Remote Operation: Can I use GPIB cards from Agilent with Keithley's Instrument Drivers?

Remote Operation: Can I use GPIB cards from Agilent with Keithley's Instrument Drivers?

Yes, so long as the instrument driver makes use of VISA for instrument communication. This will be true of any instrument driver that is IVI or VXI/PnP based. This applies to an ever growing list that presently includes: 2700, 2701, 2750, 6485, 6487, 24xx SourceMeters, 23xx Telecom Supplies, 2016 and 2016 THD multimeters, 25xx Opto SourceMeters and the S46 microwave switching platform.

There are two approaches to take in the configuration:

1. Install Agilent VISA and it should just work. Need to find out the address of GPIB bus assigned to the board via the Agilent I/O Config applet. Address means it is configured for GPIB0, GPIB1, etc. Then use this in the resource name such as "GPIB1::16::INSTR" for an instrument at address 16.

2. An alternate method would be to make use of NI-VISA with suitable passport for Agilent interfaces. To do this: remove Agilent VISA if installed. Install the Keithley instrument driver and it will install NI-VISA. In the Keithley Configuration Panel enable the Passort library for Tulip. You then need to install the Agilent GPIB drivers and select the SICL drivers (make sure it doesn't install Agilent VISA). NI Visa will then be able to use the Agilent GPIB card.