National Instruments GPIB-PC User manual

© Copyright 1984, 1994 National Instruments Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
GPIB-PC User Manual
for the
IBM Personal Computer and
Compatibles
April 1988 Edition
Part Number 320014-01

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Limited Warranty
The GPIB-PC is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship
for a period of two years from the date of shipment, as evidenced by
receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option,
repair or replace equipment that proves to be defective during the warranty
period. This warranty includes parts and labor.
The media on which you receive National Instruments software are
warranted not to fail to execute programming instructions, due to defects in
materials and workmanship, for a period of 90 days from date of shipment,
as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will,
at its option, repair or replace software media that do not execute
programming instructions if National Instruments receives notice of such
defects during the warranty period. National Instruments does not warrant
that the operation of the software shall be uninterrupted or error free.
A Return Material Authorization (RMA) number must be obtained from the
factory and clearly marked on the outside of the package before any
equipment will be accepted for warranty work. National Instruments will
pay the shipping costs of returning to the owner parts which are covered by
warranty.
National Instruments believes that the information in this manual is
accurate. The document has been carefully reviewed for technical
accuracy. In the event that technical or typographical errors exist, National
Instruments reserves the right to make changes to subsequent editions of
this document without prior notice to holders of this edition. The reader
should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected. In no event
shall National Instruments be liable for any damages arising out of or
related to this document or the information contained in it.
EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED HEREIN, NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS MAKES NO
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS
ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CUSTOMER'S RIGHT TO RECOVER DAMAGES
CAUSED BY FAULT OR NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF NATIONAL
INSTRUMENTS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT THERETOFORE
PAID BY THE CUSTOMER. NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS WILL NOT BE
LIABLE FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF DATA, PROFITS,
USE OF PRODUCTS, OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES,
EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF. This limitation of the
liability of National Instruments will apply regardless of the form of action,
whether in contract or tort, including negligence. Any action against

National Instruments must be brought within one year after the cause of
action accrues. National Instruments shall not be liable for any delay in
performance due to causes beyond its reasonable control. The warranty
provided herein does not cover damages, defects, malfunctions, or service
failures caused by owner's failure to follow the National Instruments
installation, operation, or maintenance instructions; owner's modification of
the product; owner's abuse, misuse, or negligent acts; and power failure or
surges, fire, flood, accident, actions of third parties, or other events outside
reasonable control.
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WARNING REGARDING MEDICAL AND
CLINICAL USE OF NATIONAL
INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS
National Instruments products are not designed with components and
testing intended to ensure a level of reliability suitable for use in treatment
and diagnosis of humans. Applications of National Instruments products
involving medical or clinical treatment can create a potential for accidental
injury caused by product failure, or by errors on the part of the user or
application designer. Any use or application of National Instruments
products for or involving medical or clinical treatment must be performed
by properly trained and qualified medical personnel, and all traditional
medical safeguards, equipment, and procedures that are appropriate in the
particular situation to prevent serious injury or death should always
continue to be used when National Instruments products are being used.
National Instruments products are NOT intended to be a substitute for any
form of established process, procedure, or equipment used to monitor or
safeguard human health and safety in medical or clinical treatment.

©National Instruments Corp. v GPIB-PC User Manual
Preface
Introduction to the GPIB
The GPIB is a link, or bus, or interface system, through which
interconnected electronic devices communicate.
History of the GPIB
The original GPIB was designed by Hewlett-Packard (where it is called
the HP-IB) to connect and control programmable instruments
manufactured by Hewlett-Packard. Because of its high data transfer
rates of from 250 kilobytes to 1 megabyte per second, the GPIB quickly
gained popularity in other applications such as intercomputer
communication and peripheral control. It was later accepted as the
industry standard IEEE-488. The versatility of the system prompted the
name General Purpose Interface Bus.
National Instruments expanded the use of the GPIB among users of
computers manufactured by companies other than Hewlett-Packard.
National Instruments specialized both in high performance, high-speed
hardware interfaces, and in comprehensive, full-function software that
helps users bridge the gap between their knowledge of instruments and
computer peripherals and of the GPIB itself.
The GPIB-PC Family
The GPIB-PC family consists of GPIB interface hardware products,
software, documentation, and other items for several types of personal
computers.
What Your Package Should Contain
Unless you have a special application, your GPIB-PC package consists
of the following:
• A GPIB-PC interface board for your personal computer. Each
board has a model name such as GPIB-PCIIA. This manual uses
GPIB-PC to refer generally to all models of the GPIB-PC
interface board.

Preface
GPIB-PC User Manual vi ©National Instruments Corp.
•AGetting Started with your GPIB-PC pamphlet. The pamphlet
contains the directions with a minimum of explanations for
installing your hardware and software in your GPIB system.
• A GPIB-PC distribution diskette. The distribution diskette is part
of the GPIB-PC package. It contains the DOS handler, BASICA
and QuickBASIC language interfaces, and other programs.
•AGPIB-PC User Manual. The manual contains descriptions of
the GPIB-PC handler functions, BASICA, and QuickBASIC
language interfaces to the handler.
•AProgrammer Reference Guide for BASIC.
• A supplement to Section Two of the manual describing your
particular interface board and how to install it in your personal
computer.
For a language other than BASICA and QuickBASIC, you also need:
• An additional GPIB-PC distribution diskette containing the
software for that language.
• A supplement to Section Four describing the GPIB functions in
the syntax and semantics of that language.
• A Programmer Reference Guide for that language.
Who Are Our Users?
Most of our users have experience in technological fields and with
computers.
How to Get Started
If you already have experience with the GPIB, you may wish to turn
directly to the Getting Started with your GPIB-PC pamphlet that was
shipped with your hardware. It contains directions, with a minimum of
explanations, for installing your hardware and software in your GPIB
system.
If you are less experienced or want more information than the pamphlet
provides, read this GPIB-PC User Manual. It explains in detail all of the
information you will need for the proper operation of the GPIB-PC.

Preface
©National Instruments Corp. vii GPIB-PC User Manual
About the Manual
This manual is written specifically for a GPIB-PC which is to be
installed in an IBM Personal Computer or compatible PC which is
operating under PC-DOS or MS-DOS and programmed using BASICA
and QuickBASIC. With appropriate supplements to the manual, other
GPIB-PC interfaces can be installed in other computers, using other
programming languages.
Organization of the Manual
Section One - Operation of the GPIB describes the operation of the
GPIB.
Section Two - Installation and Configuration describes the installation of
the software and the configuration program IBCONF. A supplement
contains instructions for installing your particular board into your
computer.
Section Three - GPIB-PC Functions — Introduction introduces you to the
functions used by your GPIB-PC. The features are divided into groups
as a means of helping you understand the uses of the functions.
Section Four - GPIB-PC Functions — Overview introduces you to
programming information common to all languages.
Section Four A - Function Reference — Language Interface(s) pertains to
BASICA and QuickBASIC. The descriptions are listed alphabetically
for easy reference.
Section Five - IBIC introduces you to IBIC, the interactive control
program that allows you to control and communicate with the GPIB
through functions you enter at your keyboard. IBIC is designed to help
you learn how to use the GPIB-PC functions to program your devices.
Section Six - Applications Monitor introduces you to the applications
monitor, a resident program that is useful in debugging sequences of
GPIB calls from within your application.
Appendix A - Multiline Interface Messages is a listing of Multiline
Interface Command Messages.
Appendix B - Common Errors and Their Solutions singles out the most
common errors users have encountered and some probable solutions.

Preface
GPIB-PC User Manual viii ©National Instruments Corp.
Appendix C - Differences Between Software Revisions points out
differences between revisions of the GPIB-PC handler.
Appendix D - Using your Printer with the GPIB-PC gives some quick
steps to connect your GPIB-PC with your printer.
Appendix E - Application Notes is an application note about computer-
to-computer transfers.
Appendix F - Customer Communication contains forms you can use to
request help from National Instruments or to comment on our products
and manuals.
The Glossary contains an alphabetical list and description of terms used
in this manual, including abbreviations, acronyms, metric prefixes,
mnemonics, and symbols.
The Index contains an alphabetical list of key terms and topics in this
manual, including the page where you can find each one.
Now, with your personal computer, your GPIB-PC, your manuals and
supplements, and these instructions, you are ready to get started with
your GPIB. We hope your experience will be a rewarding one.
Customer Support
National Instruments wants to receive your comments on our products
and manuals. We are interested in the applications you develop with
our products, and we want to help if you have problems with them. For
information on how to contact us, refer to Appendix F, Customer
Communication, at the end of this manual.

©National Instruments Corp. ix GPIB-PC User Manual
Contents
Section One - Operation of the GPIB................................................1-1
Types of Messages......................................................................................1-1
Talkers, Listeners, and Controllers.....................................................1-1
The Controller-In-Charge and System Controller.........................1-2
GPIB Signals and Lines...........................................................................1-3
Data Lines.....................................................................................1-3
Handshake Lines........................................................................1-3
NRFD (not ready for data)..................................1-3
NDAC (not data accepted).................................1-4
DAV (data valid).....................................................1-4
Interface Management Lines...............................................1-4
ATN (attention)........................................................1-4
IFC (interface clear)..............................................1-4
REN (remote enable)............................................1-4
SRQ (service request)...........................................1-5
EOI (end or identify)..............................................1-5
Physical and Electrical Characteristics............................................1-5
Configuration Requirements...................................................................1-9
Related Documents....................................................................................1-9
Section Two - Installation and Configuration............................2-1
Installing the Hardware.............................................................................2-1
The GPIB-PC Software Package.........................................................2-1
Additional Programs and Files............................................2-2
Installing the Software..............................................................................2-3
Step 1 - Preparation..................................................................2-3
Booting from a Floppy Disk...............................2-3
Booting from a Hard Disk....................................2-3
Step 2 - Run IBSTART...........................................................2-4
Step 3 - Run IBCONF (optional).......................................2-5
Step 4 - Reboot...........................................................................2-5
Step 5 - Test Software Installation....................................2-5
More About IBCONF.................................................................................2-6
Characteristics of the Instruments.....................................2-7
Characteristics of each GPIB-PC......................................2-7
Default Configurations..............................................................................2-8
Primary Default Characteristics.........................................2-8

Contents
GPIB-PC User Manual x ©National Instruments Corp.
Running IBCONF........................................................................................2-9
Upper and Lower Levels of IBCONF............................2-10
Upper Level - Device Map
for Board GPIBx....................................................2-10
Device Map Concepts and Terms................2-11
Lower Level - Device/Board
Characteristics.......................................................2-11
Device and Board Characteristics..................................2-12
Primary GPIB Address.......................................2-12
Secondary GPIB Address..................................2-12
Timeout Settings...................................................2-12
EOS Byte..................................................................2-14
EOS Modes..............................................................2-14
Set EOI with last byte of Write.....................2-14
GPIB-PC Model....................................................2-14
Board is System Controller
(Boards Only).........................................................2-14
Local Lockout on all Devices
(Boards Only).........................................................2-15
Disable Auto Serial Polling
(Boards Only).........................................................2-15
High-Speed Timing
(Boards Only).........................................................2-15
Interrupt Jumper Setting
(Boards Only).........................................................2-15
Base I/O Address (Boards Only)...................2-15
DMA Channel (Boards Only).........................2-16
Internal Clock Frequency
(Boards Only).........................................................2-16
Exiting IBCONF......................................................................2-16
Using Your GPIB-PC.............................................................................. 2-18
Section Three - GPIB-PC
Functions — Introduction............................................................................3-1
Introduction to the GPIB-PC Functions............................................3-1
High-Level Functions..............................................................3-1
Low-Level Functions...............................................................3-1
Calling Syntax............................................................................3-1
Group I..............................................................................................................3-2
IBRD (bd,buf,cnt).....................................................................3-2
IBWRT (bd,buf,cnt).................................................................3-2
IBFIND (bdname,bd)...............................................................3-3