hp34970a Instrument Driver Readme
To rate this driver, go to the driver download page on the Instrument Driver Network.

1. Overview
Instrument Driver Technology:  Plug and Play
Supported Language(s):  LabVIEW

Supported Model(s):  Hewlett-Packard HP 34970A Data Acquisition / Switch Unit
Model(s) Tested:  HP 34970A
Interface(s):  GPIB, Serial
Firmware Revision Tested:  13-01-02 

Supported Modules: 
34901A 20-Channel Armature Multiplexer
34902A 16-Channel Reed Multiplexer
34903A 20-Channel Actuator / General-Purpose Switch
34904A 4x8 Two-Wire Matrix Switch
34905/6A Dual 4-Channel RF Multiplexers
34907A Multifunction Module
34908A 40-Channel Single-Ended Multiplexer

Certified:  Yes
NI Supported:  Yes
Source Code Available:  Yes

Driver Revision:   2.01
Original Release Date:  February 1998
Current Revision Date:  April 2004


2. Required Software
Some software components need to be installed before using this instrument driver. The minimum versions of 
these components are listed below, and can be downloaded from the Download Site.

VISA 3.0

Note: VISA has additional software requirements. For example, unless you are using a serial interface, 
NI-VISA requires that NI-488.2 and/or NI-VXI be installed on your system. Check with VISA help for additional 
support software and hardware requirements.


3. Installation Instructions
LabVIEW:
Instrument drivers should be installed as a subdirectory of the labview\instr.lib. For example, the HP34401A 
instrument driver, which is included with LabVIEW, is installed in the following directory: 

labview\instr.lib\hp34401a

Within this directory you can find the menu files and VI libraries that make up an instrument driver. The 
menu files allow you to view the instrument driver VIs from the Functions palette. The VI libraries contain 
the instrument driver VIs.


4. Using the Instrument Driver
LabVIEW:
To verify communication with your instrument and test a typical programmatic instrument operation, you should 
first open the Getting Started or Example VIs the instrument driver. Look over each of the controls and set 
them appropriately. Generally, with the exception of the address field, the defaults for most controls will 
be sufficient for your first run. You will need to set the instrument resource name appropriately. After 
running the VI, check to see that reasonable data was returned and an error was not reported in the error 
cluster.

After you have verified basic communication with your instrument, you might want to customize instrument 
control for your needs. If your application needs are similar to the Getting Started or Example VI, the 
simplest means of creating a customized VI is to save a copy of the Getting Started or Example VI by 
selecting Save As from the File menu. You can then modify this example to meet your specific needs.

For more details, reference the LabVIEW Help under Help » VI, Function, & How-To Help.


5. Known Issues
To report issues or provide feedback about this instrument driver, please send an email to instrument.driver@ni.com.

There are currently no known issues with this instrument driver.


6. Revision History
The latest version of this and other LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI instrument drivers can be downloaded at the 
Instrument Driver Network.

Rev. 1.0, 02/98, LV4.1
Paul Davis, VI Technology
Phone:  512.327.3348
Email:  paul.davis@vi-tech.com
- Original Release

June 2001 - DAS
- Added support for RS-232 (i.e. serial) interface. 
- Added a linefeed to every string written to the instrument.

Feb 2003 - MUV
- Fixed bug in Single Point.vi. Changed the enum control "slot number" from 8 bit representation to 16 bit representation to accomodate numbers above 256.

Rev. 2.0, Oct 2003, LV7.0 - LW
- Changed classic controls to 3d
- Update driver to conform with new instrument driver standards
- Deprecated HP34970A System.vi and added HP34970A Version.vi
- Tested driver and fixed bugs:

 - Standard Event Status.vi - The command STAT:OPER:ENAB was being sent which did not apply to the standard event register.  *ESE was used instead.
 - Monitor.vi - Read option added.  There was already an "on" and "off", so there needed to be a "read" command so that the actual values from the monitor could be read.
 - HP34970A Display.vi - Boolean logic error preventing earlier driver versions from turning on and off the display.
 - Old examples replaced by new examples which better demonstrate the instrument driver usage.
 - HP34970A Time.vi - Added ability to read time on the instrument.  Fixed error in driver when trying to set date AND time.
 - HP34970A EZ Freq and Period.vi - Error in old driver reflecting an error in instrument documentation.
 - HP34970A Conf Freq and Period.vi - Added setting and checking the Low Filter.
 - HP34970A Error Message.vi - Originally was not on any palettes.  Connector pane was not wired.
 - HP34970A Conf Temp.vi - Setting thermistor type to Default generated an error because DEF was not a possible parameter to SENS:TEMP:TRAN:THER:TYPE.  Default option kept for backwards compatability, however it is now functionally equivalent to the "10000" option.
 - HP34970A Conf EZ/Voltage/Current/Resistance.vi - The system for setting resolution by number of digits used incorrect translation table.  This was replaced by a better algerbraic method and documented in the block diagram.
 - HP34970A Conf EZ.vi - There is no CONF:DIG:WORD.  Option removed and documented in the VI.
 - HP34970A Conf Alarm.vi - Several command errors.
 - HP34970A Conf DIO Alarm.vi - Fixed errors similar to those in Conf EZ.vi concerning no :WORD commands.
 - HP34970A Trigger.vi - Error with the Immediate trigger option command syntax.  Added an INIT command after the TRIG:SOUR IMM so that this VI would do what it logically should do, which is immediately trigger a scan.
 - HP34970A EZ Digital.vi - Like other VIs, there this VI offers options for doing things in WORDs, while this command is not supported in the instrument.  Control deprecated by putting a note in the VI documentation, the block diagram, writing "Deprecated" in the Byte/Word boolean control, and finally by changing the illegal Word command to be the same as the byte.
 Deprecated:
 HP34970A System.vi - pop up window, lots of things didn't make sense.  most of the functionality was in other more specific VIs.  I created HP34970A Version.vi to provide the unique functionality it possessed.

Rev. 2.01, 04/04, LV7.0
Matt Meredith, NI, Austin
- Updated EZ Totalizer.vi to work with the current instrument firmware.
- Removed extraneous get_start.mnu
- moved the deprecated vi to the utility llb