MCDAQ USB-1616HS-4: Python Driver Returns Incorrect Status Information

[ALR723]

InstaCal communicates successfully but not via python driver code.

e.g. daq.debug_led() returns error incapable of blinking led.

Appreciate any insight in troubleshooting the issue. Thank you.

[JRys]

Hello,

The USB-1616HS series device does not have a flash led function.

Best regards,

John

 

[ALR723]

Thank you John for your prompt reply.

To explain the issue we are facing further, the device randomly reports incorrect state such as that it is incapable of any analog-in gain ranges. A power cycle doesn't seem to reset the error either. Here is an example code that shows what is the expected (normal operation) output and output when board is in a bad state.

if __name__ == "__main__":
    serial_number = "Board USB-1616HS-4 SERIAL NUMBER"

    for i, descriptor in enumerate(ul.get_daq_device_inventory(InterfaceType.USB)):
            if serial_number == descriptor.unique_id:
                # Check that the board has been created
                board_num = i
                # Update the descriptor
                board_descriptor = descriptor

                board_info = DaqDeviceInfo(board_num)
                ai_info = board_info.get_ai_info()
                ao_info = board_info.get_ao_info()

                print(f"{board_info.supports_analog_input=}")
                print(f"{ai_info.supported_ranges=}")
                print(f"{ai_info.supported_scan_options=}")   

#Normal operation output:
    #board_info.supports_analog_input=True
    #ai_info.supported_ranges=[<ULRange.BIP10VOLTS: 1>, <ULRange.BIP5VOLTS: 0>, <ULRange.BIP2VOLTS: 14>, <ULRange.BIP1VOLTS: 4>, <ULRange.BIPPT5VOLTS: 6>, <ULRange.BIPPT2VOLTS: 13>, <ULRange.BIPPT1VOLTS: 7>]
    #ai_info.supported_scan_options=<ScanOptions.RES_BLOCK_IO|HIGHRESRATE|EXTTRIGGER|DMAIO|CONVERTDATA|EXTCLOCK|CONTINUOUS|BACKGROUND: 1075855439>

#Bad state output:
    #board_info.supports_analog_input=True
    #ai_info.supported_ranges=[]
    #ai_info.supported_scan_options=<ScanOptions.RES_BLOCK_IO|HIGHRESRATE|EXTTRIGGER|DMAIO|CONVERTDATA|EXTCLOCK|CONTINUOUS|BACKGROUND: 1075855439>

 

 

[JRys]

Hello,

Your serial number looks suspicious. It should be a six-digit number, like 324534.

I've run the following (mcculw) script many times and haven't seen it misfire. Please give it a try - see attachment.

Best regards,

John

from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function

import time

from builtins import *  # @UnusedWildImport
from time import sleep
from ctypes import cast, POINTER, c_double, c_ushort, c_ulong

from mcculw import ul
from mcculw.enums import ScanOptions, FunctionType, Status
from mcculw.ul import ULError, a_input_mode
from mcculw.enums import InterfaceType
from mcculw.device_info import DaqDeviceInfo
from mcculw.enums import ULRange
from mcculw.enums import AnalogInputMode

use_device_detection = True

def run_example():
    board_num = 0
    board_index = 0
    find_device = "USB-1616HS"
    if use_device_detection:
        board_num = -1
        ul.ignore_instacal()
        dev_list = ul.get_daq_device_inventory(InterfaceType.USB)
        if len(dev_list) > 0:
            for device in dev_list:
                if device.unique_id == "324534": # serial number
                 # if find_device in str(device):
                    print(f"Found {find_device} board number = {board_index}")
                    print(f"Serial number: {device.unique_id}")
                    print(f"Product type: {hex(device.product_id)}")
                    board_num = board_index
                    ul.create_daq_device(board_num, device)

                    device_info = DaqDeviceInfo(board_index)
                    a_info = device_info.get_ai_info()

                    print(f"Supports AIN {device_info.supports_analog_input}")
                    print(f"Supports AOUT {device_info.supports_analog_output}")
                    print(f"Supports DIO {device_info.supports_digital_io}")
                    print(f"Supports COUNTERS {device_info.supports_counters}")
                    print(f"Supports Temperature {device_info.supports_temp_input}")

                    print(f"Supported Ranges {a_info.supported_ranges=}")
                    print(f"Supported ScanOptions {a_info.supported_scan_options=}")
                board_index = board_index + 1
            if board_num == -1:
                print(f"Device {find_device} not found")
                return
        else:
            print("No devices detected")
            return
    # **********End of Discovery************

    rate = 1000
    points_per_channel = 1000
    low_chan = 0
    high_chan = 3
    num_chans = 4

    total_count = points_per_channel * num_chans
    half_count = int(total_count / 2)

    scan_options = ScanOptions.CONTINUOUS | ScanOptions.BACKGROUND

    memhandle = ul.win_buf_alloc(total_count)
    buf_data = cast(memhandle, POINTER(c_ushort))

    # Check if the buffer was successfully allocated
    if not memhandle:
        print("Failed to allocate memory.")
        return

    try:

        # Start the scan
        ul.a_in_scan(
            board_num, low_chan, high_chan, total_count,
            rate, ULRange.BIP10VOLTS, memhandle, scan_options)

        # Create a format string that aligns the data in columns
        # plus two for curr_index and curr_count
        row_format = "{:8}" * (num_chans + 2)

        # Print the channel name headers
        labels = []
        for ch_num in range(low_chan, high_chan + 1):
            labels.append("CH" + str(ch_num) + "\t")

        labels.append("index\t")
        labels.append("count")

        print(row_format.format(*labels))

        # boolean flag used to toggle reading upper and lower buffer
        read_lower = True
        # Start updating the displayed values
        status, curr_count, curr_index = ul.get_status(
            board_num, FunctionType.AIFUNCTION)

        while status != Status.IDLE and curr_count < 50000:
            # Make sure a data point is available for display.
            if curr_count > 0:
                # curr_index points to the start of the last completed
                # channel scan that was transferred between the board and
                # the data buffer. Display the latest value for each
                # channel.

                # display_data = []
                if (curr_index > half_count) and (read_lower == True):

                    ul.win_buf_to_array(memhandle, buf_data, 0, int(half_count))
                    # print one line to show it is running
                    print(
                        '{:d}\t {:d}\t {:d}\t {:d}\t {:d}\t {:d}'.format(buf_data[0],
                                                           buf_data[1],
                                                           buf_data[2],
                                                           buf_data[3],
                                                           curr_index, curr_count))
                    last = curr_count
                    read_lower = False
                elif (curr_index < half_count) and (read_lower == False):

                    ul.win_buf_to_array(memhandle, buf_data, int(half_count), int(half_count))
                    # print one line to show it is running
                    print(
                        '{:d}\t {:d}\t {:d}\t {:d}\t {:d}\t {:d}'.format(buf_data[0],
                                                                                buf_data[1],
                                                                                buf_data[2],
                                                                                buf_data[3],
                                                                                curr_index, curr_count))

                    read_lower = True
            sleep(0.1)
            status, curr_count, curr_index = ul.get_status(
                board_num, FunctionType.AIFUNCTION)

        # Stop the background operation (this is required even if the
        # scan completes successfully)
        ul.stop_background(board_num, FunctionType.AIFUNCTION)

        print("Scan completed successfully.")
    except ULError as e:
        util.print_ul_error(e)
    finally:
        # Free the buffer in a finally block to prevent errors from causing
        # a memory leak.
        ul.win_buf_free(memhandle)

        if use_device_detection:
            ul.release_daq_device(board_num)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    run_example()

a_in_scan_USB_1616HS.txt