Agilent I/O Libraries for Windows
Application Notes

Click on the links below for information on the following subjects:

• General Information ...
• Installation and Configuration Information ...
• Application Notes:
  • Visual BASIC Programming Notes
  • Using Device Symbolic Names in SICL
  • LAN Support
  • Fast Data Channel (FDC) Support
  • I-SCPI support
• Troubleshooting Guide...
• Revision History ...

Visual BASIC Programming Notes

• The following functions have changed since the manuals were printed. You can pass any data type instead of just strings for the 'buffer' parameter. This allows you to read and write binary data much more easily with Visual BASIC.
  • iread
  • ifread
  • iwrite
  • ifwrite
  • iswap
  • ileswap
  • ibeswap
• The isetbuf function is now supported with Visual BASIC.
• The igetlulist function is not implemented. It currently returns to Visual BASIC with error I_ERR_NOTIMPL.
• The igetaddr function is not implemented. It currently returns to Visual BASIC with error I_ERR_NOTIMPL.
• The ivxirminfo function does not correctly return the last two arrays in the structure (int_handler() and interrupter() ). All other fields are correctly returned.
• The igetluinfo function does not correctly return the hwargs() array. All other fields are correctly returned.
• Sample files and a vbreadme.txt file documenting VISA calls from Visual BASIC 4.0 have been included in the following directory (assuming you have installed in the standard location):
  • c:\vxipnp\winnt\hpvisa\samples\vb for Window NT
  • c:\vxipnp\win95\hpvisa\samples\vb for Window 95

Using Device Symbolic Names in SICL

This version of SICL supports device symbolic names. You can assign a symbolic name to a device and then use that name in place of the device's address when making an iopen() call. The advantage of doing this is that you don't have to hard-code device addresses in your programs.

Device symbolic names can be defined by editing the registry. First, run the 'regedit' utility. Select 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE', then 'Software', 'Agilent', 'IO Libraries', 'CurrentVersion' (Note: if you have upgraded from an earlier version, it may be located at 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE', then 'Software', 'Hewlett-Packard', 'SICL', 'CurrentVersion'). Under 'CurrentVersion', add a new key called 'Devices'. This is accomplished by selecting Edit then New then Key from the registry entry's menu. For each symbolic name you want to define, add a new string value in the 'Devices' key. This is accomplished by highlighting the Devices entry and then selecting Edit then New then String Value from the menu. Enter the symbolic name in the name field. Edit the value by double clicking on the name field. Enter the value without quote marks.  For example, the following 'Devices' entries would result in two device symbolic names being defined - dmm refers to a device at hpib7,0 and scope refers to a device at hpib7,9.

After adding these entries to the registry, a program could open sessions to the 2 devices by using iopen("dmm") and iopen("scope") instead of iopen("hpib7,0") and iopen("hpib7,9"). If the address to either device changed, you could edit the registry and change the address there instead of modifying your program.

LAN Support

• The LAN server on Windows NT does not start automatically after a reboot as the manual says. You need to either start it manually by double clicking its icon in the HP I/O Libraries folder, or you can create a shortcut to it in your StartUp folder.
• VISA viLock()/viUnlock() does not work on devices accessed via LAN.
• This implementation supports the TCP/IP Instrument Protocol but it is known to differ from the specifications in the following ways:
  • The device_abort RPC is not supported.
  • Rules B.4.17 and B.4.18 of VXI-11.1 are not supported by the current implementation.
  • As noted in observation B.5.1 of VXI-11.1, changes are anticipated to VXI-5. Due to these possible changes and the fact that the current revision of VXI-5 does not require that any particular VXI-5 commands be implemented, the current LAN server implementation does not support VXI-5 operations.

Fast Data Channel (FDC) Support

This version of VISA uses a separate DLL to support the FDC protocol. This DLL is not supplied by Agilent Technologies.

• Contact the supplier of your FDC capable hardware for information on how to obtain and install the FDC DLL.
• If you attempt to set FDC-related attributes and the FDC DLL has not been installed, you will receive a VI_ERROR_NSUP_ATTR error.

I-SCPI Support

Additional I-SCPI information is available the file:

c:\vxipnp\winnt\bin\iscpinfo.txt (Windows NT)
or
c:\vxipnp\win95\bin\iscpinfo.txt (Windows 95 and Windows 98)

Beginning with version G.02.00 of the I/O Libraries, the 32 bit I-SCPI drivers have changed from a SICL to a VISA based implementation. This change should be invisible to you. Programs which use I-SCPI should continue to function without modification unless a VISA based I-SCPI driver is not available for an instrument you are using. There will be no new development on the SICL based I-SCPI drivers.

Note that even though the I-SCPI drivers in this implementation are VISA based, I-SCPI may only be used with SICL programs. VISA programs cannot use I-SCPI.

The Agilent E8491 IEEE-1394 to VXI product will only work with the VISA based I-SCPI drivers.

Currently VISA based I-SCPI drivers are not available for the DDCC-1553 and E1450. If you are using I-SCPI with these devices, you will need to use the SICL based I-SCPI drivers which are not available on this release of the I/O Libraries.

If you need to use the SICL based I-SCPI drivers, do not upgrade to this version of the I/O Libraries.  Version G.02.02 was the last version of the Agilent I/O Libraries to contain support for SICL based I-SCPI

Please contact the Agilent Support for the latest information.

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