basic VISA not communicating, timeout error 1073807246

[simpleq]

I need simple help getting a basic instrument driver to initialize - 

I am trying to control an HP6632a power supply over a Prologix GPIB-USB controller using LabVIEW 2010 64bit on windows 7. The most recent NI-VISA driver is installed, including 488.2.

I am using this instrument driver http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.model_page?p_model_id=554 (the basic plug and play)

When I attempt to communicate with the instrument using this driver's Initialize vi, I get timeout errors, indicating it's obviously not connecting.

So i tried something simpler, and confirmed that basic communication with the prologix gpib controller is not the problem. it returned bytes without an issue... so I believe the error is in the instrument driver itself. Now, to circumvent these driver errors, i tried communicating with the instrument through MAX via an Open VISA Test Panel. Write operations return no error, but query and read operations give me the timeout error again - obviously confirming as before that I'm not successfully communicating with the instrument.

Help? All of my serial parameters are default (9600 baud rate, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, parity none, no flow control, termination character is line feed \n). I've tried reading only one byte at a time also...still get the timeout error. I wrote a simple VI to close the open visa session(s) on my com4 port, so it's not trying to access an already-used serial connection - there is some other source of error

Thanks

[Albert.Geven]

a prologic gpib controller has as far as I know nothing to do with a serial com port.

So is it a serial connection or a gpib bus and do you have the right cable connected?

A straight or a null modem cable (swapping some pins)

[simpleq]

It is this controller (http://prologix.biz/gpib-usb-controller.html) plugged directly into the HPIB port on the power supply, and then connected to the computer via a USB A\B cable. When plugged in, it definitely recognizes the device as a serial connection on COM4

[Albert.Geven]

OK, so your gpib controller is seen as a com port. 
I do think  that you have to modify the NI-drivers for instruments with a different VISA write because you have a completely different GPIB interface.

I don't think that this is difficult but a lot of work for any driver you are going to use. I agree that the NI interface (or Aglilent) is cheap but they do work.

Even for the agilent one there is a plugin to make it work.

good luck

[Dennis_Knutson]

How did you modify the driver to write the termination character? The VISA Inialize Serial Port does nothing for a write.