Programming with VISA-COM

• Preparation

• Sample Program

Other topics about Controlling Peripherals

The following figure shows the flow of controlling the instrument with VISA-COM.

Preparation

1. In Visual Basic menu bar, select Tools > Reference

2. Check "VISA COM 3.0 Type Library"

Sample Program

'*** The variables of the resource manager and the instrument I/O are declared

    Dim ioMgr As VisaComLib.ResourceManager

    Dim Equip As VisaComLib.FormattedIO488

Sub Main()

' This sample program allows you to control the external instrument from the built-in VBA.

' 1. Connect USB-GPIB interface between the external instrument and the ENA USB port.

'    (If you change the VISA address, you can use USB and LAN connection.)

' 2. Set the GPIB Address at 17

' 3. In Visual Basic menu bar, select Tools > Reference

' 4. Check "VISA COM 3.0 Type Library".

'

'*** The memory area of the resource manager and the instrument I/O are acquired

    Set ioMgr = New VisaComLib.ResourceManager

    Set Equip = New VisaComLib.FormattedIO488

'*** Variable declaration

'   Dim status As String 'VISA function status return code

    Dim Prod As String * 100 'String to receive the result

'*** Open the instrument

    Set Equip.IO = ioMgr.Open("GPIB0::17::INSTR") ' Change the VISA address when you use USB or LAN.

    Equip.IO.timeout = 100000   ' TimeOut time should be greater than the measurement time.

'*** Asks for the instrument's product information.

    Equip.WriteString "*IDN?", True

'*** Reads the result.

    Prod = Equip.ReadString

'*** Displays the result.

    MsgBox Prod

'*** Closes the resource manager session (which closes everything)

Equip.IO.Close

End Sub