NI-VISA not working on Mac OS X

[AugLight]

I have been using NI-VISA and Python/PyVISA on a Mac for instrument control. Now I've got a new Mac with latest os (10.11.6) and things are not working for me anymore. When I run my scripts I got this error message saying

VisaIOError: VI_ERROR_LIBRARY_NFOUND (-1073807202): A code library required by VISA could not be located or loaded.

I wonder if the GPIB/USB converter has the correct driver installed. In NI MAX I can see the device but vendor/model are shown as "unknown" which is suspecious. Is there a way to check if the driver is working properly?Also, first I installed my older version of NI-VISA (v15 or something) and since it didn't work, I installed the latest V16.0. I wonder if the new version over-write the old one or I have 2 versions co-exist. If anything I would like to uninstall all of them and re-install the new software, anyone knows how to uninstall NI software on a Mac?

[SSPTest]

Hello,

Please take a look at this thread:

Installing NI-VISA and NI-488.2 on Mac

http://forums.ni.com/t5/Instrument-Control-GPIB-Serial/Installing-NI-VISA-and-NI-488-2-on-Mac/td-p/3...

[AugLight]

Thank you for the link. It also suggested uninstall everything and re-install. Now I've found the uninstall.txt instruction.

NI-VISA 16.0.0 for Mac OS X

Required Component:
NI-VISA Runtime

Optional Components:
NI-VISA Development Support
NI-VISA Configuration
NI-VISA Server
NI MAX
NI I/O Trace

Support Packages:
NI-PAL
NI-RPC
NI System API
LabVIEW 2015 SP1 Runtime

To uninstall NI-VISA for Mac OS X, you must remove the following
files and folders from the system. To completely remove all National
Instruments software from the system, you can also remove the
support packages by following the instructions in the "Support
Packages" section below.

Required Component
------------------

***************
NI-VISA Runtime
***************

Before removing this component run 'launchctl remove nilxid' as root.

/Applications/National Instruments/NI-VISA
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/NI Spy/APIs/3
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/Errors/Chinese/VISA-errors.txt
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/Errors/English/VISA-errors.txt
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/Errors/French/VISA-errors.txt
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/Errors/German/VISA-errors.txt
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/Errors/Japanese/VISA-errors.txt
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/Errors/Korean/VISA-errors.txt
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/NI-VISA
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/Legal Information/NI-VISA com.ni.NI-VISA_Runtime.LibAppSupp
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/uixml/sysconfig/nivisa*
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/uixml/Launchable Apps/nivisa.testpanel.plist
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/nisysapi/nivisaExpert.ini
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/nipal/BootDrivers/NiViPciK.rc
/Library/Preferences/NIvisa
/Library/Frameworks/VISA.framework
/Library/LaunchDaemons/nilxid.plist
/Library/Extensions/NiViPciK.kext

Optional Components
-------------------

***************************
NI-VISA Development Support
***************************

/Applications/National Instruments/NI-VISA/Examples
/Applications/National Instruments/NI-VISA/Help
/Applications/National Instruments/NI-VISA/Driver Wizard.app
/Applications/National Instruments/NI-VISA/NIvisaic.app
/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/NI-VISA/LabVIEW
/Library/Preferences/NIvisa/.LabVIEW

*********************
NI-VISA Configuration
*********************

/Applications/National Instruments/NI-VISA/LvEnetconf.framework
/Applications/National Instruments/NI-VISA/LvIniconf.framework
/Applications/National Instruments/NI-VISA/NI-VISA Configuration.app

**************
NI-VISA Server
**************

/Applications/National Instruments/NI-VISA/NI-VISA Server.app

Receipt Components
-------------------

Run pkgutil --forget [pkg] on the following packages for parts that are being
removed.

***************
NI-VISA Runtime
***************
com.ni.pkg.nivisaruntime
com.ni.NI-VISA_Runtime.LibAppSupp.pkg
com.ni.NI-VISA_Runtime.LibExt.pkg
com.ni.NI-VISA_Runtime.LibPrefs.pkg
com.ni.NI-VISA_Runtime.App.pkg
com.ni.NI-VISA_Runtime.LibLaunchd.pkg

***************************
NI-VISA Development Support
***************************
com.ni.pkg.nivisadevelopment
com.ni.NI-VISA_DevSupp.LibPrefs.pkg
com.ni.NI-VISA_DevSupp.LibAppSupp.pkg

*********************
NI-VISA Configuration
*********************
com.ni.pkg.nivisaconfiguration

**************
NI-VISA Server
**************
com.ni.pkg.nivisaserver

******
NI MAX
******

For instructions on how to remove this product, see:

/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/nimax/Uninstall.txt

************
NI I/O Trace
************

For instructions on how to remove this product, see:

/Applications/National Instruments/NI IO Trace/Uninstall.txt

Support Packages
----------------

******
NI-PAL
******
Other hardware drivers on your system may require this component. Remove this
component at your own risk. For instructions on how to remove this product, see:

/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/nipal/Uninstall.txt

******
NI-RPC
******
Other applications on your system may require this component. Remove this
component at your own risk. For instructions on how to remove this product, see:

/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/nirpc/Uninstall.txt

*************
NI System API
*************
Other applications on your system may require this component. Remove this
component at your own risk. For instructions on how to remove this product, see:

/Library/Application Support/National Instruments/nisysapi/Uninstall.txt

************************
LabVIEW 2015 SP1 Runtime
************************
Other applications on your system may require this components. Remove this
component at your own risk. To remove this component, remove the following
framework bundle.

/Library/Frameworks/LabVIEW 15.0 Runtime.framework

To remove the installer receipt for this component run:
pkgutil --forget com.ni.LabVIEWRuntime150

So to uninstall I have to manually remove everything listed there? Probably should just provide an uninstaller...

[AugLight]

OK I uninstalled everything and re-installed NI-VISA V16.0, but I still have the same problem. How can I make sure the GPIB/USB converter driver is working properly? Is there a way to check it in NI-MAX or other NI software?

[jozeywhales]

It looks like your computer has not associated the appropriate driver for the USB/GPIB converter.  Which manufacturer/model are you using?

[AugLight]

It's the NI GPIB-USB-B. The screenshot of my post shows the seriel number is recognized.

[jozeywhales]

Hi,

It sounds like your driver might not be compatable with Mac OS X 10.11.6. 

Here is a document outlining the compatable drivers with Mac OS:

GPIB Driver Versions for non-Microsoft Operating Systems

http://www.ni.com/product-documentation/5458/en/#toc3