GPIB and LabSphere SC5000

[Lee Robinson]

Has anyone developed any software to read the LabSphere SC5000
controller? The technical support from LabSphere is less than ideal.

Supposedly the commands for a serial connect don't work for GPIB. Has
anyone already worked this out?

Lee Robinson
Agility, Inc.

[Lee Robinson]

Let me add some details. I am using Visual Basic 6.0 and
ComponentWorks. I am trying to read the amperage from the front
panel. The example in the manual uses the command "O0X" to tell the
SC5000 controller to send one reading. But then the manual says not
to use this command with the GPIB. However, the example for the GPIB
uses "O0X"!!

LabSphere customer service says to issue a "READ" command but doesn't
tell me how to instruct the SC5000 to send a reading.

I have managed to get a reading by sending the "*IDN" command.
Instead of a string identifying the instrument, it sends the amperage
reading. However, customer service says not to use the "*IDN"
command.

The other commands listed for a serial connection work just find for
the GPIB, just not "O0X".

So,
can you see why I am confused?

Lee Robinson
Agility, Inc.
Brecksville, Ohio (near Cleveland)

[Kevin_work]

Lee Robinson wrote:

> Let me add some details. I am using Visual Basic 6.0 and
> ComponentWorks. I am trying to read the amperage from the front
> panel. The example in the manual uses the command "O0X" to tell the
> SC5000 controller to send one reading. But then the manual says not
> to use this command with the GPIB. However, the example for the GPIB
> uses "O0X"!!
>
> LabSphere customer service says to issue a "READ" command but doesn't
> tell me how to instruct the SC5000 to send a reading.
>
> I have managed to get a reading by sending the "*IDN" command.
> Instead of a string identifying the instrument, it sends the amperage
> reading. However, customer service says not to use the "*IDN"
> command.
>
> The other commands listed for a serial con
nection work just find for
> the GPIB, just not "O0X".
>
> So, can you see why I am confused?

Yes I can see why.
I have found over the years that most of the commands for instruments
can be sent over whatever interface is available. The obvious exception
is interface specific commands (ie setting 9600 buad on GPIB is senseless).

As far as the above is concerned it appears that if you issue the command
"READ"
the device will return one reading. You may be having command terminator
problems
that causes the *IDN to return the "O0X" value. That is you issue the "O0X",
(and maybe
get nothing back) but the command is queued up. When the *IDN is issued it
ends the
queued command and returns the reading. Now the *IDN is queued up but not
executed.

It seldom hurts to experiment with the commands, and I have found many
vendors
that have poorly documented command sets and some that are just plain wrong.

Good Luck
Kevin Kent

[Busylifemeto]

Hello Lee, doing a web search came accross this post.  I have recently aquired a Labsphere SC-5000 and as noted Labsphere are as useless as six **bleep** on a bull.  I have been searching for a Manual etc with no success at all so far and wondered if you had one I/we could pay someone to make a copy ?  Would be eternally gratefull.  Sincerly from Australia   Geoff

[Busylifemeto]

Hello Kevin, doing a web search came accross this post.  I have recently aquired a Labsphere SC-5000 and as noted Labsphere are as useless as six **bleep** on a bull.  I have been searching for a Manual etc with no success at all so far and wondered if you had one I/we could pay someone to make a copy ?  Would be eternally gratefull.  Sincerly from Australia   Geoff

[Hooovahh]

You replied to a 14 year old post.  If Kevin had a 8 year old when he posted this that child could have a bachelors degree by now.  I doubt he's still monitoring this thread.