Monday, March 22, 2010

HP16500C Logic Analyzer X-client connection

Once I had ftp up and running I decided to move the display from the analyzer to my PC. So, I needed a suitable X-windows server to run on my PC. I tried many, with little success. I finally settled on Xming (free version for sourceforge)... The first problem was that I got "Xlib: connection to ..... refused by server" errors on the 16500C... I figured it had something to do with authentication - and found that using Xlaunch I could check the box that says "No Access Control"... Now it would connect but the 16500C would crash with:

"SOFTWARE ERROR - Please record these numbers 0008 00001D5E 000C"

Requiring me to turn off the 16500C to reboot.

I did get a display on the PC, but the text was in the wrong place and missing...

Google (and the HP manual) told me I needed to install the special fonts provided on the 16500C (and ftp-able to my PC) to the X-server...

Of course the fonts provided have to be formatted properly for modern X-servers - something you can do on a Linux machine, or by installing Cygwin... (I went with Cygwin), once they are configured correctly (as lg165.pcf.gz and sm165.pcf.gz) you have to create a directory for them, and a fonts.dir file (something XmingNotes on fonts will tell you how to do...).

Save yourself this work and download the necessary files from:

http://cid-0038d26020c74e81.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/16500C?authkey=!UO0VD8g9Tw%24

Put them in a directory of your choice (I chose C:\fonts\16500C).

 
 You will also have to edit the file font-dirs in C:\Program Files\Xming to look something like:

# font-dirs

# comma-separated list of directories to add to the default font path

# defaults are built-ins, misc, TTF, Type1, 75dpi, 100dpi

# also allows entries on individual lines
C:\fonts\HP16500C

C:\Program Files\Xming\fonts\dejavu,C:\Program Files\Xming\fonts\cyrillic

C:\WINDOWS\Fonts


 Note that you have to run Notepad.exe (or your other favorite text editor) as Administrator to do this in Windows 7 (or Vista).

Now re-start Xming (remember to disable authentication), and see you 16500C screen on your PC!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Were you able to figure out what the equivalent of the front panel spinner knob is when using X11? There's quite a few functions that don't work well without it.

Unknown said...

Thanks, your lg165.pcf.gz, sm165.pcf.gz and fonts.dir files can be applied to Agilent 1670G Logic Analyzers

av500 said...

the front panel spinner is SHIFT + UP / DOWN on the keyboard