Program that can log/control many multimeters and other devices.

[HKJ]

I added support for the Tektronix DMM4040 and DMM4050 to my Fluke 8845A / 8846A configuration file.

Thanks, it will be included in the next release.

The differences between the Fluke and Tek meters are mostly cosmetic.

If you prefer a separate definition file for Tek DMM4040/DMM4050, I will create it for you.

I see no reason for that.

[homico]

Excellent program!
I have bought 4 different Electronic Loads over the course of several years. I will not write why I did this and what level of my intelligence ... :)
TestController works great with
everyone!
......
Well, we can only applaud the creator, maestro - HKJ !!!
Bravissimo!
...al meglio!

[HKJ]

I have bought 4 different Electronic Loads over the course of several years. I will not write why I did this and what level of my intelligence ...

What is strange about buying 4 electronic loads? I have more than that.

[homico]

O...o! That's for sure. And for other inhabitants of eeveblog it's not the hi level. And these are the cheapest  and simple devices.
I am a herring that swam into the bay to the sharks :)
========
If seriously:  Allow me to thank you again, Henrik, for the titanic work on this project! Especially considering that you are giving this miracle free of charge! It is priceless!

[homico]

I will still explain my thought:
Buying cheap electronic loads one after another is not strange, but very stupid!
For a non-professional battery test, one ... any of them is enough. Even Atorch for $30.
In the end, I spent money that would have been enough for Rigol. I feel like an idiot.

And if anyone is interested: KunKin KP184 v4 is much better than ET5410A+ (2024)

[Domenico]

hi, i tried to use test controller on an it8514c+ electronic load but i can't connect, the software crashes and closes without errors, even leaving it in debugging mode. any suggestions?

Thanks

Domenico

[Domenico]

I solved it, it was a prolific driver problem.
Now I have a problem with the program display, I think it's related to Java.
look at the attached image, every time I pass the mouse over it some piece is composed or decomposed.

Regards
Domenico

[HKJ]

Now I have a problem with the program display, I think it's related to Java.
look at the attached image, every time I pass the mouse over it some piece is composed or decomposed.

It might be a issue with the graphic driver (But then I wonder why you only see the issue with TC) or the Java installation.

There exist two different Java's you can install: Oracle or free version, they are not the same and it might be worth trying either one.

[Domenico]

Hi, I also think it's a video driver problem but I don't know how to get out of it.
The video card is Nvidia RTX3060Ti, the Java version is Oracle Version 8 update 451.
I tried different versions of both the video card and Java drivers, I can't find a solution.
Can you suggest me some different settings?

Does anyone else have this type of problem?

Thanks

Regards

Domenico

[EEVblog]

I got the Uni-T UTE310 Power Meter and am looking to add support, what's the best/easiest way to go about this?
Maybe take an existing power meter TXT config file and modify it?

[Messtechniker]

Way to go. First check if their way of communicating is similar enough. Similar command set etc.

[HKJ]

I got the Uni-T UTE310 Power Meter and am looking to add support, what's the best/easiest way to go about this?
Maybe take an existing power meter TXT config file and modify it?

First you need to find what type of protocol it uses, it can be SCPI, but not everything uses that.
When you have found protocol type, you need to match it to a TC supported protocol:
https://lygte-info.dk/project/TestControllerConfigDevice%20UK.html
https://lygte-info.dk/project/TestControllerConfigDevice2%20UK.html
What is on the above two pages are the general protocols supported by TC, it has a list of more specialized protocols that I have not documented.

When you have the protocol you need to get a connection to the device, if TC already have something with the same type of protocol you can use that as a start.
For this part you start TC in debug mode, with only that device loaded.
The steps are:
1) Establish connection
2) Add data columns (#value)
3) Read values from device (#askValues and maybe #prepareSample, #initCmd , #finalCmd)
4) Add control of device (#cmdSetup, #cmdMode)
5) Add off settings if relevant: #outputOff
6) Optionally add #interface section, this is required for some TC functionality.
7) If there are multiple similar devices in a series look at #meta and #metadef

You will generally want to do you development and test of protocols in ..\documents\TestController\Devices it is the place for user defined devices.

 
For SCPI devices there is a shortcut for step 1: Select "Load devices" page, right click on "Search socket" and select "Create new SCPI definition"

Note that if UTE310 uses the UNI-T interface cable, it most likely uses a HID interface and TC do not support that.

[EEVblog]

For SCPI devices there is a shortcut for step 1: Select "Load devices" page, right click on "Search socket" and select "Create new SCPI definition"

Awesome, thanks, that wasn't obvious at all!
It worked via the Ethernet and generated the UTE310 template file.
Yes it's SCPI compatible and has a programming manual.

[HKJ]

Awesome, thanks, that wasn't obvious at all!
It worked via the Ethernet and generated the UTE310 template file.

That is one function you have to read the documentation to find and to make you own definition you have to read documentation anyway.
But I agree, that function is sort of hidden.

Yes it's SCPI compatible and has a programming manual.

I checked it out and that type of device is not easy to add.
You can do it two ways:
1) Select a fixed set of measurement and configure them from #prepareSample, that is by far the easiest way.
2) Use #cmdMode to select between different sets of parameters, this is harder to do.

I have done a power meter somewhat similar to this (PA1000) in style 2), but it is not included in the definitions because the protocol for that meter has changed. If you want to see the definition send me an email.

[EEVblog]

Thanks.
Unfortunately I can't even get it to return a value manually using this basic SCPI command.
The program did find the new TXT file and connect and allows me to send command, so that's a start.

[HKJ]

Thanks.
Unfortunately I can't even get it to return a value manually using this basic SCPI command.
The program did find the new TXT file and connect and allows me to send command, so that's a start.

I assume you set up a list of value you wish and then use a query command to get them repeatably, at least that is how my power meter works.

You can use the command line in TC to send SCPI command from, when you are connected and the device selected. This is a much faster way to test how the commands works, than modifying the definition.

[EEVblog]

I assume you set up a list of value you wish and then use a query command to get them repeatably, at least that is how my power meter works.
You can use the command line in TC to send SCPI command from, when you are connected and the device selected. This is a much faster way to test how the commands works, than modifying the definition.

Yes, I've been using the command line, but am having trouble getting correct responses. I'll keep working on it.

[HKJ]

I have been elaborating on my explanation above on how to add a new device:

http://lygte-info.dk/project/TestControllerNewDevice%20UK.html

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

[AndreasF78]

Yesterday I reflashed my AR488 (on Arduino Nano) with the current version and noticed (after updating TestController as well) that the resetDelay function does not seem to work correctly. I am unsure if it worked before, because I flashed the AR488 without bootloader before; now, with Optiboot bootloader on a clone Nano, TestController does not seem to work

Here is a copy of testControllerDebug.bat output:

PS C:\Program Files\TestController> .\testControllerDebug.bat
Starting
;; jSerialComm version: 2.11.0
;; COM12: Set params: 115200
;; Start thread for: AR488 A:22 - Agilent 34401A Enhanced
;; COM12: Tx: <++default.> 2B 2B 64 65 66 61 75 6C 74 0A
;; COM12: Tx: <++addr 22.> 2B 2B 61 64 64 72 20 32 32 0A
;; COM12: Tx: <*IDN?.> 2A 49 44 4E 3F 0A
;; COM12: Tx: <++read_tmo_ms 9950.> 2B 2B 72 65 61 64 5F 74 6D 6F 5F 6D 73 20 39 39 35 30 0A
;; COM12: Tx: <++read eoi.> 2B 2B 72 65 61 64 20 65 6F 69 0A
;; COM12: Rx: timeout
;; AR488 A:22 Device "HEWLETT-PACKARD,34401A," do not match answer: "null"
;; COM12: Close
;; Stopping thread for: AR488 A:22 - Agilent 34401A Enhanced
;; COM12: Close

I tried with several values for resetDelay between 1 and 10 seconds, none worked. It seems that the resetDelay does actually not wait before sending the Tx commands - they appear right after the start. So they will probably get lost because my AR488 is still in bootloader when they are sent. I could use the 10 uF capacitor hack, but I would prefer a software option.

Otherwise communication with the 34401 works well from a serial terminal, so it is not related to the new AR488 flash version (I flashed the old one as well and it did not work, and it works when I flash the AR488 without bootloader, however then ++rst seems to hang the device.) Any ideas or hints why the resetDelay does not seem to work correctly?

[AndreasF78]

regarding last message: Another quick check, with the 10 uF cap on Nano between RST and GND it is OK (as expected).

[fazers]

Hi all,

I've got an ET4410 LCR meter, that seems to have issue with the device definition. Connected through an ethernet-serial gateway, though I get the same behavior with direct USB-serial connection.

It appears the RX format from the ET4410 is unexpected by the definition? I used DCR as an example, since not all the functions show up in 'current values'.
It's trying to find the mode from the returned DCR value, in this case.

Any suggestions?

Some Debug window copy/paste:

Found East Tester ET4410 on 192.168.1.163 sn: V6.00.2423.059

ET4410: Tx <:FETC?>
;; 192.168.1.163: Tx: <:FETC?.> 3A 46 45 54 43 3F 0A
;; 192.168.1.163: Rx: <0.00822105,inf> 30 2E 30 30 38 32 32 31 30 35 2C 69 6E 66 0D
;; ET4410: Rx <0.00822105,inf>
;; ET4410: Rx as numbers <NaN>
Unknown mode: 0.00822105
Known modes: ECAP, C, L, Z, R, DCR, ESR, D, X, Q, Deg, AUTO,
;; ET4410: Tx <myMode?>
;; ET4410: Tx <none?>
;; ET4410: Rx <DCR>
;; ET4410: Rx after :readmath: getElement("Auto;Electrolytic Capacitance;Capacitance;Inductance;Impedance;Resistance;DC Resistance",listIndex(unQuote(value),"AUTO ECAP C L Z R DCR"," "),";") <DC Resistance>

[HKJ]

regarding last message: Another quick check, with the 10 uF cap on Nano between RST and GND it is OK (as expected).

resetDelay is used when initializing a serial port, default is 2 seconds. A definition can override that setting or it can be overwritten from TC's command line, i.e. in the batch file that can be used to start TC.

[HKJ]

It appears the RX format from the ET4410 is unexpected by the definition? I used DCR as an example, since not all the functions show up in 'current values'.
It's trying to find the mode from the returned DCR value, in this case.

TC expect four values after a :FETC?
*** returned format from ET4xxx is value1mode, value1, value2mode, value2 ****

The answer you show do not include four values, I have no idea why.

[AndreasF78]

resetDelay is used when initializing a serial port, default is 2 seconds. A definition can override that setting or it can be overwritten from TC's command line, i.e. in the batch file that can be used to start TC.

This is what I assumed but actually it does not seem to wait for the resetDelay time before sending out the Tx commands. I tried different values between 2 and 10 (and also left it out to keep the default) but in no case there was any delay between opening the COM port (which triggers the reset and puts Nano in bootloader) and the sending of the first Tx commands, therefore AR488 does not receive the commands and Rx waits until timeout (because obviously no answer is sent). I tried both, changing the batch file or passing the resetDelay=5 on command line, without any success so far.

;; COM12: Set params: 115200
;; Start thread for: AR488 A:22 - Agilent 34401A Enhanced
--- I would expect the delay here, but see no delay ---
;; COM12: Tx: <++default.> 2B 2B 64 65 66 61 75 6C 74 0A

Any idea why I do not get any delay - might it get disabled somewhere else in a config?

[HKJ]

Any idea why I do not get any delay - might it get disabled somewhere else in a config?

The issue is that your device is GPIB, not serial

I have made a fixed version here: http://lygte-info.dk/pic/Projects/TestController/TestController.jar
It is only the .jar file

Now the GPIB interface will also respect a delay setting and use a default 2 second delay on serial ports.