User`s guide

Getting Started 2
Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide 53
Communicating with the 34980A
You can use either instrument drivers or SCPI (Standard Commands for
Programmable Instruments) commands — in any programming
environment — to communicate with the 34980A. However, Agilent has
designed drivers that work best in recommended environments, as shown
in the table below. To install drivers and their associated Help files, refer
to the 34980A Product Reference CD shipped with your 34980A. This CD
also contains a collection of example programs for your reference.
As discussed in “Measurement Software” on page 3, several graphic
tools are available for remote programming and control of the 34980A in
addition to basic use of SCPI. These include the BenchLink Data Logger
software (Pro and standard versions) and the Web Browser Interface.
For a brief introduction to the BenchLink Data Logger software, see
“Data Logging and Monitoring” on page 3. The Data Logger software,
and software support are supplied with the 34980A on the 34980A
Product Reference CD.
The Web Browser Interface is described in the subsequent subsections.
Operating the 34980A using the Integrated Web Browser Interface
You can use the 34980A's Web Browser Interface for remote LAN access
and control (configuration, troubleshooting and monitoring) of the
instrument via a Java- enabled Web browser, such as Microsoft® Internet
Explorer.
This section provides an overview of the 34980A Web Interface. While it
works with the 34980A mainframe and all installed plug- in modules, the
34921A multiplexer module is used for illustration purposes.
Programming Environment Driver
Microsoft
®
Visual C
®
version 6.0, Visual C++
®
, and ANSI C IVI-C, IVI-COM
Microsoft
®
Visual Basic
®
version 6.0 IVI-C, IVI-COM
Microsoft
®
Visual Studio
®
.NET for C#, C, and Visual Basic IVI-COM
Agilent VEE IVI-COM
National Instrument’s LabVIEW
®
LabVIEW
®
Plug and Play
(native mode), IVI-C
National Instrument’s LabWindows/CVI
®
IVI-C
NOTE
The following tasks assume you have configured the 34980A for LAN
communication and have verified connection to a LAN network. See
“Connecting Over LAN” on page 46 for more information.