PATHWAVE BenchVue License - included with your purchase?

[armandine2]

just spent a couple of hours failing to do what Keysight say is simple 

Simply download the Pathwave BenchVue software, connect your instrument, then follow the on-screen directions to enable your license.

and free:

PATHWAVE Benchvue License Included with your Purchase


https://toolguyd.com/keysight-benchvue-is-a-great-example-of-an-unfavorable-approach-to-hardware-supporting-software/

perhaps its for the naive, too? the flier is Edition 1, April 2021 

[armandine2]

some steps, remote, available 

[switchabl]

They've changed it again, it is now called "BenchVue Basic" and doesn't need activation anymore:
https://www.keysight.com/us/en/lib/resources/technical-specifications/pathwave-benchvue-basic.html

You might still be able to activate your license if you download the older version (<2022.1). But the Basic version seems to be identical functionally, so I don't know if there is any point really.

[armandine2]

  could've been worse I guess 

Thanks for the update switchabl

[Sighound36]

Don't talk to me about installing Pathwave softwave  It took seven attempts and one very helpful EU IT wizard to perform this function. Oh Keysight did admit they have had a few issues and that they are working on a far more smoother method of installation and thanked me for my feedback.

We'll see how far they have preogressed with this as a new N6705C arrives on Friday..........................

[HighVoltage]

BenchVue could have been the key element to unlimited success for all Keysight instruments. But it was so much messed up that it created the opposite.

I was a real fan of BenchVue in the beginning but it created so many problems on my computers, that I gave up on it.

If you really want to use BenchVue, it is best to just have a computer just for this software and nothing else installed. Especially the license manager sucks so badly, there not even words for it. It sucks even more, if other license managers that worked previously, will no longer work, because of BenchVue.

If the basic version of BenchVue is free now, maybe it does not require the license manager anymore?
Anyone know?

The original free software that came with the 34461A (Pre BenchVue) is still working perfectly under Win10 and does not need any license software.

[switchabl]

We'll see how far they have preogressed with this as a new N6705C arrives on Friday..........................

The free power supply app is pretty limited anyway (mostly basic logging). AFAIK you'd need an active subscription for the proper analysis software.

If the basic version of BenchVue is free now, maybe it does not require the license manager anymore?
Anyone know?

It still needs the license service installed (and running), otherwise it won't even start.

The new "standalone" apps use a different one, so maybe that works better for you. Personally, I'm mostly sticking with the old ones for now. The new multimeter just crashes when I conncect a 34401A. And the oscilloscope app took several tries to install and then had weird glitches, like cursors randomly disappearing.

[HighVoltage]

If the basic version of BenchVue is free now, maybe it does not require the license manager anymore?
Anyone know?

It still needs the license service installed (and running), otherwise it won't even start.

The new "standalone" apps use a different one, so maybe that works better for you. Personally, I'm mostly sticking with the old ones for now. The new multimeter just crashes when I conncect a 34401A. And the oscilloscope app took several tries to install and then had weird glitches, like cursors randomly disappearing.

Thanks !

I just installed the Basic apps for Oscilloscope and DMM on a fresh Windows 10 system.

It took several tries to get them installed, the installer was just hanging. And after forcing it to stop and start again, it finally installed after 4 attempts 

To see the difference between the basic and the full BenchVue, I installed also the full version. Same thing, took several restarts but finally installed. A trial version of the oscilloscope app can be installed for only 7 days. If I remember correctly, it used to be 30 days.

So, I will be testing the BASIC and full version in the next few days.


 

[switchabl]

My understanding is that basic and "full" versions are essentially identical, except:
- basic versions not available for all instrument categories (e.g. spectrum analyser)
- basic is one minor release behind
- no technical support for basic version

I remember the original free-tier BenchVue having a limit on logging duration. This does not seem to be the case anymore.

[Sighound36]

I actually purchased the full I/V app not ther freebe, hence my suprise at the amount of hassle involved with its installation. Also using W10 pro here.
Given I know have five Keysight instruments as with the OP it's a pretty unsinspiring SW app. Unlike the Lecroy Maui.

AS you mentioned it promised so much and in essence delivered very little, it could have been a real killer section to their business

[NoisyBoy]

I also have a Windows 10 Pro system, but in my case, install went smooth, although it took a long time as a number of prerequisite software (a total of 5 additional software outside of Benchvue) also got installed in the process.

While install was fine, the software crashed a few times, and one time it crashed Windows into the blue screen of death, it also could not identify the instrument on the first load.  After a few restarts of Benchvue and Windows, now it seems to work OK.

With the variability of different Windows systems, and the number of dependency software it requires, I can understand why it can cause problem for a lot of people.  But if logging and more sophisticated graphing is your thing, then I can understand the value of the software.  Otherwise, the web remote control does a lot of the same thing without requiring a Windows machine.

[robint]

Indeed I have had very bad experience with KS BV   I wont rant on that subject just to say that its morally unjust and unfair to the paying customer (they dont tell you until after you paid for the equipment you ought to sign up for a subscription license or else lose their after sales support interest

When looking into their license TOS I was disturbed to see that KS insists on on line access to your set up on the basis of "customer service  yada yada" but also to check what you are connected to and whether your licenses are in order etc - highly intrusive - especially if you are a Commercial Laboratory say.  I noticed particularly that I have the BV basic (free when you can find it - well hidden) that I can use with my DMM.  With great difficulty I managed to make it work buts it has reliability issues maintaining logging over long period, days or more (but on moderate sampling of ca 6min period so not onerous datawise.)  Thats another issue.

What I found is that although this should be a standalone application, you cannot power up BV (on my laptop to find my DMM unless I am logged into web wifi connection. So its phoning home with what I am connected to.  They thought Huawei was bad !!!  Get my point of concern anyone? 

[HighVoltage]

In my latest installation on a newly formatted Win10 machine, BV ran stable.
Until I had to install a CAD software that also had a license manager.

BV complained and I was not able to get both packages running on the same PC.
I finally uninstalled BV and all its components.

It seems that BV will run stable and good, as long as we are using a dedicated PC just for BV.

[robint]

In my latest installation on a newly formatted Win10 machine, BV ran stable.
Until I had to install a CAD software that also had a license manager.

BV complained and I was not able to get both packages running on the same PC.
I finally uninstalled BV and all its components.

It seems that BV will run stable and good, as long as we are using a dedicated PC just for BV.

Yes I agree, I run my BV on a dedicated laptop with no other apps on board apart from Excel (needed for graphic display of data after editing). I just hate the arrogance of KS and BV is just a GUI pasted on top of the original free NI s/w which is a huge compost heap of very very old s/w around GPIB, IVI etc really clunky and techie - its work never really completed.  And we are expected to pay a subscription license, very convoluted third party license manager.  Their lifetime purchase for my single use DMM  $350

BTW FWIW I am buy putting together my own standalone 16 channel 12bit data logger that will do the job of my $$$  DMM and present me with a clean table I can squirt into Excel at the end of logging session - free from tyranny of big corps spying and controlling. Ive seen the pico logger on ebay Pico ADC-20 High Resolution Data Logger with terminal board but its £400
Ive also seen Test Controller on this board - good kit and free https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/program-that-can-log-from-many-multimeters/new/?topicseen#new
but it relies on i/f with laboratory gear and their proprietary setting etc It does work for some but its given me problems (probably my fault) with my KS DMM - they dont want you straying outside their control.

So more work needed as they say

[jc101]

Discovered today that BenchVue is broken on Windows 11 and totally unsupported.

I've been trying to use a demo Keysight box, but lots of connection drops and strange errors.  Turns out to be a Windows 11 thing.  So it's getting boxed back up and shipped back.

[tszaboo]

I remember when with the 34410A, you could plug that DMM into your PC on a USB port, fire up Excel, and had a toolbar where you could set up days of logging data straight into your excel sheet. It only needed something called IO libraries. It doesn't work anymore, because this would be too easy and useful, and you wouldn't download their software that somehow requires a license to use their 2000 EUR DMM.

[J-R]

Due to having to support older devices I can understand the current lack of Windows 11 compatibility.

I'd suggest running Windows 10 LTSC 1809 on a dedicated box or in a virtual machine for BenchVue and similar apps.  It has extended support until 2029.

[jc101]

Due to having to support older devices I can understand the current lack of Windows 11 compatibility.

I'd suggest running Windows 10 LTSC 1809 on a dedicated box or in a virtual machine for BenchVue and similar apps.  It has extended support until 2029.

I toyed with creating a Windows 10 VM to get around it. The office PC has plenty of grunt to do that.  It's just a faff, and I suspect they won't support anything virtual should help be needed.  Might give it a try.

[coromonadalix]

I remember when with the 34410A, you could plug that DMM into your PC on a USB port, fire up Excel, and had a toolbar where you could set up days of logging data straight into your excel sheet. It only needed something called IO libraries. It doesn't work anymore, because this would be too easy and useful, and you wouldn't download their software that somehow requires a license to use their 2000 EUR DMM.

yeah    now it suck, because office 64  complain about some statement to be converted to safer ones

thoses where some tryouts, derivatives

office will complain  loll  but they worked on 32bit

[alm]

Ive also seen Test Controller on this board - good kit and free https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/program-that-can-log-from-many-multimeters/new/?topicseen#new
but it relies on i/f with laboratory gear and their proprietary setting etc It does work for some but its given me problems (probably my fault) with my KS DMM - they dont want you straying outside their control.

Keysight DMMs use standard SCPI over GPIB, USBTMC, RS-232 or LAN. You don't need any specific software except drivers for GPIB and USBTMC, which on Windows generally means VISA. You can control them from pretty much any programming language that can talk GPIB / USBTMC / etc. If Test Controller is not working reliably, this probably means the commands or configuration (e.g. EOI for GPIB) are incorrect.

No one that uses these meters for anything remotely complex (say a setup of multiple instruments) uses BenchVue. They will all develop their own software in LabVIEW or some other programming language. Keysight provides support for this, like IVI/LabVIEW drivers. They would sell very few meters for automation if the only thing they supported was BenchVue.

[coromonadalix]

good point there

every companies have their quirks,  having LXI certified instruments means you have some base to work with

knowing  scpi commands for each and or using Ni / Visa  over lan or usb or gpib (some serially interfaced meters do accept almost the same commands)

will help more putting tests rigs together 


but alas  it does not means 100%  of all the different brands or even the same brand ( old and new) may or will play nice together

[robint]

WOW guys
Im not the only one who is KS BV intolerant
FWIW I dont want to spend hours/day messing with setting up obscure programs to do my data logging work. I dont have a junior nerd around to deal with that schwepps.
I had to move my BV pc and restart is on my KS DMM, another half hour faff to get it talking (as it was before - didnt remember its setting cos it was switched off in the move - what a faff - and the insult is that it must be connected to internet to discover the USB DMM even though its a standalone app. I quickly go airplane mode once DMM connected BTW).

BTW  Some 5 years ago I bought a couple of slab type logging DMMs from Hantek 365C (was £55ea)  4dig V,I,ohms ac/dc. 9000 samples 0.3-100s per  ie I get 10 days max.  BUT the graphical GUI only works on Win XP.  I ve got a couple of Acer 10" netbooks 20 yrs old still doing a great job.  Bit of a faff  as you save csv data and squirt into Excel manually etc.  BUT IT WORKS , no drama, hissy fits like BV

Anyone else used Hantek

[HighVoltage]

There are plenty of threads here on the forum, in regards to BenchVue

Many years ago, I was one of the greatest fans for BV and said so.
I even had BV installed at some customers locations.
But the problems got larger and larger over time, that it did not make sense to use it anymore.

If you only want logging from a Keysight DMM, use the old Agilent logging software (Before it was called BV) and it will work perfectly without any license required and has unlimited logging capabilities.

Keysight had the opportunity to own the market with a good instrument software package.
But somehow they screwed it up in the worse possible way.

[Wolfgang]

Today BenchVue just sucks, for  a lot of reasons:

- buggy
- Keysight only. Support for other stuff is absolutely rudimentary and useless
- Huge bloatware. 90% of the code went into a license manager and not real functionality
- Erratic license philosophy. I remember when even simple loggin was not free, then they keep
changing their license schemes every half a year just driving users crazy
- Python scripting does a lot more than BV can provide, its free and also works in hybrid (not just Kerysight) environments

The whole thing is a huge intellectual underachievement, IMHO. Just stay away from it. Some backstory here:
https://toolguyd.com/keysight-benchvue-is-a-great-example-of-an-unfavorable-approach-to-hardware-supporting-software/

[robint]

Amazing how a big Corp like KS can lets its corporate clowns screw it all up for them so badly