Getting Started : "Configure the VISA Library on the control PC"

IQSTAR instrument scanner can communicate with the instruments trough the software VISA layer. On the remote computer, several visa dll's can be installed, depending on the GPIB controller (Ni or Keysight) installed.

For example, “Agilent IO Library Suites” from Agilent or/and “Measurement and Automation” from National Instruments can be installed.

Download NI-VISA and/or Download Keysigth IO Libraries Suite. Once the standalone installer has been downloaded, launch the executable and follow the onscreen prompts to complete the installation.

• If “Measurement and Automation” from National Instruments is only installed on the computer, the NI “visa64.dll” is linked to the primary VISA interface. This dll will be used when plugging a NI GPIB-USB key or a NI GPIB card.

• If “Agilent IO Library Suites” from Agilent is only installed on the computer, both Agilent “visa64.dll” and “agvisa64.dll” will address the same software in order to communicate with the instruments. This dll will be used when plugging an Agilent USB GPIB key or Agilent GPIB card.

• If “Agilent IO Library Suites” is installed on top of the “Measurement and Automation” in order to enable both Agilent and NI USB-GPIB keys, the Agilent software installer will ask if the original NI “visa64.dll” has to be replaced by the Agilent “visa64.dll”.
  • If the Agilent “visa64.dll” erases and replaces the NI “visa64.dll”, both “visa64.dll” and “agvisa64.dll” will address the same software in order to communicate with the instruments. In this configuration, NI key or NI card cannot be used anymore.
  • If the Agilent “visa64.dll” does not erase and does not replace the NI “visa64.dll”, the “agvisa64.dll” will be used to drive the Agilent card or Agilent key, while the “visa64.dll” will be used to drive the NI card or NI key.