Controlling External Instrument

External instrument can be controlled through GP-IB/LAN by the pre-installed plug-in.

Procedure

Front End Application Configuration

  1. Define the control sequence in the params... in Mode Section in DUT tab of the Front end application.  The control parameters are described in the following tables. Excel Template allows you to define the control sequence more easily. See the example.

 

External Instrument Parameters

Parameter Type

Parameters

Description

Example

GPIB_CMD

<instr>, <timing>, <cmd>, <wait_ms>

Send the GPIB command <cmd> to the instrument specified by the number <instr> at the timing <timing>. You can set the wait time (ms) after the command execution with <wait_ms>.

GPIB_CMD, 1, begin, SYST:PRES, 10

GPIB_LIMIT

<instr>, <cmd>, <wait_ms> <limit_min>, <limit_max>, <rank>

Send the query command <cmd> and execute the limit test for the returned value with <limit-min> and <limit_max>. If multiple values are returned, the limit test is executed for the first value. You can set the limit test rank with <rank>.

GPIB_LIMIT, 1, READ?, 10, 0, 5.2, 3

  1. Complete your test plan and output the TAP plan file.

Back End Application Configuration

  1. Launch the TAP on the PXIe controller.

  2. In the menu bar, select “Settings” -> “Bench” -> “Instruments” to open the Bench Settings dialog.

  3. Select the bench profile you are going to use

  4. Add "External Instruments Controller"

    <instr> is VISA Address No. (1 to 5)

  5. Delete “No Action” if it is listed.

  6. Enter the VISA address of the external instrument. The VISA address can be confirmed by opening the Keysight IO Libraries Suite.