How can i make sure the instrument have enough time to finish the instruction

[ldragon]

Hi,
I want to write a program to control the intrument Agilent86100C with a TDR module Agilent54754A using Labview.in the attached example.vi,i write a command ":Cdisplay" to clear the display and i just assume the instrument will take 1000ms to finish the instruction.if the time is too short,it will have errors,too long,will reduce the efficiency.How can i know the exact time that the instrument will take to receive the ":cdisplay" command and finish the instruction clear display?or how can i make sure the instrument have finished the intruction clear display before the next command" :measure:risetime response3" execute?have other ways to resolve the problem?
 
Thank you in advance!


example3.vi:
http://forums.ni.com/attachments/ni/170/340406/1/example3.vi

[GerdW]

Hi ldragon, does the device answer in any kind? That would be the natural way to go: check for the device answer...You don't say anyting about the connection between PC and Agilent. Is it GPIB? Is the device supporting SRQs?

[ldragon]

Hi Gerdw,
If the time is enough or longer,the next data of acquisition can complete sixteen times average(according the instrument setup).otherwise the time of average is less than sixteen but the Vi can run normally.some other commands can cause the VI to stop if the time isn't enough.(for example the command that load files from local disk).
The connection between the pc and Agilent instrument is GPIB.i don't konw whether device support SRQs.i'm green.
I use LV 7.1 on Winxp.
Thank you very much!

[RUrm]

Hi Idragon,
perhaps this helps:
On the NI Driver Network there is a Driver for Agilent86100A available for download. Maybe you can check the driver to see how SRQ can be evaluated. This is what I have done to make an Agilent 8116 to do what I wanted it to do.
Good luck
RU
 

[RUrm]

Hi Idragon,
perhaps this helps:
On the NI Driver Network there is a Driver for Agilent86100A available for download. Maybe you can check the driver to see how SRQ can be evaluated. This is what I have done to make an Agilent 8116 to do what I wanted it to do.
Good luck
RU
 

[JoeLabView]

You can also use MAX to communicate with the instrument and "try" some commands and see if queries are responded.
R

[ldragon]

Thank you all!
For me the easiest way is to try and decide the waiting time.