acquiring data from old spectra analyzer through GPIB

[brileo]

hi, I got a old spectra analyzer (MS2601J, anritsu), I want to get the measurement data through the GPIB. I have downloaded the driver for MS2601B/K from the site, but it doesn't work. the commands such as 'INI' may not be recognized. I tried the MAX to search the instrument. It can find it but if I send the command '*IDN?', no response returned. I checked the manual and sent the command 'INI \r\n', it also had no response. I am new to labview and maybe I misunderstand these commands. Does anyone know the command format for the MS2601 and tell me how to get the data from the instrument by GPIB?

Any suggestion is welcomed!

[Carl.M]

Hello brileo,

National Instruments uses 0 as the default GPIB address to send the commands as a controller.
As you can detect the instrument with the scan from MAX, I would suggest to confirm that the address is different then 0 on the device.
The user manual should explain how to setup the address using the menu or through the DIP switches on the device.

After that, you can send the Query command again from the NI-488.2 Communicator or with the Interactive Control using the commands like the ones mentioned into this DF.

If this does not fix the problem and you still have a Time Out Error EABO when trying to connect to the device,
I would check the GPIB Interface Properties of the device; for instance the ID: GPIB0.

Also, I would need more information about the version of the driver and the GPIB card that you are using.

I would like to refer you to the following useful link where you might find further things to check.
http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/A80DBFCCAC36EBDE862562C80058856E?OpenDocument

Hope this help; Please tell me what you tried.

Carl.M

[brileo]

 Hi, Carl.M, happy new year. Thanks very much for your reply.

I downloaded the GPIB driver for MS2601 from NI site http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.download_page?p_id_guid=E3B19B3E964C659CE034080020E748...

 The driver name is awms2601 and my labview version is 8.0, the GPIB I used is GPIB-USB-HS.

When I run the driver and set the proper address,an error occured : ''Error -1073807343 occurred at Old VISA Open in AW 2601B/K Initialize.vi->AW 2601B/K Example.vi''. I tried to correct the error, and I enter the 'Initialize vi block diagram'. When I directly input the address 'GPIB0::5::INSTR', the address returned from MAX seached, to the VISA resource name of the old VISA open, the error out is OK. however, when directly input the initialization command 'INI\r\n' to the write buffer of the VISA write, there is something wrong at the error out of the VISA write. I checked the user manual of the MS2601, downloaded from http://www.edaboard.com/viewtopic.php?t=252242&highlight=ms2601j . I think the initialization command is true. I don't know how to correct this kind of error.

[Carl.M]

Hi Brileo,

All best wishes for 2010.

I would recommend using the latest NI-VISA drivers that you can download from this link.

For the VISA Open error, you have to address the instrument with the proper VISA ressource descriptor.

You can select your instrument under GPIB (GPIB-USB-HS) in MAX and use the VISA ressource descriptor displayed at the top from the VISA properties tab.

 This way of calling the VISA ressource name will solve the error -1073807343 like you mentioned.

To communicate with the instrument, I would recommend to try the commands into MAX first; using the VISA Test Panel and the NI-488.2 Communication Window under the VISA properties tab. I would confirm the init command 'INI\r\n' from there before implementing it into the block diagram.

What error out are you getting from the VISA write?

It could be possible that the driver was writen only for the MS2601B or K and that the Spectrum Analyser that you want to use requires modifications into the commands to use into the program.

Can you attach the MS2601 user manual to have a look to the commands?

Carl

[brileo]

Hi, Carl.M,

I just correct the error -1073807343 as you mentioned,  the command like 'INI\r\n' can be recognized and the driver works ! However, the x range of figure can't automatically fit with the frequency setting, it must be manually adjusted.  This may be not important. The most important for me is that since I don't need to remote control the instrument, I just want the x and y axis data shown in the screen, and plot the x and y data in Origin. How can I save the x (fequecy)and y (amplitude)data in txt format? Could you help me modify the diagram? The operation manual for MS2601 is larger than the attachment limit.

[Carl.M · Accepted solution]

Hello brileo,

Normally you can select the X scale of the graph with the mouse and right click to disable the autoscale or access the properties.
You can also type the range values that you want directly into the scale displayed. For example starting from 0.0 on the origin.
But the driver program that you are using now, overwrites theses properties (using property nodes) with the "Read frequency settings.vi" into the sequence "1" of the "Sweep" case before the data display.
Instead you can try to use the SPAN and SCROLL buttons from the signal search into the user Front Panel to select from the instrument the area to see the signal.
 
For the data to be save into a text file, I would recommend using the LabVIEW examples available.
You can find them with the HELP menu>>Find Examples.. and select into the NI Sample Finder:
 Fundamentals>>File Input and Output>>Write Data To text file.vi

This example shows how to open or create a text file from a prompt message to the user and write the data to the file.
You can remove the data simulation from the loop diagram and call a copy of this program from your driver AW 2601B/K Example.vi program.
To do that you can insert the copy of the "Save To Text sub VI" that you created into your diagram when it execute the "Sweep" case and
running the sequence 0 [0..2] to read the spectrum data output array.

Hope this solve the concern getting the data from the analyzer. Ask again through the Discussion Forum for any other questions.

Carl

[brileo]

Carl, thank you very much for these useful replies.