Controlling Tektronix TDS-3014 scope with ICS GPIB-USB Controller

[Vivide]

Hi,

I am trying to capture waveforms from a TDS-3014 scope with an ICS 488-USB GPIB controller in LabView. ICS told me to install version 1.7 of NI 488.2 instead of the newest version (I am using LabView 7.0) so I could install the non-plug-and-play version of GPIB (AT-GPIB/TNT) interface. I have no problem detecting and communicating (both read and write) with the scope in MAX. However, when I tried to run VISA Find Resource in LabView I got nothing returned (searched for GPIB?*INSTR). I also couldn't run VISA Interactive Control. One note though, I have replaced NI version of GPIB.dll with ICS's version, and NI's visa32.dll was also replaced with Tektronix's version (under windows\system32 directory).

Thanks for your help.

Best regards,

Vivide

[Dennis_Knutson]

Did ICS tell you that Tek's version of VISA would work with their card? Usually, you have to use the vendor's VISA in order to use it. For example to use a GPIB card from Agilent, Agilent's version of VISA would have to be installed. I've never used an ICS card, but I would check with them to see how they support VISA. Some vendors don't and if they are one of them, you'll have to stick with traditional GPIB functions. If the instrument driver uses VISA calls, that means rewriting the software.

[Vivide]

Hi,

ICS supports VISA calls and running their compatibility utility (and updating the Tektronix firmware to the latest version) has allowed me to read and write to TDS 3014 scope with VISA calls. However, when I was running the getting started.vi (part of the tktds3k driver package that I downloaded from NI website), I got the following the error in the call library funcation node.

Error -1074135040 occurred at tkds30xx Initialize With Options.vi

Possible reason(s):
Driver Status: (Hex 0xBFFA0000)

Thanks a lot for your help.

Regards,

Vivide Chang

[MichaelChaney]

Hi Vivide,

Make sure that the Resource Name and Option String parameters are valid. Also make sure that you are not already using the resource somewhere else, such as the Measurement & Automation Explorer.

Good luck,