linux-gpib
v1.1.1
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Linux GPIB bindings
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Linux GPIB
The brand new General Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB, IEC-625-Bus), introduced by Hewlet-Packard in the late 1960s, can be accessed via linux-gpib. This module offers native bindings to the very fundamental read and write methods (ibrd()
and ibwrt()
). So if you want to access your lab bench devices using JavaScript, this module will be your solution.
Example
const GPIB = require( 'linux-gpib' );
// Connect to GPIB interface available at /dev/gpib0
const gpib = GPIB( 0 );
// And finally connect to your GPIB device with primary address 20
let specAnalyser = gpib.connect( { pad: 20 } );
// In this example its a Rohde & Schwarz FSP specturm analyser. We want to fetch
// the points recorded on TRACE1. So we transmit the command accordingly the
// user's manual.
specAnalyser.query( 'trac1? trace1' ).then( ( response ) => {
// The data is transmitted as a string separated by commas. Convert them
// into floats.
let data = [];
response.split(',').forEach( ( v ) => data.push( parseFloat( v ) ) );
return data;
} ).then( ( data ) => {
// Output data
console.log( data );
// Disconenct from device
return specAnalyser.disconnect();
} ).catch( ( err ) => {
// Something went wrong!
console.error( err.message );
} );
API
The native bindings can be accessed as follows. The API documentation refers to GPIB.
const GPIB = require( 'linux-gpib' );
GPIB
const gpib = GPIB( minor );
Connects to a GPIB adapter available at /dev/gpib[minor]
and returns an instance of GPIB.
Class: GPIB
Method: connect
const dev = gpib.connect( device );
Connects to the device described in device
and returns an instance of Device.
device
has the following properties:
pad
: Primary GPIB address of the device.sad
: (optional) Secondary GPIB address.timeout
: (optional) Timeout for I/O operations. Possible values: "TNONE", "T10us", "T30us", "T100us", "T300us", "T1ms", "T3ms", "T10ms", "T30ms", "T100ms", "T300ms", "T1s", "T3s", "T10s", "T30s", "T100s", "T300s", "T1000s". Default: "T300ms".send_eoi
: (optional) Assert EOI line with last transmitted byte. Default: true.eos
: (optional) end-of-string mode. Default: 0x0.
Method: disconnectAll
gpib.disconnectAll().then( ... );
Disconnects from all connected devices. Returns a promise.
Class: Device
Method: write
dev.write( data ).then( ... );
Sends data to the connected device. Returns a promise. If data
is a string, it is just transmitted. If data
is an array, each item is transmitted successively, starting with the first item.
Method: read
dev.read().then( ... );
Reads data from the connected device. Returns a promise that will be resolved with the received data.
Method: query
dev.query( data ).then( ... );
Fristly writes data to and then reads data from the connected device. Returns a promise that will be resolved with the received data.
Method: disconnect
dev.disconnect( goToLocalMode ).then( ... );
Disconencts from device. Returns a promise. If goToLocalMode
is true (default), it will bring the device back to local mode before disconnecting.
Requirements
Beside a GPIB-capbale measurement instrument you need a GPIB interface that is compatibile with linux-gpib. Furthermore linux-gpib must be installed and the GPIB-device must be fully configured. (Some of them need a firmware downloaded onto the device before beeing used. Google is your friend!)
Node.js must be available in version 4 or later.
Acknowledgement
Special thanks to:
- 68ec020 for establishing Node.js 12 compatibility.