Remote Control
R&S
®
ZNB/ZNBT
640
User Manual 1173.9163.02 ─ 38
6 Remote Control
This chapter provides instructions on how to set up the analyzer for remote control, a
general introduction to remote control of programmable instruments, and the descrip-
tion of the analyzer's remote control concept. For reference information about all
remote control commands implemented by the instrument, complemented by compre-
hensive program examples, refer to
Chapter 7, "Command Reference"
6.1 Introduction to Remote Control
The instrument is equipped with different interfaces for remote control:
●
A GPIB bus interface according to standard IEC 625.1/IEEE 488.1. The GPIB bus
connector for control of the analyzer from a controller is located on the rear panel
of the instrument.
●
Analyzers connected to a Local Area Network can be remote-controlled via the
RSIB, VXI-11, or HiSLIP protocols. Two connectors for LAN connection are located
on the rear panel. A VISA installation on the remote control PC is required.
●
Instruments equipped with controller LPW11 can be remote-controlled via USB.
Currently this is the case for R&S
ZNB40 variants 82 and 84 and the R&S
ZNBT20.
A VISA installation on the remote control PC is required.
●
The network analyzer can itself act as a master and control external devices (e.g.
power meters, generators) via LAN, USB, or GPIB interface.
A VISA installation on the
analyzer
is a prerequisite for this remote control type.
The Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA) library is included in the VNA
firmware.
VISA library
VISA is a standardized software interface library providing input and output functions to
communicate with instruments. The I/O channel (LAN or TCP/IP, USB...) is selected at
initialization time by means of the channel–specific resource string (also termed
address string) or by an appropriately defined VISA alias (short name). A VISA installa-
tion on the master device is a prerequisite for remote control over LAN interface and
for control of external devices from the analyzer.
To control external devices via USB, the "IVI Visa Shared Components" must be instal-
led in addition. You can easily perform the installation from the "Start" menu of your
analyzer.
To control external devices via GPIB, the pre-installed RS Visa library (
visa32.dll
)
must be replaced by the
NI Visa
library.
For more information about VISA refer to the user documentation.
Introduction to Remote Control