Re: Problem with Ines PCI gpib board on AlmaLinux 9 (RHEL 9 clone)

Hi Dave,

The output of lspci:

$ sudo lspci -vnn -d 16da:
02:02.0 Communication controller [0780]: Advantech Co., Ltd. INES GPIB-PCI [16da:0011]
Subsystem: Advantech Co., Ltd. INES GPIB-PCI [16da:0011]
Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 10
Memory at f7d00000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=16K]
I/O ports at e000 [disabled] [size=32]
Kernel driver in use: ines_gpib
Kernel modules: ines_gpib

I have tried also
boardtype = "ines_pci_accel"
and
boardtype = "ines_pci"
in /etc/gpib.conf.
I tried to communicate with my Keithley voltmeter at address 16, with "ibterm -d 16".
In both cases I get no reply to an "*IDN?" query, although no error is reported.

Only with "ines_pci_unaccel" the instrument's reply is obtained.

Best regards
George

On Sun, 2026-01-11 at 13:36 +0100, dave penkler wrote:
Hi George,
It looks like the driver does not read the bus control line monitor register correctly for your board.
Can you please provide me with the oiutput of:
sudo lspci -vnn  -d 16da:
so that I can identify the exact hardware you  are using.
Also have you tried the accelerated interface ?

On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 at 20:57, George Apostolopoulos <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
Update:

After adding return_to_local: ines_return_to_local in ines_init.c and rebuilding the 4.3.6 kernel modules the device started talking!!


$ ibterm -d 16

Attempting to open /dev/gpib0

pad = 16, sad = 0, timeout = 10, send_eoi = 1, eos_mode = 0x0000

ibterm>*IDN?

KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS INC.,MODEL 2000,1187798,A20  /A02

I did also the commands with ibtest. The results are different:


$ ibtest

Do you wish to open a (d)evice or an interface (b)oard?

        (you probably want to open a device): b

enter name of interface board (or device) you wish to open: ines

trying to open board named 'ines'


: g

ATN released.

gpib status is:

ibsta = 0x1164  < SRQI CMPL REM CIC LACS >

iberr= 0


ibcntl = 0


: l

DAV off

NDAC off

NRFD off

IFC on

REN on

SRQ on

ATN on

EOI off

gpib status is:

ibsta = 0x1164  < SRQI CMPL REM CIC LACS >

iberr= 0


ibcntl = 0


: k

Enter '1' to assert ATN synchronously, or '0' for asynchronously [1]: 1

Taking control synchronously...

ATN asserted.

gpib status is:

ibsta = 0x1174  < SRQI CMPL REM CIC ATN LACS >

iberr= 0


ibcntl = 0


: l

DAV off

NDAC off

NRFD off

IFC on

REN on

SRQ on

ATN on

EOI off

gpib status is:

ibsta = 0x1174  < SRQI CMPL REM CIC ATN LACS >

iberr= 0


ibcntl = 0



On Sat, 2026-01-10 at 18:26 +0000, George Apostolopoulos via Linux-gpib-general wrote:
Hi Dave,

Thank you very much for your help and generally for the linux-gpib project.

My gpib.conf file is


$ cat /etc/gpib.conf

interface {

        minor = 0       /* board index, minor = 0 uses /dev/gpib0, minor = 1 uses /dev/gpib1, etc. */

        board_type = "ines_pci_unaccel" /* type of interface board being used */

        name = "ines"

        pad = 0 /* primary address of interface             */

        sad = 0 /* secondary address of interface           */

        timeout = T3s   /* timeout for commands */

        eos = 0x0a      /* EOS Byte, 0xa is newline and 0xd is carriage return */

        set-reos = yes  /* Terminate read if EOS */

        set-bin = no    /* Compare EOS 8-bit */

        set-xeos = no   /* Assert EOI whenever EOS byte is sent */

        set-eot = yes   /* Assert EOI with last byte on writes */

master = yes    /* interface board is system controller */

}

I run ibtest with the commands you requested and the output was:


: g

ATN released.

gpib status is:

ibsta = 0x1120  < SRQI CMPL CIC >

iberr= 0


ibcntl = 0


: l

DAV off

NDAC off

NRFD off

IFC on

REN on

SRQ on

ATN on

EOI off

gpib status is:

ibsta = 0x1120  < SRQI CMPL CIC >

iberr= 0


ibcntl = 0


: k

Enter '1' to assert ATN synchronously, or '0' for asynchronously [1]: 1

Taking control synchronously...

ATN asserted.

gpib status is:

ibsta = 0x1130  < SRQI CMPL CIC ATN >

iberr= 0


ibcntl = 0



: l

DAV off

NDAC off

NRFD off

IFC on

REN on

SRQ on

ATN on

EOI off

gpib status is:

ibsta = 0x1130  < SRQI CMPL CIC ATN >

iberr= 0


ibcntl = 0


I will recompile 4.3.6 with your suggestions and send here the results.

Best regards
George


On Sat, 2026-01-10 at 13:11 +0100, dave penkler wrote:
Hi Dr Apostolopoulos,
For the SSL problem you may try the answer provided here<https://superuser.com/questions/1214116/no-openssl-sign-file-signing-key-pem-leads-to-error-while-loading-kernel-modules/1322832#1322832> for signing kernel modules.
For the fifo failed message, I am not sure, please send your gpib_config file.
For the ENOL error, in the meantime you might try and rebuild after adding the line
 skip_check_for_command_acceptors : 1
after
 return_to_local: ines_return_to_local,
in the 4.3.6 file drivers/gpib/ines/ines_init.c
at lines 256,285 and 314

To understand what is going on can you please run ibtest with your device attached and powered on.
Open the board and provide me with the output for the following commands.
g (g)o to standby
l get bus (l)ine status
k ta(k)e control
l get bus (l)ine status
Thanks,
-Dave

On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 at 19:03, George Apostolopoulos via Linux-gpib-general <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]><mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>><mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]><mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>>> wrote:
Hello,

I am trying to install linux-gpib on AlmaLinux 9 to operate an Ines PCI
GPIB board.

I have tried both linux-gpib-4.3.6 and linux-gpib-4.3.7.

In both versions, during "make install" of the kernel part, I get a lot
of messages:

   At main.c:167:
   - SSL error:FFFFFFFF80000002:system library::No such file or
   directory: crypto/bio/bss_file.c:67
   - SSL error:10000080:BIO routines::no such file:
   crypto/bio/bss_file.c:75
   sign-file: certs/signing_key.pem: No such file or directory

However, the modules are installed.

After make/make install of the user part, the board seems to be
recognized in the system.
E.g. the following is obtained for 4.3.6 with dmesg:

   $ dmesg | grep gpib
   [    5.904112] gpib_common: loading out-of-tree module taints kernel.
   [    5.904118] gpib_common: module verification failed: signature and/or required key missing - tainting kernel
   [    5.939516] gpib: registered ines_pci interface
   [    5.939522] gpib: registered ines_pci_unaccel interface
   [    5.939523] gpib: registered ines_pci_accel interface
   [    5.939524] gpib: registered ines_isa interface


After

   $ sudo gpib_config --minor 0

the following messages are seen with dmesg:

   [  128.442229] ines_gpib 0000:02:02.0: enabling device (0000 ->0003)
   [  128.442361] ines gpib: fifo error

With an instrument attached at gpib address 16 I get the following with
ibterm:

   $ ibterm -d 16
   Attempting to open /dev/gpib0
   pad = 16, sad = 0, timeout = 10, send_eoi = 1, eos_mode = 0x0000
   ibterm>*IDN?
   ibterm error: Unable to write to device at pad 16

    - ENOL 2: No listeners

The system was operational up to now with CentOS 7 and linux-gpib-
4.3.0.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards
George Apostolopoulos



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