*********************** **** Read Me First **** *********************** Version: 1.6.2.1 July 2016 Introducing the Keysight IVI Driver for the M9018 18-Slot PXIe Chassis --------------------------------------------------------------------------- This instrument driver provides access to the functionality of the M9018 18-Slot PXIe Chassis through a COM server or ANSI C API which also complies with the IVI specifications. This driver works in any development environment which supports COM or C programming including Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft .NET, Keysight VEE Pro, National Instruments LabVIEW, LabWindows CVI, MATLAB and others. Supported Instruments --------------------- M9018A (18-slot PXIe Chassis) Installation ------------- System Requirements: The driver installation will check for the following requirements. If not found, the installer will either abort, warn, or install the required component as appropriate. Supported Operating Systems: Windows 7 SP1 Pro (32-bit and 64-bit) Windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro (32-bit and 64-bit) Shared Components Before this driver can be installed, your computer must already have: IVI Shared Components Version: 2.3.0 or newer installed VISA Shared Components Version 5.5.0 or newer installed The IVI Shared Components installers are available from: http://www.ivifoundation.org/shared_components/Default.aspx Keysight IO Libraries The latest version of Keysight's IO Libraries includes VISA. Keysight always recommends downloading the latest IO libraries from: http://www.keysight.com/find/iosuite In general, each new version of the M9018 driver will only be tested against the most current version of Keysight IO Libraries available at the time of release: Keysight IO Libraries version 17.2 For version 1.6.2.1 of the M9018 driver, IO Libraries 17.1 Update 1 (version 17.1.20011.4) or later is required. Older versions of IO Libraries may not work as expected with this driver software. Uninstall --------- This driver can be uninstalled like any other software from the Control Panel using "Programs and Features". The IVI Shared Components may also be uninstalled like any other software from the Control Panel using "Program & Features". Note: All IVI-COM/C drivers require the IVI Shared Components to function. To completely remove IVI components from your computer, uninstall all drivers and then uninstall the IVI Shared Components. Source Code ----------- Driver source code is installed when you install the driver. The typical source install location is: drive:\Program Files\IVI Foundation\IVI\Drivers\AgM9018\Source This code is provided as is for informational purposes only. Modification of this code is not supported. Code is a Visual Studio 2010 C++ project and may be updated to new versions of Visual Studio. Caution: Once you have installed version 2.x of the IVI Shared Components, you will not be able to build IVI drivers and applications developed with earlier versions. You will need to upgrade those drivers/applications to the new IVI Shared Components and to build on Visual Studio 2010 or higher or you will need to build those drivers/applications on a different machine that does not have version 2.x of the IVI Shared Components. Start Menu Help File -------------------- A shortcut to the driver help file is added to the Start Menu, All Programs, Keysight Instrument Drivers, IVI-COM-C Drivers, AgM9018 PXIe Chassis group. It contains "Getting Started" information on using the driver in a variety of programming environments as well as documentation on IVI and instrument specific methods and properties. You will also see shortcuts to the Readme and Introduction files and programming examples for this driver. Additional Setup ---------------- The .NET Framework itself is not required by this driver. If you plan to use the driver with .NET, the minimal .NET framework version is: 2.0 The .NET Framework requires an interop assembly for a COM server. A Primary Interop Assembly, along with an XML file for IntelliSense is installed with the driver. The driver's PIA along with IVI PIAs are installed by default in: drive:\Program Files\IVI Foundation\IVI\Bin\Primary Interop Assemblies The PIA is also installed into the Global Assembly Cache (GAC) if you have the .NET framework installed. Using a New Version of the Driver --------------------------------- New versions of this Keysight IVI-COM/C driver may have a new ProgID. If you use the version dependent ProgID in CoCreateInstance, you will need to modify and recompile your code to use the new ProgID once you upgrade to the next version of the driver. Doing a side-by-side installation of the driver to use multiple versions of the driver is not supported. If you need to go back to an older version of the driver, you need to uninstall the later version and install the older version. If you use the version independent ProgID in CoCreateInstance, you will not need to modify and recompile your code. The new version of the driver has been tested to be backwards compatible with previous versions. To access the new functionality in a new version of the driver you will need to use the latest numbered IAgM9018[n] interface rather than the IAgM9018 interface. The IAgM9018[n]. property will return a pointer to the new IAgM9018[n] interface. The IAgM9018[n] interface contains the methods and properties for the new functionality and inherits all prior interface functionality. The new interfaces were introduced rather than modifying the existing interfaces for backwards compatibility. The interfaces that were previously shipped have not been changed. Pre-existing .NET client applications must be re-build before using the new version of the driver. Revision History ---------------- Version Date Notes -------- -------- ----- 1.6.2.1 Jul 2016 New feature added: Trigger Manager for managing trigger resources to prevent conflicts between applications. The AgM9018 IVI driver API has not changed, however, trigger routing done through the AgM9018 driver is now subject to PXI-9 Trigger Manager rules which can result in errors indicating a conflict between applications. When this driver is used with the M9018A PXIe Chassis running 1.07 firmware (or earlier), a known intermittent firmware defect will be displayed more readily than with previous versions of this driver. This firmware defect blocks use of the Trigger Manager. It is rare and seen only when the controller PC reboots many times without powering off/on the M9018A chassis. If this defect happens, the M9018A Soft Front Panel user is notified with a popup message with a discription and the error number -1074134929. Once the defect happens, the M9018A chassis stays in this state until the M9018A is power cycled. This problem is fixed in firmware 1.08. 1.5.80.1 Jan 2015 Visual Studio Examples updated to version 2010. Document changes to meet IVI-2014 Compliance. Rebranded with Keysight name and copyrights. Changes made to support the HP Z440/640/840 series of controllers, and also see additional information at keysight.com: "PXI and AXIe Modular Instrumentation - Technical Overview" 1.4.397.1 Aug 2014 Updated to Rev 2 of 2x8 and 4x4 PCIe fabrics to allow cascading chassis from M9037 embedded controllers. (Users should note that reconfiguring to use the new fabrics can cause the PCIe bus address of modules to enumerate to a different value than with the old fabric. Also, if users of the 2x8/4x4 fabrics choose not to reconfigure to use the new fabrics, then the M9018 driver’s self test will report warnings indicating that the latest PCIe fabric is not being used.) Default fan alarm level raised from 800 rpm to 1200 rpm. Eliminated use of English-language dependent string in System Module DLL. Eliminated driver 1st-contact SMBus self test operations to improve interoperability. 1.3.443.1 Jun 2013 Updated PXI System Module DLL and Chassis Driver DLL to support cascaded multi-chassis systems. Added 1x8 PCIe Gen1 speed fabric to PCIe Switch Fabric Configurator (for use with multi-chassis systems). 1.2.1.3 Mar 2012 Added support for 2-Link 2x8 PCIe Switch Fabric Added support for Agilent IO Libraries 16.2 Fixed assorted PXI compliance issues (updated System Module DLL, Chassis DLL, and Chassis Description file) 1.0.1.3 Mar 2011 Initial public release IVI Compliance -------------- IVI-COM/IVI-C Custom Specific Instrument Driver IVI Generation: IVI-2014 IVI Instrument Class: None Optional Features: Interchangeability Checking No State Caching No Coercion Recording No Driver Identification: Vendor: Keysight Technologies Description: IVI driver for the Keysight M9018 18-slot PXIe Chassis Revision: 1.6.2.1 Component Identifier: AgM9018.AgM9018 Hardware Information: Instrument Manufacturer: Keysight Technologies Supported Instrument Models: M9018 Supported Bus Interfaces: PXIe, PXI Hybrid modules 32-bit Software Information: Supported Operating Systems: Windows 7 SP1 Pro, Windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro Unsupported Operating Systems: Windows 2000, Win XP, Windows Vista Support Software Required: VISA Source Code Availability: Source code included with driver. 64-bit Software Information: Supported Operating Systems: Windows 7 SP1 Pro, Windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro Unsupported Operating Systems: Windows 2000, Win XP, Windows Vista Support Software Required: VISA Source Code Availability: Source code included with driver. Unit Testing ------------ Test Setup Instrument: Instrument Models: M9018A Bus Interface: PXIe, PXI Hybrid modules Operating System: Windows 7 SP1 Pro, Windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro OS Bitness/Application Bitness: 64-bit/32-bit, 64-bit/64-bit, 32-bit/32-bit VISA Vendor and Version: Keysight VISA (IO Libraries version 17.2) IVI Shared Components Version: 2.3.0 Test Setup Simulation: Instrument Models: M9018A Bus Interface: N/A Operating System: Windows 7 SP1 Pro, Windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro OS Bitness/Application Bitness: 64-bit/32-bit, 64-bit/64-bit, 32-bit/32-bit VISA Vendor and Version: N/A IVI Shared Components Version: 2.3.0 Driver Installation Testing: Operating System: Windows 7 SP1 Pro, Windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro OS Bitness: 32-bit, 64-bit Driver Buildability: Operating System: Windows 7 SP1 Pro, Windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro OS Bitness: 32-bit, 64-bit Visual Studio Version: VS2010 Driver Test Failures - Known Issues: None - This driver does not have any known defects. Keysight Technologies has evaluated and tested this driver to verify that it meets all applicable requirements of the IVI specifications at the time this compliance document was submitted to the IVI Foundation and agrees to abide by the dispute arbitration provisions in Section 7 of IVI-1.2: Operating Procedures, if the IVI Foundation finds this driver to be non-conformant. More Information ---------------- For more information about this driver and other instrument drivers and software available from Keysight Technologies visit: http://www.keysight.com/find/drivers A list of contact information is available from: http://www.keysight.com/find/contactus Microsoft and Windows are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Copyright Keysight Technologies 2016