Configure for COM-DCOM Programming


Before developing or running a COM program, you should first establish communication between your PC and the analyzer. This process is referred to as gaining Access to the analyzer. You should then register the VNA type library on your PC.

DCOM (Distributed Component Object Model) refers to accessing the VNA from a remote PC.

COM refers to accessing the VNA application from the analyzer PC.

Note: After performing a Firmware Upgrade you must copy the new type library to your development PC to get access to new COM commands. See Register the analyzer on your PC.

Other Topics about COM Concepts

Note: 64-bit compiler option is supported.

Access Concepts

VNAs are shipped from the factory such that Everyone has permission to launch and access the VNA application via COM/DCOM. The term Everyone refers to a different range of users depending on whether the VNA is a member of a Domain or Workgroup (it must be one or the other; not both). By default, the VNA is configured as members of a workgroup. Therefore, Everyone includes only those users who have been given logon accounts on the VNA.

Workgroup

A workgroup is established by the VNA administrator declaring the workgroup name and declaring the VNA as a member of the workgroup. A workgroup does not require a network administrator to create it or control membership.

Everyone includes only those users who have been given logon accounts on the VNA.

By default, the VNA is configured as members of a workgroup named WORKGROUP.

Note: To setup a logon account for a new user, see Additional Users.
The easiest method of gaining DCOM access, is to make the user's account name and password on the VNA to EXACTLY match their PC logon account name and password.

Domain

A domain is typically a large organizational group of computers. Network administrators maintain the domain and control which machines have membership in it.

Everyone includes those people who have membership in the domain. In addition, those with logon accounts can also access the analyzer.

Summary

The following section "Access Procedures" provides a tighter level of security allowing only selected (not Everyone) domain and workgroup users DCOM Access and Launch capability of the VNA.

Access Procedures

Perform this procedure for the following reasons:

Note: Before doing this procedure, you must first have a logon account on the VNA. See VNA User Accounts

 

The following procedure grants specific users DCOM access and launch capability of the VNA application:

To perform this procedure, you must first minimize the VNA application.

How do I know which Operating System I have?

Windows 7

On the VNA, click the Windows Start button

In the Search programs and files text field, type cmd then press Enter

In the cmd: window, type dcomcnfg

Open the following folder sequence:

Component Services

Computers

My Computer

DCOM Config

Right click Keysight PNA Series

Click Properties

Click the Security tab

Under Access Permissions, click Customize, then click Edit

Select Everyone, then click Remove

Click Add

Type a group name or user account name

Click OK

 

Under Launch Permissions, click Customize, then click Edit

Select Everyone, then click Remove

Click Add

Type a group name or user account name

Click OK

 

 

Windows 10

On the VNA, click the Type here to search icon

In the Type here to search text field, type cmd then press Enter

In the cmd: window, type dcomcnfg

Open the following folder sequence:

Component Services

Computers

My Computer

DCOM Config

Right click Keysight PNA Series

Click Properties

Click the Security tab

Under Access Permissions, click Customize, then click Edit

Select Everyone, then click Remove

Click Add

Type a group name or user account name

Click OK

 

Under Launch and Activation Permissions, click Customize, then click Edit

Select Everyone, then click Remove

Click Add

Type a group name or user account name

Click OK

 

Register the VNA Type Library on Your PC

The type library contains the VNA object model. On your PC, there is a Registry file that keeps track of where object models are located. Therefore, you must register the type library on the PC that will be used to develop code and run the program. It is much more efficient to have the type library registered at design time (BEFORE running your COM program).

Do the following two items before proceeding:

  1. Connect your PC and the VNA to LAN.

  2. Either map a drive to the analyzer or copy the type library files on a floppy disk or other media. See Drive Mapping.

Note: To register the type library on your PC, you must be logged on as an administrator of your PC. Learn about User Accounts.

This procedure will do the following:

  1. Using Windows Explorer on your PC, find the Analyzer's C: drive. The drive will not be named "C:" on your PC, but a letter you assigned when mapping the drive.

  2. Navigate to Program Files / Keysight / Network Analyzer / Automation

  3. Double-click pnaproxy.exe and follow the prompts to Install PNA Proxy. If the installation offers a choice of Modify, Repair, or Remove, then select Remove. Then double-click on pnaproxy.exe again.

  4. When prompted, type the Computer name of the VNA (Learn how to find this).

  5. After the install program runs, the VNA and FCA type library should be registered on your PC.

  6. Your programming environment may require you to set a reference to the VNA type library now located on your PC. In Visual Basic, click Project, References. Then browse to C:/Program Files/Common Files/Keysight/PNA Select 835x.tlb

Problems?

  1. Map a drive from your remote PC to the VNA. Note the drive letter your PC assigns to the VNA.
    Substitute this drive letter for VNA in the following procedure.

  2. On your PC, go to a DOS prompt c:>

  3. Type PNA: (for example o:)

  4. Type cd program files/Keysight/network analyzer/automation

  5. Type copy 835xps.dll c:/program files/common files/Keysight/pna

  6. Type copy 835x.tlb c:/program files/common files/Keysight/pna

If you will NOT be using FCA commands, skip steps 7,.8, and 9.

  1. Type cd..

  2. Type cd extensions/fca

  3. Type copy fca.tlb c:/program files/common files/Keysight/pna

  4. If it is not already there, copy regtlib.exe from PNA:/WINNT to your C:/<windows>/system32 directory (<windows> is OS-dependent- it is either windows or WINNT)

  5. Type regtlib C:/program files/common files/Keysight/pna/835x.tlb

  6. Type regsvr32 C:/program files/common files/Keysight/pna/835xps.dll

  7. Type regtlib C:/program files/common files/Keysight/pna/fca.tlb

Perform the Access Procedure after doing these steps.