Configuring and Controlling Agilent 332220A signal generator...

[Shivuu]

Hello,

I am trying to configure and finally control Agilent 33220A signal generator through my Labview VI. Signal Generator has USB, LAN and GPIB interface. Measurment studio recognises it, however I need assistance to proceed from that point. I would be happy, if some body can guide me through this process.

Any online manual or user guide would be great.

Thanks in advance...
Shivaram

[Dennis_Knutson]

I think you mean Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) and not Measurement Studio. Assuming that, you should download the driver for it at http://sine.ni.com/apps/we/niid_web_display.download_page?p_id_guid=E3B19B3E9066659CE034080020E74861. Once you've downloaded it, extract the zip file and put the contents in your instr.lib folder. The functions will then appear in your Instrument I/O>Instrument Drivers palette after restarting LabVIEW. The driver contains  functions for setting up the instrument. There's a couple of high level examples called ag33xxx - Getting Started and ag33xxx Getting Started 2. The first one demonstrate how to set the instrument for pre-defined shapes (sine, triangle, etc.) and the second shows how to use the arb functions. Open either one and you will see a control in the upper left corner called Instrument Resource Name. This is a VISA resource name and if you click on the arrow on the right side of it, you will get a list of all VISA resources on your pc. Select the resource that matches your instrument (whether it be USB, GPIB, or Ethernet). Experiment with the getting started VI and then look at the subVIs that it uses. Generally, you will use the subVIs instead of the getting started example in your application. You should also read chapter 16 of the LabVIEW Measurements Manual (Help>Search the LabVIEW Bookshelf).

[Shivuu]

Thank you for this information. I will try it out, and let you know...

[Shivuu]

I copied all the files to instr.lib directory, and restarted Labview.

Now, I can see the Instrument Drivers icon under Inputs list. However, all other icons below it (initialize.vi, configure, close.vi, application etc...) have a ? mark over it, and do not respond.

Also, Instrument I/O assistant recognises only LPT1 or COM1 devises. I am trying to connect Agilent 332220A signal gen through USB.

Where am I going wrong. (I am using Labview 7.1, and assume that this driver should work with it also)

Thanks in advance...

[JLS]

Hello,

It could be that you have a folder of VIs, within a folder, which is within your instr.lib folder.  For example you might have a folder of VIs in a structure like this:

...\instr.lib\MyDriverVIs\MyDriverVIs

instead of simply:

...\instr.lib\MyDriverVIs

Check on this; make sure you have your VIs sitting in a folder, which itself sits in the instr.lib directory... and not any deeper.

Was this the issue?  Does it fix it?

I look forward to your repost!

Thank you,

JLS

[Shivuu]

There were no folders under instr.lib.

Few files were there, I copied the downloaded files along with them. After doing this, I am able to see Agilent instrument drivers icon under inputs in labview, however all of them have a question ? mark. Should I try reinstalling Labview.

I am pretty new to labview. Kindly bear with me...

Thanks...

[Shivuu]

I even reinstalled entire LabVIEW. Now I have a folder saying ivi drivers. I placed the downloaded agilent drivers along with them.

Still, there are only ? marks under Instr drivers in labview inputs list. Could some body assist me with this...

[JohnM 64]

Hi Shivuu,

These question marks indicate that LabVIEW is not finding the instrument driver VIs in the instr.lib folder as expected.  When you download the instrument driver from the website, and unzip the folder, it should create a folder including all the VIs that you will need.  This one folder will be named with the instrument's name (or something very close).  This folder needs to be placed directly in the c:/Program Files/National Instruments/LabVIEW 7.1/instr.lib folder.  Here is a KB that goes into more detail about this problem.

Why Do Instrument Driver SubVIs Show Up As Question Marks In LabVIEW?

Hope this helps!

john m
Applications Engineer

[sine]

and you connect Agilent 332220A signal gen through USB at last?
If you do,how?

[Shivuu]

Hi Sine,

Just to recall what all I did,

*  Downloaded agilent signal generator instrument drivers from the link given below.
       http://sine.ni.com/apps/we/niid_web_display.download_page?p_id_guid=E3B19B3E9066659CE034080020E74861

*  Extracted the downloaded zip file to get a folder by name "ag33xxx".

*   Then copy paste this folder in the location given below.
       C:/Program Files/National Instruments/LabVIEW 7.1/instr.lib

*   That's it. You are done. Connect the signal generator either through USB cable or RS232 or via LAN.

*   Now you can communicate and control the signal generator through the labview VIs. You can do so by right clicking in the block diagram then, point to "Input", "Instr Drivers". I have attached a screen shot of it.

*  I have also attached a VI, which I have developed with the help of this form.

Hope this information helps...

-Shivu