EC12 "seec1x read meas.vi" does not measure user temp between +10 & -10C

[jughead]

I am using the seec1xg.llb from both the NI & SUN websites but cannot get the "read meas.vi" to read values between +10C & -10C. The front panel reads fine.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Do you get incorrect readings or no readings at all? I've never used this chamber but maybe I can help you troubleshoot the problem. Inside the read meas VI, there is a subVI called SEECSER read write. Place a probe on the string output of this to view what is actually being returned. If the data makes sense, it may be that the result string is being parsed incorrectly.

I was just going to hit submit when I decided to look at the driver again. It seems to me that there's a major bug in the VI called SEEC Build Commands. There's no correlation between the measurement you select from the front of read meas and the command strings being built. For example, If you select Channel 1 Temperature, you get the command string TEMP? but if you select Channel 2 Temperature, you get the command string UCHAN?. The data to plot controls on the two VIs don't match at all and they have to in order for things to work. The data to plot control and the whole case structure in build commands needs to be redone in build commands if the data to plot control on read meas is correct.

[Emilie S.]

Hi jughead and Dennis:

Thank you for checking this driver out Dennis. I have one question for you about it...

I opened up seec1x read meas.vi. I put a probe on the plot commands output. The commands that come out seem to be consistent with what I choose on the front panel. For example if I choose Chamber Temperature, I get TEMP? and if I choose User Temperature, I get UCHAN? Where are you able to choose Channel 1 or Channel 2?

jughead, what do you mean that the front panel reads fine? Does the graph display the correct temperature between -10 & 10C? If so, where is it not reading correctly? In looking at the front panel the only temperature display I see is the graph.

Thank you,

Emilie S.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments

[jughead]

I run a Celcius scan from +85 to -20. The data output to both the "Temperature Chart" and the "Data Output" goes to zero when the LCD display on the chamber or my thermocouple measurement with a 34970A is between +9.99 & -9.99 degrees. The text from the VISA read is correct but I can't figure out how to fix the parser/conversion in "read meas.vi". It doesn't seem to like x.xx format. It works fine with xx.xx.

It stops working at exactly 9.99 everytime. I'm sure it's a simple fix but I'm pulling my hair out. Any help appreciated.

[Emilie S.]

Hi jughead:

I think I have found the problem in the code and have developed a work around that should work for you. In the read meas VI right after the VISA read there is some string conversion done. What you need to do is change the offset in the Search/Split string function to 1 and add a Decimal Digit? function. Instead of trying to verbalize this please just look at the attached code. If you make the string conversion portion of your read meas VI look like the code I have attached I think you will start getting the readings you expect.

Please let me know if this works for you.

Emilie S.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments

[Dennis_Knutson]

In the seec1xs.llb that I download, there is SEECSER read meas and not a seec1x read meas. I got this from seec1xs.zip that I downloaded the day the question was posted. On my version, the data to plot lists channel 1 thru 10 temperatures, 2 set point channels, 2 rate channels, 2 CSET channels, 2 lower process limit channels, and 2 upper process. I selected the LabVEWI 7.0 version for download.

[Emilie S.]

Hi Dennis:

I believe you have the serial version of the drivers. I have not had a chance to look at those, but the seec1x read meas.vi is in the GPIB download which is just a little further down on the download page.

Thank you for all of you help!

Emilie S.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments

[jughead]

Thank You!!!!

I would have spun for weeks on that one. It worked right out of the chute.