create MDD file for Rigol DS 4000 series scope

I am using MATLAB 2015a and Instrument Control APP. I am trying to create a MDD file for my Rigol DS 4000 series scope. I have downloaded IVI and VISA drivers. But no success. I am particularly troubled that I can not run the simple MATLAB example makemid('hp34401'); without getting the error "The specified driver could not be loaded." What am I missing?

[Walter Roberson]

32 bit versus 64 bit ?

Possibly you are using a 64 bit version of MATLAB and the drivers are 32 bit?

[WIlliam Main]

Walter, Yes exactly. My Rigol IVI drivers are 32 bit and I am using 64 bit Matlab. What I really need assistance with is finding 64 bit Rigol drivers for my DS4000 and DS6000 scopes. I am concerned that they may not exist.

Answer 1

[Vinod]

I suspect you've not installed the hp34401 driver and you are trying to call MAKEMID on that driver. The error message, "The specified driver could not be loaded.", is pointing you in the right direction.

List the available IVI drivers (more specifically IVI-C drivers) on your machine by looking at the output of

>> Iviinfo = instrhwinfo('ivi')
>> Iviinfo.Modules

You can call MAKEMID on the modules listed in the output of the second command.

[WIlliam Main]

Your commands helped me to realize that MATLAB can only see my 64 bit drivers. When I installed Rigol scope drivers (rgds4k) on my system they landed on the x86 IVI drivers folder. Now I need to find 64 bit Rigol drivers if they exist.

[Vinod]

Technically you don't need IVI drivers to connect to your scope. You can use the SCPI commands from the scope's instrument manual and modify one of the many good examples .

[Donald Anthan]

According to Rigol, their IVI drivers were designed to work with LabVIEW.

Rigol has no plans to implement IVI drivers for MATLAB.

Unfortunately, SCPI commands are the only option...unless someone developes compatable IVI drivers.

While the SCPI commands do work, they are criptic and very OLD SCHOOL.