Appendix E Windows 2000/NT: Common Questions
NI-488.2 User Manual for Windows E-2 www.natinst.com
How can I determine which type of GPIB hardware I have installed?
Select Start»Programs»National Instruments NI-488.2»Explore GPIB
and expand the Devices and Interfaces directory by clicking on the + next
to the folder.
Measurement & Automation Explorer lists your installed GPIB hardware
under Devices and Interfaces.
How many GPIB interfaces can I configure for use with the NI-488.2
software?
You can configure the NI-488.2 software to communicate with up to four
GPIB interfaces.
How many devices can I configure for use with the NI-488.2 software?
You can configure the NI-488.2 software to use up to 100 logical devices.
The default number of devices is 32.
Are interrupts and DMA required with the NI-488.2 software?
Interrupts are required, but DMA is not.
How can I determine if my GPIB hardware and the NI-488.2 software
are installed properly?
Run the NI-488.2 Troubleshooting Wizard. To do so, select Start»
Programs»National Instruments NI-488.2»Explore GPIB. Then, select
Help»Troubleshooting»NI-488.2 Troubleshooting Wizard.
How can I start communicating with my GPIB instrument?
For simple instrument communication, use the NI-488.2 Communicator.
For instructions on how to use the NI-488.2 Communicator, refer to the
Basic Communication (Query/Write/Read) section in Chapter 2,
Measurement & Automation Explorer.
When should I use the Interactive Control utility?
You can use the Interactive Control utility to test and verify instrument
communication, troubleshoot problems, and develop your application.
For more information, refer to Chapter 6, Interactive Control Utility.