National Instruments GPIB-PCII User manual

© Copyright 1990, 1994 National Instruments Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Getting Started with Your
GPIB-PCII/IIA and the
NI-488.2™Software for MS-DOS
June 1992 Edition
Part Number 320320-01

National Instruments Corporate Headquarters
6504 Bridge Point Parkway
Austin, TX 78730-5039
[phone]
Technical support fax: [phone]
[phone]
Branch Offices:
Australia [phone], Austria [phone], Belgium 02/757.00.20,
Canada (Ontario) [phone], Canada (Québec) [phone],
Denmark 45 76 26 00, Finland (90) 527 2321, France (1) 48 14 24 24,
Germany 089/741 31 30, Italy 02/48301892, Japan [phone],
Netherlands 03480-33466, Norway 32-848400, Spain (91) 640 0085,
Sweden 08-730 49 70, Switzerland 056/20 51 51, U.K. 0635 523545

Limited Warranty
The GPIB-PCII/IIA 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.

Copyright
Under the copyright laws, this book may not be copied, photocopied, reproduced, or
translated, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National Instruments
Corporation.
Trademarks
NI-488®, Turbo488®, NAT4882™, and NI-488.2™are trademarks of National
Instruments Corporation.
Product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective
companies.
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.

FCC/DOC Radio Frequency
Interference Compliance
This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in strict accordance with the instructions in this manual,
may cause interference to radio and television reception. This equipment
has been tested and found to comply with the following two regulatory
agencies:
Federal Communications Commission
This device complies with Part 15 of the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules for a Class B digital device. A Class B device is
distinguishable from a Class A device by the appearance of an FCC ID
number located on the Class B device.
Canadian Department of Communications
This device complies with the limits for radio noise emissions from digital
apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian
Department of Communications (DOC).
Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques
dépassant les limites applicables aux appareils numériques de classe B
prescrites dans le règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par le
ministère des communications du Canada.
Instructions to Users
These regulations are designed to provide reasonable protection against
interference from the equipment to radio and television reception in
residential areas.
There is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. However, the chances of interference are much less if the
equipment is installed and used according to this instruction manual.

If the equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment on and off, one or more
of the following suggestions may reduce or eliminate the problem.
• Operate the equipment and the receiver on different branches of your
AC electrical system.
• Move the equipment away from the receiver with which it is interfering.
• Reorient or relocate the receiver’s antenna.
• Be sure that the equipment is plugged into a grounded outlet and that
the grounding has not been defeated with a cheater plug.
Notice to user: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by
National Instruments could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment under the FCC Rules.
If necessary, consult National Instruments or an experienced radio/television
technician for additional suggestions. The following booklet prepared by
the FCC may also be helpful: How to Identify and Resolve Radio-TV
Interference Problems. This booklet is available from the U.S. Government
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, Stock Number 004-000-00345-4.
Bescheinigung des Herstellers/Importeurs
Hiermit wird bescheinigt, daß die GPIB-PCII/IIA in Übereinstimmung mit den
Bestimmungen der Vfg. 1046/1984 funk-entstört ist.
Der Deutsche Bundespost wurde das Inverkehrbringen dieses Gerätes angezeigt
und die Berechtigung zur Überprüfung der Serie auf Bestimmungen eingeräumt.

© National Instruments Corp. vii PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS
Preface
This manual contains instructions for installing and configuring the
National Instruments GPIB-PCII/IIA interface board and NI-488.2 MS-
DOS handler. This manual is meant to be used with the NI-488.2™MS-
DOS Software Reference Manual, Part Number 320282-01.
Organization of This Manual
This manual is organized as follows:
• Chapter 1, Introduction, contains a picture of the GPIB-PCII/IIA
interface board, lists the contents of your GPIB-PCII/IIA kit and
optional equipment, and contains instructions for unpacking your
GPIB-PCII/IIA.
• Chapter 2, Installation and Elementary Programming Example,
contains instructions for installing your GPIB-PCII/IIA hardware and
NI-488.2 software. It also contains an elementary programming
example.
• Chapter 3, Writing an Advanced Program Using NI-488.2 Routines,
contains an introduction to the NI-488.2 routines and step-by-step
instructions for writing an NI-488.2 program. The end of the chapter
contains some example programs.
• Appendix A, Changing Hardware and Software Configuration
Settings, contains instructions for changing the configuration settings of
your GPIB-PCII/IIA interface board.
• Appendix B, Customer Communication, contains forms for you to
complete to facilitate communication with National Instruments
concerning our products.

Preface
PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS viii © National Instruments Corp.
Conventions Used in This Manual
Throughout this manual, the following conventions are used to distinguish
elements of text:
italic Italic text denotes emphasis, a cross reference, or
an introduction to a key concept.
monospace Lowercase text in this font denotes text or
characters that are to be literally input from the
keyboard, sections of code, programming
examples, and syntax examples. This font is also
used for the proper names of disk drives,
directories, programs, subprograms, subroutines,
device names, functions, variables, and
filenames, and for statements and comments
taken from program code.
italic monospace Italic lowercase text in this font denotes that you
must supply the appropriate words or values in
the place of these items.
<> Angle brackets enclose the name of a key on the
keyboard–for example, <Break>.
- A hyphen between two or more key names
enclosed in angle brackets denotes that you
should simultaneously press the named keys–for
example, <Ctrl-Alt-Del>.
<Enter> Key names are capitalized.
Throughout this manual, the word enter is reserved to mean that the
commands immediately following the word must be typed into the
computer, and then executed by pressing the <Enter> key on the keyboard.

Preface
© National Instruments Corp. ix PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS
Abbreviations
The following are the abbreviations for units of measure used in this
manual:
A amperes
hex hexadecimal
in. inches
kbytes 1,000 bytes
MHz megahertz
µsec microseconds
sec seconds
Acronyms
The following acronyms are used in this manual:
AC alternating current
DMA direct memory access
GPIB General Purpose Interface (IEEE-488) Bus
EGA enhanced graphics adapter
EMI electromagnetic interference
IEEE-488 Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
Standard 488-1978, which defines the GPIB
I/O input/output
PC personal computer
VAC volts alternating current
Related Documentation
The following document contains information that you may find helpful as
you read this manual:
The IBM Personal Computer Technical Reference manual

Preface
PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS x © National Instruments Corp.
Customer Communication
We appreciate communicating with the people who use our products. We
are also very interested in hearing about the applications you develop using
our products. To make it easy for you to communicate with us, this manual
contains forms for you to complete. These forms are located in Appendix
B, Customer Communication, at the back of this manual.

© National Instruments Corp. xi PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS
Contents
Chapter 1
Introduction.........................................................................................1-1
What Your Kit Should Contain ..................................................1-3
Optional Equipment....................................................................1-4
Unpacking Your GPIB-PCII/IIA................................................1-4
Chapter 2
Installation and Elementary Programming
Example.................................................................................................2-1
Step 1 – Install the Hardware................................................2-1
Step 2 – Install the Software.................................................2-2
Step 3 – Test the Software Installation .................................2-4
Step 4 – Install the GPIB Application Monitor.....................2-4
Step 5 – Trap GPIB Errors....................................................2-4
Step 6 – Write a Program......................................................2-5
Chapter 3
Writing an Advanced Program Using NI-488.2
Routines.................................................................................................3-1
Interface Boards..........................................................................3-1
Calling Syntax ............................................................................3-1
Steps for Writing an NI-488.2 Program.....................................3-2
Step 1 – Preparation................................................3-2
Step 2 – Initialization..............................................3-3
Step 3 – Find All Listeners.....................................3-3
Step 4 – Identify the Instrument.............................3-4
Step 5 – Initialize the Instrument............................3-5
Step 6 – Configure the Instrument..........................3-5
Step 7 – Trigger the Instrument..............................3-6
Step 8 – Wait for the Instrument to Complete
the Measurement.......................................3-7
Step 9 – Read the Measurement.............................3-8
The Complete Application Program ............................3-8
The Error Handling Subroutine....................................3-11
Compiling and Linking...............................................................3-12
The Complete Application Program in C...................................3-12
Helpful Hint................................................................................3-16

Contents
PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS xii © National Instruments Corp.
Appendix A
Changing Hardware and Software Configuration
Settings ..................................................................................................A-1
Step 1 – Hardware Configuration .........................................A-1
GPIB-PC Mode Selection ............................................A-2
Switch and Jumper Settings.........................................A-3
7210/9914 Mode Selection...........................................A-4
Base I/O Address Selection..........................................A-5
GPIB-PCII Mode...........................................A-5
GPIB-PCIIA Mode ........................................A-7
Possible Conflicts...........................................A-9
Interrupt Selection........................................................A-12
Shared Interrupts in GPIB-PCIIA Mode .......A-12
Possible Conflicts...........................................A-16
DMA Channel Selection ..............................................A-17
Possible Conflicts...........................................A-19
Shield Ground Configuration.......................................A-20
Step 2 – Software Configuration...........................................A-20
Appendix B
Customer Communication............................................................B-1

Contents
© National Instruments Corp. xiii PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS
Figures
Figure 1-1. GPIB-PCII/IIA Interface Board.........................................1-1
Figure A-1. GPIB-PCII/IIA Parts Locator Diagram.............................A-1
Figure A-2. GPIB-PC Mode Selection Settings....................................A-2
Figure A-3. 7210/9914 Mode Selection Settings ..................................A-4
Figure A-4. Base I/O Address Switch Settings for GPIB-PCII.............A-6
Figure A-5. Base I/O Address Switch Settings for GPIB-PCIIA..........A-7
Figure A-6. Default Interrupt Jumper Setting for GPIB-PCII...............A-12
Figure A-7. Default Interrupt Jumper Setting for GPIB-PCIIA............A-13
Figure A-8. Interrupt Jumper Settings for GPIB-PCIIA.......................A-14
Figure A-9. DMA Channel Jumper Settings.........................................A-18
Figure A-10. Ground Configuration Jumper Settings.............................A-20
Tables
Table 2-1. GPIB-PCII/IIA Default Settings........................................2-1
Table A-1. Factory Default Settings and Available Configurations
for GPIB-PCII Mode .........................................................A-3
Table A-2. Factory Default Settings and Available Configurations
for GPIB-PCIIA Mode.......................................................A-3
Table A-3. PC I/O Address Map..........................................................A-9
Table A-4. PC Interrupt Assignment Map...........................................A-16
Table A-5. DMA Channels for the GPIB-PCII/IIA.............................A-18

© National Instruments Corp. 1-1 PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS
Chapter 1
Introduction
This chapter contains a picture of the GPIB-PCII/IIA interface board, lists
the contents of your GPIB-PCII/IIA kit and optional equipment, and
contains instructions for unpacking your GPIB-PCII/IIA.
The GPIB-PCII/IIA is a half-size IEEE-488 interface board for the IBM PC,
PC/XT, PC AT and compatible computers (herein referred to as the PC). It
is built using the custom-designed NAT4882 integrated circuit to achieve
functionality and dependability previously unavailable.
The GPIB-PCII/IIA interface board combines the functionality of the
National Instruments GPIB-PCII and GPIB-PCIIA interface boards. This
interface board can be configured to function as either a GPIB-PCII or a
GPIB-PCIIA, depending on the setting of the configuration switches.
Figure 1-1 shows the GPIB-PCII/IIA interface board in PCII mode.
Figure 1-1. GPIB-PCII/IIA Interface Board
Art not available in PDF version of document.

Introduction Chapter 1
PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS 1-2 © National Instruments Corp.
To determine how your board was configured to function at the factory,
check the identifying label on the mounting bracket of the interface board,
beside the GPIB connector.
The default configuration of the board can also be determined by checking
the assembly number located on the component side of the board. The
assembly numbers for the board configurations are as follows:
GPIB-PCIIA 181065-01
GPIB-PCII 181065-02
Check that the setting of the GPIB-PC mode switch is consistent with the
configuration indicated on the identifying label. For information on the
GPIB-PC mode switch, refer to Appendix A, Changing the Hardware and
Software Configuration Settings, later in this manual.

Chapter 1 Introduction
© National Instruments Corp. 1-3 PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS
What Your Kit Should Contain
Your kit should contain the following components:
Component Part Number
• GPIB-PCII/IIA interface board set for one of the
following modes:
- GPIB-PCIIA 181065-01
or
- GPIB-PCII 181065-02
• For the GPIB-PCIIA, one of the following sets of
diskettes:
- 3.5 in. NI-488.2 Distribution Diskette for
GPIB-PCIIA MS-DOS/Windows Handler,
BASICA, QuickBASIC, BASIC, C & Universal
Interfaces 422764-66
- Two 5.25 in. NI-488.2 Distribution Diskettes for
GPIB-PCIIA MS-DOS/Windows Handler,
BASICA, QuickBASIC, BASIC, C & Universal 420761-66 and
Interfaces 420762-66
• For the GPIB-PCII, one of the following sets of
diskettes:
- 3.5 in. NI-488.2 Distribution Diskette for
GPIB-PCII MS-DOS/Windows Handler, BASICA,
QuickBASIC, BASIC, C & Universal Interfaces 422763-66
- Two 5.25 in. NI-488.2 Distribution Diskettes for
GPIB-PCII MS-DOS/Windows Handler, BASICA, 420759-66 and
QuickBASIC, BASIC, C & Universal Interfaces 420760-66
NI-488.2 MS-DOS Software Reference Manual 320282-01
Getting Started with Your GPIB-PCII/IIA and the
NI-488.2 MS-DOS Handler 320320-01
Universal Language Interface Using HP-Style Calls 320135-90
Using Your GPIB Software with Microsoft Windows 320319-01

Introduction Chapter 1
PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS 1-4 © National Instruments Corp.
Make sure each of these items is in your kit. If any item is missing, contact
National Instruments.
Optional Equipment
Equipment Part Number
Single-Shielded GPIB Cables*:
Type X1 Cable – 1 m 763001-01
Type X1 Cable – 2 m 763001-02
Type X1 Cable – 4 m 763001-03
Double-Shielded GPIB Cables*:
Type X2 Cable – 1 m 763061-01
Type X2 Cable – 2 m 763061-02
Type X2 Cable – 4 m 763061-03
GPIB Connector Extender 760402-01
*To meet FCC emission limits for this Class B device, you must use a
shielded (Type X1 or X2) GPIB cable. Operating this equipment with
a non-shielded cable may cause interference to radio and television
reception in residential areas.

Chapter 1 Introduction
© National Instruments Corp. 1-5 PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS
Unpacking Your GPIB-PCII/IIA
Follow these steps when unpacking your GPIB-PCII/IIA.
1. Verify that the pieces contained in the package you received match the
kit parts list given earlier in this chapter. Do not remove the board
from its plastic bag at this point.
2. Your GPIB-PCII/IIA board is shipped packaged in an antistatic plastic
bag to prevent electrostatic damage to the board. Several components
on the board can be damaged by electrostatic discharge. To avoid such
damage in handling the board, touch the plastic bag to a metal part of
your computer chassis before removing the board from the bag.
3. Remove the board from the bag and inspect the board for loose
components or any other sign of damage. Notify National Instruments
if the board appears damaged in any way. Do not install a damaged
board into your computer.

© National Instruments Corp. 2-1 PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS
Chapter 2
Installation and Elementary
Programming Example
This chapter contains instructions for installing your GPIB-PCII/IIA hardware
and NI-488.2 software. It also contains an elementary programming example.
Table 2-1 shows the default settings of the GPIB-PCII/IIA interface board.
Table 2-1. GPIB-PCII/IIA Default Settings
Parameters GPIB-PCIIA GPIB-PCII
Base I/O Address 2E1 2B8
Interrupt Line 7 7
DMA Channel 1 1
If these settings are known to conflict with your existing hardware, refer to
Appendix A, Changing Hardware and Software Configuration Settings,to
change these settings and proceed to Step 1 - Install the Hardware. Otherwise,
record these settings in the GPIB-PCII/IIA Hardware and Software
Configuration Form in Appendix B and proceed to Step 1 - Install the
Hardware.
Step 1 – Install the Hardware
The following steps are general installation instructions. Consult the user
manual or technical reference manual of your personal computer for specific
instructions and warnings.

Installation and Elementary Programming Example Chapter 2
PCII/IIA and NI-488.2 MS-DOS 2-2 © National Instruments Corp.
Install the GPIB-PCII/IIA board by completing the following steps:
1. Turn off your computer and all external devices, such as monitors or tape
drives.
2. Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
3. Remove the top cover or access port to the I/O channel.
4. Remove the expansion slot cover on the back panel of the computer.
5. Insert the GPIB-PCII/IIA board into any unused slot with the
IEEE-488 connector protruding out of the back panel.
6. Screw the GPIB-PCII/IIA mounting bracket to the back panel rail.
7. Verify that the interface board is securely installed.
8. Replace the retaining screw of the expansion slot cover if there is one.
9. Replace the cover on the computer.
10. Plug the power cord into the wall outlet.
11. Turn on your computer and external devices.
Step 2 - Install the Software
Complete the following steps to install the NI-488.2 software.
Note: If you are using Microsoft Windows 3 applications software that uses
the GPIB, refer to Using Your GPIB Software with Microsoft Windows
for a description of the GPIB Windows software package and
instructions for software installation and configuration. You must have
approximately 600 kilobytes of free disk space to install the NI-488.2
software files.
1. Insert the NI-488.2 distribution diskette into an unused drive.