LabVIEW

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

How to manage different instrument models with one driver?

Hi,

I have a driver already developed for an instrument and want to incorporate another model into it. These instruments have the nearly the same instruction set except one is a subset of the other. I would like to know the standard way or the NI way of combining these drivers. Is there a way of storing global data? I'm using LabView 6.0.

Thanks in advance.
0 Kudos
Message 1 of 7
(2,729 Views)
There are various techniques used when creating a driver that supports multiple models or models with different installed options, where there are slight functional differences between the models and options.


If there are VIs that only pertain to a specific model or option, then modify the VI prefix to associate that VI with the particular model/option. For example, a function general family driver might use "ag33xxx" as the general prefix, but VIs that only operate on the ag33250 might use the prefix "ag33250".


It sounds as if you need to remember this model/option to modify functionality within a common VI. For example, the commands might differ between two different models. To handle this situation, you store model information in the User Data V
ISA property. At initialization time, you can detect which model you are connected with and either store the model number directly or some ID to represent the model.


Both these techniques are used in the Agilent 33xxx function generator driver . You will see how User Data is set in the Initialize VI and the retrieved in the Configure Burst Modulation VI.
Message 2 of 7
(2,730 Views)
I would be interested in including your updated driver in the Instrument Driver Network so that others can benefit from this driver. When the driver is complete, you can submit it at http://zone.ni.com/idnet97.nsf/instrumentdriversubmit.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Jason
0 Kudos
Message 3 of 7
(2,729 Views)
Thanks for the help.
0 Kudos
Message 4 of 7
(2,729 Views)
I will submit the new driver once I've made the revisions and tested.
0 Kudos
Message 5 of 7
(2,729 Views)
Hi Freddy,
I just wanted to see if you had completed the update of your driver. If so, please submit it at http://zone.ni.com/idnet97.nsf/instrumentdriversubmit so that we can include it on the Instrument Driver Network (ni.com/idnet).

Let me know if you have any questions.

Jason
0 Kudos
Message 6 of 7
(2,729 Views)
Due to site changes, this instrument driver is now available for download here.
Message 7 of 7
(2,532 Views)