct inf file is used dur
ing installation? The i3000 does have subsystem information, I'm not sure if the F202 does. Can this be used somehow?

David Clark
C&H Technologies, Inc.

[Dan_Mondrik]

David:

Any PCI product that implements both the primary vendor and sub-vendor registers must have the information about both in its INF file. Otherwise that vendor is at fault. It sounds like MEN Micro is not putting their sub-vendor information into the F202 INF file.

What you could do as a hack is to move their INF file out of the Windows\INF directory and delete its associated PNF file from the INF directory if it exists (I forget which Windows OS you are on). Also delete it from the Windows Device Manager.

Then manually modify their INF file to include the sub-vendor information. If you need to know the format, look at the one that NI-VISA generated for your i3000. If you need to know their sub-vendor and sub-product code r
egister values, you should be able to use some tool like PCIbus Utility. Then copy that modified INF file back into the INF directory and try again. It should work this time by correctly associating their INF with their device and your INF (and thus NI-VISA) with your device.

And definitely send this information to MEN Micro. I'm certain that they do implement the sub-vendor registers, because that's just how you do this when you use another vendor's core.

I hope this helps.

Dan Mondrik
National Instruments