GPIB spying

[yazdihr]

Hi Guys;

I have an ancient machine (PC)that communicate with another ancient black box!

They are working fine at the moment! (but may die soon!)

Here is my problem!

The ancient PC is running a DOS software (in Windows NT).

I have no access to the source code just and EXE file.

(possibly will never see the code too!)

The EXE software communicates with the black box via GPIB.

What I want to do is:

1- Replace the DOS software and developed a new Labview Software

2- Communicate with the Black box that does the actual test and get the

results (Simulating the old machine?!)

I know that it is possible to use NI-Spy to look at the GPIB bus and

record the data. but for that I may need to stop the production (That is NO

NO)

But I was thinking, is it possible to monitor (sniff) the bus with another

computer?

i.e. I want to let the ancient machine to run the test using the ancient

black box and

then have a third unit to just look (and record) whatever those two guys

were talking about!

After that, it should be easy to replace the ancient machine!

Any idea/suggestion?

Thanks

Hamid

[Phillip Brooks]

I would look at the NI GPIB+ products (I have the NI PCI-GPIB+).

The data sheet indicates that you can configure the board to be non intrusive (listener only; does not participate as a bus device).

I've never used it in this way, but the documentation states it can be done, so it must be true