PCR-M – Applications

Release Note

This document is prepared for the Kikusui Easy Controller for PCR-M application, VER 1.4.0 (JUNE 2012) 


System Requirement

To run the application, the following operational environment is required:
Windows XP (x86 SP or later), Vista(x86/x64), or 7(x86/x64)
VISA Library, which is compliant to VISA Spec 5.0 or later
(NI-VISA 5.0 or later, Agilent IO Libraries Suite 16.0 or later, KI-VISA 5.0 or later)
A GPIB card that is supported by VISA, and an IEEE488 cable (if using GPIB)
A null-modem (also known as crossover type) serial cable (if using RS232)
A USB cable (if using USB)
A PCR-M series AC Power Supply to be controlled (PCR500M, PCR1000M or PCR2000M)

Installation Procedure

To install this app software, run ezCtrlPcrmSetup_1_x_x.exe (x may differ depending on version) under Administrator priviledge. By installing the app, the IVI-COM instrument driver for PCR-M series will also be installed.


Instrument Setup

This application communicates with your PCR-M AC Power Supply through the GPIB, USB, or RS232 interface, therefore you must connect the instrument to your PC with an appropriate cable. Plus you must set up the instrument CONFIG settings, by pressing the CONFIG button on the instrument front panel.
If using RS232 interface, select the interface type RS232 ("232"), Baudrate 19.2kbps, and X-Flow Enabled
If using GPIB interface, select the interface type GPIB ("488"), and select an appropriate address from 1..30
If using USB interface, select the interface type USB
Mind that the instrument must be restarted (turn OFF then ON) to take effect the configuration changes, if you have changed any.


Overview

This application is an interactive virtual front panel program, which remote-controls your PCR-M AC Power Supply. The application operates not only for most of front panel controls, it also provides file I/O capabilities to SAVE/OPEN panel settings, and provides measurement data logging storing in a text file.


Step-by-step Instructions

Launch

Immediately after the application is launched, the I/O Config dialog appears to confirm the I/O connection with your instrument. Then, click the "Try *IDN" button to check the communication. If the instrument identity string could be returned, it will be shown. If it is failed, you need check the I/O cable, VISA and IVI driver setup, and instrument configurations once again. By checking the Enable Simulation checkbox, you can operate as a simulation without connecting actual instrument. (The simulated operation assumes that a PCR500M is virtually connected.) By clicking the OK button, the application's main screen will appear.

Main Screen

You can remote-control your instrument regarding "Coupling Mode", "Voltage Range", "Output Settings", "Limit Settings", etc....

Output ON/OFF

To turn ON or OFF the output, click the "Output ON" or "Output OFF" button. Mind that some settings cannot be changed while the output is ON. A large red display on the scrren "Output ON" or "Output OFF" is automatically refreshed so that it can indicate the correct instrument status, however it works only if the "Status Monitor" is enabled (default at application startup is "enabled"). If the "Status Monitor" is disabled, that large indicator is not automatically refreshed because the application does not monitor the actual instrument status in this case.

Status

Clicking the "Status" button enables/disables the auto-refresh feature of the "Status Monitor" indicators. The default state at the application startup is "enabled".

Measure

Clicking the "Measure" button enables/disables the auto-logging feature of the "Measurement Monitor" list. If the "Data Generation" option (by operating Tools | Data Options menu) is configured for Generate Measurement Files enabled, the auto-logging for measurement data will be stored in a text file placed in the specified directory. The file name is automatically assigned according to the present date/time. Each text file contains a tab-separated list so that you can open it with Microsoft Excel or with other spread-sheet applications

Pk Clear

Clicking the "Pk Clear" button clears the peak-hold data for the current measurement.

Alm Clear

Clicking the "Alm Clear" button clears the instrument Alarm currently occurring. The "Alarm" includes any items shown in the "Status Monitor" area in red colour. Mind that DSP alarm, if generated, requires the instrument to be restarted.

Panel Recall/Store

Clicking the "Recall" or "Store" button recalls/stores the panel setting memory.

File Open/Save

Clicking the "Open" or "Save" button opens/saves the panel setting from/to file system. The default file name extension is .PNL and the format is the Windows .INI file style text.

Screen Refresh

By selecting View | Refresh (F5) menu, you can refresh the application's GUI so that the screen contents synchronise with the actual instrument settings. This is useful for GUI recovery when you have operated the instrument front panel at LOCAL state thereby the consistency has got corrupted.

Continuous Measurement

By selecting Instrument | Enable Continuous Measure menu, you can enforce the instrument to automatically refresh the voltmeter/ammeter displays. As the normal instrument behaviour in REMOTE state is that the voltmeter/ammeter are refreshed *only when* the explicit measurement action is initiated. Therefore, the instrument's static operation in REMOTE without any measurement command to be sent, keeps the voltmeter/ammeter unchanged. To avoid this, you can enable the Continuous Measure feature, so that the instrument automatically refreshes the voltmeter/ammeter displays without having to receive a measurement initiation command, as if it were operating in LOCAL state.

Error Query

This application handles instrument errors by employing the "Error Query" feature, so that the application can be simpler design. Any instrument errors, such as setting "Ext AC" Coupling Mode without installing an "External Board" option, will be hooked up whenever you do erroneous operations.

Self Test

When the "Status Monitor" indicates the DSP event highlighted, this means one or more internal errors are generated. In this case, you can identify error details by the Self Test and Error Query features. By selecting Tools | Self Test menu, you can perform the self test. If the self test result is non-zero, then operate Error Query by selecting Tools | Error Query menu.

Invalidate State Cache

This application controls the instrument through the IVI instrument driver. The driver equips the "State Cache" feature that increases the I/O performance by avoiding redundant settings to be sent multiple times. For example, once you have set the AC Voltage 110V, subsequent operations for the same settings do not generate I/O traffic. However, if you have operated the instrument front front panel by switching it to the LOCAL state, the instrument driver and the application do not know that the instrument settings were altered, therefore the driver's state cache assumption is now corrupted. To avoid this problem, you can temporarily "invalidate" the state cache giving the application/driver to have an opportunity to synchronise with the instrument settings once again.


Update History

VER 1.4.0 - 19/JUNE/2012, Bundled IVI driver changed to 2.0.1.16 (x86/x64).

VER 1.3.0 - 10/MAY/2010, Architecture changed due to bandling new IVI-COM driver. Windows Vista and 7 support added, Windows 9x/Me support removed.

VER 1.2.0 - 15/MAY/2006, Frequency item is added on Monitor and Log

VER 1.1.0 - 06/DEC/2005, Memory Recall Preview function added

VER 1.0.1 - 13/JULY/2005, Simulation function added

VER 1.0.0 - 01/JUNE/2005, the first release


(c)2005-2012 Kikusui Electronics Corp.