How to suck signal from Agilent N5182A Vector Signal Generator

[uWave]

Hi all,

I just recently acquired LabView Full and i want to see the spectral display from the SigGen in labview.  The SigGen is detected and communicates in MAX, but don't know where to start in writing a VI to read the SigGen.  Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

btw its connected through GPIB to a ethernet/gpib convertor and ethernet to the computer if it helps any. 

Message Edited by uWave on 10-02-2008 12:43 PM

[Kaspar]

Hello,

  Contact the manufacturer and/or look at their website to get the programmers manual. Hopefully they support SCPI, which makes life easier.

Regards,

Kaspar

[smercurio_fc]

Your best bet is to see if an instrument driver already exists in the Instrument Driver Network.

EDIT: And there is: http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.download_page?p_id_guid=37333AE939A67126E0440003BA7CCD...

Message Edited by smercurio_fc on 10-02-2008 01:35 PM

[uWave]

Kaspar,

I looked on their website, and they do support SCPI. i've downloaded the SCPI command manual.  Question, are these the commands i send to communicate with the SigGen using the Instrument I/O assistant? 

smercurio_fc,

i've got the IVI drivers installed and can communicate with it through max using the *IDN? command. 

Thanks for both your help so far.

Message Edited by uWave on 10-02-2008 01:47 PM

[Kaspar]

Hello,

    The SCPI command programmers guide contains the cmmands that you send to the instrument. As in one of the previous replies you can go to the NI website and get the drivers for the instrument. It might be a good idea for you to look at the existing driver and compare the commands to the programmers manual to get a understanding of how to control the instrument. The drivers on the NI website are broken up into sections, there is probably a "data section" which might contain a vi to read the data from the instrument.

Regards,

Kaspar

[uWave]

Hey Kaspar,

I scanned over the programmer's manual and made a simple VI using the Instrument I/O assistant function to send commands to the SigGen using the.  Using the commands from the manual, i was able to read the freq. and power level from the SigGen.  Using the "write" step, i wrote commands to change the freq. and power level.  Thanks for all your help.

[Kaspar]

Hello,

  I am glad to see that you have something working! Have a nice weekend!

Regards,

Kaspar