© National Instruments Corporation D-1 NI-488.2 User Manual
D

Common Questions

This appendix answers some common questions about the
NI-488.2 software.

General GPIB Questions

How many devices can I configure for use with the NI-488.2 software?
You can configure the NI-488.2 software to use up to 1,024 logical devices.
The maximum number of physical devices you should connect to a single
GPIB interface is 14, or fewer, depending on your system configuration.
When should I use the Interactive Control utility?
You can use the Interactive Control utility to test and verify instrument
communication, troubleshoot problems, and develop your application.
For more information, refer to Chapter 7, Interactive Control Utility.
How do I use an NI-488.2 language interface?
For information about using NI-488.2 language interfaces, refer
to Chapter 4, Developing Your NI-488.2 Application.
What do I need to know to communicate properly with my GPIB
instrument?
Refer to the documentation that came with your instrument. The
command sequences that you use depend on the specific instrument.
The documentation for each instrument should include the GPIB
commands that you need to communicate with your instrument.
In most cases, device-level traditional NI-488.2 calls are sufficient
for communicating with instruments. For more information, refer
to Chapter 4, Developing Your NI-488.2 Application.