Connect LabView to OmniBer

[Ludmilla]

Could someone describe how I can receive data in LabView from communications performance analyzer OmniBer 717 (37717C) (or SmartBits)?

Version of LabView is 8.5.1. Windows XP.

[smercurio_fc]

A driver for that is available in the Instrument Driver Network.

[Ludmilla]

Thank you for quick response.

I haven't found dll-file there. There is wrapper only (some .mnu files and one .llb).

[smercurio_fc]

I think the DLL comes from the installer that's on Agilent's web site.

[Ludmilla]

This driver is for Windows 95 and Windows NT. I use Windows XP.

[smercurio_fc]

You can still install it, and it will probably work. The DLL is the important part from the Agilent installer. The DLL gets placed into the C:\VXIPNP\WinNT\bin directory, so when you open one of the driver VIs LabVIEW is going to ask you for the location of that DLL. You may want to just copy the DLL into the same folder where the driver .llb file is so you keep everything in one place.

[Ludmilla]

I'm trying to open a VI (actually initialize.vi) from the wrapper you mentioned. I get the following error when I run the .vi:

1073807195 - hp3771x Initialize.vi<ERR>Driver Status:  (Hex 0xBFFF00A5)

Possible reason(s): Driver Status:  (Hex 0xBFFF00A5)

BTW, should I see the OmniBer in "Devices and Interfaces" in MAX?

Message Edited by Ludmilla on 03-04-2010 04:25 AM

[smercurio_fc]

Do you have VISA installed? Are you trying to use a National Instruments GPIB controller or one from another manufacturer? If it's from another manufacturer then you need to enable Tulip support for the third-part controller. From MAX select Tools->NI-VISA->VISA Options. In the tree click on the "Passports" item that's in the "General Settings" section. Then, in the right-hand section place a checkmark next to NiVisaTulip.

Also, if you installed the VISA from the other manufacturer make sure it gets installed "side-by-side", rather than overwriting the VISA from NI. 

Message Edited by smercurio_fc on 03-04-2010 09:03 AM

[Ludmilla]

Do I need to install hardware NI GPIB controller? Or can I organize a connection between OmniBer and LabView just using IP address of OmniBer?

Message Edited by Ludmilla on 03-04-2010 09:29 AM

[smercurio_fc]

Sorry, I thought you were trying to use GPIB. With VISA you can control an instrument over GPIB, RS-232, or TCP/IP. However, as far as I can tell, the DLL that is the driver that Agilent provides seems to only work over GPIB and RS-232. At least, that's all that I see in the documentation. You should contact Agilent to see if this is true. If it is, and you don't have a GPIB board then you would need to use an RS-232 connection. The alternative is to basically write the instrument driver yourself using the commands listed in the programming manual for the instrument.