Traditional Serial Port VIs

[J.A.C]

Why has NI stopped traditional Serial Port VIs ?. I have some code for serial port written using traditional serial port VIs. But now i get an error message if i run those VI's on LabVIEW 7.1 ?. Any specific reason for NI's move ?.

Also how please tell me how easy is it to transform from traditional serial port VIs to VISA VI ?.

[Dennis_Knutson]

There were probably several reasons for dropping the tradition serial functions. Since VISA supports serial, gpib, pxi, usb, tcp/ip, etc., why spend time supporting a driver that's less flexible and does only one thing? I always thought that the old ones were confusing with Com1 being port 0, Com2 is port 1, etc. Maybe someone from NI will post with the "offical reasons". I do recall several threads on info-labview about this subject so you might want to do a search of their archives.

As far as conversion, in the majority of cases I've seen, the conversion was transparent. Loading an old program with the traditional functions will have VIs with the old names but with VISA calls internally. The old port numbers get converted to VISA Resource Names, etc. What is the error message that you're getting?

[Ray.R]

JAC,

I used to think like you when the serial ports were transferred to VISA.

It is very simple to convert to it. As a matter of fact, looking back, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.
🙂

I also found that when using VISA that the serial communication was more stable, especially when frequently opening & closing COMM port sessions. Maybe the fact that I gained experience had some influence over the improved code... 😉

However, I much prefer the new method. I'm sure you will, also.

JLV

😄

[J.A.C]

Thanks Dennis and Joe,

Dennis i get error code 37, which means that traditional VIs are not able to find the Device (Serial Port). Joe, i think VISA should be good. Just that i have not used much of it.

Well i hope to re-write my closed loop temperature control code using traditional VIs to that using VISA VIs.

[chilly_charly]

I switched to VISA serial one year ago. The only problem I got was converting some low level functions such as direct control of the DTR/DSR lines. Apart these painfull episodes, I'm now very pleased with the new functions/fuctionnalities.
I encourage you to do the move as soon as possible...

CC

Message Edited by chilly charly on 04-22-2005 08:41 AM

[vicky]

Hi,
The way out for this is you will have to replace these VI's with the new visa VI's,all you have to do is right click and say replace ,this will automatically solve your problem,if you yet have some problem,just post your code and we shall reply back with the latest visa vi program.
hope it helps
cheers
vicky