dac.cpp

This is an example that shows how the RB8510 12-bit DAC may be used.

/*
 * dac.cpp - generate a staircase voltage.
 *
 * compile: bcc32 dac.cpp rulbus.lib
 */

#include <stdio.h>      // for printf() etc.
#include <stdlib.h>     // for strtol()
#include <windows.h>    // for Sleep()
#include "rulbus.h"     // rulbus interface

static int usage();     // print program usage, return EXIT_FAILURE
static int error();     // print error, return EXIT_FAILURE

/*
 * main - handle commandline arguments and generate staircase voltage on DAC.
 */

int main( int argc, char *argv[] )
{
   /*
    * handle commandline arguments:
    */

   if ( argc < 2 )
      return usage();

   /*
    * the name on the commandline must correspond to the name of a 12-bit 
    * DAC in the Rulbus device configuration file, typically rulbus.conf.
    */

   char *name = argv[1];

   /*
    * open the DAC:
    */

   int32 handle;
   if ( rb8510_dac12_open( &handle, name ) )
      return error();

   /*
    * generate 11 one volt steps, one per second:
    *
    * Note that the last step generates a RulbusRangeError, because the
    * voltage is outside [-10.235 .. +10.24 V].
    */

   for ( int i = 0; i <= 11; i++ )
   {
      fprintf( stdout, "[%d]", i );

      if ( rb8510_dac12_setVoltage( handle, i ) )
         return error();

      Sleep( 1000 );                    // delay one second
   }

   /*
    * close the DAC:
    */

   if ( rb8510_dac12_close( handle ) )
      return error();

   return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

/*
 * usage - print program usage.
 */

static int usage()
{
   fprintf( stdout, "Usage: dac device-name\n" );
   return EXIT_FAILURE;
}

/*
 * error - retrieve and print Rulbus error.
 */

static int error()
{
   const int len = 100; char msg[len];

   rdl_getLastError( msg, len );
   fprintf( stdout, "%s\n", msg );

   return EXIT_FAILURE;
}

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