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Open source lxi-tools and liblxi v1.0 released for GNU/Linux

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alm:
If you develop this into an instrument control GUI and scripting language, would it not make sense to use an abstraction like VISA rather than interfacing with LXI directly? Otherwise developing a script while having an instrument without LXI in the mix (USBTMC/GPIB/RS-232) becomes a pain, while in VISA you would only change the connection string.

lundmar:

--- Quote from: alm on January 14, 2018, 09:54:13 am ---If you develop this into an instrument control GUI and scripting language, would it not make sense to use an abstraction like VISA rather than interfacing with LXI directly? Otherwise developing a script while having an instrument without LXI in the mix (USBTMC/GPIB/RS-232) becomes a pain, while in VISA you would only change the connection string.

--- End quote ---

I understand what you are saying but I'm afraid adding a VISA abstraction is beyond the scope and resources of this project.

As you said, VISA abstracts various interfaces such as VXI11/USBTMC/GPIB/RS-232. However, since this is lxi-tools the focus is exclusively on the interfaces supported by the LXI standard (VXI11/HiSLIP etc.) so for this project there are no plans to support other interfaces nor add a full blown VISA API in e.g. Lua.

What you are suggesting is something which would be an excellent feature for a future open source visa-tools project ;)

nctnico:

--- Quote from: alm on January 14, 2018, 09:54:13 am ---If you develop this into an instrument control GUI and scripting language, would it not make sense to use an abstraction like VISA rather than interfacing with LXI directly? Otherwise developing a script while having an instrument without LXI in the mix (USBTMC/GPIB/RS-232) becomes a pain, while in VISA you would only change the connection string.

--- End quote ---
A better approach would be to add support to send commands to USBTMC or a COM port (both are pretty similar). VISA is way too bloated.

lundmar:

--- Quote from: nctnico on January 14, 2018, 11:29:50 am ---
--- Quote from: alm on January 14, 2018, 09:54:13 am ---If you develop this into an instrument control GUI and scripting language, would it not make sense to use an abstraction like VISA rather than interfacing with LXI directly? Otherwise developing a script while having an instrument without LXI in the mix (USBTMC/GPIB/RS-232) becomes a pain, while in VISA you would only change the connection string.

--- End quote ---
A better approach would be to add support to send commands to USBTMC or a COM port (both are pretty similar). VISA is way to bloated.

--- End quote ---

I agree, if you look at the general syntax and features of VISA you either love it or hate it.

The interface that I plan to support in Lua will be much simpler - just a basic interface for sending SCPI commands, handling responses, and reporting failed test cases.

If this Lua interface proves itself to be useful/efficient/successful , one could consider expanding and adding support for non-LXI interfaces but I think that is something which should be reserved for another project.

alm:

--- Quote from: nctnico on January 14, 2018, 11:29:50 am ---A better approach would be to add support to send commands to USBTMC or a COM port (both are pretty similar). VISA is way to bloated.

--- End quote ---
I was not suggesting to use the NI-VISA implementation, but abstracting the protocol used to access an instrument. For example, there is a Python implementation that is pretty light weight. When I was controlling a DSO that could either controlled through RS-232 or GPIB, I made my own abstraction that would call either ibconfig(), ibwrt() etc for GPIB, or tcsetattr(), write() etc for RS-232, so I did not have to sprinkle conditionals all through my code.

But obviously in a volunteer project the decision on what direction to go is entirely on the developers doing the work.

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