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

[KungFuJosh]

Spaces and commas tend to split the modes into separate modes, TC can be in multiple modes at a time.
I.e.:

"hi you" will register as two modes active at the same time: hi and you
"hi-you" will register as one mode: hi-you

That's good to know too, I didn't know the first part. Thankfully, searching this thread helped me with askModeMathFormat to sort it out.

Thanks,
Josh

[jmurray]

As far as I can tell, if the driver is specified as Modbus, TC assumes and implements standard Modbus CRC, but this can not be changed by specifying other options with the #checksum handle. Is this correct?

Could this be implemented as a feature, so that if an alternative method is specified, it replaces the standard Modbus CRC method?

Seems like a faster way to write definitions for modbus devices that for whatever reason do not use the standard Modbus CRC.

On the topic of checksums, it would be great to see the checksum documentation expanded slightly. The names of some of the methods don't line up with standard CRC method names, so it is unclear what exactly they do (eg; msum8).

[HKJ]

As far as I can tell, if the driver is specified as Modbus, TC assumes and implements standard Modbus CRC, but this can not be changed by specifying other options with the #checksum handle. Is this correct?

Could this be implemented as a feature, so that if an alternative method is specified, it replaces the standard Modbus CRC method?

Seems like a faster way to write definitions for modbus devices that for whatever reason do not use the standard Modbus CRC.

The checksum is part of the modbus protocol, using another checksum algorithm would not qualify it for the modbus name.
Also note that I support 3 different modbus encodings (RTU, TCP and ascii) and two brand specific modifications to modbus (Kunkin and Kunkinx).
If you encounter something a modified modbus, I might be able to add that also.

On the topic of checksums, it would be great to see the checksum documentation expanded slightly. The names of some of the methods don't line up with standard CRC method names, so it is unclear what exactly they do (eg; msum8).

The "m" means minus, i.e. it simply uses the negative value of the calculated checksum.
I have 3 types of calculations: CRC, XOR and SUM in 1, 2 and 4 bytes (Not all support all byte count) and the sum can be added as binary or hex.
It is fairly flexible, but I am sure there are cases it do not cover that will have to be added when needed.

[Gulftown]

Hi,

i am currently working on a device definition for an HP 6811A AC Power Source.
Its working pretty well, but it has a lot of #askValues

Code: [Select]

#askValues FETCH:VOLT:ACDC?;:FETCH:CURR:ACDC?;:FETCH:FREQ?;:FETCH:POW?;:FETCH:POW:AC?;:FETCH:POW:AC:APP?;:FETCH:POW:AC:PFAC?
When i use TestController is splits the command and queries every command seperately.
That takes about 1.8 seconds for every iteration.

I use an AR488 on esp32 and the instument is capable of multiple commands and i get

Code: [Select]

1.12595E-1;3.67942E-3;5.00000E+1;-8.35893E-5;-5.12914E-5;4.14285E-4;-1.23807E-1  when i transmit the whole command in one message.

Is there any setting in the SCPIx driver to disable the splitting of the askValues command and do it in one go?

I found a discussion about this from the start of the year, but there was no follow-up.

[KungFuJosh]

I've started working on the driver for the Batronix Magnova; basic communication is fine so far using SCPI with a raw socket connection on port 5025.

Does TC support HiSLIP?

Thanks,
Josh

[HKJ]

When i use TestController is splits the command and queries every command seperately.
That takes about 1.8 seconds for every iteration.

I use an AR488 on esp32 and the instument is capable of multiple commands and i get

Code: [Select]

1.12595E-1;3.67942E-3;5.00000E+1;-8.35893E-5;-5.12914E-5;4.14285E-4;-1.23807E-1  when i transmit the whole command in one message.

Is there any setting in the SCPIx driver to disable the splitting of the askValues command and do it in one go?

I found a discussion about this from the start of the year, but there was no follow-up.

I have not got it working yet.

In my power meter you can define what parameter to send for a single inquiry command, i.e. you can ask it to send all parameters for one command.

[HKJ]

Does TC support HiSLIP?

No.

[KungFuJosh]

Does TC support HiSLIP?

No.

Will it eventually?

[HKJ]

Does TC support HiSLIP?

No.

Will it eventually?

Hopefully:
If I find a Java library that can do it (Depending on complexity I may also program it myself).
If I have a device that support it.

[KungFuJosh]

Hopefully:
If I find a Java library that can do it (Depending on complexity I may also program it myself).
If I have a device that support it.

That would be awesome. I'm assuming adding support in a driver file will be something like HiSLIP added to the port line? Like: #port 5025 LXI HiSLIP etc.

Thanks,
Josh

[HKJ]

Hopefully:
If I find a Java library that can do it (Depending on complexity I may also program it myself).
If I have a device that support it.

That would be awesome. I'm assuming adding support in a driver file will be something like HiSLIP added to the port line? Like: #port 5025 LXI HiSLIP etc.

I would assume so, as long as it mostly uses the same port (4880).

[flash2b]

I am writing a device definition for the Yokogawa 7552 DMM.


When sending cmd "OS" to the meter it responds with this:

Code: [Select]

MDL7552
F8R0
M0IT4SI220TD0
NL0AZ1
NS500RD0
SM0AT100
CO0CF1
KA+0.00000E+0KB+1.00000E+0
KC+0.20000E+2KD+1.00000E+0
HI+0.00000E+0LO+0.00000E+0

So 10 lines as a response, then I try to identify the device with this:

Code: [Select]

#scpiCmd model? txrn? lines OS
:string:
:readmath: substring(value,0,7)

; Identity if meter is connected and responds to OS command
#verifyDevice "MDL7552" model?
But that produces a Java Exception:

Code: [Select]

Starting
;; jSerialComm version: 2.11.0
;; Start thread for: COM3 - Yokogawa 7552
;; COM3: Set params: 9600
;; : Tx <txrn? lines OS
:string:
:readmath: substring(value,0,7)>
java.lang.NullPointerException
        at dk.hkj.devices.DeviceAscii$TranslatingCommInterface.cmdIdn(DeviceAscii.java:145)
        at dk.hkj.devices.DeviceAscii$TranslatingCommInterface.write(DeviceAscii.java:254)
        at dk.hkj.comm.CommInterface.writeRead(CommInterface.java:149)
        at dk.hkj.comm.CommInterface.writeRead(CommInterface.java:144)
        at dk.hkj.main.InterfaceThreads$DeviceThread.initDevice(InterfaceThreads.java:1520)
        at dk.hkj.main.InterfaceThreads$DeviceThread.run(InterfaceThreads.java:1603)
;; : Tx <txrn? lines OS
:string:
:readmath: substring(value,0,7)>
java.lang.NullPointerException
        at dk.hkj.devices.DeviceAscii$TranslatingCommInterface.cmdIdn(DeviceAscii.java:145)
        at dk.hkj.devices.DeviceAscii$TranslatingCommInterface.write(DeviceAscii.java:254)
        at dk.hkj.comm.CommInterface.writeRead(CommInterface.java:149)
        at dk.hkj.comm.CommInterface.writeRead(CommInterface.java:144)
        at dk.hkj.main.InterfaceThreads$DeviceThread.initDevice(InterfaceThreads.java:1523)
        at dk.hkj.main.InterfaceThreads$DeviceThread.run(InterfaceThreads.java:1603)
;; Stopping thread for: COM3 - Yokogawa 7552
;; COM3: Close
I use the txrn? lines command, if I use txrx? command it works, but since there are 9 lines stuck in the buffer, the askMode gets screwed up and no values appear.

What do I do wrong ?
How can I substring the second line ?

I am able to do logging on all functions already. I now use the cmd "OC" to identify the meter but cmd "OS" is the correct one to use. Furhermore the function and ranges on the 2nd line I also need for the menu's.

It seems the txrn? lines command is not working at all since it is not even send the the COM3 port !

[KungFuJosh]

What do I do wrong ?

I am able to do logging on all functions already. I now use the cmd "OC" to identify the meter but cmd "OS" is the correct one to use. Furhermore the function and ranges on the 2nd line I also need for the menu's.

It seems the txrn? lines command is not working at all since it is not even send the the COM3 port !

Do you mean to be using txrx? ?

[flash2b]

No!

This command:
txrn? lines cmd - Send the cmd to the device, waits for a multi line answer and returns the answer.

Source: https://lygte-info.dk/project/TestControllerConfigDevice2%20UK.html#Non-SCPI_ascii_devices_(Ascii)

Screen Shot:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But it is a typo is should be txrxn? lines (as on the example on the screen shot!) so it is an documentation error on the linked page...

In my case it is txrxn? 10 so lines should correspond with the # of lines you want to wait for, this is also not clearly described.

But I got it working  now as seen on the result below:

Code: [Select]

model?
;; YOKO7552: Tx <model?>
;; YOKO7552: Tx <txrxn? 10 OS
:string:
:readmath: substring(value,0,7)>
;; COM3: Tx: <OS.> 4F 53 0A
;; COM3: Rx: <MDL7552> 4D 44 4C 37 35 35 32
;; COM3: Rx: <F1R0> 46 31 52 30
;; COM3: Rx: <M0IT4SI220TD0> 4D 30 49 54 34 53 49 32 32 30 54 44 30
;; COM3: Rx: <NL0AZ1> 4E 4C 30 41 5A 31
;; COM3: Rx: <NS500RD0> 4E 53 35 30 30 52 44 30
;; COM3: Rx: <SM0AT100> 53 4D 30 41 54 31 30 30
;; COM3: Rx: <CO0CF1> 43 4F 30 43 46 31
;; COM3: Rx: <KA+0.00000E+0KB+1.00000E+0> 4B 41 2B 30 2E 30 30 30 30 30 45 2B 30 4B 42 2B 31 2E 30 30 30 30 30 45 2B 30
;; COM3: Rx: <KC+0.20000E+2KD+1.00000E+0> 4B 43 2B 30 2E 32 30 30 30 30 45 2B 32 4B 44 2B 31 2E 30 30 30 30 30 45 2B 30
;; COM3: Rx: <HI+0.00000E+0LO+0.00000E+0> 48 49 2B 30 2E 30 30 30 30 30 45 2B 30 4C 4F 2B 30 2E 30 30 30 30 30 45 2B 30
;; YOKO7552: Rx <MDL7552>
;; MDL7552
How do I substring the second line? Should I just count up?

[KungFuJosh]

But it is a typo is should be txrxn? lines (as on the example on the screen shot!) so it is an documentation error on the linked page....

So I was right, and so were you.

[HKJ]

How do I substring the second line? Should I just count up?

TC add a NewLine between each line, you can use the getElement() function to fetch the decided line.
A NewLine is written as \n in a string.

[flash2b]

Thank you for your response, it will try that.

Please also fix the typo + explanation I mentioned on the documentation about the txrxn? lines command (see above screenshot). That will help others in the future.

If you are interested in my Yokogawa 7552 definition once I am finished, I can share that with you. I will also adopt it to support the Yokogawa 7551 which is the small brother of the 7552.

[HKJ]

Please also fix the typo + explanation I mentioned on the documentation about the txrxn? lines command (see above screenshot). That will help others in the future.

I will.

If you are interested in my Yokogawa 7552 definition once I am finished, I can share that with you. I will also adopt it to support the Yokogawa 7551 which is the small brother of the 7552.

I would like to include it in TC. Remember to add a #author statement with your handle (or name).

[flash2b]

When going Configuration --> About all authors and supported devices are listed.

There is however one device definition in error since the log shows:

Code: [Select]

dk.hkj.devices.SetupFormats$NumberField - OffSet - Line do not contain 3 parameters: vertical scale.
Potentially it is the Rigol DHO800.txt defnition since when I do a text search on all files with "vertical scale" as content, the Rigol DHO800.txt is returned.

[HKJ]

Potentially it is the Rigol DHO800.txt defnition since when I do a text search on all files with "vertical scale" as content, the Rigol DHO800.txt is returned.

I looked in the file and somehow the :tip: line was split over two lines, giving the error. It is fixed (Thanks)

[HKJ]

V2.61 is up
KungFuJosh has added a lot of devices to this release, other has also added devices and as there is some bug fixes.
   Added: PENDULUM CNT-90, PENDULUM CNT-90XL, PENDULUM CNT-91, TEKTRONIX FCA3000, TEKTRONIX FCA3100, FLUKE PM6690 Frequency & Time Interval Analyzer (Thanks KungFuJosh)
   Added: Agilent 53181A, Agilent 53131A, Agilent 53132A Universal Frequency Counter (Thanks KungFuJosh)
   Fixed: The right-click function to insert column names will now use the correct var name when column and var name is different.
   Added: Owon SPM3051, Owon SPM6053, OWON,SPM3103 DMM + PS, note: control both, only log DMM (Thanks TishSerg)
   Added: Digitech QM1462 DMM, may also support a couple of other meters (Thanks DeanA)
   Fixed: Option "Fast charting" did not enable/disable consistently.
   Fixed: ParamSweeper, the "log" checkmark required support for read-back, now it will instead use the write value when that is not possible
   Added: R&S SMIQ02B, R&S SMIQ02E, R&S SMIQ03B, R&S SMIQ03E, R&S SMIQ04B, R&S SMIQ06L, R&S SMIQ06B, R&S SMIQ06ATE RF generator (Thanks KungFuJosh)
   Added: R&S SML01, R&S SML02, R&S SML03, R&S SMV03 RF generator (Thanks KungFuJosh)
   Added: Keysight V3500A RF power meter (Thanks KungFuJosh)
   Added: Text to separator control and one extra line type (Sinus)
   Fixed: GPIB serial interface did not use the initialisation delay
   Added: Tektronix DMM4040, DMM4050 Bench DMM's (Thanks Gertjan)
   Changed: Save file works better with low values.
   Added: ACT/6000, Greenlee DM-210A DMM they are similar to BM250 series (Thanks markm6164)
   Added: Owon XDM1041 (Thanks Elektroarzt)
   Added: Mustool ET4410 LCR meter (Thanks Furna)

[felixd]

Hello HKJ

QUESTION

I know somebody asked that before but that was weeks ago. Is it now possible to log from many devices using one Prologix GPIB USB adapter (clone) or is it still limited to one device per GPIB-USB adapter?

As always, thank You from great app

PROBLEM

It's not the first time I have managed to recreate that problem.

When I am looging for a long time [48h+], always with some Math functions (I just haven't tried without them), when I amswitching random chart positions ON and OFF it sometimes starts to utilize 100% CPU and hangs.

At this step I can't do anything more with the application and data is lost.

Code: [Select]

felixd@felixd-HP-EliteBook-745-G6:~$ java --version
openjdk 21.0.8 2025-07-15
OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.8+9-Ubuntu-0ubuntu125.04.1)
OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 21.0.8+9-Ubuntu-0ubuntu125.04.1, mixed mode, sharing)

felixd@felixd-HP-EliteBook-745-G6:~$ uname -a
Linux felixd-HP-EliteBook-745-G6 6.14.0-27-generic #27-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Tue Jul 22 17:01:58 UTC 2025 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux


[Ruprect]

It is too long ago I have worked with seven segment display, it took me some time to spot the problem:



This is the official segment naming and the documentation for this meter do not use it. I have added the above picture to the definition to avoid a similar problem in the future.

Using this segment definition:
#segments ".....efa....dcgb"

Ok Thanks heaps, that worked great.  I had a couple of the decimal point definitions swapped around as well so I have corrected that and attached the new device definition file. 
I have tested with the Digitech QM1462, but according to the other websites I quoted earlier these meters have the same definitions, Tekpower TP4000ZC, Digitek TD-4000ZC, Digitech QM1538, Digitech QM1537, Digitek DT-9062, Digitek INO2513, Digitech QM1462, PeakTech 3330, Tenma 72-7745, Uni-Trend UT30A, Uni-Trend UT30E, Uni-Trend UT60E, Voltcraft VC 820 and Voltcraft VC 840.
I was also just wondering if the device definition file should be named something more generic and #idString and #name all the above meters  (I kinda tried to do that but was not sure how to #idstring and #name multiple meters in the one file).
Anyway, it's working with my old QM1462 so I'm happy, thanks again for your assistance HKJ

Wow, what a great piece of software...
I am trying to expand on @DeanA's great work and get my old Digitech QM1571 to work with TC. I have found an old python script and can confirm the script works with the meter on a raspberry pi. The script also explains it is much like the QM1462 except the 1571 spits out 19 Bytes per packet instead of 14. As you can see from the HexDump, the fourth byte just alternates each sample and the info starts on the fifth byte.

I have changed DeanA's QM1462.txt and am having some success with TC understanding what setting the meter is in. Digits are decoding but in the wrong multiplier.
My question is with the #dataFormat entry. I assume it should be something like:
#dataFormat 19 0x?? 0x?? but I don't really understand how the bytemasking works if I want to ignore the first four bytes in TC.

Any help appreciated

[HKJ]

I know somebody asked that before but that was weeks ago. Is it now possible to log from many devices using one Prologix GPIB USB adapter (clone) or is it still limited to one device per GPIB-USB adapter?

Yes.

It's not the first time I have managed to recreate that problem.

When I am looging for a long time [48h+], always with some Math functions (I just haven't tried without them), when I amswitching random chart positions ON and OFF it sometimes starts to utilize 100% CPU and hangs.

At this step I can't do anything more with the application and data is lost.

That is a very hard problem to fix, I will look for it, but I am not very optimistic on finding it. Does changing the log rate change the time before the lockup happens?

You can avoid data loss by selecting "Direct to disk" in the log menu.

[HKJ]

I have changed DeanA's QM1462.txt and am having some success with TC understanding what setting the meter is in. Digits are decoding but in the wrong multiplier.
My question is with the #dataFormat entry. I assume it should be something like:
#dataFormat 19 0x?? 0x?? but I don't really understand how the bytemasking works if I want to ignore the first four bytes in TC.

Any help appreciated

Dataformat is only for recognizing the start of a packet, something like this will work:
#dataFormat 19 0x16 0xff
or #dataFormat 19 0x16

The 3. byte will be and'ed with the first byte of the message and compared to the 2. byte.

With all the other data you simply adjust the byte offset in each definition line.