Chapter 4 Debugging Your Application
© National Instruments Corp. 4-7 NI-488.2 User Manual for Windows
Common QuestionsCan I have the DOS and Windows drivers installed at the same time?
Yes, there is nothing wrong with installing both. However, it is better not to access them
at the same time.
What do I do if ibdiag or wibtest fail with an error?
Refer to the Running wibtest section of this chapter and to the section about ibdiag in
your getting started manual for specific information about what might cause these tests to
fail.
How do I communicate with my instrument over the GPIB?
Refer to the documentation that came from the instrument manufacturer. The command
sequences you use are totally dependent on the specific instrument. The documentation
for each instrument should include the GPIB commands you need to communicate with
it. In most cases, NI-488 device-level calls are sufficient for communicating with
instruments. Refer to Chapter 3, Developing Your Application, for more information.
Can I use the NI-488 and NI-488.2 calls together in the same application?
Yes, you can mix NI-488 functions and NI-488.2 routines.
What can I do to check for errors in my GPIB application?
Examine the value of ibsta after each NI-488 or NI-488.2 call. If a call fails, the ERR
bit of ibsta is set and an error code is stored in ibcntl. For more information about
global status variables, refer to Chapter 3, Developing Your Application.
How do I use wibic?
You can use wibic to practice communication with your instrument, troubleshoot
problems, and develop your application program. For instructions, refer to Chapter 5,
wibic–Windows Interface Bus Interactive Control Utility.