New Keithley DMM6500 and now DAQ6510

[Mike G]

Hi simsys
I have tried your script and it seems to run fine on my meter.  I have aborted it   and restarted many times with no problem.  I am running firmware 1.7.5b
If you can describe the exact sequence that causes you a problem I will try and reproduce it.
Regards Mike

[simsys.pl]

Hi Mike,
Let me be more clear. So first of all I have FW 1.7.7b

Here is the sequence:
1. start script (press on "Noscript at the top screen and choose script Diode_test_1_1 from saved list).
2. switch to DCV; unit ask me to confirm "local control". Also I need to switch in DCV trigger from Idle to Continous mode.
3. start script again, first issues:
-sometimes it works but there is no beep,
-there is info "NoScript" at the top (should be as on screen 2 with name of script + icon),
4. Switch again to DCV. From this point unit is in some loop and still measuring Diodes instead of voltage.
5. After some minutes in this "hang-up" mode receive error 2350 + constant sound alarm. Like I mention, only I can do at this point is to switch off and on unit.

[Mike G]

Hi again.  I have copied your method exactly and maybe the problem is that you are coming out of remote control, I believe this means it is running the script.
I merely start the script and it works fine. Although the indicator says IDLE the script is running, I confirmed this by looking at the readings buffer which is being filled continuously.

I attach some screen shots to demonstrate. I have renamed your script as Diode Buzzer. To exit your script I tap the script name on the top line, select yes to abort then run auoexec to reinitialise my meter.

One interesting thing I have learnt from your script is that on the top info line the name of the script is shown, on the scripts I have written this shows NO SCRIPT even thouigh it is running my script, I will investigate this later to find the reason.
Hope this may help
Mike

[simsys.pl]

One interesting thing I have learnt from your script is that on the top info line the name of the script is shown, on the
scripts I have written this shows NO SCRIPT even thouigh it is running my script, I will investigate this later to find the reason.

Well I poke around a little bit and discover, that I am able to quit from script only once per unit power cycle (see normal reaction on screen).
After second start of script (name DiodeTest_1_1 and icon from the top are gone and also there no more option "Abort script.."

I will check behaviour with other scripts..

[Mike G]

That is definitely different from my meter's behaviour.
Have you thought about changing the firmware to 1.7.5b and seeing if this makes a difference?

[simsys.pl]

Can you try run script from internal memory?
Observed that there is a different behavior when I start script internal or from USB pendrive plugged.
It looks like run directly from USB everything is ok

[Mike G]

I am running it from internal memory, I loaded it in direct from PC using text script builder

[JimKnopf]

I can confirm that the script produces strange behavior of the DMM6500. I tried it on 1.7.3, 1.7.5 and 1.7.7.
Doesn't matter if i run the script from USB or from internal as script or from internal as autoexec.
When aborting the script and using any other measurement option, no value will show up on Display.
I have to restart the device.

But it's a nice function.  I hope for a working update of the script.
Thank you for your commitment and sharing this script.

[Mike G]

Interesting to hear someone else has the same problem where my meter runs fine
One question is how old are your meters that show the problem?
Mine was originally purchased April 2019 and I had various problems with freezing and crashing for over 2 years, I persevered hoping a firmware upgrade would eventually solve these problems. In the end Keithley had the meter in for repair, apparently replaced most boards and since then it has run 100%.  Does this indicate a possible hardware change since the early models and hence why mine runs the script with no problem?  Just wondering
REgards Mike

[Mike G]

Just one more point, I have autoexec as a basic setup to DCV  with filter on and 1,000,000 buffer size, otherwise standard. I run this after exiting any script or app just to get things back to normal.  It leaves the meter in IDLE and I just have to set to CONTNUOUS manually, don't know why, but it then is totally back to normal.
I still believe this is the best performing and best featured meter in it's price bracket by a very long way. I use it every day both as a tool and for hobby script development, keeps my ageing brain active , and it never ceases to impress me.
No I am not employed by Tektronix sales department but over the last 50 years I have used quite a range of test gear so feel I am qualified to have an opinion on what is good, or what is not not

[Hydron]

I am having similar issues to the script's author on a 1.7.5 fw unit (a loaner, made late-2020). Got stuck saying no script running while it clearly is, can't stop it or change modes etc. Can put the latest FW onto it but doesn't sound like that will help.

At some point I'll have my own somewhat older meter back to compare, but it's currently off for a RMA due to transformer noise; took a month to arrive in Germany (thanks brexit customs bullshit!) and I have a placeholder ETA of 2049 (!!) for completion, so no idea when I'll get it back.

Hopefully this issue is fixable with a script tweak or a FW update - a similar script was on my to-do list, this sort of flexibility was one of the reasons I got a DMM6500 in the first place. simsys.pl - thanks for your effort making it before I got off my lazy ass and got around to it myself

[simsys.pl]

Well thanks for confirmation, at least partially
I will try to rewrite script, clean up all useless stuff, maybe use other functions instead of "while" or something else. Let me poke around a little bit.

This will be last try before I contact Keithley or local distributor.

Anyway compiler says that everything is ok so I expect the same from unit that class.

BTW Mike:
-my unit is brand new (6m),
It leaves the meter in IDLE yes, after out from script I have to switch to CONT every time (really annoying to be honest).

[KedasProbe]

I tried by using the trigger status but that's doesn't seem to work as expected.
You could maybe find some inspiration in these tspa files:
https://github.com/tektronix/keithley/tree/pr/5/TSP_Apps

Wasn't there supposed to be an App build guide/manual planned by Keithley, or did they give that up?

[E-Design]

I tried by using the trigger status but that's doesn't seem to work as expected.
You could maybe find some inspiration in these tspa files:
https://github.com/tektronix/keithley/tree/pr/5/TSP_Apps

Wasn't there supposed to be an App build guide/manual planned by Keithley, or did they give that up?

It hasnt been given up on as far as I know. I can guess that it has been delayed due to higher priority work. I suppose I could check in on its progress.

[Hydron]

It hasnt been given up on as far as I know. I can guess that it has been delayed due to higher priority work. I suppose I could check in on its progress.

That's great to hear, and please do check in - would love some more info, even just a command/syntax listing (rather than a full step-by-step guide) would be better than nothing.

[Mike G]

Yes I also totally agree with Hydron, that would indeed be a massive help.
Reverse engineering existing scripts is a time consuming way of learning

[BitWrangler1001]

I heard they were giving away the the display UI guide and document if you ask them at tti-apps@keithley.com

But what do i know, i'm just an innocent Bit Wrangler 

[MegaVolt]

command/syntax listing

Oh, that's not a problem. The lua language lives inside. Documentation about it is available and open source. The version can be found by calling the command print (_VERSION). In my opinion there is 5.0.4 but I could be wrong. I've watched this for a long time.

Here is the description for this version.

[Mike G]

It's not so much the Lua syntax as this is well documented, it is more the instrument specific syntax ie for GUI commands etc.
A bit of help from Keithley in this department would be much appreciated

[KedasProbe]

Anyone else has the problem that the pop-up is included in the screenshot?

[HighVoltage]

Anyone else has the problem that the pop-up is included in the screenshot?

No, I never had this on any of my Keithley instruments and I am using the screen capture a lot

[teletypeguy]

Apologies up front if this has been asked here, but I have not made it through all of the 55 pages (so far) of this thread.  I just got a DMM6500, with ver 1.7.5b.  Just had a chance for a first peek, and I see two screens that are cut off at the bottom -- sys settings, and calc settings (pics attached).
Has anyone seen this?  Hope that a fw update will fix it.
Other than that my first impression is wow!

[2N3055]

Apologies up front if this has been asked here, but I have not made it through all of the 55 pages (so far) of this thread.  I just got a DMM6500, with ver 1.7.5b.  Just had a chance for a first peek, and I see two screens that are cut off at the bottom -- sys settings, and calc settings (pics attached).
Has anyone seen this?  Hope that a fw update will fix it.
Other than that my first impression is wow!

That thick vertical line on the right is scroll bar. You can just scroll the screen with the finger, just flick it up and down..
I agree it feels unnatural on an instrument like that..

[AaronLee]

Apologies up front if this has been asked here, but I have not made it through all of the 55 pages (so far) of this thread.  I just got a DMM6500, with ver 1.7.5b.  Just had a chance for a first peek, and I see two screens that are cut off at the bottom -- sys settings, and calc settings (pics attached).
Has anyone seen this?  Hope that a fw update will fix it.
Other than that my first impression is wow!

Look at the thin blue bar on the right side of the screen, and you'll notice it doesn't extend down all the way. I believe it's a scroll bar that you can just scroll down to see the remainder of the screen. Typical handphone style, which many people are used to, but still those types of situations always catch me off-guard and I don't realize how to scroll until I look carefully at the screen.

Edit: I see 2N3055 already responded with the same information.

[teletypeguy]

Ahh, though I did go through docs before I got to play, I missed the scroll bar bit -- thx