[time-nuts] OT: Prologix GPIB and HP3478A...

Jeffrey Pawlan jpawlan at pawlan.com
Wed Nov 28 04:33:26 UTC 2007



On Tue, 27 Nov 2007, Prologix wrote:

> Hello Chuck,
>
> It appears that 3478A sends data continuously as soon as it is addressed to
> talk. Since the Prologix adapter is busy processing GPIB data it is unable
> to respond to USB commands.
>
> One solution is to turn read-after-write off (++auto 0) before connecting
> the adapter to 3478A, and then use ++read command to read one measurement at
> a time. Please see the manual (www.prologix.biz) for ++read command options.
>
> The other option is to set 3478A to one-reading-per-trigger mode using "T3"
> device command. See HP3478 manual (pages 39, 59). Then use the ++trg command
> to trigger the device. ++auto must be set to 1 in this case.
>
> Regards,
> Abdul


Excellent answer!  I do not have either piece of equipment but I can certainly
say that even though I am now using NI GPIB cards which are likely faster, I
always program the instrument being queried to only send one response per
trigger.

I learned BASIC and also HPIB programming on a HP85 when it was the latest and
greatest in 1980-81. Then later in another company I used the 9845 and then
after that used the 9836. I think I must have learned from their wonderful
documentation sets that this was the right way to take readings. It may well
have been to avoid the timing issues you presented.


Regards,


Jeffrey Pawlan






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