Program that can log from many multimeters.

[HKJ]

Congrats with the new version. But is there room in V2.44 for one more definition?

This is a definition for the Keithley K199 System DMM.

Sorry, but it will have to wait for next release, but anybody can download your zip file and add it to the current TC version.
I have added you frequency response to this: https://lygte-info.dk/info/DMMFrequencyResponse%20UK.html
And thanks for you additions.

[HKJ]

when using the Rigol DP832 on the LAN interface i regularily got an invalid message and a timeout with numeric settings.
I added :updatedelayed: 0.1 to every command, now its working flawlessly.
I also added the Rigol DP832 without the A suffix.
I attached the updated txt file.

Thanks for the update, it will be included in next release.

[nhnam65]

Hi everybody,
Has anyone worked with the Yokogawa 7561/7562 multimeter?
https://cdn.tmi.yokogawa.com/IM7560-10E.pdf
If so, can you share the driver file?
Thank you very much.
Nam NH

[gby]

Hi HKJ,

Couple of documentation things.

1.  In the past I could find documentation on script flow control items like #if, #while, #elseIf.  Now I can't find that documentation any more.  I usually use Google search restricted to your site like this:
site:lygte-info.dk/ "#while"
In the past that search got me right to the documentation page.  Right now it does not find it.  Now it only finds a couple of pages with examples scripts that use #while and not the actual documentation.  Am I just blind and not seeing it or has some page become de-linked???
2.  Could you add to the interfaceType on web page https://lygte-info.dk/project/TestControllerConfigDevice%20UK.html
 Servo: Servo drive controlling a motor

Thanks

[HKJ]

1.  In the past I could find documentation on script flow control items like #if, #while, #elseIf.  Now I can't find that documentation any more.  I usually use Google search restricted to your site like this:
site:lygte-info.dk/ "#while"
In the past that search got me right to the documentation page.  Right now it does not find it.  Now it only finds a couple of pages with examples scripts that use #while and not the actual documentation.  Am I just blind and not seeing it or has some page become de-linked???

It is not supposed to be on the website (I have never made a webpage for it), you type # on the command line and the help window will show all the commands for the script language. Type the full command and you will get help for it.

The calculator page: https://lygte-info.dk/project/TestControllerFunctions%20UK.html contains info about the programming language (not script, they are different)
There is also some info here: http://lygte-info.dk/project/Calculator%20UK.html for the programming language.

2.  Could you add to the interfaceType on web page https://lygte-info.dk/project/TestControllerConfigDevice%20UK.html
 Servo: Servo drive controlling a motor

Done

[Gertjan]

V2.44 is up
       ...
   Fixed: ProLogic GPIB uses lowercase control clr/llo/loc/trg commands

Hi HKJ,

I re-tested with the official Prologix GPIB->USB Controller (with latest firmware: v6.107).
I can confirm that with the lowercase control commands the Prologix now performs flawless in TestController. 

Actually, it would be a good idea to change the control commands for AR488 to lowercase too. After all, it is a clone of the Prologix.
AR488 tolerates uppercase, so works flawless at the moment. But who knows about future versions, clones of clones etc...

regards, Gertjan.

[jmurray]

Hi HKJ,

I suspect I've just not found the right piece of documentation, but I'm having trouble with sending multiple commands to a SCPI device in a single line.

I have a solar array simulator that requires four parameters to generate a profile - if you only update a single parameter, that is assessed against the other three, and the device will simply reject it if it does not compute a valid result.
For this reason, it is best to send all four parameters as a single line so that it assesses the new parameters together.

However, it appears that by using the standard SCPI syntax of separating commands within the same subsystem with a semicolon, that Test Controller will inherently split them out to separate commands separated by <newline>.

For example, I need to be able to send the following as a single line:

Code: (Single Line Command) [Select]

CURR:SAS:ISC 6.75;IMP 6.36;:VOLT:SAS:VOC 25.9;VMP 22

But if I attempt to do so with Test Controller, it transmits as four separate items:

Code: (Debug Output) [Select]

CURR:SAS:ISC 6.75
;; E4360A: Tx <CURR:SAS:ISC 6.75>
IMP 6.36
;; E4360A: Tx <IMP 6.36>
:VOLT:SAS:VOC 25.9
;; E4360A: Tx <:VOLT:SAS:VOC 25.9>
VMP 22
;; E4360A: Tx <VMP 22>

Is there a way around this? I've tried declaring it as a string but that doesn't seem to stop Test Controller splitting it on the semicolon.

Thanks!

[HKJ]

Is there a way around this? I've tried declaring it as a string but that doesn't seem to stop Test Controller splitting it on the semicolon.

I do not remember where I split the commands, but you can try two different ways:
Use \x3b instead of ;
Use ascii driver.

[KungFuJosh]

Is there something I'm missing? Every time I exit TC it sends a reset to my Siglent DMMs that resets too much. For example, it disables the screensaver, and removes my statistics settings too.

[HKJ]

Is there something I'm missing? Every time I exit TC it sends a reset to my Siglent DMMs that resets too much. For example, it disables the screensaver, and removes my statistics settings too.

This is done in the definition file, usually it is defined to return the meter to manual mode. Many devices disables keyboard input when running a SCPI connection to avoid keyboard interference with the communication, usually some sort of command is required to re-enable the keyboard.

It is this line in the Siglent definition:
#finalCmd abort;*cls;*rst

And it is probably the *rst that do a full reset.

In some DMM's you can save a initial state, that might be another solution.

You can modify it with any text editor that can handle plain ascii files.

[HKJ]

Actually, it would be a good idea to change the control commands for AR488 to lowercase too. After all, it is a clone of the Prologix.
AR488 tolerates uppercase, so works flawless at the moment. But who knows about future versions, clones of clones etc...

I do not believe that modification is necessary, future version and clones will use the AR488 software and I doubt anybody will bother disabling uppercase commands.

[tautech]

Is there something I'm missing? Every time I exit TC it sends a reset to my Siglent DMMs that resets too much. For example, it disables the screensaver, and removes my statistics settings too.

Check it's not a Remote/Local mode issue.
It might be a bug, it might be TC.....

[HKJ]

Check it's not a Remote/Local mode issue.
It might be a bug, it might be TC.....

 
How TC handles devices depends on definitions and a issue in a definition is not a TC issue (At least not directly).

Anyway I already posted a explanation about it and I believe KungFuJosh can fix the issue based on that explanation.

[tautech]

Check it's not a Remote/Local mode issue.
It might be a bug, it might be TC.....

 
How TC handles devices depends on definitions and a issue in a definition is not a TC issue (At least not directly).

Anyway I already posted a explanation about it and I believe KungFuJosh can fix the issue based on that explanation.

I quite understand.
Yes it seems the reset is the issue and hopefully a simple and elegant hand back solution to local command can be found and added to your definition.
Thanks for your great work. 

[KungFuJosh]

Anyway I already posted a explanation about it and I believe KungFuJosh can fix the issue based on that explanation.

It's not TC's fault of course. I'm still looking for a solution though. I haven't found any command or variant of *rst yet that is helpful.

I also don't know that there's any way to alter the factory default state to my custom settings. If I find a solution, I'll share it.

Thanks,
Josh

[gby]

Hi HKJ,

I am working to write a driver for Tasi 612C 4 channel thermocouple reader.  It is a virtual serial port over USB and I can communicate with it.  Being a binary/byte based serial protocol I have started with #driver ascii.  To get the data I am using
   #scpiCmd GetData? txrx1Bin? \xAA\x55\x01\x03\x03
   :readmath: binConv(int(value),2,2,1,1)
Running this command returns a sequence of 13 bytes like the below example from the DOS debug window.

getdata?
;; TA612C: Tx <getdata?>
;; TA612C: Tx <txrx1Bin? \xAA\x55\x01\x03\x03
:readmath: binConv(int(value),2,2,1,1)>
;; COM4: TxBin: <ªU...> AA 55 01 03 03
;; COM4: RxBin: 55 AA 01 0B EB 00 ED 00 E9 00 EB 00 B7
;; TA612C: Rx <0>
;; 0

In the past with such devices I treated the returned data as a large integer and used binConV to get the number.  With this device the data is for 4 channels and is
   EB 00 => 0x00EB = 235 and divided by 10 yields measured temperature = 23.5 Deg C
   ED 00 => 23.7 C
   E9 00 => 23.3 C
   EB 00 => 23.5 C
the rest of the bytes are a reply header and a check sum.

I tried using binConv as if all 13 bytes were in one big integer and then started at offset 2 and going for 2 bytes in an attempt to get one of the readings.  But, TC returned 0 and not one of the desired readings.  My guess is that with 13 bytes returned TC does not create a large integer with the bytes that I can then use binConv to pick out the individual numeric values. 

Would you have a suggestions on how to parse out the 4 two bytes values from this returned value in the driver file?  My goal is to use this command for the #askValues.

[HKJ]

I am working to write a driver for Tasi 612C 4 channel thermocouple reader.  It is a virtual serial port over USB and I can communicate with it.  Being a binary/byte based serial protocol I have started with #driver ascii.  To get the data I am using

Try using the block driver, it is designed for this type of protocol.
https://lygte-info.dk/project/TestControllerConfigDevice2%20UK.html#Binary_with_fixed_communication_blocks_(Block)

You can see an example of this protocol in "Tenma 72-7715 thermometer.txt" and "ADC10F103C.txt" note: they uses the streaming configuration.

[gby]

Thanks HKJ.  I am now making good progress creating the driver.  I will share when done.

I copied using the degree symbol in the #values line like in the Tenma example you suggested looking at.
   #value T1 °C D1

On my PC the units show up with an extra character "A".  See attached screen snip from the range tab.  What causes that and/or how to get just the degree symbol to show up?

[HKJ]

Thanks HKJ.  I am now making good progress creating the driver.  I will share when done.

I copied using the degree symbol in the #values line like in the Tenma example you suggested looking at.
   #value T1 °C D1

On my PC the units show up with an extra character "A".  See attached screen snip from the range tab.  What causes that and/or how to get just the degree symbol to show up?

The degree symbol is a bit tricky, due to charset issues. You need to save the file in UTF with a BOM. TC will only recognize UTF files if they have a BOM, if the BOM is missing you get two characters. Not all editors will add a BOM to a UTF-8 file, but it will always be included in a UTF-16 file, i.e. if you have a options to save as UTF-16 use that (Both UTF16BE and UTF-16LE will work).

[gby]

Thanks.  Saving as UTF-8 with BOM in Notepad++ worked.  No extra character and a proper degree symbol/mark.

Having a Byte Order Mark (BOM) in a nominally ascii file was new to me so thanks for that learning also.

[Gertjan]

Hi HKJ,

A feature request:
Can we have a setting for a default path to the user directory where graphs, tables etc. are saved?  (In the configuration tab?)

Now every save window starts in "C:\TCData"
But I save all my measurements in sub-directories of "D:\Documents\TestController\Measurements"
Navigating to this different path every time I want to save a graph etc. is getting tiresome....

Yes, once a new path for saving is selected, TC will remember this for next saves during the same session. But after a re-start it is annoyingly back to it's default "C:\TCData". (And for some measurements I have to re-start TC every few measurements, e.g. selecting other meters)

regard, Gertjan.

[KungFuJosh]

An update for Siglent DMMs:

@tautech is going to request Siglent add an SCPI command to return to local control.

@defpom pointed out that pressing the shift key on the DMM will return to local control when it's not actively being controlled remotely.

So I removed *rst from the final command at shutdown of TC on my copy, and press the shift key to return to local control.

Thanks,
Josh

[Gertjan]

Is there something I'm missing? Every time I exit TC it sends a reset to my Siglent DMMs that resets too much. For example, it disables the screensaver, and removes my statistics settings too.

Hi    KungFuJosh,

just as you I like when I can set-up an instrument so it will retain my settings from the last session. This is handy, and perfectly fine when using this instrument manually.

But things change when you use the instrument in an automated setup....
You do not want a script to de-rail because one of the used instruments was left in an unexpected setting. Neither do you want unpleasant surprises when you use the instrument next time, because it was left by the script in an unexpected (potentially dangerous) setting.

So it is best practice , when writing a driver, to do a reset of the instrument at the beginning. To make sure it always starts in the same, known condition. And at the end of the session the instrument should be left in a safe and default state. A reset, and for example for a for a power supply, with outputs OFF.

So, the reset at close-down it is not a bug but a (important!) feature 

Off course you can always modify your own copy of a TestController device configuration file to your liking, for personal use.
You could, in your personal copy, send commands for re-enable your screensaver and statistic settings after the reset command.

regards, Gertjan.

[KungFuJosh]

So, the reset at close-down it is not a bug but a (important!) feature 

Off course you can always modify your own copy of a TestController device configuration file to your liking, for personal use.
You could, in your personal copy, send commands for re-enable your screensaver and statistic settings after the reset command.

regards, Gertjan.

I never said it was a bug, I know better.

For my use however, there is no need for a full reset (maybe not ever except for selling something off). I don't expect a change to be made to the TC files. For people like me, having an alternate option on shutdown of TC is a good thing. Which is why I'm sharing the discussion here. Not everybody needs a full reset, and for those that don't want one, they shouldn't be forced to have one.

Thanks,
Josh

[HKJ]

A feature request:
Can we have a setting for a default path to the user directory where graphs, tables etc. are saved?  (In the configuration tab?)

It sort of is there, but not in the configuration. In the .bat file that can be used to start TC you can specify some command line options, including paths. This also means you can create multiple .bat files to start with different directories.