Abstract: A system and method for creating a program for controlling an instrument independent of the interface type of the instrument, in a graphical programming environment. The system comprises a computer system including a display screen and input device, an instrument coupled to the computer system, and a graphical programming environment for creating and executing programs to control the instrument. The programming environment comprises a session control, function nodes and attribute nodes, an object manager and block diagram and front panel editors used to create a virtual instrument. The method for controlling the instrument comprises displaying on the screen session icons, function nodes, and attributes nodes and wiring them together to create the virtual instrument. Virtual instruments, or graphical programs, may be created which are portable across different possible I/O interface types, such as GPIB, VXI, and asynchronous serial interfaces, for coupling the instrument to the computer system.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a program for controlling an instrument independent of the interface type of the instrument, in a graphical programming environment. The system comprises a computer system including a display screen and input device, an instrument coupled to the computer system, and a graphical programming environment for creating and executing programs to control the instrument. The programming environment comprises a VISA session control, VISA function nodes and VISA attribute nodes, an object manager and block diagram and front panel editors used to create a VISA virtual instrument. The method for controlling the instrument comprises displaying on the screen VISA session icons, VISA function nodes, and VISA attributes nodes and wiring them together to create the VISA virtual instrument.