Communicating with agilent E4401B

[LokeshSavadi]

Dear All,

I'm having problem in communicating with my agilent Spectrum analyser. The Vi is attached along with this mail. I'm always getting Timeout error even for execution of simple SCPI command. My aim of writing the Vi is to execute SCPI commands that are found in the user manual. Could somebody help me please?

Regards,

Lokesh

[Dennis_Knutson]

Exactly what command are you sending when you get the error? You have to write a query to get anything back. Why aren't you using one of the drivers?

[LokeshSavadi]

Hi ,

I tried using the drivers. But it is not working. For instance when I tried to use a VI, through which we can set the center frequency and span parameters. Whatever input I enter in the front panel doesnt get reflected in the screen of the spectrum analyser.

Also as you might see in the driver link you have given, the driver has not been tested for E4401B.

Regard,

Lokesh

[LokeshSavadi]

Even when I send simple commands like *IDN? through the VI that I have attached in the first post. I get timeout error.

Regards,

Lokesh.

[LokeshSavadi]

None of the drivers that you get at the NI website for the agilent E4401bB is working.

Anybody has worked with E4401B and tried automating it with labview.

Regards,

Lokesh.

[Dennis_Knutson]

What type of connection is there to the instrument? If it's GPIB, is it an NI GPIB controller? If yes, is the instrument listed in MAX when you do a scan for instruments? What are you using for the VISA Resource Name?

[tbob]

Another thing to try is to see if you can communicate with the instrument in MAX.  Open up a test panel for that instrument in MAX.  Send the *IDN? query.  You should see the ID string being returned.  If it works in MAX, then you have a VI problem.  If it doesn't work in MAX, you have a connection or instrument problem.

Some Agilent spectrum analyzers communicate through TCP/IP and some through GPIB.  Some even have both options.  Which one is yours?

[LokeshSavadi]

I'm using RS232 port for communicating.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Neither the driver or your code does anything to configure the serial port. As you see from the download page, that is not supported. Add that to your code and to the driver. Look at the 34401 example to see how you can easily add that support. If you still have problems, double check your com settings (baud, parity,etc.) and triple check that you are using the correct type of serial cable null-modem or stratight-through).

Try using a terminal emulation program such as Hyperterminal/Procomm/etc. to see if they work. I would actually do this before doing anything with LabVIEW.

[Hirren]

CHECK YOUR RS232 SETTINGS IN COMPUTER >> CONTROL >>SYSTEM >>DEVICE MANAGET>>PORT SERIAL COM1 COM2 ETC RIGHT CLICK PROPERTY >>PORT SETTINGS MANE SURE ITS

BITper second 9600

data bit 8

parity none

stop bit 1

flow control none

check same settins on auto max

on spectrum analyzer press system>>remote port:9600