DAQ and Plot data from Photodiode

[teroenza]

I am trying to measure the photocurrent of a ThorLabs DET110 photodetector using LabVIEW. I have the detector connected to a NI BNC-2110 box via BNC cable and then to a basic PCI DAQ board. When I access the test panel in MAX (the card is listed under "Traditional NI-DAQ Legacy Devices"), I can select the appropriate channel, then wave my hand in front of the detector and watch the signal move appropriatley.

 

I have not had any sucess in getting a signal to show up in a VI though. I've tried using the DAQmx "DAQ Asst" object, measuring an analog input, current, but I then can see no signal, even inside the DAQmx dialog box (using "run"). I have it set to the same channel as before (in MAX), and have played with the axis range and sample rate to no avail. Anyone have ideas on what I am missing?

[P@Anand]

When you can see it in MAX, just check the same configuration which shows the data successfully. Then create a Task in MAX itself whith the similar configuration and then use that task in LabVIEW to perform the same thing what you did in MAX. Explore the LabVIEW examples for data acquisition, you may have to check continous data acquisition examples for your experiment. Once this is successfull you can then proceed with the low level configuration of Channels and acquisition in LabVIEW.

[Dennis_Knutson]

The DAQ assistant is for the DAQmx driver. You say you are using traditional DAQ for the device. What device is it? Saying basic PCI DAQ board is insufficient.

[teroenza]

Thank you both. I will give more detailed informaiton when I have access to the hardware on Monday.

[teroenza]

The DAQ card is a "PCI MIO 16E-1" card, which from the data sheet, also looks like it might be called the "NI 6070E"

[Dennis_Knutson]

From the readme, only the pxi version is supported with DAQmx. You would have to use the traditional daq driver and functions and not use it on a 64-bit os.

[teroenza]

Its interesting that MAX recognizes it then. I believe I am running a 32bit version of Windows XP. Is there a way to spesify the traditional driver? I'm new to LabView, and the DAW Assistant was the only means of interfacing with the device I could come up with.

[Dennis_Knutson]

You obviously have the old driver installed since that is how MAX is listing the device. You'll have to skip the assistant and learn how the traditional functions work. I haven't used it since LabVIEW 6.1 and I have no idea if there are any examples installed, sorry.

[WenR]

Hello teroenza

I don’t know which version of the DAQmx driver are you using, you can check for compatibility on the readme file for the corresponding version. I apologize if I misunderstood which device are you working with, but, in the case of the PCI MIO 16E-1, it looks like it should be compatible with DAQmx 14.0, as you can check on the next link

http://download.ni.com/support/softlib//multifunction_daq/nidaqmx/14.0/f1/readme.html

There might be confusion, since the NI 6070E is listed as only compatible on the PXI version, but under the name of NI PCI-MIO-16E-1 it appears as compatible with the driver. If someone thinks that I am making a mistake, please let me know, the information for this particular device on the readme file of the driver seems to be a little confusing for me. If MAX recognizes the device, I would go ahead and try the suggestions from P@Anand.  

Wen R

[teroenza]

I will try the above solutions, or find a work-around. Thank you.