Appendix B
Troubleshooting and Common Questions
PXI-GPIB/PMC-GPIB for Windows NT
B-6
©
National Instruments Corporation
What do I do if the Diagnostic utility fails with an error?
Use the Diagnostic utility online help, or refer to the
section earlier in this appendix. If you have
already completed the troubleshooting steps, fill out the forms in
Appendix D,
, and contact National Instruments.
What is wrong if
ibwrt
or
ibrd
calls cause my system to hang?
If the Diagnostic utility passes, but
ibrd
or
ibwrt
calls cause your system
to hang, you might have the PXI-GPIB installed in a slot that is not
configured for bus arbitration. Refer to the
section in
Chapter 2,
Installation and Configuration
, for more information.
How do I communicate with my instrument over the GPIB?
Refer to the documentation that came from the instrument manufacturer.
The command sequences you use are totally dependent on the specific
instrument. The documentation for each instrument should include the
GPIB commands you need to communicate with it. In most cases, NI-488
device-level calls are sufficient for communicating with instruments. Refer
to Chapter 3, Developing Your Application, in the GPIB User Manual for
Windows 95 and Windows NT, for more information.
Can I use the NI-488 and NI-488.2 calls together in the same
application?
Yes, you can mix NI-488 functions and NI-488.2 routines.
What can I do to check for errors in my GPIB application?
Examine the value of
ibsta
after each NI-488 or NI-488.2 call. If a call
fails, the ERR bit of
ibsta
is set and an error code is stored in
iberr
.
For more information about global status variables, refer to Chapter 3,
Developing Your Application, in the GPIB User Manual for Windows 95
and Windows NT.
What information should I have before I call National Instruments?
When you call National Instruments, you should have the results of the
Diagnostic utility test. Also, make sure you have filled out the forms in
Appendix D,
.
