Hello All, We aren't all made of money so here is the slow but free approach: Download Visual C# or VB, etc express version from Microsoft for free. http://www.microsoft.com/exPress/ Download visa + driver CD from NI for free. http://search.ni.com/nisearch/app/main/p/ap/tech/lang/en/pg/1/sn/ssnav:sup,catnav:du,n8:4.9547.9548 or if you are like me ftp://ftp.ni.com/support/drivercd Install visa with programmers libraries. Start writing code in whatever language you are at home with! I am sure you will surprise yourself very quickly as NI have made it really easy. NI even provide regular free symposiums if you are very interested. However, I'd doubt that NI drivers would be at all compatible with HP GPIB cards. Mark VK2HMC

>We aren't all made of money <snip> It may be worth taking a course at the local collage to qualify for the student license of Labview. I agree that it is not intuitive to use but some of that may be my past programing experience. Using Labview is very easy compared to writing your own drivers. Local user groups with hands on experience was most helpful, as well as the web site support. Note here, Huntsville/Birmingham Alabama the user groups include a free lunch :-) What I find most attractive about Labview is the extensive instrument support particularly the older ones that are talked about on this list. The drivers / VI's ( virtual instruments ) may be a good source of how to write your own drivers as well. When I'm talking about driver here it is not the interface level stuff, GPIB, but the instrument level stuff - commands to the device you wish to control. Stanley

Hi Stanley: It turns out the many of the HP "Panel Drivers" include Labview code along with the "HP VEE" code, but they don't talk much about it. The key problem talking to older equipment with modern (fast) computers is the timing. Old instruments are much slower than today's computers so you need to check the instrument status or use WAIT to keep from getting ahead of the instrument. Have Fun, Brooke Clarke http://www.prc68.com Stanley Reynolds wrote: >> We aren't all made of money <snip> > > It may be worth taking a course at the local collage to qualify for the student license of Labview. > > I agree that it is not intuitive to use but some of that may be my past programing experience. Using Labview is very easy compared to writing your own drivers. > > Local user groups with hands on experience was most helpful, as well as the web site support. Note here, Huntsville/Birmingham Alabama the user groups include a free lunch :-) > > What I find most attractive about Labview is the extensive instrument support particularly the older ones that are talked about on this list. > > The drivers / VI's ( virtual instruments ) may be a good source of how to write your own drivers as well. When I'm talking about driver here it is not the interface level stuff, GPIB, but the instrument level stuff - commands to the device you wish to control. > > Stanley > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. >