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HP VEE 4.0 for Win 95/NT

HP E2120E
Technical Specifications

● Use on Windows 95/NT, HP-UX Series 700
● Produces dramatic reductions in test
development
● Provides a set of powerful objects to create
programs
● Simplifies communication with instruments
● Executes 150% faster using incremental
compiler technology
You Have Questions. We Have Answers.
HP VEE 4.0 will change the way you work, helping you
accomplish every programming task–from the most
common to the most complex–with speed, simplicity,
and precision. Everything goes faster with HP VEE 4.0,
which is why it’s the fastest growing visual
programming language in the world today.

HP VEE 4.0 is a visual programming language that

handles your day-to-day tasks in instrument control,
measurement processing, and test reporting. It also
simplifies the tasks you face during test development:
system integration, debugging, structured program
design, and documentation. In fact, every programming
task can be simplified and accelerated in the visual
world of HP VEE 4.0.

And HP VEE 4.0 is powerful. It automates instrument

configuration, accelerates the creation of operator
interfaces, streamlines test sequencing, and simplifies
application distribution. Its unique approach to visual
programming provides flexibility and functionality
without sacrificing simplicity.
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Why HP VEE?
● Complete Measurement Capabilities
HP VEE produces dramatic reductions in test
development time by allowing you to connect
functional icons, or objects. The resulting HP VEE
program, which resembles a block diagram, runs just
like any program written in a textual language, such as
C and HP BASIC. While the number of objects provided
in HP VEE is comprehensive, its real power lies in its
unique balance of ease-of-use, functionality, and
performance.
“I use HP VEE because it increases my productivity,
and I can leverage the cost of existing equipment—I
can do more with the equipment I already have. I use
HP VEE for everything under the sun.”
Karl Schmeer, Shire Industrial
“The primary benefit of HP VEE has been the savings in
time to market. We can now develop tests much
quicker than before. Much of the code we develop is
reusable. Programs are easier to understand and
modify. Test development is something we enjoy doing
rather than a tedious chore.”
Mike Hollis, Storage Technology Corporation
HP VEE Facts
● Among current users, the #1 reason cited for using
HP VEE is to save test development time.
● 80% of HP VEE users get on-the-job results in the
first two weeks.
● Two-thirds of HP VEE users incorporate non-HP
instrumentation into their test systems.
● 91% of current users recommend HP VEE to their
colleagues
Source: HP VEE Customer Survey, 1996
With HP VEE 4.0, you can control any instrument from
any vendor. Regardless of the measurement you need
to make, HP VEE 4.0 enables you to interface with the
instrument in the way that works for you.
Use any of over 450 HP VEE drivers included with
HP VEE 4.0, or any industry-standard VXIplug&play
driver, or control instruments directly—even those you
build yourself—with fast, efficient Direct I/O.
Robust Data Collection and Analysis
HP VEE 4.0 provides over 200 math and analysis
functions that range from elementary math to calculus,
digital signal processing, and regression analysis. When
a solution must be constructed from a long
mathematical equation, use HP VEE 4.0’s formula box
to simply type it in.
With 13 flexible and powerful data types, HP VEE 4.0
reduces development time. It automatically handles
converting between data types, building and unbuilding
text and binary numbers, and swapping bytes—all tasks
that textual-language programmers must explicitly code
into their programs.
HP VEE 4.0 easily shares data with commercial and
custom applications via a rich set of interprocess
communication tools, including file sharing, DDE and
named pipes, DLLs and shared libraries, TCP/IP, and
OCX and ActiveX.

Can HP VEE 4.0 handle everyday test tasks?

●

Controlling instruments. Taking measurements.

Acquiring and processing data. Displaying results.
Generating reports. That’s the fundamental power of
HP VEE 4.0, and no programming language–visual or
textual–does it better. HP VEE 4.0 gives you a broad
feature-set to handle the test tasks you face every day.
You’ll work not just faster but smarter, with distinct
bottom-line results including shorter development
cycles, lower engineering costs and, ultimately, faster
delivery of quality products.
HP VEE can use DDE to automatically send test data to a Microsoft Excel
spreadsheet.

HP VEE 4.0 supports GPIB instruments, VXIbus, and serial instruments as well as PC plug-in cards.
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“Some of the best features of HP VEE are the Direct I/O
and the advanced math features. We use a lot of DSP-
type testing techniques, therefore the ability to perform
FFTs, windowing functions, polygon smoothing, and
integration/differentiation are very important to us.”
Dennis Lewis, Canadian Microelectronics
Corporation
● Broad Feature Set
Flexible Information Reporting
Because engineering and scientific data are better
understood graphically, HP VEE 4.0 provides a wide
range of graphical displays. You can easily customize
these with markers, colors, line and point types, and
scales. And you can display data in text format with
alphanumeric and scrolling display objects.
HP VEE 4.0 brings data and test results to life with
indicators, meters, thermometers, tanks, and simple XY
plots and stripcharts. You can display complex data
including waveforms and spectra on polar plots, Smith
charts, and magnitude and phase plots.
You can send your data to other applications in a range
of data formats. And you can develop reports within
HP VEE 4.0 and print directly, or export data to a
destination file for printing.
A variety of graphical displays allows you to capture and analyze test
results.
Is HP VEE 4.0 easy to use?
●
The difference between HP VEE and other
programming languages is easy to see. HP VEE 4.0
provides a set of powerful objects that you connect to
create a program, as opposed to having icons for every
single programming function.
In addition, HP VEE 4.0 is a leading-edge software
application. It leverages the rapidly developing software
technology that characterizes today’s world, resulting in
a tool that automates inherently complex tasks—such
as controlling instruments, creating operator interfaces,
sequencing tests, and distributing programs—and
simplifies and streamlines the entire programming
effort.
Streamlined Instrument Control
Designed for test, measurement, and data acquisition,
HP VEE 4.0 simplifies communication with instruments
and other devices.
HP VEE 4.0’s Instrument Manager scans the bus for
devices and automatically handles the interfacing
details, so you no longer need to build address strings,
load drivers, and manage I/O session handles. HP VEE
4.0 provides easy point-and-click driver control for both
HP VEE drivers and VXIplug&play drivers. And when
you don’t have or want to use a driver, HP VEE 4.0’s
Direct I/O enables you to communicate directly with
instruments via instrument command strings.
The Instrument Manager automatically configures instrument addressing.
Fast Creation of Operator Interfaces
With HP VEE 4.0, you can create operator interfaces,
including soft front panels for instruments, in a fraction
of the time it takes using a textual programming
language.
Choose from a wide variety of user interface objects.
Use toggles, sliders, drop-down lists, and buttons for
control, dialog boxes, pop-up boxes for user input, and
indicators to visually represent data.
You can assign specific tasks to softkeys and control
keys for mouseless operation—useful on
manufacturing production lines or where space is
limited. And you can secure runtime versions of test
programs by locking user interfaces.
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With a wide variety of user interface objects, you can quickly create
effective operator interfaces and soft front panels.
Easy To Use
●
“I’m really pleased with the design and performance of
HP VEE. It’s useful for rapidly developing sophisticated
test software, and is so easy to learn.”
Tom Springer, Symmetrix, Inc.
Easy Test Sequencing
Linking tests in a logical sequence has never been
easier, faster or more productive. You can build
complex testplans quickly using HP VEE 4.0’s
Sequencer, which provides extensive branching and
iteration capabilities.
Call test procedures written in HP VEE 4.0, C/C++, or
other languages. Set flexible pass/fail criteria based on
ranges, limits, tolerance, and percent tolerance. Test
results are automatically logged as data records using
an easily configurable interface that allows customized
reports.
Unlimited Runtime
HP VEE 4.0 allows you to freely distribute your
completed programs. You can save secured runtime
versions of programs for distribution inside or outside
of your company. And you can distribute programs in
any volume. There are no hidden costs, and no limits on
the number of runtime versions you ship.
The Sequencer provides an easy-to-use framework for creating a testplan
in HP VEE.
● Can I use HP VEE 4.0 to develop complex
applications?
HP VEE 4.0 provides a full-featured, professional
development environment designed to handle large,
complex test systems. HP VEE 4.0 includes the tools
you need to keep the most sophisticated software
under control. With HP VEE 4.0, you get the power to
be productive immediately, and the depth to handle
mission-critical tasks.
Professional Development Environment
HP VEE 4.0’s Professional Development Environment
provides a look-and-feel common in today’s popular
operating systems and development environments,
making it instantly familiar.
Use the Program Explorer to quickly understand and
navigate through complex programs. Use document
windows to easily edit HP VEE 4.0 functions. Search for
objects by name, text, type, description, color, location
and other property values.
The Program Explorer helps you navigate through complex programs, both
during debug and after the test program is up and running.
Flexible Integration with Other Languages
HP VEE 4.0 can be easily integrated into complex
systems comprised of multiple applications. Using
HP VEE 4.0’s ActiveX tools, you can merge HP VEE
functionality into other commercial applications, or
into test system programs written in standard text-
based languages.
An ActiveX control encapsulates HP VEE 4.0 user
functions for integration into OLE-compliant
applications such as Microsoft Excel and Visual Basic.
The ActiveX feature makes integrating remote
instrument control, test, and measurement capabilities
of HP VEE into applications as easy as “drag and drop”.
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Flexibility & Power

● Powerful Compiler
“HP VEE is the best way to control IEEE-488 gear on a
PC. I love Direct I/O, and the way HP VEE handles
graphics, GUI’s, and TO/FROM file transactions. Data
sets are awesome.”
Jeff Davis, Test Facility - Software Development
Lab, Motorola
For programmers using C, HP VEE 4.0 provides a
simple library that offers the same capability as the
ActiveX control. With this library, you can integrate
HP VEE functionality into C programs without needing
to learn OLE.
Powerful Debugging Capabilities
HP VEE 4.0 provides tools to help you optimize
programs in a minimum amount of time. You can find
design flaws quickly with built-in error handling.
HP VEE 4.0 allows you to view execution and data
flow. You can troubleshoot errors with call stacks that
show the sequence of executed functions, and you can
set breakpoints and step-through your program at any
point.
Source Documentation
You can print out and archive the design and structure
of your HP VEE 4.0 programs, and you can save
program revisions using industry-standard revision
control packages. Save program documentation at the
click of a button.
HP VEE 4.0 provides fast execution using incremental
compiler technology. Programs developed using earlier
versions of HP VEE can be compiled and run in
HP VEE 4.0.
HP VEE 4.0’s compiler substantially improves
performance while maintaining all the advantages of an
interpreter. During test program development, HP VEE
4.0 does an initial compilation and then only recompiles
edited functions. After an HP VEE 4.0 program is
developed, compilation occurs only once upon first
execution.
Typical test programs, where speed is constrained by
I/O performance and instrumentation characteristics,
execute 150% to 400% faster in HP VEE 4.0 than
applications lacking a compiler. Within an HP VEE 4.0
program, you can also have multiple threads executing
and time-slicing among individual HP VEE objects to
support concurrent testing for higher throughput.
Convenient Profiler
HP VEE 4.0 also provides a Profiler that can quickly
generate easy-to-understand profiles of program
execution to help you optimize code efficiently. You
can also log Profiler results to a file for later analysis.

Debug and optimize large test programs using the Call Stack, the Program
Explorer, and the Line Probe.
Functional Test Benchmarks
Is HP VEE fast?
● (Using Direct I/O to perform identical mask test)

HP VEE 4.0 ensures the fastest possible execution of

complete test programs. Your instruments will never
wait while your HP VEE 4.0 programs perform
measurement processing, limit testing, testplan parsing,
or computations.
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Functional Test Benchmarks
(Using VXIplug&play driver to perform identical mask test)
In compile mode, HP VEE 4.0 programs execute as
fast as C/C++ and LabVIEW programs.
Source: Internal Hewlett-Packard benchmark tests
using a Pentium 90 MHz PC via HP-IB to VXI HP E1440,
HP E1472, and HP E1428. Each system was optimized.
Fast Development — Fast Execution
● for our test software applications. You’ll see the results
“The new HP VEE 4.0 Compiler makes my data analysis
programs go lightning fast. And HP VEE 4.0’s Program
Explorer makes it easy to navigate through the large
programs that I develop for my clients.”
Clint Snyder, System Software Consultant to
Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Railway Co.
Rapidly optimize program propagation speed with HP VEE’s Profiler tool.
● Does HP VEE 4.0 have a proven track record?
HP VEE provides fast test execution and lowers your cost of test
With HP VEE 4.0, you’ll get a tool that not only
continues to grow but leads the industry with ground-
breaking functionality. At Hewlett-Packard, we use
HP VEE to manufacture HP LaserJet printers, medical
equipment, high-speed chipsets, desktop scanners and
PCs. HP manufacturing sites are an extensive testbed
in HP VEE 4.0.
Changing the Look of Test Worldwide
In every corner of the globe and in virtually every
category of product test, HP VEE is changing the way
engineers work. From simulating and measuring
satellite test signals to monitoring a nuclear power
plant...from testing jet engine components to life-testing
consumer appliances...HP VEE is becoming the
preferred software productivity tool when companies
need to develop better tests faster.
Worldwide Service and Support
With HP VEE 4.0, you have access to the worldwide
resources of Hewlett-Packard including start-up
support, telephone support, service subscriptions,
training classes, seminars, and constantly updated
information on the World Wide Web. With HP’s
hallmark service and support after the sale, you can
keep your test programs up and running around the
world and around the clock.
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Completing the Solution ● Proven Track Record

Through alliances with leading PC-based instrument “Without question, software development time was cut
suppliers, HP provides total solutions for test, to a tenth [using HP VEE]. Software execution can be
measurement, and data acquisition. easily tracked for easy debug.”
The following companies distribute HP VEE: Jeffrey Hibler, Exabyte Corporation
Amplicon Liveline Ltd.
United Kingdom and Ireland Worldwide Partnerships
Phone: +44 1273 570220 Through contracts with leading instrument suppliers,
http://www.amplicon.co.uk HP provides total solutions for test, measurement and
Computer Boards, Inc. data acquisition. Many companies offer hardware/
Mansfield, Massachusetts software solutions based on HP VEE 4.0.
Phone (508) 261-1123
http://www.ComputerBoards.com Satellite Test
Cyber Research, Inc. Symmetrix, Inc., an HP Channel Partner, developed
New Haven, Connecticut control and alarm monitoring software that provides
Phone (203) 483-8815 stimulus and measurement of satellite signals.
http://www.cyberresearch.com Symmetrix chose to develop the software using
Data Translation HP VEE. The control software provides direct control
Marlborough, Massachusetts of all functions and instruments in the station via
Phone: (508) 481-3700 ergonomically-designed operator screens. These were
http://www.datx.com designed for operators who need to control all key
Meilhaus Electronic, GmbH instrument functions without knowledge of how the
Puchheim, Germany instruments operate.
Phone: ++089/89 01 660
http://ww.meilhaus.de The alarm monitoring software provides continuous
control of the station amplifiers to assure these operate
in the desired mode. It also provides automatic
protection from conditions such as over current, over
temperature, and illegal operator settings. This was
implemented with a custom VXI driver that
simultaneously controls multiple VXI modules, causing
these to act as an overall “virtual” instrument with
predictable response to any error conditions.

Data Acquisition
The HP VEE program below controls a data acquisition
system that measures vibration, displacement, and
temperature to ensure that a railway provides optimum
ride quality for the transportation of a wide variety of
products. Another HP VEE program for this system
analyzes the gigabytes of data collected, and helps
railway personnel quickly pinpoint problems and
generate reports for their customers.
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Free Start-Up Support ● Order the HP VEE Update Subscription Service to

Hewlett-Packard’s world class support starts when you get free software updates, software revisions,
register your new HP VEE. At that time you’ll receive, workarounds, new instrument driver releases, and
at no charge, access to: application notes shipped directly to you.
-HP VEE WEB site/BBS ● Use HP’s long-term Technical Assistance contracts
-HP VEE Internet Users Group available on all platforms to get guaranteed two-hour
-HP VEE Monthly Newsletter worldwide response to puzzling questions.
-HP’s 24 hour faxback service ● Use HP’s Consulting Contracts to connect with
expert HP troubleshooters who know test and
measurement inside-out.

HP Training
● Learn quickly at your own pace with on-line
documentation, HP VEE manuals, or the Prentice-
Hall books. All provide practical examples to get you
up-and-running quickly.
● Get classroom instruction from an HP VEE expert
● You can contact HP by phone, fax or the Internet to either at your site, at our factory, or at an HP
get high-quality service. customer training center. To register, contact your
● Enjoy a complimentary start-up phone support Hewlett-Packard Sales Representative or call 1-800-
contract with your purchase of HP VEE for HP CLASS in the U.S. to learn more.
Windows.
● Scan the Internet and bulletin boards for up-to-the-
minute information on HP VEE, including current
driver lists and application notes.
● Talk to other HP VEE customers over e-mail to share
application ideas.

Other HP Support and Services

In addition to free installation and start-up support, HP
also offers a complete range of support services to give
you access to the latest and most complete worldwide
technical support available. Call an HP sales
representative at one of the numbers listed on the back
cover for more information:

HP offers expert worldwide training for HP VEE at our site or yours.

Find Out More

See how other customers have implemented
HP VEE.
Call the nearest HP sales office and ask for a free
brochure of case studies, HP VEE Visual Engineering
Environment (Pub. No. 5962-9239E).
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●What’s Next?
Ordering Information
There’s only one way to fully appreciate the power and Description HP Model Number
elegance of HP VEE 4.0. You need to get your hands on HP VEE 4.0 for Windows 95/NT (on CD) HP E2120E
it. Here’s how. HP VEE for Windows, English, S/W Update, HP E2120E ABAUAF
Doc & License
Two Response Center Callers HP E2120E H00
Web Page HP VEE 4.0 for HP-UX Series 700 HP E2111E
The HP VEE 4.0 web page (http://www.hp.com/go/ HP VEE for HP-UX, English, S/W Update, Doc & HP E2111E ABAUAF
License
hpvee) is packed with details on HP VEE 4.0. Log-on to Two Response Center Callers HP E2111E H00
download instrument drivers, application notes, white HP VEE 4.0 Site License HP E2117E
HP VEE for Site, English, S/W Update, Doc & HP E2117E ABAUAM
papers, example programs, technical tips and other License
helpful resources. You can even download a complete Two Response Center Callers HP E2117E H00
Channel Partner WIN 95/NT HP E2121E
evaluation copy of HP VEE 4.0. Universities HP E2122E
PC Win 95/NT Automation Kit HP 82345E
Evaluation Kit (HP VEE 4.0 and HP 82341 HP-IB Card)

The HP VEE 4.0 Evaluation Kit includes a full working
copy of HP VEE 4.0. This free kit on CD-ROM includes
documentation and practical examples to get you up
and running quickly.
Requirements for HP VEE 4.0 for Windows 95/NT
● 486/66 with coprocessor, 586 (Pentium)/90 or higher
recommended
● Serial port or any card that supports Microsoft
Windows 95/NT (see table below)
● Memory for Windows 95: 16 MB RAM required, 24
MB recommended
● Memory for Windows NT: 24 MB RAM required, 32
MB recommended
● 20 MB minimum hard disk space for HP VEE 4.0
● 640x480 VGA display required, 1024 x 786 SVGA
display or better recommended
● Microsoft Windows 95/NT (3.5 or higher)
● CD-ROM drive or 3.5 inch high-density floppy drive

HP VEE 4.0 for Windows supports many GPIB cards,

including the following:
HP VEE Evaluation Kit on CD-ROM Card Windows 95 Windows NT
HP 82335 Yes No
HP 82341C Yes Yes
“The use of HP VEE has dramatically improved data HP 82341D Yes No
quality and has reduced the number of data points that NI AT-GPIB Yes Yes
NI AT-GPIB/TNT Yes Yes*
need to be repeated. Improvement in data quality has NI AT-GPIB/TNT+ Yes Yes
the potential to eliminate a component re-design NI PCI-GPIB Yes Yes
costing millions of dollars.” NI PCMCIA-GPIB Yes Yes
NI PCMCIA-GPIB+ Yes No*
Steve Mackin, Allied Signal, Inc. CB-GPIB/F Yes No
CB-GPIB/LC Yes No
● Easy To Order PCI-GPIB Yes No
PCM-GPIB Yes No
*If National Instruments supports their GPIB32.DLL driver on
Win NT for a particular card listed above, HP VEE will support
that card on Win NT.
Windows 95 and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Mi-
crosoft Corporation.
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● For More Information
Computer Boards offers a complete line of 12-bit and
16-bit PC data acquisition products. The 16-bit products
include replacements for all standard 12-bit boards,
including PCI and PCMCIA boards, high channel count
analog input boards, and 1 MHz 16-bit ISA and PCI
boards. Computer Boards Universal Library provides
drivers for HP VEE.
Mansfield, Massachusetts
Phone: (508) 261-1123
http://www.ComputerBoards.com
¤
Data Translation offers the DT VPI, visual programming
interface, which connects HP VEE to the DT-Open
Layers standard API. This provides HP VEE support for
virtually all Data Translation data acquisition boards.
This includes the high performance PCI-EZ Series for
PCI-based data acquisition, the PC Card-EZ Series for
portable PCMCIA applications and a broad line of PC/
AT data acquisition boards. The PCI-EZ Series range
from 16 to 64 analog inputs at 330KSa/s and 12-bit
resolution to 16 analog inputs at 100 to 200KSa/s at 16-
bit resolution. The PCI-EZ boards also include 2 analog
outputs, 8 digital I/O and 1 counter/timer to complete
the application. Support is available for both Windows
95 and Windows NT.
Marlborough, Massachusetts
Phone: (508) 481-3700
http://www.datx.com
Meilhaus Electronic data acquisition products cover a
range of hardware and software products for standard
applications as well as for highly sophisticated test,
measurement and control systems, based on a PC
platform. Products include data acquisition cards for
PCI and PCMCIA bus, IEEE488 cards, HP-IB/LAN
gateway, sensor modules, intelligent sensor interfaces,
and system integration services.
Puchheim, Germany
Phone: ++089 / 89 01 660
http:www.meilhaus.de
For more information on Hewlett-Packard Test &
Measurement products, applications or services please
call your local Hewlett-Packard sales offices. A current
listing is available via Web through Access HP at http://
www.hp.com. If you do not have access to the internet
please contact one of the HP centers listed on the back
cover and they will direct you to your nearest HP
representative.
Source: HP VEE Customer Survey, 1996
Data Subject to Change
Copyright © January 1998
Hewlett-Packard Co.
HP Publication No.: 5965-8827E