running multiple TSW14J56 from a single laptop + automation query

Marc,

HSDC Pro can only be used to control 1 USB handle at a time. You will need to connect and disconnect to each USB handle to control it.

The Automation DLL for HSDC Pro cannot be used to control another GUI. The TSW38J84 GUI must be used to program the DAC and LO control registers on the TSW38J84. HSDC Pro Automation DLL is only used to control HSDC Pro and its associated pattern capture and generation TSW14xxx EVMs.

There is a way to do a generic USB-SPI implementation in labview, but we do not have any other means to automatically control the DAC GUI.

Ken.

Hi again Ken

thank you for your prompt and detailed reply. This makes sense and is fine.

Just one more query (hopefully!)

Im using HSDC Pro automation via Matlab.

When running the automation in capture mode, the Automation DLL user guide states that there is a function which allows the capture of data in Binary file format (extension .bin). The .csv mode works ok but Id much rather save in .bin format as this takes less space and my subsequent Matlab processing code works around that format.

The user guide states that this can be done via a call to the function 'ADC_Save_Raw_Data_As_Binary_File' (this is listed as function No 20 on pg 14 in my version of the manual). However, when I load the automation DLL in Matlab, this function is not listed as contained in the DLL and Matlab then of course complains that the method is not found.

I certainly can capture data manually in .bin format via the GUI but could you let me know why the function above is not contained in my DLL. The board were purchased in 2015 and are using the Labview Runtime engine 2010 sp1 as per instructions.

Thanks again for your help.

Marc

Marc,

Let me look into it.

Ken

Hi Ken

just checking if any further information is available on the binary save format via automation?

Thanks for your help with this. 

 

kind regards

 

Marc

 

 

Marc,

Sorry for the delay.  Our software team was able to make this DLL call using labview and it is saving a binary file to the mentioned location.  I have asked them to also try in Matlab.

Ken.

Marc,

Which version of HSDC Pro are you using?  The latest is 4.20 on ti.com.

Ken.

Hi Ken

yes, I am using HSDCPro v4.20, with the 64 bit automation DLL (HDSCProAutomation_64Bit.dll). The DLL used is located as follows under the TI directory 'HSDCPro Automation DLL/64Bit DLL/HDSCProAutomation_64Bit.dll'

When the DLL is loaded inside Matlab, a number of functions listed in the User Guide (HSDCPro Automation DLL User Guide) are missing from the DLL. I have downloaded the latest version (the DLL file is dated as 1/28/2016). I have also upgraded Matlab to the latest version just in case this made a difference.

As previously mentioned, we are missing the 'ADC_Save_Raw_Data_as_Binary_File' but we have since then realised a few other functions ( we counted 14 in fact) are missing (i.e. they are listed on the user guide document but not contained in the DLL). Most of them are not used by us but the 'save to binary' would be handy since we are working on large file captures. Another missing function for instance is the 'DAC_Scaling_Factor' function, which would be handy as well for our Matlab scripts/functions.  

Ive also noticed that these functions are actually contained in the header file 'HDSCProAutomation_64Bit.h' but they are not contained within the DLL itself?

Let me know if you require any further info or if I am doing something incorrectly. Im simply following the example listed in HSDCPro_Automation_DLL_ADC_Example_64bit .m

of final note (and this helps), when the DLL is loaded, this are the functions contained within it listed below (as discussed, this list is missing a few of the functions in the user guide)

ADC_Analysis_Window_Length      

ADC_Average_Settings                           

ADC_Channel_Power_Parameters    

ADC_Channel_Power_Settings                            

ADC_Plot_Type                   

ADC_Test_Selection              

Automation_DLL_Version          

Connect_Board                   

DAC_Active_Channel              

DAC_Channel_Enable_Settings     

DAC_Data_Rate                   

DAC_Load_File                   

DAC_Option                      

DAC_Preamble                    

DAC_Send                        

DAC_Tone_Generation             

Disconnect_Board                

Download_Firmware               

FFT_Window                      

FFT_Window_Notching             

Generate_Software_Trigger       

Get_ADC_Device                  

Get_DAC_Device                  

Get_Error_Status  

Get_FFT_Data                    

HSDC_Ready 

LVDLLStatus                     

Pass_ADC_Output_Data_Rate       

Pass_Capture_Event              

Read_DDR_Memory        

Read_Registers               

Reset_Board                     

Save_FFT_As_PNG          

Save_Raw_Data_As_CSV            

Select_ADC_Channel              

Select_ADC_Device               

Select_DAC_Device               

Set_ADC_BIM                  

Set_ADC_Input_Target_Frequency  

Set_Number_of_Samples           

Single_Tone_Parameters         

Trigger_Option    

Write_Registers        

Marc,

Thanks for the detailed info.

The software team was able to replicate the error using 64b matlab. They will take a look at the other functions as well and see if we can come up with solution to fix all of them. There may be some issue with requiring the compiler runtime for when the thunk files were generated - we will get back with you on this.

Ken.

ok thanks very much for the update Ken. Hopefully, this can be resolved in the near future.

Thanks again.

Marc

Marc

Please place the attached m header fie in the same directory as the file that calls the the DLL (unzip it first).  The attached is the updated header file with the function included.

There were some other functions which are also not included in the 64b version and these will be added in future release.  For the time being, the attached file should work and allow you to call the save raw as binary function from 64b matlab.  Let me know if you get a chance to try this and if it works ok.  This has been tested on 64b matlab by our software team.

Ken.

HSDCProAutomationHeader.zip

Hi Ken

Yes, we were able to save binary data from the Matlab automation, so thank you very much for this.

This will save quite a bit of time (and file space) with our scripted ADC tests. 

Kind Regards

Marc

Marc,

That's good to hear.  We will include this and other 64b matlab fixes in one of the next releases of HSDC Pro.

Ken.