Converting binary data to float using typecast

[OnlyOne]

Hello,

i am trying to create a function that reads the binary data from an instrument and converts it to float.

Format is the Definite Length Block format and the read string should be a 32bit float.

Will this work with a simple typecast?

Thx

[GerdW · Accepted solution]

Hi One,

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@OnlyOne wrote:

i am trying to create a function that reads the binary data from an instrument and converts it to float.

Format is the Definite Length Block format and the read string should be a 32bit float.

Will this work with a simple typecast?

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It depends! (It works when the received string is in the correct format…)

What is a "Definite Length Block" format?

Have you searched the forum on this kind of conversion? This is asked very often - and there are a lot of thread with possible solutions!

One possible solution:

Using UnflattenFromString (in favor of TypeCast) allows you to change byte order easily…

[rolfk]

Looks like a Keysight device! 😀

As is described in the manual there is a header in front of the data. It starts with the pound sign followed by a single digit indicating the number of digits that follow for the number of bytes in the binary data.

After that the binary data is appended, but please note that Keysight uses by default Little Endian format. Some newer devices with according firmware support a :SYSTem:BORDer command that allows to set the endianness of the returned data but it is probably safer to go with the default.

Since the Typecast always assumes Big Endian, you should instead go with the Unflatten from String node which allows to select the desired endianess, just as Gerd already mentioned.