API feature support per device documentation?

[CurtisHx]

Where is documentation that specifies the feature supported by various DAQmx devices?  For example, if I wanted to learn that my PXIe-6535 does not support the OpenCollector OutputDriveType, where's the document that says "the PXIe-6535 does (or does not) support the OpenCollector OutputDriveType"? Or that attempting to use an "OnDemand" timing type  when the "LineStatesDoneState" is set to "Tristate" will blow up? It's major pain to write a whole bunch code, assuming the code is valid when the API appears to support it, only to have a DaqException come flying back at run time.  Blindly changing settings in the hopes of getting anything to work does not instill confidence.

[JDragon]

Hi CurtisHx,

The documentation for many of the API calls do not generally list which devices are supported. There are some exceptions. NI has a large number of DAQ devices each with its own specifications. The documentation will tell you the functionality of the API http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/370469AG-01/daqmxprop/attr1137/ and device user manual and specifications will list what functionality is available http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/374373g.pdf 

Here is an article explaining how to configure the Output Drive Type of a DAQ device: http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/D9B4018C3E540CE4862570F30068C0DB

It is important to note that even though that article calls out a LabVIEW example, the information regarding compatible devices is still pertinent. 

I hope this helps!

[CurtisHx]

Hi JDragon,

Thanks for getting back to me.  I'm not seeing where the PXIe-6535 spec lists the output drive type.  Is it the single listing under "Generation Channels-> Generation signal type" on page 3?  It lists "single-ended" as the only value.  Does that correspond to "DOOutputDriveType.ActiveDrive"?  I'm trying to figure out the mapping between the specification names in the spec document to the API names so there's some hope of getting correct configuration worked out.

[JDragon]

Hi Curtis,

That is a good question. That spec is not called out in the manual because it is not supported. NI does not always list unsupported features in the documentation. If you could change the drive type it would be listed similarly to the datasheet (page 3) for the PXIe-6556 http://www.ni.com/datasheet/pdf/en/ds-421

Because it is not explicitly mentioned in the datasheet for the PXIe-6535 you can assume that input is sink and output is source and you will not be able to modify the Drive Type.