Much of the following text is derived from the NI-488.2 User Manual for Windows (see Additional Resources):
Error Condition: Error occurs while using DMA for data transfers.
Description: EDMA occurs if a system DMA error is encountered when the NI-488.2 driver attempts to transfer data over the GPIB using DMA.
Solutions:
Error Condition: Function not allowed while asynchronous I/O is in progress.
Description: EOIP occurs when an asynchronous I/O operation has not finished before some other GPIB call is made. You can only use the ibstop, ibnotify, ibwait, or ibonl function during asynchronous I/O operations. If any other GPIB call is attempted, EOIP is returned.
Possible Cause: Calling any non-supported GPIB function calls during asynchronous I/O.
Solution:
Error Condition: No capability for operation.
Description: ECAP results when your GPIB board lacks the ability to carry out an operation, or when a particular capability has been disabled in the software and a call is made that requires that capability.
Solution:
Error Condition: File system error.
Description: EFSO results when an ibrdf or ibwrtf call encounters a problem performing a file operation. Specifically, this error indicates that the function is unable to open, create, seek, write, or close the file being accessed. The specific operating system error code for this condition is contained in ibcntl.
Solutions:
Error Condition: Command byte transfer error.
Description: EBUS results when certain GPIB bus errors occur during device functions. All device functions send command bytes to perform addressing and other bus management operations. Devices are expected to accept these command bytes within the time limit specified by the default configuration or the ibtmo function. EBUS results if a timeout occurred while sending these command bytes.
Possible Cause: There are no GPIB devices attached to your GPIB controller. This can be because all of your instruments are turned off, one of your instruments is in error and is asserting a handshaking line, your GPIB cable is disconnected from your board, or your GPIB cable is broken.
Solutions:
Error Condition: Serial poll status byte(s) lost.
Description: ESTB is reported only by the ibrsp function. ESTB indicates that one or more serial poll status bytes received from automatic serial polls have been discarded due to lack of storage space. Several older status bytes are available; however, the oldest is being returned by the ibrsp call.
Possible Cause: Instrument is repeatedly asserting the SRQ line.
Solutions:
Error Condition: SRQ stuck in the ON position.
Description: ESRQ can only be returned by a device-level ibwait call, in which you have configured the ibwait function to return once the RSQ bit of the status word (ibsta) asserts. ESRQ indicates that a wait for RQS is not possible, because the GPIB SRQ line is stuck ON.
Possible Cause: This situation can be caused by the following events: a cabling problem may be causing the SRQ line to stay asserted; a device unknown to the software is asserting SRQ line - because the software does not know of this device, it can never serial poll the device to unassert the SRQ line; or a GPIB bus tester (or similar equipment) may be forcing the SRQ line to be asserted.
Solutions:
Error Condition: Table problem.
Description: ETAB occurs only during the FindLstn and FindRQS functions. ETAB indicates that there was some problem with a table used by these functions.
Possible Cause: In the case of FindLstn, ETAB means that the given table did not have enough room to hold all of the addresses of the Listeners found. In the case of FindRQS, ETAB means that none of the devices in the given table were requesting service.
Solutions:
This troubleshooting information is continued in GPIB Error Codes and Common Solutions (Part 1) and GPIB Error Codes and Common Solutions (Part 3).