COM Automation the Agilent 168x/169x/169xx Series Logic Analyzer with LabVIEW.

1. COM Automation the Agilent 168x/169x/169xx Series Logic Analyzer with LabVIEW. Load, Run, Save Process.

2. Table of Contents • Starting LabView – LabVIEW Basics • Adding Blocks – LabVIEW Basics • Add ActiveX Client – COM automation function • Create an Object – Reference to the Agilent COM library • Get an Interface – LabVIEW Basics • Invoke a Method – Attach to the remote instrument • Stop on Errors – LabVIEW Basics • Get a Property – LabVIEW Basics • Display a Property – LabView Basics • Run the Diagram – LabView Basics • Load – Load a previously stored configuration file onto the logic analyzer • Run – Run the logic analyzer according to the configuration file • Save – Save the results of the run in a new file • The End – View the results of the diagram

3. Starting LabView • When LabVIEW starts, you are presented with a Getting Started screen. • Choose Blank VI from the new pannel. • Creating a new project opens two windows. • The Block Diagram window holds the executable diagram. • The Front Panel window holds the User Interface for the executable diagram. • Press Control+E to switch between the two windows. • Switch to the Block Diagram window.

4. Adding Blocks • One way to place parts on the diagram is to right-click in the white space of the Block Diagram Window. This brings up the Functions menu. • Right-click in the white space. • Select Programming, String, String Constant. • Place the String Constant block in the Block Diagram window. • Right-click the String Constant, select Visible Items from the context menu, select Label. • Double-click the label box that appears, and type “Logic Analyzer IP”. • To set the value of the String Constant, double-click the String Constant block and enter the IP address of the remote logic analyzer.

5. Add ActiveX Client • Add another String Constant. • Set the value of the second String Constant to the name of the logic analyzer configuration file to load. • Set the Label name to “Configuration File”. • Add an Active X Object. • Select Connectivity, ActiveX from the Functions menu.

6. Create an Object • Right-click the Automation Open block, highlight Select ActiveX Class, and select Browse. • Choose Agilent 168x/169x/169xx Logic Analyzer Object Library Version 1.0 from the Type Library box. • Highlight Connect (AgtLA.Connect.1) in the Objects box and click OK. • Right-click any block and select Help to see an explanation of the nodes for that block.

7. Get an Interface • Right-click the Automation Open block, select ActiveX Pallet, Invoke Node. • Place the Invoke Node block in the Block Diagram window. • Wire the Automation Open block to the Invoke Node block by click-dragging from the Automation Refnum terminal of the Automation Open block to the Reference terminal of the Invoke Node block. • Hold the mouse over the nodes for a moment to see the node name.

8. Invoke a Method • Right-click the Invoke Node, and select Methods, Instrument. • Wire the output of the Logic Analyzer IP String Constant to the HostNameOrIPAddress node of the Invoke Node block. • Right-click the Error Out node of the Invoke Node block and select Dialog & User Interface Pallet, Simple Error from. • Wire the Error Out node to the Error In node.

9. Stop on Errors • From the Functions menu, choose Programming, Numeric, Numeric Constant. • Assign the number 2 to the Numeric Constant block. • Label the Numeric Constant “Stop on Errors”. • Wire the Numeric Constant block to the Type of Dialog node of the Simple Error block.

10. Get a Property • Right-click the Invoke Node block, from ActiveX Pallet, select Property Node. • Place the Property Node bock in the Block Diagram window. • Wire the output of the Invoke Node bock to the input of the Property Node block. • Right-click the Property Node block, select Properties, Model. • Wire the Invoke Node to another Property Node block, and choose the Version property. • Wire the Error Out node of the Simple Error block to the Error In nodes of both Property Node blocks. • From Functions, String, place a Build Text block. • In the Text with Parameters in Percents text box, enter: %strLAIP% is a %strModel% logic analyzer. It is running software version %strVersion%.

11. Display a Property • Place the Build Text block. • Wire the nodes appropriately. • Right-click the Result node on the Build Text block and select Create, Indicator.

12. Run the Diagram • Press Control+E to switch to the Front Panel window. • You will see the Result indicator created in the Block Diagram window. • You can drag the Result block around the Front Panel window to change the appearance of the GUI. • Click the Run icon or press Control+R to run the block diagram. • If the IP address is valid, the string will display properties of the logic analysis system, formatted according to the Build Text block.

13. Load • Place an Invoke Node, wire it from the Instrument block and the Error block. • Select the Stop method. • Place another Invoke Node, wire it from the Stop block. • Select the Open method. • Wire the Configuration File text block to the OpenFileName node of the Open method. • Wire a Simple Error block to the Open block.

14. Run • Place an Invoke node, wire it from the Open block and the Error block. • Select the Run method. • Place a Functions, Boolean, False Constant and wire it to the Repetitive node of the Run block.

15. Save • Place an Invoke node, wire it from the Run block, select the WaitComplete method. • Place a Functions, Numeric, Numeric Constant and wire it to the Seconds node of the WaitComplete block. Enter 5 into the Numeric Constant block. • Place an Invoke node, wire it from the WaitComplete block, select the Save method. • Right-click the SaveFileName and SetupOnly nodes of the Save block, select Create, Control.

16. The End • Switch to the front panel window and arrange the new controls. • Enter a default file name into the SaveFileName text box. • Run the diagram. • If the IP address and configuration file is valid, the file will load the configuration file, run the analyzer, and store the results of the run in a new file.