Digital Multimeters (DMMs) and Precision DC Sources

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Agilent 34401A capture of one time occurance waveform

System overview:
 
I have a system setup and the main test environment is in C++ but have the capabilty of inputing directly some GPIB commands directly into a "widget".  The widgets are just pre-coded test instructions, like measure frequency, set power supply voltage to something, read ac voltages, DC voltages etc.
 
The system is all NI stuff, I/O, GBIP host, NI drivers for the main testing application etc.
 
The system has served well as all the measurements that were needing to be taken are continuous so just need to set up the instrument for the appropriate measurement and then "read".  The captured read from the instruments are placed into an accumulator much like a input into a calculator.
 
Problem:
In the past since steady state measurements were being taken it is easy to grab those and store into a log file, test against limits, and pass/fail etc.
The problem I am having is that I am not familar enough with grabbing a one occurance measurement and retrieving from the 34401A VM.
The waveform is a ramping up in amplitude and frequency sweeping.
I need to constantly measure the waveform and update the peaks (Min max) each time until the waveform is gone.
 
I can do this manually thru the instrument front panel by the following:
1. Set AC filter to Slow 3 HZ.
2. Resolution to fast 5 digits
3. Set "Math " to Min - Max.
4. N samples to 50,000
5. Set the range.
Something like that.
 
I then go in and manually retrieve the Max reading from the front panel.
 
I just want the VM to store the Max peaks and update each time a new peak occurs.  The problem I am having is the triggering, on the bench the VM will auto trigger and update itself for the new peak, how do I set this up programatically?
 
If I set fo min-max and 50,000 N samples and use the "read" command the pgm chokes and generates and error, so I obviously doing something wrong thru the GPIB.
 
I just want the VM to make it's own triggers, store the data in the VM, and then go grab the Max peak from the VM.  Just like I had it do on the bench.
If anyone knows the appropriate GPIB commands please help me if you can!!! thx
0 Kudos
Message 1 of 2
(7,490 Views)
We have instrument drivers available from ni.com/idnet for the HP 34401A, but only for LabVIEW, CVI, and Measurement Studio.  I was able to find more support for C and C++ from Agilent's website.  I appears they have an instrument driver for the 34401A:
 
 
If you are still for the correct SCPI commands to communicate directly, you might try posting in out instrument control forum.  Many end-users monitor this forum and may be able to provide you with additional info:
 
0 Kudos
Message 2 of 2
(7,469 Views)