How should a VISA controlled device be configured?

Discussion and questions regarding the RadiMation device drivers that control the measurement equipment.
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incognito
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Joined: 03 Feb 2012, 13:07

How should a VISA controlled device be configured?

Post by incognito »

We are having a measurement device that can be controlled using NI-VISA.
How should I configure RadiMation to be able to remote control this device?
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joro
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Re: How should a VISA controlled device be configured?

Post by joro »

If a device can be controlled using NI-VISA, it is first important that the device is visible in the National Instruments Measurement & Automation Explorer.
Just start the National Instruments Measurement & Automation Explorer, and determine if the device is present somewhere below the 'Devices and Interfaces' element.
Screenshot of National Instruments Measurement & Automation Explorer
Screenshot of National Instruments Measurement & Automation Explorer
nimax.png (29.08 KiB) Viewed 5447 times
If the device is not yet present, it may be necessary to add it manually, for example by pressing the 'Add Network Device' button. Then use the shown Wizard to add the new device.

Once the device is present, it is important to note down the 'Resource Name' or the 'Alias' of the device.
The 'Resource Name' is a fully qualified unique device name (in the screenshot below, visible at the top beside the small connected computers icon) like: TCPIP0::A-N9038A-10136::inst0::INSTR.
The 'Alias' is a nice name which can be specified by the end-user, like: N9038A.
It may be obvious that it is easier to configure an Alias, and use the Alias.
Screenshot of the device parameters in National Instruments Measurement & Automation Explorer
Screenshot of the device parameters in National Instruments Measurement & Automation Explorer
nimax-device.png (28.67 KiB) Viewed 5447 times
In RadiMation it is still necessary to create a device driver for the device. In the advanced configuration of the device driver, the communication parameters can then be configured as normally. For a VISA controlled device it is possible to select 'VISA', after which the VISA specific communication settings can be specified.
The VISA library allows to use different communication media, that is why several options are possible. However the easiest option is to specify the already determined 'Alias' in the 'Alias' box on top of the dialog.
Screenshot of the VISA configuration dialog in RadiMation
Screenshot of the VISA configuration dialog in RadiMation
visa-alias-config.png (42.03 KiB) Viewed 5447 times
It is for example also possible to specify the already determined 'Resource Name' in the 'Visa-ID' box. One of the other VISA connection options is ofcourse also possible, however the correct VISA connection string should be specified for the selected VISA connection.

After this configuration, RadiMation is able to control the VISA controlled device.
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joro
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Re: How should a VISA controlled device be configured?

Post by joro »

Also all VISA compatible devices that are connected using an USB cable, will be available as an USB device in National Instruments Measurement & Automation Explorer.
RadiMation will also be able to control those devices if the VISA 'Alias' of the USB connected device is specified in the 'Alias' box in the RadiMation device driver configuration.
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