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From: jamesv@hplsla.HP.COM (James Vasil)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Reading HP instrument disks on a PC
Message-ID: <13000013@hplsla.HP.COM>
Date: 3 Jun 91 00:01:49 GMT
References: <1991May21.090824.12630@lut.ac.uk>
Organization: HP Lake Stevens, WA
Lines: 36

>             Does any body know of any utilities, PD or commercial, that
> will allow this ? alternativly if someone knows the disk format, or a
> reference to it, we could have a go at writing such a routine ourselves.

The format of the disks you are talking about is called "LIF" which 
stands for "Logical Interchange Format."  HP sells two (that I know of)
different software utilities for a PC that will allow you read these
disks.

1) HP Part Number: E2080A -- This is the more general package.  I believe
   it has a user interface with pull down menus but I have never seen it
   running myself.  I believe the list price for this in the USA was 
   around $500, but please check with your local HP sales office to
   get more detailed information and a current price.

2) "Option 921--PC File Utilities" is available for a very few of HP's 
   products, most notably the HP 3563A (software also works with the 3562A).
   This software has many of the same capabilies as the E2080A software,
   but is command line oriented.  It also contains extra utilities to
   convert the file format of the 3562/3 into other formats such as
   PC MATLAB, MatrixX, or ASCII.  Last I checked, list was about $200
   and you could order it by itself (order an "HP 3563A, quantity 0;
   Option 921, quantity 1.").  If your data is coming from a HP
   Dynamic Signal Analyzer, I would suggest you order this package.

Hope this has been of some help.

Regards,
James

--
James A. Vasil                      Hewlett-Packard Co.
Applications Development Eng.       Lake Stevens Instrument Division
jamesv@lsid.hp.com                  Mail Stop 320
Tel: (206) 335-2605                 8600 Soper Hill Road
Fax: (206) 335-2828                 Everett, WA  98205-1298