Linux controls instruments through Ethernet
Martin Rowe, Senior Technical Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 4/1/2006
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To learn more about using VXI-11 and direct socket communication, download "Using Linux to control LAN-based instruments," by Stefan Kopp of Agilent Technologies. The ZIP file includes source-code examples for VISA and socket communication. You can also find more information in "Migrating to Ethernet" from the October 2004 issue of Test & Measurement World. |
But if you prefer the Linux operating system, setting up a test system is slightly more difficult. Instrument drivers are not as commonplace for Linux, so you need to find another way to communicate with instruments through the Ethernet port. You have two communication software options: the Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA) driver or a direct communication through a transmission control protocol (TCP) socket.
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| You can use VISA and VXI-11 or direct socket communication to control instruments over Ethernet. |
Your second option is to bypass the session and presentation layers by communicating directly to the TCP layer using direct socket communication. Socket communication requires less code than using VISA, but the code isn't compatible with VISA or IEEE 488.
