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grdetil

Full cross-platform compatibility for DAQmx

Status: New

It would be great if the full DAQmx library supported all NI data acquisition products on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. The situation right now is too much of a hodge-podge of diverse drivers with too many limitations. There's an old, full DAQmx library that supports older devices on older Linux systems, but it doesn't look like it's been updated for years.  DAQmx Base is available for more current Linux and Mac OS systems, but doesn't support all NI devices (especially newer products).  DAQmx Base is also quite limited, and can't do a number of things the full DAQmx library can.  It's also fairly bloated and slow compared to DAQmx.  While I got my own application working under both Linux and Windows, there's a number of things about the Linux version that just aren't as nice as the Windows version right now.  I've seen complaints in the forums from others who have abandoned their efforts to port their applications from Windows to Mac OS or Linux because they don't see DAQmx Base as solid or "commercial-grade" enough.

 

I'd really like to be able to develop my application and be able to easily port it to any current Windows, Mac or Linux system, and have it support any current NI multi-function DAQ device, with a fast, capable and consistent C/C++ API.

 

Anyone else see this as a priority for NI R&D?

5 Comments
BlueBadger
Member

I'm new to Linux and am looking for drivers that support the PCIe-6509;   NI-DAQmx for Linux 8.0 supports the PCI-6509, but as far as I can tell, it hasn't been updated for the PCIe-6509.  Never written a device driver for Linux and wonder if it's even possible to write one for this board.  Guess I have my work cut out for me.

johnsold
Knight of NI

I agree.

 

A quote from the LV product page: "Product Information: What is NI LabVIEW?

 

"LabVIEW is a graphical programming environment used by millions of engineers and scientists to develop sophisticated measurement, test, and control systems using intuitive graphical icons and wires that resemble a flowchart. It offers unrivaled integration with thousands of hardware devices....The LabVIEW platform is scalable across multiple targets and OS..."

(emphasis mine).

 

Without a consistent DAQ API across platforms, LV does not meet the description above.

 

Lynn

 

FTI_Newton
Member

SUPPORT LINUX.

 

The latest versions of Windows have us in the field even more seriously considering the switch.

I don't have time to develop drivers and LabVIEW DAQ support is the ONLY thing holding me back on making the transition myself. Our IT department would love it. I know you're the 500lb gorilla, but one day someone is going to be 550lbs.

 

If I'm complaining, there are 10 others who aren't but are thinking it.

 

dseitz
Member

I'd just like to add my vote for improving cross-platform support.

 

I'm an electrical engineer who has used Labview for decades in a hardware development environment with scientists, engineers and programmers working with multiple OSes. We invested in LabView long ago because of it's cross-platform compatibility, short development time, and user-friendliness. Since then we've seen the compatibility eroded to the point that it now costs us time and effort. Many (most?) of my colleagues now refuse to go near Labview, and use Python and Matlab instead. 

 

The reason I adopted Labview originally was that it allowed me to focus on my hardware engineering. Now I'm often side tracked from my real work by struggles with NI software. I really don't want to drop Labview - before these compatibility issues, I think Labview was unrivaled at facilitating quick engineering solutions.

 

The world has evolved into MORE of a cross-platform place, while Labview has evolved towards LESS cross-platform support. Maybe NI has a business plan that doesn't consider this an issue? I simply don't understand that, and I'm sorry to see the ongoing erosion of a key aspect of this once-excellent product.

SundarS
Member

NI DAQmx released 64-bit Linux support as part of NI Linux Device Drivers, in 2018. The supported device list is part of NI DAQmx README which is zipped here (also found in the download page as DriverReadmes.zip). New installation instructions are here.

 

This support however does not extend to MacOSX.