VISA 3.3.1 Issues

[Steve.Briggs]

Hello all,

After countless hours spent testing and examining an instrument I've finally come to the conclusion that I'm having issues with the VISA Read in Version 3.3.1.  Could there be a conflict with the NI provided VISA 3.3.1 and the downloadable VISA 3.3.1 off of the website.  I believe both are on my one computer (C:\National Instruments Downloads\NI-VISA\3.3.1) and (C:\Program Files\National Instruments\RT Images\NI-VISA\3.3.1).

I am 100 percent certain that the data reception software (VISA Read) is my problem area because I can send data, then visually see it graphically and numerically through another program.

The VISA Read tends to work occasionally, and then decide not to work at all.  Very temperamental and it's causing a great deal of frustration ahhhhhhh

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[RobCole]

My first suggestion, if you are using LabVIEW 7.1.1, is to download NI-VISA 3.6 from the NI website and install that.

We have had trouble with newer versions of NI-VISA on our LabVIEW 7.1.1 systems, but VISA 3.6 has alway proven itself stable.

Beyond that, I think that we would need more information and possibly a look at your VIs to see what is going on here and help to come up with a solution.

[Steve.Briggs]

Hey Robert,

The LabVIEW I am working with is only version 7.1, but for the sake of wanting to try anything, I'll attempt the run with NI-VISA 3.6.

Other than that I'll attach the entirety of my VI.  It contains 5 subVIs and one within another.

Thanks,

[Steve.Briggs]

Here go the other three...

Thanks again to anyone who has a look at it,

[RobCole]

I have downloaded your VIs and hope to get a chance to look at them today (I'm at work).

As a side note: LabVIEW 7.1.1 is a free update to LabVIEW 7.1. It fixes a number of bugs in LabVIEW 7.1. You can download this update from here:
http://digital.ni.com/softlib.nsf/websearch/6C5F342A4AF4EF8986256F5400693C3B?opendocument&node=132070_US

Have fun and I'll let you know if I can find anything...

     Rob

[Steve.Briggs]

Hey Robert,

My problem originated somewhere within the termination character within my string commands, the initialization of the set termination character at serial port, and the activation of the termination character.

I had the termination characters deactivated and set to carriage return.  By activating the termination characters, setting them to line feed, and by resetting the instrument I was communicating with it looks as if I solved my problem.  I did a presentation with it on Friday and individual showings of it afterward and not once did it fail to scan the complete spectrum and as of this morning everything is working accordingly.

Thanks for your help and looking at my vi if you did so already,

Regards

Message Edited by Steve.Briggs on 03-12-2007 08:22 AM