Keysight's new 34465A (6.5 digit) and 34470A (7.5 digit) bench multimeters

[0xfede]

Thanks again HighVoltage.
I originally wrote this program because BenchVue is not fast enough for me. And also I don't like the fact that along with LXI instruments application comes installed a tons of bloatware, DLL, unknown module, License manager and so on.

While your first request is perfectly doable I've a problem with the other three that needs to be solved differentely.
The graph header is the suggested save name when you export csv and thats exclude ':' as eligible character. The reason for this choice is that I've to make a lot of captures, store and process them on another machine and I don't want to name each file.
For the X axis right now I'm not acquiring the Aperture Time from the instrument so the displayed value is just the sample number. Of course I can find the command to retrieve that.
Let me know what you prefer for time and date.


0xfede

[0xfede]

0xfede

Your program works perfectly on both of my 34470A but not on the 34465A and not on the 34461A
May be you can extend it to those instruments as well?

That's strange since I developed this program for my 34465A. Do you have an error? Which firmware version is running?

[Messtechniker]

Thanks for the hard work.
Works nicely with my 34465A.

However, the screen print is not complete. See pic.
Even so, the saved pic is complete. OK for now.

[0xfede]

Thanks for the hard work.
Works nicely with my 34465A.

However, the screen print is not complete. See pic.
Even so, the saved pic is complete. OK for now.

Thank you Messtechniker.
The reason for the cropped image is because your pc is configured with the old (pre XP) scheme. I've added zoom-stretch feature to the picture viewer so it should not happen again. I'll release this version when I'll finish a few other fixes.

[LA7SJA]

On my 34461A firmware A.02.14-02.40-02.14-00.49-01-01 I Get the following dialog box:

[Connection error]
"Unknown Device:
 Agilent
 Technologies, 34461A  MY5320xxxx A.02.14-02.40-02.14-00.49-01-01"

I hope this can point you to the right part of your program, so you can resolve this little glitch ;-)

Johan-Fredrik

[0xfede]

On my 34461A firmware A.02.14-02.40-02.14-00.49-01-01 I Get the following dialog box:

[Connection error]
"Unknown Device:
 Agilent
 Technologies, 34461A  MY5320xxxx A.02.14-02.40-02.14-00.49-01-01"

I hope this can point you to the right part of your program, so you can resolve this little glitch ;-)

Johan-Fredrik

Thank you LA7SJA, I'm implementing the solution.
The problem is simply the fact that I'm looking for a Keysight and you have an Agilent 

[0xfede]

So I've implemented almost all the fixes and enanchements. I cannot find the SCPI command for getting the Aperture time (I'm tired) and I really appreciate if someone kindly points me in the right direction.


Best,
0xfede

PS: I messed up when changing the attachment, if you still have the Agilent bug please download the archive again.

[LA7SJA]

I can now download any number of empty sample values (read absolute 0), but the error message is gone. Do I need to put the instrument in a different view mode? I have the same reading in 2W, 4W, Volt DC and Volt AC, what am I doing wrong? The number of samples is according to the time since last download.

Johan-Fredrik

[0xfede]

I can now download any number of empty sample values (read absolute 0), but the error message is gone. Do I need to put the instrument in a different view mode? I have the same reading in 2W, 4W, Volt DC and Volt AC, what am I doing wrong? The number of samples is according to the time since last download.

Johan-Fredrik

Nope, the sw should work without any hassle and I'm sure that the problem is something different between 34465A and 34461A. I need the export of a failed download.

[HighVoltage]

0xfede

Thanks for the improvements!
It works now on the Keysight 34465A and the Agilent 34461A.
However, I am getting an error "error caused by remote command" when downloading data the first time from the 34461A.

[0xfede]

Thanks HighVoltage, you have spotted LA7SJA problem.
It turns out that 34461A does not accept the FORM:DATA command while both 34465A and 34470A does.
I'll look for a solution and let you know.

[LA7SJA]

I just sent you a link to my export csv file, the file is seemingly correct (Measuring a 5V ref.) but the program only read 0 (zero) even when reading back the export file.

Johan-Fredrik

[file.csv]
+4.99985962E+00
+4.99985788E+00
+4.99985917E+00
+4.99985540E+00
+4.99985345E+00
[EOF]

[0xfede]

Attached the new version with the FORM:DATA removed for the 34461A limitation.

I just sent you a link to my export csv file, the file is seemingly correct (Measuring a 5V ref.) but the program only read 0 (zero) even when reading back the export file.

Johan-Fredrik

It's strange, I can open your file and display a graph without problems. If this update doesn't fix the problem we'll continue tomorrow.

Best,
0xfede

[LA7SJA]

If I change the region to Netherland it sort of works but it shows volts 4999... and not +4.999. This smells like C# automagic import number string Voodoo. Sorry if I can't help you any more but you should be able to change region to Norway or Sweden..... and test. There are many undocumented "features" in the C# metodes that uses the Region/Language settings when converting numbers to strings and strings to numbers and even reading .csv files I m used to write my own import, export and conversion rutines.

Johan-Fredrik

[HKJ]

Is that the usual problem with decimal separator that is either , or . depending on country. If the program makes CSV files it also has to be aware of the windows delimiter settings that is , or ; depending on country.

[0xfede]

Modified with the culture forced to CultureInfo.CreateSpecificCulture("en-US").
Hope that fix the issue, please let me know.

[LA7SJA]

It works, and thank you for this "Modified with the culture forced to CultureInfo.CreateSpecificCulture("en-US")"

 Johan-Fredrik

[0xfede]

It works, and thank you for this "Modified with the culture forced to CultureInfo.CreateSpecificCulture("en-US")"

 Johan-Fredrik

Glad that it worked and thanks for your alpha testing.

Best,
0xfede

[Messtechniker]

After downloading the data, the trigger mode changes from "Automatic" to "Immediate".
Would it be possible to leave the DMM in the automatic mode so that it continues to collect data?

[0xfede]

After downloading the data, the trigger mode changes from "Automatic" to "Immediate".
Would it be possible to leave the DMM in the automatic mode so that it continues to collect data?

Anytime the instrument receive the FETCh command (used to retrieve sample memory) it stops and goes in immediate trigger mode.
However if you go in settings and select "Release Instrument after download" it returns in auto mode but it clear the memory.

Best,
0xfede

[blackdog]

Hi 0xfede,

Tested your software on one of my 34461A DMM's and it works! 
Sometimes its crashes and probely it has someting to do with the function "Release instrument after download" half of the time does not work properly.
Also the pictureviewer is not showing the hole pigture, if i save the picture and show it with Irfanview, than its OK.

Thanks for the program, keep op de good work! 

Picture is showing my +10V LAB Reference (about +2PPM to High) the 34461A is showing about +15PPM to high


Kind regards,
Blackdog

[0xfede]

Hi 0xfede,

Tested your software on one of my 34461A DMM's and it works! 
Sometimes its crashes and probely it has someting to do with the function "Release instrument after download" half of the time does not work properly.
Also the pictureviewer is not showing the hole pigture, if i save the picture and show it with Irfanview, than its OK.

Thanks for the program, keep op de good work! 

....................

Kind regards,
Blackdog

Hi blackdog, may I ask you to send a command via telnet and check if throw an error?
The command is:
SYSTem:LOCal

Thanks,
0xfede

[blackdog]

Hi 0xfede,


This command gives a error on the instruments display: SYSTem:LOCal

SYST:LAB "Koffie met Koek" wil give the picture below and the "error" on the display is visible, the SYST:LAB workt normaly, after the error message appeared.


But sometimes i get this eror message and error message 113, Undefined header


It is not clear for me, why there is sometimes a error message on the screen.
I cant put my finger on it.

But wait...
Clicking a few times on the Download Data button gives a error!
Camera screenshot



I hope this helps a little...

Kind regards,
Bram

[0xfede]

Thank you again blackdog.
So this command is also not supported on the 34461A and I can't use it for releasing the instrument from remote mode.
I'll figure out a trick for that. In the meantime do not use the release instrument after download feature.

Best,
0xfede

[LA7SJA]

I regret to inform you that the "release instrument after download" feature works perfect on my
34461A A.02.14-02.40-02.14-00.49-01-01 (latest firmware)
22.11.2017  22:32            43 008 KEYSIGHT DMM plot.exe
28.08.2014  13:56           296 448 ZedGraph.dll

Johan-Fredrik