FGen sweep function TestStand

[steve h]

I have a NI PXI 5402 and wish to use its 'sweep' function in TestStand. I can open the NI FGEN Soft Panel on its own and can use the sweep function manually. However when opening the ivi FGen function in TestStand it has some functions in it but does not have the sweep function. How can I utilise the sweep function from TestStand?

[j_dodek]

Hi Steve,

Just a note NI-FGEN(nifgen_32.dll) is NOT IVI Fgen (ivifgen.dll)!

If you want to use NI-FGEN in Teststand you could use nifgen_32.dll

or try to map in MAX in IVI to nifgen_32.dll

Hope this helps

Juergen

[steve h]

There are many functions within this dll; which ones do I need to create the handle & sweep the frequency?

[Dennis_Knutson]

All of the functions are documented in the NI Signal Generators Help file. You use niFgen_init to create a handle and niFgen_ConfigureFrequency will set the frequency you want. There are example programs in C, CVI, and LabVIEW that you can look at.

[steve h]

I have found the NiFgen_ConfigureFrequency function but it does not have a sweep mode. I have also looked at LabView and there is Ni_F_Gen Express Vi (standard functions) & a ivi FGEN (standard functions) none of which have a sweep function. Can you point me to a driver for the sweep function?

[Dennis_Knutson]

You are looking for something that does not exist. A sweep is something you have to program - just like the programmers of the soft panel and the LabVIEW example called Fgen Sweep Generator.vi.

I'm not positive, but I don't think the IVI Class functions have the ability to store a frequency array like the NI-Fgen function. If that's so, you just have to create the sweep the old fashioned way - a loop with a frequency increment.

[RayFarmer]

Hi,

The iviFGen doesn't have a sweep mode you would have to use an iviRFSigGen which has the sweep extension. I'm not sure the latest Teststand includes an iviRFSigGen step type.

Regards

Ray Farmer

[steve h]

I have TestStand 4 but it does not have the iviRFSigGen; where can you get this from?

[j_dodek]

Hi Steve,

It should be in the latest IVI Compliance Package

Just use this link:

http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/1313/lang/de (german)

http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/1313

Juergen

[Dennis_Knutson]

While the latest RFSigGen class is included in LabVIEW with version 4 of the compliance package, it's not in my TestStand 4.2. You would have to use a code step in order to use the class driver. You would also have to verify that the instrument specific driver could be called by the RFSigGen class. I'm not really sure this is possible.

I still don't understand what the big deal is though. Doing a sweep is really nothing more than a for loop - start frequency, stop frequency, frequency increment.