Is it possible to control an instrument that uses an IT-E131 cable?

[Improbs]

I need to remotely control an instrument  that uses an IT-E131 cable - is this possible through Autoit? 

 

 

 

[iamtheky]

just serial right?  there are plenty of serial comm threads (i think a UDF as well) that should help.

Edited August 25, 2017 by iamtheky

[Improbs]

Yes, the IT-E131 is serial. 

I've been able to control other instruments through RS232, GPIB, and ethernet cables, but I've been unable to control a DC electronic load that uses the IT-E131 cable. I was wondering if Autoit supports communication through IT-E131 cables. I can't find any other mentions of IT-E131 in this forum.  

[iamtheky]

What OS and terminal do you use with this setup?  How can you not send commands, at the very least, as keystrokes to the terminal...

[Improbs]

"What OS and terminal do you use with this setup? "

OS on computer: Windows 7 professional 

Terminal on computer I'm using: RS232 port

Terminal on instrument I'm trying to use: TTL  

 

[jchd]

Can you check e.g. with an oscilloscope that your TTL<-->RS232 cable and your load instrument (BK ?) TTL port are both correctly working independantly?

Then port settings should obviously match. After that there is no reason why the setup shouldn't work.

[Improbs]

I got it working, thanks. _CommSetPort initializes the instrument. I was having trouble sending commands to the instrument - it's resolved now. 

[iamtheky]

any idea what the problem was, or can you show the working code?  Comm threads are few and far between, as are troubleshooting steps.  Plus then you reach 5 posts and can engage in the debauchery that is Chat.

Edited August 26, 2017 by iamtheky

[Improbs]

To turn the instrument on, I had to send an a 26 byte array to the instrument. Initially, I was having trouble building a byte array and sending that byte array to the instrument. I built a structure instead and sent it to the instrument and it worked. 

 

This code works to put the 8502 Electronic Load in 'remote' mode (needs to be done before any other commands can be sent to the instrument):

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Global $iPort = 1
Global $iBaud = 38400
Global $iByteSize = 8
Global $iParity = 0
Global $iStopBits = 1
Global $iSetFlow = 0
Global $sportSetError = ''
Global $ValRTS = 0
Global $ValDTR = 0

Global $NumerOfBytes = 26

Func Initialize_8502_DC_Electronic_Load()

   _CommSetPort($iPort, $sportSetError, $iBaud, $iByteSize, $iParity, $iStopBits, $iSetFlow, $ValRTS, $ValDTR)
   Sleep(200)
   If @error <> 0 Then
      MsgBox(0, "ERROR", "Device did not connect. Will exit program.")
      Exit
   EndIf

   _CommClearInputBuffer()
   _CommClearOutputBuffer()
   sleep(500)


   $Struct1 = DllStructCreate("byte[" & $NumerOfBytes & "]")  ;$NumerOfBytes = command length
   ConsoleWrite("Building command structure to turn on 'Remote' mode." & @CRLF)
   For $index = 1 To 26 ;for 26 bytes
      If $index = 1 Then
         $byte = 170
         $sum = $byte
      ElseIf $index = 2 Then
         $byte = 0
         $sum = $sum + $byte
      ElseIf $index = 3 Then
         $byte = 32
         $sum = $sum + $byte    
      ElseIf $index = 4 Then
         $byte = 1
         $sum = $sum + $byte
      ElseIf $index < 26 Then
         $byte = 0
         $sum = $sum + $byte
      ElseIf $index = 26 Then
         $byte = Mod($sum,256) ;last byte needs to be modulo of the total sum of previous 25 bytes and the integer 256
      EndIf
      DllStructSetData($Struct1, 1, $byte, $index) ;builds the 26 byte structure 
      Sleep(100)
   Next

   _CommSendByteArray(DllStructGetPtr($Struct1), $NumerOfBytes, 1) ;sends byte structure to instrument

;~    $return_data = Binary(_CommGetLineModified())  
;~    ConsoleWrite("Value of return data: " & $return_data & @CRLF)


   If @error Then
      MsgBox(0, 'ERROR', 'Unable to send byte array. Will exit program.')
      Exit
   EndIf

   _CommClearInputBuffer()
   _CommClearOutputBuffer()
   sleep(500)

EndFunc