[time-nuts] Prologix

Ulrich Bangert df6jb at ulrich-bangert.de
Wed Apr 1 07:58:06 UTC 2009


Mike,

I would like to second Brent's information: That is exactly how it is done.
Talking to the Prologix interface and talking to the NI interface is
COMPLETELY different in that talking to the Prologix always means
straightforward serial communication while talking to the NI involves
DLL-calls from the application. 

The Prologix is cheap and easy to work with, thats why some time nuts use
it. The NI interface is on the other hand more expensive and more complex to
handle (and yes, it does some things that are not easily done with the
Prologix). The biggest advantage of the DLL-calls is: The same application
works with whatever NI interface you use: Plug in card, USB devices,
ethernet dvices, you name it. All work by the SAME dll calls, so your
application is not specific for a interface device.

I do not forget to advertise my own solution to GPIB programming named
EZGPIB which talks to Prologix (both LAN and USB based) as well to NI
interfaces and thanks supporting basic VISA even to GPIB interfaces of other
suppliers.

It uses an easy to learn PASCAL like script language that your friend might
get used to in a snap. Basically, if your friend writes a EZGPIB based
script to talk to his counter over the Prologix, you will be able to use the
SAME script to talk to your 5335A via a NI interface. Nice feature? EZGPIB
has got mentioned in April's 2008 issue of "Test & Measurement World". See
the last link on my "About me" page

http://www.ulrich-bangert.de/html/about_me.html

EZGIPB can be downloaded for free from 

http://www.ulrich-bangert.de/html/downloads.html

Best regards
Ulrich, DF6JB 

> -----Ursprungliche Nachricht-----
> Von: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com 
> [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] Im Auftrag von Brent Gordon
> Gesendet: Dienstag, 31. Marz 2009 20:07
> An: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
> Betreff: Re: [time-nuts] Prologix
> 
> 
> Mike Feher wrote:
> > A friend has a 5335A counter and bought a Prologix adaptor 
> for it to 
> > collect data. He wrote the software and has had extremely good 
> > results. He offered to do the same for me utilizing my NI 
> adaptor so I 
> > could use it for my various counters. Unfortunately he ran into 
> > problems and feels he needs a special version of basic in order to 
> > make my $500 NI adaptor work. I admit to my total lack of 
> programming 
> > ability. I still use GWBASIC, and only to crunch heavy 
> numbers. I have 
> > no idea how to interface any software to communicate with an 
> > instrument, and, maybe am too old to want to learn as it 
> seems a lot 
> > of people do it on a regular basis already. If this becomes too 
> > difficult I may have to buy a Prologix unit from Abdul. 
> While I am all 
> > for doing that, and I bought my NI before Abdul had his 
> version going, 
> > I was also under the impression that if the Prologix can do 
> it the NI 
> > can do it, but, not necessarily the other way around. My friend 
> > mentioned API calls, whatever they are. Any suggestions? 
> Thanks - Mike
> >
> >
> > Mike B. Feher, N4FS
> > 89 Arnold Blvd.
> > Howell, NJ, 07731
> > 732-886-5960
> >   
> Mike,
> 
> You should have gotten the NI-488.2 CD with your GPIB card.  
> On that CD 
> are the dlls (Dynamic Link Libraries) to talk to the card.  
> You can use 
> the dlls in any language that supports dlls or ActiveX.  
> Sorry to say, 
> GWBASIC is not one of those languages.  Visual Basic 6 works well and 
> I've even done GPIB data acquisition directly into Excel using VBA 
> (Visual Basic for Applications, Excel's macro language).  VBA 
> is part of 
> Excel.  Alternatively, you can get a free Visual Basic Express at 
> http://www.microsoft.com/express/vb/  I haven't tried VB 
> Express, but I 
> think it will work.  Normally, I do all my GPIB programming 
> in LabVIEW.
> 
> Brent
> 
> _______________________________________________
> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at febo.com
> To unsubscribe, go to 
> https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
> and follow the instructions there.




More information about the time-nuts mailing list