Tektronix Using the TekScope IVI-COM Driver from LabWindows/CVI User manual

Using the TekScope IVI-COM Driver from LabWindows/CVI

Introduction

LabWindows/CVI is a popular test-automation package from National
Instruments. LabWindows uses the powerful C language to build Virtual
Instruments. This document describes the step-by-step procedure for using the
TekScope IVI-COM driver from LabWindows/CVI environment.
LabWindows/CVI version 6.0 and higher support using Microsoft COM
components.

In this simple exercise, you will learn how to import the TekScope IVI-COM
driver from LabWindows environment using its Create ActiveX Controller
feature. You will also learn how to use these wrappers to build a simple UI to
connect to an oscilloscope and get current record length.

Requirements

The following software must be installed on your oscilloscope.

 TekVISA.
 IVI shared components.
 TekScope IVI-COM driver.
 LabWindows/CVI 6.0

Generating the wrapper FPs

Step 1: Start LabWindows

Start the LabWindows/CVI environment and select Create ActiveX Controller…
from the Tools menu.

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Using the TekScope IVI-COM Driver from LabWindows/CVI

Figure 1: Select Create ActiveX Controller

Step 2: Select the TekScope IVI-COM driver

Step 1 will bring up the ActiveX Controller Wizard – Welcome dialog. Click on
the Next button in this dialog. The ActiveX Controller Wizard – Choose Server
dialog box then comes up. This dialog lists all the ActiveX servers registered in
the machine. From the list, select the TekScope IVI-COM driver, as shown in
Figure 2, and click on Next.

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Using the TekScope IVI-COM Driver from LabWindows/CVI

Figure 2: The ActiveX Controller Wizard – Choose Server

Step 3: Create the file

In the ActiveX Controller Wizard – Configure dialog, specify a .fp file name (Ex:
TekScope.fp) and path using the Browse button, as shown in Figure 3. This file

will be created by the wizard, and all the wrappers for properties/methods of IVI
driver are stored in this file. Click Next with other setting as defaults.

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Using the TekScope IVI-COM Driver from LabWindows/CVI

Figure 3: The ActiveX Controller Wizard - Configure

Step 4: Advanced options

Step 3 brings up the ActiveX Controller Wizard – Advanced Option dialog, as
shown in Figure 4. Use this ActiveX Controller Advanced Options dialog box to
select the objects you want to include in the instrument driver and to change the
names of the functions and properties that the wizard generates. You can also
browse through all the interfaces, methods and properties of driver, as shown in
Figure 5.

In this exercise, do not change anything in Advanced Options so that a wrapper is
generated for the whole driver. Click Next to generate the wrapper FPs.
Generating wrappers may take some time because the wizard also compiles all
the wrappers during this process. After successful completion, you will get a
message.

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Using the TekScope IVI-COM Driver from LabWindows/CVI

Figure 4: ActiveX Controller Wizard – Advanced Options

Figure 5: All Driver Interfaces, Methods, and Properties

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