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JB

New option for number of samples per channel

Status: New

Screenshot from the help for number of samples per channel for a Read task :

 


Extract of help.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Please add an option for a continuous sample task to read all currently available samples (-1) but with a wait for a minimum number of samples (#min). Behavior of this configuration :

  • #available samples >= #min : read all available samples
  • #available samples < #min : wait until #min samples are available or until timeout

 

This would be very useful in several cases. For example :

  • No extra coding to handle or avoid the error that appears if 0 sample is available.
  • Avoid the use of a wait function in the loop to ensure a minimum number of samples are available.
4 Comments
Seth_B.
Active Participant

Functionality pretty similar to what you are describing is can be implemented pretty easily using the NI-DAQmx Read property "Available Samples per Channel"

 

Read All Samples if Above 1000.png

 

Aside from the small increase in code, is there a reason this option won't work in your application?

Seth B.
Principal Test Engineer | National Instruments
Certified LabVIEW Architect
Certified TestStand Architect
JB
Trusted Enthusiast
Trusted Enthusiast

Thank you for your snippet !

 

Indeed this will work and I will use it. But some comments :

  •  this solution uses (much) more space on the diagram (as you mentionned)
  •  it needs additional code to implement a possible timeout
  •  in most cases, it is necessary to put a delay in the False case to avoid a too high CPU usage
  •  it is not obvious for beginners

 

Therefore I think it would be useful to implement all these functions in the DAQmx Read VI.

Kevin_Price
Proven Zealot

Here's the workaround I'd probably use.  You don't have to use CPU polling for # available samples,

and you end up with all available data when buffer holds > min #.

 

read avail with min.png

 

-Kevin P

CAUTION! New LabVIEW adopters -- it's too late for me, but you *can* save yourself. The new subscription policy for LabVIEW puts NI's hand in your wallet for the rest of your working life. Are you sure you're *that* dedicated to LabVIEW? (Summary of my reasons in this post, part of a voluminous thread of mostly complaints starting here).
John_P1
Trusted Enthusiast

Depending on the context of the application, you might also consider an event-driven approach:

 

2011-04-12_103308.png

 

However... now that I think about it, the event fires every time N samples are acquired into the buffer so it doesn't quite give you the behavior you desire of obtaining a minimum amount of samples if you are doing multiple iterations.

John Passiak