Use GPIB-RS232 as stand alone product

[davidipos]

I would like to use the GPIB-RS232 as a stand alone product to allow some existing instrumentation with a serial line to connect to a GPIB / IEEE 488.2 product.

I cannot find documentation covering the raw message requirements over the serial lines.  The documentation I have seen assumes that I am passing through the NI drivers.

Is this low level documentation available?

[smercurio_fc]

It's a bit unclear exactly what you are trying to accomplish. Are you trying to connect two instruments together, one of which has a GPIB port for use in controlling another instrument, but this other instrument that you want to connect to it only has a serial interface? Please clarify.

[davidipos]

I have a controller that is used for data acquisition and control.

This controller has a serial port that can be programmed to send and receive characters.

I need to connect the controller to a power supply that has a GPIB interface and I need to be able to read measurement values and send setpoints to the power supply.

I would like to use the GPIB-RS232, however, when I look at the documentation this seems to be written for a LabView API, and I cannot see the full details of what needs to be sent on the serial line t control the GPIB interface.

I hope this clarifies the requirement - but if you want any more details please get back to me.

[Dennis_Knutson]

I don't know what documentation you are referring to. The NI GPIB-Converter Help examples are in C.

[davidipos]

I agree this is in c, and the examples use the function viWrite().

Does this function simply send a string to the instrument, or are any other characters added to the start of the message?

I guess what I really need to understand is the techniques to select the address of a particular device and to control the bus.  It may be that I am looking for examples of using the S mode functions.

I am a bit rusty on this interface, the last time I programmed a GPIB interface was over 30 years ago 😉

[Dennis_Knutson]

There are no other characters added and there is a whole section on S mode functions.

I would suggest you start by using a terminal emulation program such a Hyperterminal, Procomm, etc. to learn the communications basics before writing any code. It would be up to you whether to use VISA (i.e. viWrite, etc.)