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ESA Series E4402B Spectrum Analyzer Command Sets for BenchVue / Command Expert?

Question asked by pdownen on Apr 11, 2020
Latest reply on Apr 17, 2020 by pdownen

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Hi everyone!

I am looking for a way to automate instrument control (over GPIB) of my "new" E4402B Spectrum Analyzer picked up at an online auction. It is in the Agilent ESA Series of Spectrum Analyzers. Does anyone know of any E440xB / ESA-Series "Command Sets" exist for use with the "Command Expert" or BenchVue software?

If not, are there any other older / deprecated Software Solutions out there that I can use to get to know this instrument's automation capabilities? (I am writing Python 3.x code using the pyvisa library and having initial success, but would like a more off-the-shelf-solution if one is available instead of re-inventing the wheel for each command and response I want to explore.)

Thanks for any help or suggestions you may offer!

Phil Downen

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E4402B_FrontPanel.PNG1.3 MB

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w0dz Apr 13, 2020 5:00 AM
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BenchVue supports the E4402B. However, the price for the SA app is $2000 for a perpetual transportable license, because it is bundled with the Complete Control Collection and not available separately. The free trial period is currently 90 days though, so you can play with it for 3 months before needing to purchase the app.

Brian
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- pdownen @ w0dz on Apr 13, 2020 6:22 AM
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  Thanks for that info, Brian. I started to get that very idea about the licensing model the more I looked at the Benchvue downloads and bundled capabilities. Too bad there's not a simpler / economical solution for a small start up electronics company to bring some basic automation to the test bench. I'll look to github next to see if anyone's produced a Python based command set that can thoroughly exercise this thing.
  
  Thanks again for your tip!
  
  Phil
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  - w0dz @ pdownen on Apr 13, 2020 7:08 AM
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    Hi Phil,
    One other solution is Command Expert. If you download the IVI driver from the Keysight web site (search for your model, then click Technical Support, then Drivers, and download and install the IVI driver), you can get Command Expert to see it, and then use CE to create sequences. CE is also supported in BenchVue Test Flow, so you can embed CE sequences inside loops and other typical programming constructs. The driver name to search for in CE is AgSAn.
    
    Brian
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    - pdownen @ w0dz on Apr 13, 2020 8:19 AM
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      Ahh, this is excellent! I started with C.E. but could not find the E4402B Command Set, per se. Using the IVI driver as the source for the command set is a great idea. I will try this soon (just took the unit apart to replace the clock battery/crystal module).
      
      Thanks for this - I think using C.E. will go along way to helping me learn the instrument.
      
      On a different subject - I may post this as another question - do you know if there is a GPIB method to turn on/off the "Peak Table"? I can query for the Peaks, I can turn on/off the Marker Table, but there doesn't seem to be a command to turn on/off the Peak Table. As a work around, I was hoping to find dedicated GPIB commands to simulate a front panel key-press, and so could send the keys sequence to turn it on/off, but could not find that keypress command capability either.
      
      Thanks again for the info on the IVI driver for the Command Set, you've been quite helpful, friend.
      
      Phil
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      - pdownen @ pdownen on Apr 17, 2020 8:07 AM
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        Hi again, Brian.
        
        I found and downloaded "driver_ivicom_ivic_matlab_AgilentSAn_1_2_23_0.msi" and installed it, but C.E. seems still unable to find the driver/command set for the E4402B. (does this install package relate to matlab only?)
        
        Do I need to change the source for the command sets in C.E. > File > Options > Command Set Source?
        
        I tried this but could not find a local folder (resulting from the msi install) containing IVI-COM drivers. I set the command set source back to "Command Expert Server" but still could not find or load the IVI-COM commands as you have shown in your screen capture.
        
        What am I missing?
        
        thanks again for your help,
        
        Phil
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        w0dz @ pdownen on Apr 17, 2020 8:24 AM
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        You have the right driver. When you run Command Expert, the IVI-C and IVI-COM drivers will show up in the Manage Command Sets pop-up like this:
        
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        pdownen @ w0dz on Apr 18, 2020 8:29 AM
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        #2 UPDATE:
        It works! I'm sending commands to the E4402B Spectrum Analyzer using Command Expert and the IVI-COM drivers from Keysight/Agilent. Thanks again for your responses and help, Brian!
        ==================================================================
        #1 UPDATE:
        
        After doing some reading (that's always a good thing, right), I discovered this in the readme on the AgSAn IVI-COM driver:
        Shared Components: Before this driver can be installed, your computer must already have several components already installed. The easiest way to to install these other components is by running the IVI Shared Components installation package available from the IVI Foundation as noted below. It installs all the items mentioned below. IVI Shared Components version 1.5.1.0 or later. The driver installer requires these components. They must be installed before the driver installer can install the driver. The IVI Shared Components installer is available from: http://www.ivifoundation.org
        
        So, after downloading and installing the IVI Foundations software, Command Expert now shows the AgSAn IVI-COM drivers!
        
        I'll now attempt to set up a new instrument and begin building a command sequence.
        
        Thanks again, Brian, for your help!
        
        Phil
        ==================================================================
        Hi Brian,
        
        Alas, I still can not see the AgSAn IVI-COM drivers appearing in the C.E. command set list. I've tried:
        
        Reinstalling IOLibraries Suite and even downloading & installing the "Previous Versions > Initial Release" of the IVI-COM driver from:
        https://www.keysight.com/main/software.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&nid=-32508.1150150.02&id=1669053&pageMode=PV
        
        I did notice that, on the Legacy - Signal Analyzers IVI Instrument Drivers page, Windows 10 is not listed in the OS list, but I'm assuming that's not strictly a show-stopper ??? (I am on Windows 10 with an NI GPIB PCI card and NI Measurement & Automation Explorer software installed along with Python 3.7 and pyvisa installed; but wouldn't think these would prevent the Keysight software from running and the Command Set from being detected.)
        
        thanks for any further suggestions you may have...
        
        Phil
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ESA Series E4402B Spectrum Analyzer Command Sets for BenchVue / Command Expert?

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