how to get the CURRENT value using a GPIB command

[cammandline]

Hi I'm looking for the GPIB command to get the current value from a generic power supply, more specifically a HP E3631A DC Power Supply? Or the current power supply using Agilient VEE program in general?
Please help thanks in advance

[Dennis_Knutson]

The specific command for the E3631A is to first select the channel with the :INST:NSEL n; command and then do a :MEAS:VOLT? Both of these commands are documented in your programming manual.

If you want a generic method, then you would have to be using an IVI class driver.

I have no idea how any of this is done in VEE. This forum is for NI products and VEE is not one of those. I would suggest www.agilent.com.

[cammandline]

Thanks for your help. For some reason after I send the command however the current stops or freezes preventing me from getting any more. Only after I manually hit the "STORE" button on the power supply does the current change again. Am I doing something wrong or is there a GPIB command to hit the store button.

Thanks in advance for the help. I couldn't find it in the manual.

[Dennis_Knutson]

I'm not sure what the issue might be. I don't have the ps handy but I never had a problem with continuously reading it though I really don't remember paying much attention to the display itself. Can you put the current read in a loop and then disconnect it from the load? The current should drop to zero.

[GovBob]

There is also a LabView driver available.

http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.model_page?p_model_id=231

[markus kossmann]

You problem is that the display on the device doesn't update its value any more ?

In that case, you might check which triggering mode is used. If I remember correctly switching to remote causes the device going to bus triggering mode but in local operation is uses the immediate triggering mode. When the device is in bus triggering mode the device will only update its display if initiated by a command over the GPIB bus.