KEPCO ABC VISA INSTRUMENT DRIVER - Manual (Page 3)

ABC-VISA 092303
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ABC VISA INSTRUMENT DRIVER
The VISA instrument driver supplied with the ABC Power Supply is provided to simplify programming with
a VISA compatible GPIB controller. The latest driver can be downloaded from the Kepco website
(http://www.kepcopower.com/drivers.htm). Included on the driver are:
• source code (C) for all VISA functions (kp_ABC.c)
• a sample application of the VISA functions (written in C) which can be used to program
one or more ABC power supplies using a virtual front panel observed on a computer
monitor (ABC_appl.c).
Since the software drivers supplied by Kepco are VISA compliant, they require the installation of the proper
VISA driver from your GPIB card supplier. The Kepco website (http://www.kepcopower.com/drivers.htm)
provides links to various vendor sites for these drivers.
1. VISA INSTRUMENT DRIVER FUNCTIONS
Kepco’s ABC VISA instrument driver provides programming support for Kepco’s ABC Power Supply (VISA
I/O). It contains functions for opening, configuring, taking measurements from, test, calibration and closing
the instrument. To successfully use this module, the instrument must be connected to the GPIB and the
GPIB address supplied to the initialize function must match the GPIB address of the instrument.
Table 1 lists the functions that are available.
TABLE 1. ABC VISA DRIVER FUNCTIONS
Purpose Function Name Description
INITIALIZE FUNCTION
Initialize KpAbc_init Initializes the instrument and sets it to a default configuration.
APPLICATION FUNCTIONS — This class of functions contains high-level test and measurement routines. These functions call
other instrument driver functions to configure, start, and get readings from the instrument.
Set and Measure KpAbc_ApplicSetMeas Used to either set and read back, or just read back the output voltage,
current and operating mode of the power supply
Get/Set Memory Value KpAbc_GetSetListValue This function can either get or set the values stored in any one of the 40
available memory locations. Six parameter values can be stored in any
one of the 40 locations: voltage level, current level, overvoltage level,
overcurrent level, duration of the setting (if used in a program) and next
memory address (if used in a program). Depending on the slide selec-
tion position, and the value of get/set switch, one of these values is
read or set. The values are checked against the maximum acceptable
values for the corresponding power supply.
CONFIGURATION FUNCTIONS — This class of functions configures the instrument by setting system configuration parameters.
Set Program Start
Address KpAbc_SetStartAddr Sets the memory start address for the program chain. The program
chain can also be executed in local mode. The start memory address
range is from 1 to 40.
Get Program Start
Address KpAbc_GetStartAddr Gets the memory start address for the program chain. The program
chain can also be executed in local mode. The start memory address
range is from 1 to 40.
Set Maximum Limit
Value KpAbc_SetMaxLimValue Sets the temporary voltage limit or current limit of the power supply.
The limit reduces the output range of the power supply. For example,
the output voltage range of a 0 to 10V power supply can be limited to
the range of 0 to 5.25V by setting the voltage limit to 5.25V.
Get Minimum or Maxi-
mum Value KpAbc_GetMinMaxValue Gets the minimum or the maximum output voltage, output current,
overvoltage level, or overcurrent level of the power supply depending
on the min_max switch and slide selection position.