Tektronix AFG 3000 Series Instrument Driver Readme

To rate this driver, go to the Tektronix AFG 3000 Series driver download page on the Instrument Driver Network.

1. Overview

Instrument Driver Technology: Plug and Play (Project Style) Supported Language(s): LabVIEW Supported Model(s): AFG3011, AFG3021, AFG3021B, AFG3022, AFG3022B, AFG3101, AFG3102, AFG3251, AFG3252, AFG2021, AFG3011C, AFG3021C, AFG3022C, AFG3051C, AFG3052C, AFG3101C, AFG3102C, AFG3251C, AFG3252C Model(s) Tested: AFG3252, AFG3022B, AFG3011, AFG2021, AFG3101, AFG3011C, AFG3021C, AFG3022C, AFG3051C, AFG3052C, AFG3101C, AFG3102C, AFG3251C, AFG3252C Interface(s): GPIB, Ethernet, USB Firmware Revision Tested: AFG3252(1.0.4, 3.0.0, 3.2.3), AFG2021(1.0.4beta), AFG3252C(0288beta, 1.0.4, 1.0.5), AFG3101(3.2.3), AFG3011C(1.0.4, 1.0.5), AFG3021C(1.0.4, 1.0.5), AFG3022C(1.0.4, 1.0.5), AFG3051C(1.0.4, 1.0.5), AFG3052C(1.0.4, 1.0.5), AFG3101C(1.0.4, 1.0.5), AFG3102C(1.0.4, 1.0.5), AFG3251C(1.0.4, 1.0.5) Certified: Yes NI Supported: Yes Source Code Available: Yes Driver Revision: 2.3 Original Release Date: 11/21/2006 Current Revision Date: 09/13/2013

2. Required Software

Some software components need to be installed before using this instrument driver. The minimum versions of these components are listed below, and can be downloaded from the Download Site. VISA 3.2, LabVIEW 8.2 or later Note: VISA has additional software requirements. For example, unless you are using a serial interface, NI-VISA requires that NI-488.2 and/or NI-VXI be installed on your system. Check with VISA help for additional support software and hardware requirements.

3. Installation Instructions

LabVIEW: Instrument drivers should be installed as a subdirectory of the labview\instr.lib. For example, the HP34401A instrument driver, which is included with LabVIEW, is installed in the following directory: labview\instr.lib\hp34401a Within this directory you can find the menu files and VI libraries that make up an instrument driver. The menu files allow you to view the instrument driver VIs from the Functions palette. The VI libraries contain the instrument driver VIs.

4. Using the Instrument Driver

LabVIEW: To verify communication with your instrument and test a typical programmatic instrument operation, you should first open the Getting Started or Example VIs the instrument driver. Look over each of the controls and set them appropriately. Generally, with the exception of the address field, the defaults for most controls will be sufficient for your first run. You will need to set the instrument resource name appropriately. After running the VI, check to see that reasonable data was returned and an error was not reported in the error cluster. After you have verified basic communication with your instrument, you might want to customize instrument control for your needs. If your application needs are similar to the Getting Started or Example VI, the simplest means of creating a customized VI is to save a copy of the Getting Started or Example VI by selecting Save As from the File menu. You can then modify this example to meet your specific needs. For more details, reference the LabVIEW Help under Help » VI, Function, & How-To Help.

5. Known Issues

To report issues or provide feedback about this instrument driver, please send an email to instrument.drivers@ni.com. When creating or using non-API VIs, Error Query can return a time out error for commands that are not terminated with ASCII character '\n' (0x0A). This issue only exists on USB and GPIB interfaces for model AFG2021, AFG3011C, AFG3021C, AFG3022C, AFG3051C, AFG3052C, AFG3101C, AFG3102C, AFG3251C, AFG3252C and has been seen with command "outp1:trig:mode trig". The way to resolve the issue for customized commands is to add '\n' (0x0A) as a terminator of those commands.

6. Revision History

The latest version of this and other LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI instrument drivers can be downloaded at the Instrument Driver Network. REV 1.0, LV 7.1, 11/21/2006 Original Release. REV 1.1, LV 7.1, 03/10/2007 Added: Waveform Burst Example.vi Modified: Configure Trigger.vi added spaces to Trigger Source Pick Line function and modified documentation to fully support trigger interval. REV 1.2, LV 7.1, 10/05/2007 Added support for two new models AFG3021B and AFG3022B REV 1.3, LV 7.1, 04/29/2008 Added support new model AFG3011 Formulas for Leading and Trailing Edge Time maximum values are revised. REV 1.3.1, LV 7.1, 10/13/2008 Modified: Configure Trigger.vi added missing colon to command TRIG:SLOP %s Modified: Configure Burst.vi corrected index for Burst Mode. REV 2.0, 07/14/2009 Modified by: Alvin Tang, Austin, Texas. - Original Release for LabVIEW 8.2. Driver created based on version 1.3.1 of LabVIEW 7.1 tkafg3k Plug and Play Driver. REV 2.0.1, 08/24/2009 Corrected the representation for the Scaled Waveform Data indicator in the Scale private VI. REV 2.0.2, 03/14/2011 Modified by: Ayo Olubeko, Austin, Texas. Removed ":HEADER OFF;" string in Default Instrument Setup VI REV 2.0.3, 01/20/2012 Modified by: JP, Austin TX Updated Configure Standard Waveform to include Phase Level and Phase Unit controls. REV 2.0.4, 09/28/2012 Modified by: Xueting Tan, Shanghai, China. Added support for new model: AFG2021 Modified: Configure Pulse Waveform.vi updated the default values for Trailing Edge Time and Leading Edge Time controls to support new model. REV 2.1, 12/07/2012 Modified by: Haoran Feng, Shanghai, China. Added support for new model: AFG3011C, AFG3021C, AFG3022C, AFG3051C, AFG3052C, AFG3101C, AFG3102C, AFG3251C, AFG3252C Added a VI: Save Load Instrument Settings.vi Modified: Configure Burst.vi: - Add a Burst Delay parameter. Configure Output Impedance.vi: - Add a "Customized" item for Impedance parameter. - Add a parameter Customized Impedance to specified the impedance value. Configure Pulse Waveform.vi: - Update the description for parameters. REV 2.2, 03/12/2013 Modified by: Chenchen Zhou, Shanghai, China. Added new VIs: Configure Arbitrary Waveform Phase.vi Configure Waveform Length.vi Configure Waveform Points.vi Setup Memory.vi Save Load Mass Storage Waveform.vi Query Waveform Length.vi Query Waveform Points.vi Modified: Configure Modulation (Amplitude).vi Configure Modulation (Frequency).vi Configure Modulation (Phase).vi Configure Modulation (Pulse Width).vi Configure Arbitrary Waveform.vi - Add edit memory support options to the Modulation Waveform Text Ring control. REV 2.3 09/13/2013 Modified by: Zhen Wang, Shanghai, China. Modified: Configure Arbitrary Waveform.vi - Remove "Edit Memory 1" and "Edit Memory 2" items from Arbitrary Waveform Name parameter. - Add "Edit Memory" item for Arbitrary Waveform Name parameter to maintain forward compatibility. Configure Modulation (Amplitude).vi Configure Modulation (Frequency).vi Configure Modulation (Phase).vi Configure Modulation (Pulse Width).vi - Remove "Edit Memory 1" and "Edit Memory 2" items from Modulation Waveform parameter. - Add "Edit Memory" item for Edit Modulation Waveform parameter to maintain forward compatibility. - Readjust functions in block diagram to fix the following issue: It failed to change AM Source, FM Source, PM Source, PWM Source and FSK Source from External to Internal. Configure Sweep Mode.vi - Remove "Select" function from block diagram to fix the following issue: It failed to modify Return Time and Hold Time in the trigger sweep mode. Configure Waveform Length.vi Configure Waveform Points.vi Query Waveform Length.vi Query Waveform Points.vi Save Load Mass Storage Waveform.vi - Add "Edit Memory" item for Memory Name parameter to maintain forward compatibility. Create Arbitrary Waveform.vi - Add Edit Memory Text Ring control for edit memory selection. Setup Memory.vi - Add "Edit Memory" item for Source Memory parameter and Target Memory parameter. Configure Sweep Mode.vi - Replace "Default Value: 0.01(s)" with "Default Value: 1(s)" in description of Return Time.