Device-Level NI-488.2 Calls and Bus Management

The device-level traditional NI-488.2 calls are designed to perform all of the GPIB management for your application. However, the NI-488.2 driver can handle bus management only when the GPIB interface is CIC (Controller-In-Charge). Only the CIC is able to send command bytes to the devices on the bus to perform device addressing or other bus management activities.

If your GPIB interface is configured as the System Controller (default), it automatically makes itself the CIC by asserting the IFC line the first time you make a device-level call.