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LXI Conformance Test Suite 3.0

By Peter Plazotta, TSEP

The LXI Conformance Test Suite is now upgraded to Revision 3.0, which includes some of the following improvements:

New operating systems are supported (Windows 7 or Windows 10).
Easier installation.
Easier execution of 1588 tests.
Better documentation of the software and hardware requirements.
Performs conformance testing for the LXI Device Specification, revs. 1.4 or 1.5.

The LXI Conformance Test Suite has been brought up to speed and packaged into an installer for all LXI members to download from the LXI website. Members can download the LXI Conformance Test Suite 3.0 from the LXI Conformance page. (If you are not yet a member, then you are directed to the How to Join page.) Obtaining the LXI Conformance Test Suite from this location will ensure that your LXI Conformance tests are done with the correct released version of the specifications.

IVI Web Forum Question and Answer:
Function returns error when using specific driver handle

Answered by Kirk Fertitta, Pacific Mindworks
for the IVI Web Forum

Note: Offering an IVI driver is a requirement for all LXI-conformant instruments, something you will find in the LXI Device Specification 2016, Section 6.1. The IVI Web Forum is hosted by the IVI Foundation.It was created to answer the more practical questions that arise when using the IVI Drivers to program test systems. To see a list of the IVI Drivers, click here. To view this question/answer in the Forum, click here.

Question:
I created a c++ DLL for the IviDmm class and I am calling the keysight 34980 ivi driver. The Dll contains all generic functions.
Now I wanted to run a specific function of the 34980A-driver. For this execute "iviDMM_GetSpecifiDriverCHandle" which returns a numeric handle without error.

Then I run a function of another custom c++ DLL where I call some specific functions. For example: ... viStatus = Ag34980a_SetAttributeViBoolean (Vi, Channel, AG34980A_ATTR_OUTPUT_STATE, State); ...

For the parameter "Vi" i pass the specificDriverCHandle that was created by the other DLL.
But the function returns:
-1074135040 = Failure cannot recover.
What is the error here?

Answer:
As I've explained, the GetSpecificDriverCHandle isn't working with that driver for a good reason -- there IS no IviDmm support for that class in the IVI-C driver. Creating a separate driver session isn't going to change that, and certainly could introduce some unexpected behavior. It's the same as if two totally separate applications (processes) were talking to the same instrument, so whatever might happen in that scenario could happen to you. Any state managed by the driver, such as simulation state (which the IviSwtch implementation uses *very* extensively), will be totally separate between driver sessions.

So, in short, using GetSpecificDriverCHandle is the proper mechanism for doing class-compliant and instrument-specific programming against the same IVI-C driver session -- and that's the only mechanism you should try to use. Your problem actually has nothing to do with that -- your issue is simply that you're trying to program against a class (IviDmm) that your IVI-C driver doesn't support.

Hope this helps.

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