Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Hello Everyone,

I am trying to build a labview program for HP 4142B modular DC source/Monitor mainframe to VI measurements. I know basics of LabVIEW and I am pretty new with the equipment.

I would really appreciate if anyone could just help me get started. I was able to find drivers for other similar equipments but I am not sure about the steps for modifying them for my requirements.

Again, any help will be a great help.

Thank you,

Robin

Link to comment

I would really appreciate if anyone could just help me get started. I was able to find drivers for other similar equipments but I am not sure about the steps for modifying them for my requirements.

Have you checked the instrumentation network on NI's website? You may find the solution already programmed there.

You're asking a pretty broad question. Is this GPIB? RS232 Serial? RS485 Serial? Ethernet? My experience is that Algient/HP uses SCPI commands; the instruction set is listed in their manuals.

I'd start with a simple command like *IDN? (assuming SCPI commands) which returns the devices identifying information. Everything else pretty well falls into place if you can get this command working as it requires you to format a command, send it, receive a response an decode the response.

Tim

Link to comment

Have you checked the instrumentation network on NI's website? You may find the solution already programmed there.

You're asking a pretty broad question. Is this GPIB? RS232 Serial? RS485 Serial? Ethernet? My experience is that Algient/HP uses SCPI commands; the instruction set is listed in their manuals.

I'd start with a simple command like *IDN? (assuming SCPI commands) which returns the devices identifying information. Everything else pretty well falls into place if you can get this command working as it requires you to format a command, send it, receive a response an decode the response.

Tim

Looks like this instrument predates SCPI and is no longer supported by Agilent (and all the documentation referencesHP-IB - not exactly a modern instrument) - here's a link to the manual

http://www.home.agilent.com/upload/cmc_upload/All/04142-90010.pdf

Look at the command sequences in the HP Basic examples and try to figure out how they might work in LabVIEW - good luck, this looks painful.

Mark

P.S - is this just coincidence or a duplicate post?

http://forums.ni.com/t5/Signal-Generators/driver-hp-4142b/td-p/115360

Mark

Link to comment

Looks like this instrument predates SCPI and is no longer supported by Agilent (and all the documentation referencesHP-IB - not exactly a modern instrument) - here's a link to the manual

Actually, that's how you implement GPIB (HP-IB) using HP-BASIC. The messages are SCPI. the 'OUTPUT 717;"*RST"' sends a reset (*RST) to node 17 on output port 7, if I'm remembering that right.

Tim

Link to comment

Actually, that's how you implement GPIB (HP-IB) using HP-BASIC. The messages are SCPI. the 'OUTPUT 717;"*RST"' sends a reset (*RST) to node 17 on output port 7, if I'm remembering that right.

Tim

By my comment that this predates SCPI, from a brief glance at the manual it looked to me that the text commands didn't necessarily follow the SCPI standard (which may well have not existed when this instrument was built) but I could be wrong - actually, I'm probably wrong since I only spent 45 seconds or so looking :) . I agree that's exactly how you would send a reset command (which happens to be SCPI) with HP Basic.

Mark

Link to comment

Hi Tim,

sorry for not providing all the details.

I have actually searched NI website including forums but they dont have the drivers for 4142b. And the instrument is with GPIB - USB controller.

I will try to work on your suggestion.

Thanks

Robin

Have you checked the instrumentation network on NI's website? You may find the solution already programmed there.

You're asking a pretty broad question. Is this GPIB? RS232 Serial? RS485 Serial? Ethernet? My experience is that Algient/HP uses SCPI commands; the instruction set is listed in their manuals.

I'd start with a simple command like *IDN? (assuming SCPI commands) which returns the devices identifying information. Everything else pretty well falls into place if you can get this command working as it requires you to format a command, send it, receive a response an decode the response.

Tim

Hello Mark,

Thanks for your suggestion, I have read the commands and I will try to learn how to use them in LabVIEW.

And I saw that post too. I guess I am not the only one.

Thanks,

Robin

Looks like this instrument predates SCPI and is no longer supported by Agilent (and all the documentation referencesHP-IB - not exactly a modern instrument) - here's a link to the manual

http://www.home.agil...04142-90010.pdf

Look at the command sequences in the HP Basic examples and try to figure out how they might work in LabVIEW - good luck, this looks painful.

Mark

P.S - is this just coincidence or a duplicate post?

http://forums.ni.com...42b/td-p/115360

Mark

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.