Re: [Hamlib-developer] VISA for RS232, USB and the like

[Patrick O. <pa...@fl...>]

On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 07:32:36PM +0100, Jonas Stein wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> many meters have a RS232, USB or similar port. 
> Some people develloped a abstraction layer called visa [1]
> 
> I think it could be interesting to include the ham stuff there too.
> The user could use VISA to change the channel on the radio and to
> ask the amperemeter about the current.
> 
> I am not familiar with the hamlib code, but thought the idea could 
> be useful for future releases.
> 

>From the wiki and looking at the ivi foundation web site it is apparent
that the VISA library is Windows centric/exclusive and specifically
tailored to test and measurement equipment.

There is a note that instruments communicating on a GPIB or VXIbus
should use the IVI drivers, while devices communicating on other
busses could use other drivers.

The current VISA specification only recognizes 8 instrument classes.  I'm not
sure what class we put a transceiver in (RF signal generator, power meter,
spectrum analyzer).  

The hamlib project seeks to provide control for amateur radio transceivers
and does provide a means to provide a "generic" least common feature set
to the world (through the rpc.rigd for instance).  There is no reason someone
who wanted to could not create a driver to go from hamlib to VISA.  Including
VISA in hamlib or hamlib in VISA seems to be counter to both project's purpose.

Pat
-- 

Patrick Ouellette                 pa...@fl...
ne4po (at) arrl (dot) net         Amateur Radio: NE4PO 

What kind of change have you been in the world today?