control an instrument connected with a GPIB to another PC

[amose]

hi
I would like to execute a VI that has to control two instruments. the problem is they are not connected to the same PC. Can I access through a network to another PC and read and write to the other instrument with a GPIB port?
thanks
Amos
(Labview 6.1 may upgrade to 😎

[Wensu]

Yes Amos, you can.

Just download and install ni visa on each computer
http://digital.ni.com/softlib.nsf/websearch/5F5CCFF22A3489858625709F005B9A47

the program comes with server software that is easy to configure.

once you install visa on each computer, open up the NI Measurement and Automation eXplorer (MAX).

Choose my system-> software -> ni-visa -> server -> security settings

Add in the ip address of the other computer.

Once the computers recognize each other, you should be able to do this:

In MAX, right-click "remote systems" -> choose create new -> enter in other computer's ip address -> click finish

Expand the ip address of the other computer (click plus sign), you should see the remote gpib devices listed.

You should then find the devices listed in the "instrument resource name" selector boxes that contain the gpib addresses of the instruments.

Then youre good to go.

I'm sure that one of the NI folks would be glad to post a link to the VISA help documentation also.

Good luck

[amose]

thanks for the quick reply.
i followed your instructions but when trying to connect I get this message:

viFindRsrc returned 0xBFFF00A8 (Access to the resource or remote machine is denied. This is due to lack of sufficient privileges for the current user or machine.)

Please check the remote machine's settings and make sure you have added this machine's network address to the permission list.

Possible causes for this error:
1.The remote machine you are accessing has not granted you permission.
2. The remote machine you are accessing has denied you permission to access its resources.
3. You may have set up your server with a specific IP address and configured your client machine to different IP address rather than the machine name (ie, the client's IP address is assigned by a DHCP server).

is it because they have different VISA software( the other PC has win NT so I installed 3.3.1)?
any other suggestions?
Amos

Message Edited by amose on 11-16-2005 03:17 AM

[Emilie S.]

Hi amose:

Here is the tutorial on using remote VISA:

Remote Instrument Control with NI-VISA

Please follow the steps outlined here and repost if you still get an error.

Regards,

Emilie S.

[amose]

hi
thanks to you all for your help.
i resolved the problem by using the actual IP (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx) instead of the PC's name. (dsfsd.asdf.com)

[rweaver6]

I read this article. It tells me everything except how to install the server. It mentions not all VISA installations have the server. What am I missing? I have NI-VISA version 5.0.3

[Dennis_Knutson]

It says all recent versions have it. You aren't missing a thing.

[rweaver6]

Thanks for the quick reply. I think my post was probably not clear. There is no server entry under My system, so my MAX screen does not match what is shown in the picture. Here is what I see:

In MAX Software/NI, I have My system, followed by General settings (with Aliases, Remote, and Passports), followed by Conflict Manager. No VISA Server leaf and no Security under it. The "Remote" I just mentioned is functionally client-related and is not for starting the server, as far as I can tell.

To try to get around any problem the specific lab PC might have, I did a fresh install on an unrelated machine (my desktop) of NI-488.2 ver 2.7.3 from an available CD kit, followed by a download and upgrade to NI-488.2 ver 3.0.2 from the NI site. The new install behaves exactly like the other machine. I still see no way to enable the server.

Is there a configuration step needed to make the VISA Server/Security entry appear? Do I need to open the firewall to a specific port first?

thx for the help,

rdw

[Dennis_Knutson]

Installing NI-488 does nothing. Did you actually install NI-VISA? That is why it is called VISA Server after all.

You aren't even looking in the correct place. Once you install NI-VISA, expand the software listing for it.

[rweaver6]

Yes I did install VISA in a manner of speaking. NI-VISA looks like it's installed as part of NI-488.2. NI-VISA 5.1.1 shows up under Software, that's what I described in my previous post. I click on that NI-VISA entry an see VISA options, but not the one to a allow the server to respond to outside requests. 

If I understand you, perhaps it is that the server is only available if I install VISA separately?