GPIB control of legacy HP3497A data acquisition unit using modern apps - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: trobbins
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2021, 07:24:08 am
content: Has anyone interfaced a legacy HP 3497A data acquisition unit to Keysight's modern software suite or other data acquisition and logging software?Using an 82357B GPIB-USB interface the Keysight Connection Expert connects to the 3497A using default address 9 but the instrument is unidentified. Adding a HP3497A alias to that instrument, the Interactive IO app can be used to send commands and read responses, such as ST1 to confirm the self test is correctly passed. Analog commands seem to require two presses of the Send & Read to cause the 3497A to react, even though the talk/listen leds toggle - a cursory change of the IO settings for EOL sequence from default \n to \r seems to have made that ok (but I can't identify the basis for that).In 2018, kj7e prepared a python script with PyVISA to command and read measurements from a 3456A, and an app like Dataplot to display the logged data. Is that an appropriate path to take without having to licence some software? I'm not even sure if BenchVue could be used anyway with this legacy equipment as it seems to need a supported device from its library. (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hp-3456a-gpib-comand-fun/msg1665650/#msg1665650;;)NI provide a circa 1996 driver for LabView for the 3497A. I can see that I would need a licence to go that way (sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.download_page?p_id_guid=E3B19B3E9077659CE034080020E74861).Aim is to move from a circa 4 digit Squirrel 2010 to the 3497A's 5.5 digit logging capability with more channels.Ciao, Tim

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2021, 07:43:20 am
content: AFAIK the NI VISA drivers should work free and without any license, but anyways, you don't need NI drivers at all, unless you plan to use LabVIEW or other NI instruments.Have you tried Python with the IVI module?https://ivifoundation.org/downloads/IVI%20GSG%202019/Getting%20Started%20with%20IVI%20and%20Python.pdfThat's what I used lately. My case is for LAN instruments, don't have any GPIB to USB adapter, but AFAIK it should work with USB and/or GPIB, too. Here's an example of data logging from a power supply, to see how easy is to work with Python IVI (the code that plot the charts is not shown, the plots were made with matplotlib Python module, less than 10 more lines including the plot formatting).https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/resistance-of-incandescent-light-bulbs/msg3720658/#msg3720658

author: trobbins
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2021, 11:46:10 am
content: Thanx for the IVI link - unfortunately my legacy device doesn't yet have a driver in their registered driver list, but I note that one other legacy device I have (HP3325A) has a registered driver which is good to know.I haven't had to go down this road before (well not for more than 30 years when controlling HP devices was with Basic on a HP85).PS. I also note that HKJ's app doesn't yet have a listing for this legacy device.

author: HKJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2021, 03:15:41 pm
content: Quote from: trobbins on October 06, 2021, 11:46:10 amThe only way it will get a listing for that device is if somebody with it use the time to make a definition file.I do not have much in legacy devices and will generally not be making definition files for them, but I will usually help with it.

author: rfclown
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2021, 06:37:30 pm
content: I posted a thing I use in a different post:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/ni-gpib-usb-hs-issues/msg3621529/#msg3621529It's a C program that uses NI VISA. You could use it a template to write a C program. The program visa.exe does a single write and/or read. I use it in batch files for scripting.Type "visa -h" for help

author: trobbins
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2021, 11:21:38 pm
content: Thanks for responses. I had been forming the opinion that I had to go down the customised road, in which case for me will be the road of least resistance.Given kj7e's example, and a son with a strong python background, and a target that only covers specific datalogging using the 010 20-channel mux option for a simple setup of a few LM399 and REF102 voltage references and local temps, it's looking like that is the road I will take for the legacy 3497A device.

author: trobbins
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2021, 04:48:08 am
content: With the approval of Bud I have been able to re-jig an Excel workbook that acquires measurements from the HP3497A, based on Bud's Excel worksheet structure and VB script as presented inhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/metrology/data-logger-for-legacy-hp-instruments/msg1138738/#msg1138738that he prepared for the 3456A and 5334. Still some work to do to set up mux control and logging of mux data, so not there yet.As the other path to take for datalogging, my son helped set up a python script to acquire a 20x mux card of data and save to a CSV, and is now looking at a suitable plotting script to include.Of course wouldn't ya know it but the shock of logging mux data has I think caused a problem related to the DVM module or chassis of the 3497A, just as I was part way through confirming the 2nd of 3 mux relay cards I have (and the backplane slots) were all functioning ok by swapping around a mux terminal card with 20x inputs shorted. So back to faultfinding the main chassis - hopefully it's just a tired power supply rail - this unit originally came with a faulty capacitor in the doubler power supply, but otherwise ok at the time although it showed signs of previous repair to the other doubler circuit.