WaveRunner 6100 and LabVIEW 8.0

[marcinkk]

Hello,

I need help with controlling WaveRunner 6100 with LabVIEW 8.0 (or 8.2 - I have 8.0 installed on the scope but I can upgrade).

I found than I need to instal NI-VISA and next I found "LeCroy lcwave Oscilloscope,Analyzer, Certified LabVIEW Plug and Play Instrument Driver" (http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.download_page?p_id_guid=078549B4E9E85646E0440003BA7CCD71). The driver was installed in instr.lib directory as described in instruction. Next I wanted to run the example (acquire wave) ... but nothing work.

In the example I found the control called "VISA resource name". On drop down list I found COM1 and LPT1. I think there should be something to comunicate with GPIB?



In Measurements and Explore from NI I don't have any GPIB in "Devices and Interfaces".



Does the GPIB port should be automatically recognized? If not: what parameters I must put in the NI MAX?

I need to make an aplication in LabVIEW but until now I can't run any communication between LabVIEW and WaveRunner 6100. Plese help mi to diagnose the problem and start work...

With the Best Regards,
Marcin K.

[Nick_D]

Hey Marcinkk,

I just wanted to thank you for the way you laid out your issue, it really helps us see what's going on. Something I would ask you to check is in Measurement and Automation Explorer. verify if you have the NI-488.2 software installed. If you don't you can find it here. Second, can you try to look into Device Manager (Right click on My Computer->Propterties->Hardware Tab->Device Manager. and verify the Windows detects your GPIB card, if it says "Unidentified Card" Right click on it, choose uninstall, and restart your computer. You should see it in MAX, and can you let me know if that doesn't work?

Regards,

Nick D.

[marcinkk]

Hello Nick,

Thanks for the answer. I hope, taht we resolve the problem 🙂

First, maybe important: I read some sites and documentation and there is no information about requirement for additional software to control the scope with LabVIEW, but maybe I need additional option, the WR6-GPIB (GPIB Interface). It adds external GPIB port to the scope. I don't need the port, I need to run LabVIEW on the scope or control the scope by the Ethernet port but maybe WR6-GPIB adds also some internal functionality? I still haven't got any answer from LeCroy 😞

Back to the forum topic 🙂

I had NI-488.2 software installed and I updated it to the newest version.

I think the Windows doesn't detect any GPIB card. All hardware is identified. Most of devices is standard PC hardware besides "LeCroy Acquisition Device (S65)". Maybe it is used with the X-Stream DSO and can be controlled by LabVIEW? Or I need other device?



Hidden devices shows the list of Non-Plug and Play Drivers (below) with some problems...



Need I buy "WR6-GPIB" or LabVIEW can control the scope withot it?

With Regards,
Marcin K.

[alanjb]

Hi Marcin,

Alan from LeCroy Tech Support here...I see in your last note that you haven't heard back from LeCroy... Are you in the US? Sorry that no one has gotten back to you!!

Here's the basics on controlling your scope via remote control:

1. The scope comes standard with the Ethernet interface
2. GPIB is optional; you should buy the WR6-GPIB option (internal card) or the WS-GPIB adapter.
3. The best way to determine if GPIB is enabled on your scope is to go to the scope's Utilities screen and then to the Remote tab.  This is where you choose TCP/IP or GPIB for the remote interface.  If you don't have a GPIB card in your scope, or if you don't have the WS-GPIB cable attached, the GPIB option will be greyed out
4. NEVER install NI's GPIB card or NI's 488.2 driver on the scope, since the scope is a GPIB device and not a GPIB controller. This is important!
5. You never need to "see" the scope in MAX to control a LeCroy oscilloscope. An NI-GPIB card should showup in MAX, of course, and through this you can see that a LeCroy scope is attached, but there is never a need to explicitly "add" the scope in MAX. (MAX is an *excellent* utility, but it isn't required to use a LeCroy scope)
6. The lcwave and lecroy_wave_series drivers can be used to control the scope via either GPIB or TCP/IP since it is a VISA driver.
7. For the fastest throughput, use the TCP/IP interface.  You need to install the LeCroy VICP Passport on your remote PC (here's a link to the download page: http://www.lecroy.com/tm/Library/Software/LabView/VICP.asp?menuid=8
8. In your first message, you showed a screenshot with the VISA resource control list.  To connect to your LeCroy scope via GPIB, enter GPIB::N, where N is the GPIB address you've assigned to the scope.  when connecting via TCP/IP, enter VICP::<ip address>, where <ip address> is the IP address of your scope.  Don't forget to install the VICP Passport on your remote PC!  (Not on your scope...)
9. Feel free to contact me directly, at 800-553-2769, or your local AE if you are not in the US or Canada.

Best Regards,
Alan

[marcinkk]

Hello,

ad. 1) OK

ad. 2 & 3 & 4) Looks like I need uninstall some things from the scope... Uninstalling now...

ad. 5) OK, I think I understand now...

ad. 6) Hmmm...

ad. 7) Installed ... on the scope and on the PC ...

ad. 😎 Works 🙂

Now I understand a little more and I can make more 🙂

a) I need to install VICP Passport on the where the LabVIEW is. If I need to control the scope from the remote PC it should be installed on this PC. If I need to run LabVIEW locally on the scope do I need the passport locally?

b) I need to enable TCP/IP control from X-Stream DSO application.

c) VICP::xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx needs to be used as VISA resource 🙂

Thanks for help Alan 🙂

With The Best Regards,

Marcin

[alanjb]

Hi Marcin,

I love those smiley-faces!

a, b, c) When looking to run LabVIEW on the scope locally, you should install the VICP passport, as you have done, and setup the scope for TCP/IP remote operation.  Don't use the scope's IP address, however. (I'm assuming you have it on a network, which need not be the case).  Instead, use VICP::127.0.0.1.  This is the "self-referencing" IP address.

A few notes about running LabVIEW on the scope...  Be sure that your LabVIEW program is not hogging the memory or the CPU, since this will definitely impact the scope's performance.  If you find at any time that the scope is behaving strangely, then you might find that you are using too much memory or CPU time.  Creating an an executable using LabVIEW's Application Builder is a good idea, since this will allow you to run your program without also running LabVIEW itself.

Best Regards,
Alan

[marcinkk]

Hi 🙂

  Yes, I've tested also VICP::127.0.0.1 locally, works too 🙂 Slower than on external PC... like you wrote.

With Regards,
  Marcin

PS. Thanks again for help 🙂

[hagedornj]

Hello,

I have one problem to get the VICP passport running.

On two different remote PC's I have a different behaviour. On one PC it is working, on the other PC it is not working.
I have checked the options and settings in the MAX and it  looks  similiar.
On both PC's the VICP passport is installed. I have switched off the internal firewall on the not working PC.
Are there any other setttings necessary to get the passport running?

Many thanks in advance

Kind regards
Joerg

[alanjb]

Hi Joerg,

Alan from LeCroy Tech Support here... All that is required to use the VICP passport is to have NI-VISA installed as well.  Nothing else is required. 

Please try connecting to the scope with LeCroy's utility "ScopeExplorer".  This does not require the VICP Passport, so it is a good way to confirm that you are able to indeed "see" the scope and communicate with it. ScopeExplorer can be found here: http://www.lecroy.com/tm/Library/Software/home.asp?menuid=8

Are you trying to connect to the same scope from two different PC's simultaneously?  This could pose a problem.

Best Regards,

Alan

[hagedornj]

Hello Alan,

many thanks,

I will try the Scope Explorer. We have not tried to access at the same time. All PC's are conencted via the same switch

with the scope.

Please find attached the error message and the small labVIEW code.

Kind regards

Joerg