Problems using pyvisa, gpib-usb-hs and HP3458A

[Sphyrna]

Hello,

inspired by xdevs page I would like to script some measurements on a DMM. But I have some problems to get the basic drivers or software running. First I did a step by step installation from https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~osc22/tutorials/gpib_usb_linux.html. I installed pyvisa as front end and pyvisa-py and NI-VISA as backends. pyvisa-info gives:

Code: [Select]

pyvisa-info
Machine Details:
   Platform ID:    Linux-6.2.0-32-generic-x86_64-with-glibc2.35
   Processor:      x86_64

Python:
   Implementation: CPython
   Executable:     /usr/bin/python3
   Version:        3.10.12
   Compiler:       GCC 11.4.0
   Bits:           64bit
   Build:          Jun 11 2023 05:26:28 (#main)
   Unicode:        UCS4

PyVISA Version: 1.13.0

Backends:
   ivi:
      Version: 1.13.0 (bundled with PyVISA)
      #1: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libvisa.so.23.5.0:
         found by: auto
         bitness: 64
         Vendor: National Instruments
         Impl. Version: 24118528
         Spec. Version: 7340032
   py:
      Version: 0.7.0
      ASRL INSTR: Available via PySerial (3.5)
      USB INSTR: Available via PyUSB (1.2.1-1). Backend: libusb1
      USB RAW: Available via PyUSB (1.2.1-1). Backend: libusb1
      TCPIP INSTR: Available
         Resource discovery:
         - VXI-11: ok
         - hislip: ok
      TCPIP SOCKET: Available
      GPIB INSTR: Available via Linux GPIB (b'4.3.6')
      GPIB INTFC: Available via Linux GPIB (b'4.3.6')
      VICP INSTR:
         Please install PyVICP to use this resource type.When I tried it with the pyvisa-py backend and it throws:

Code: [Select]

python3
Python 3.10.12 (main, Jun 11 2023, 05:26:28) [GCC 11.4.0] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import pyvisa
>>> rm = pyvisa.ResourceManager('@py')
>>> rm.list_resources()
libgpib: ibBoardOpen failed to open device file /dev/gpib0
libgpib: No such file or directory
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: ibBoardOpen failed to open device file /dev/gpib0
libgpib: No such file or directory
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
libgpib: invalid descriptor
('ASRL/dev/ttyS4::INSTR', 'ASRL/dev/ttyS0::INSTR')With the NI-VISA backend it throws:

Code: [Select]

python3
Python 3.10.12 (main, Jun 11 2023, 05:26:28) [GCC 11.4.0] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import pyvisa
>>> rm = pyvisa.ResourceManager('@ivi')
>>> rm.list_resources()
('ASRL1::INSTR', 'ASRL5::INSTR')
>>>
If I connect the GPIB adapter the udevadm monitor --environment says:

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UDEV  [30086.657642] add      /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-5/1-5.4/1-5.4.2/1-5.4.2:1.0 (usb)
ACTION=add
DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-5/1-5.4/1-5.4.2/1-5.4.2:1.0
SUBSYSTEM=usb
DEVTYPE=usb_interface
PRODUCT=3923/709b/101
TYPE=0/0/0
INTERFACE=255/0/0
MODALIAS=usb:v3923p709Bd0101dc00dsc00dp00icFFisc00ip00in00
SEQNUM=4209
USEC_INITIALIZED=30086650903
ID_VENDOR_FROM_DATABASE=National Instruments Corp.
ID_MODEL_FROM_DATABASE=GPIB-USB-HS
ID_PATH=pci-0000:00:14.0-usb-0:5.4.2:1.0
ID_PATH_TAG=pci-0000_00_14_0-usb-0_5_4_2_1_0
TAGS=:snap_cups_cupsd:snap_cups_ippeveprinter:
CURRENT_TAGS=:snap_cups_cupsd:snap_cups_ippeveprinter:

UDEV  [30086.669265] bind     /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-5/1-5.4/1-5.4.2 (usb)
ACTION=bind
DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-5/1-5.4/1-5.4.2
SUBSYSTEM=usb
DEVNAME=/dev/bus/usb/001/011
DEVTYPE=usb_device
DRIVER=usb
PRODUCT=3923/709b/101
TYPE=0/0/0
BUSNUM=001
DEVNUM=011
SEQNUM=4210
USEC_INITIALIZED=30086620303
ID_VENDOR=National_Instruments
ID_VENDOR_ENC=National\x20Instruments
ID_VENDOR_ID=3923
ID_MODEL=GPIB-USB-HS
ID_MODEL_ENC=GPIB-USB-HS
ID_MODEL_ID=709b
ID_REVISION=0101
ID_SERIAL=National_Instruments_GPIB-USB-HS_01268E03
ID_SERIAL_SHORT=01268E03
ID_BUS=usb
ID_USB_INTERFACES=:ff0000:
ID_VENDOR_FROM_DATABASE=National Instruments Corp.
ID_MODEL_FROM_DATABASE=GPIB-USB-HS
ID_PATH=pci-0000:00:14.0-usb-0:5.4.2
ID_PATH_TAG=pci-0000_00_14_0-usb-0_5_4_2
ID_FOR_SEAT=usb-pci-0000_00_14_0-usb-0_5_4_2
MAJOR=189
MINOR=10
TAGS=:snap_cups_cupsd:seat:snap_cups_ippeveprinter:
CURRENT_TAGS=:seat:snap_cups_cupsd:snap_cups_ippeveprinter:
In /etc/udev/rules.d/ I applied the following rules:

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SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ACTION=="add", ENV{DEVTYPE}=="usb_device", ATTR{idVendor}=="3923", ATTR{idProduct}=="709[ab]", MODE="660", GROUP="plugdev", SYMLINK+="usb_gpib"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ACTION=="add", ENV{DEVTYPE}=="usb_device", ATTR{idVendor}=="3923", ATTR{idProduct}=="709[ab]", RUN+="/lib/udev/ni_usb_gpib"
KERNEL=="gpib[0-9]*", ACTION=="add", MODE="660", GROUP="plugdev"
Someone has a hint how to fix this problem ?

[ch_scr]

Looking at the "udevadm monitor" output, there are the lines:

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TAGS=:snap_cups_cupsd:seat:snap_cups_ippeveprinter:
CURRENT_TAGS=:seat:snap_cups_cupsd:snap_cups_ippeveprinter:Not sure if that is normal or if the printer driver snatched it up blocking it somehow?
Don't have one to test and compare, but it seems strange at least?

[alm]

Not sure if it's related, but I wouldn't install both NI-VISA and PyVISA-py. Last time I checked, NI-VISA for Linux only supports GPIB USB devices on ancient kernel versions. So I'd skip NI-VISA lest it breaks something, and focus on getting linux-gpib to work.

[tszaboo]

Not sure if it's related, but I wouldn't install both NI-VISA and PyVISA-py. Last time I checked, NI-VISA for Linux only supports GPIB USB devices on ancient kernel versions. So I'd skip NI-VISA lest it breaks something, and focus on getting linux-gpib to work.

I think it's absolutely related. Having the right package is paramount, and I think in this case you indeed need to have pyvisa-py installed. Though this was a while ago, but I think I had the same issue on an unrelated python script.

[alm]

First /dev/gpib0 needs to exist. Until that time, there's a problem with linux-gpib drivers that aren't being loaded, not with PyVISA-py.

That guide is for Ubuntu versions from 2010. If you have a somewhat recent Ubuntu version, check if the link in my signature has packages that work on your system. The kernel package should contain the necessary udev scripts.

[Sphyrna]

Not sure if it's related, but I wouldn't install both NI-VISA and PyVISA-py. Last time I checked, NI-VISA for Linux only supports GPIB USB devices on ancient kernel versions. So I'd skip NI-VISA lest it breaks something, and focus on getting linux-gpib to work.

The NI-VISA version I installed supportes jummy and focal (https://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/ni-visa-linux-2023-q3.html). But I will try to install the packages from alm on a clean debian system. Maybe you are right and isn't possible to have two backends installed. I will try to have a look into that cups driver tags.

[alm]

The NI-VISA version I installed supportes jummy and focal (https://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/ni-visa-linux-2023-q3.html).

Yes, but it doesn't support the GPIB-USB-HS on Linux. Select GPIB-USB-HS here and see what it says for Linux. It used to be limited to kernels <= 2.6.24 (released in 2008), but I guess now they completely dropped support.

[Sphyrna]

Thank you for the infos alm. I wasn't able to get it running on debian, too. But I have to admit that I am not a Linux pro user. I got it running on windows now. I just installed the NI drivers and adapted the PATH variables and pyvisa lists the intruments. Now I will start with some scripting yippiiiih  .