"No listeners on the GPIB."

[einone]

I'm getting the following error when I try to run GPIB on Labview:

"Error 2 occured at GPIB write in (filename).vi"

Possible reason(s):

LABVIEW: Memory is full.

---------------------------

---------------------------

NI-488: No Listeners on the GPIB.

This error tends to occur when an improper address string is written to the device. For example, if the device is 15 but the Labview address string is 28, this error will occur. However, I have already checked for that, and the address string is valid.

Furthermore, this is not specific for a particular device.  I have tried writing to other devices using Labview and I get the same error!  Therefore, I'm inclined to believe that the problem lies with the computer.

[smercurio_fc]

What does MAX show, and what kind of GPIB controller do you have?

[MattBradley]

Can you post any of your code?

[einone]

The GPIB controller is a PCI card, with NI-488.2 for the software.

Here's what MAX shows for a sample program.

My System

Operating System	Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (5.01.2600)
Processor	Pentium / x86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 6 / GenuineIntel / 930 MHz
Memory	255 MB of RAM
Disk Space	C:\ 22.6 GB of 29.2 GB free D:\ 24.3 GB of 26.5 GB free

Back to top

GPIB0 (PCI-GPIB)

Interface Information

GPIB Hardware Model : PCI-GPIB
Serial Number : 13F04C2

General Settings

Primary Address : 0
Secondary Address : None
System Controller : Yes
I/O Timeout : 13 (10 sec)
Autopolling : Yes

Termination Settings

Send EOI at End of Write : Yes
Terminate Read on EOS : No
EOS Byte : 0
8-bit EOS Compare : 7-bit
Set EOI with EOS on Write : No

Advanced Settings

HS488 Cable Length : 0 (Disabled)
Parallel Poll Duration : 0 (2 usec)
Assert REN when SC : No
Bus Timing : 2 (500 nsec)

[smercurio_fc]

I meant what does MAX show in terms of the instruments on the bus?

The one thing I don't understand is that you're explicitly using GPIB Write as opposed to VISA.  Any reason why? New code should be using VISA instead of the GPIB functions.

[einone]

VISA would probably work better.  As of right now though, GPIB cables are what I have to work with in the lab.

Now, in the "Advanced System Information" section of the MAX report, for GPIB, the bus type is 'pci', the bus number is 2, and the socket number is d (or 13 in hex).

What specifically are you looking for in terms of other instruments on the bus?  Do you mean other instruments on the bus which are not GPIB instruments? 

[Dennis_Knutson]

---

einone wrote:

VISA would probably work better.  As of right now though, GPIB cables are what I have to work with in the lab.

.....

---

Say what?

I think you don't understand the relationship between VISA and GPIB. VISA is an API that works with GPIB, RS-232, Ethernet, PCI, PXI, USB and has been the standard for GPIB communication for a long time. You really don't have any reason to use the low level GPIB functions.

At some point, you should have right clicked on the controller and done a scan for instruments. You instrument should then be listed.

Message Edited by Dennis Knutson on 07-28-2009 11:38 AM

[einone]

Ok, so now I'm trying to use the VISA functions for GPIB, and I get the following error at "VISA Open":

Error -1073807202 occurred at VISA Open in GPIB check.vi 

This error code is undefined. No one has provided a description for this code, or you might have wired a number that is not an error code to the error code input.

The resource name is "GPIB0::18::INSTR" because the board index is 0 and the instrument address is 18.

[smercurio_fc]

Did you try a search? See here: VISA Error -1073807202 (0xBFFF009E).

You still haven't told us what MAX shows for the list of instruments on the GPIB bus. 

[MattBradley]

Without the list, it's kind of difficult to figure out what the problem is, but I'm betting that there is no instrument at address 18 connected to your PC.  This means that either 1) The GPIB cable is not connected or 2) The instrument is at a different address.

Slight possibilities:

  There are two instruments at address 18

  One of the other instruments thinks it is the system controller

In any case, (after you get the list from MAX if possible), you should go to each instrument's front panel and find out what address it thinks it is and whether it thinks it's the system controller or not.