FlexLogger vs LabVIEW Full Edition

[LiEEAZ]

I have a rather large DAQ setup that I am building and am trying to decide which software my system will require.

Within the realm of data acquisition, am I handicapping myself at all by simply going for the FlexLogger software in lieu of the full LabView edition?

Thanks

[Brad · Accepted solution]

FlexLogger is an easy to use, high-level application (no programming required) for logging data, including from DAQ devices. It is not as customizable as a LabVIEW application, but building a LV application may require a lot more effort depending on what your application needs are. So it depends on what your application needs are and whether FlexLogger can accomplish everything you need. There is also a Plugin Developers Kit for FlexLogger so you can create your own custom plugins to do specific operation in FlexLogger that are not supported by the built-in plugins:
https://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/378089b.pdf

If you could provide more details about your needs, we could probably provide more insight into which approach could address those needs.

Thanks,

Brad

[LiEEAZ]

Thanks for your reply Brad,

For my system I will be measuring +/-5V outputs from ~100 preconditioned analog signals.  These voltages will represent higher system voltages, currents, and temperatures. I plan on making a comprehensive GUI that can show all of these values in a useful manner. For example I plan on having all the system currents on one monitor, all the temperatures on another, etc. TBD how I will present this data to the user (line graph, bar graph, simple integer, etc.). But I definitely want something intuitive and engaging for the user, so a quick look at the monitors can show immediate system status.

I need to be able to do the above and apply signal conditioning in software so that the analog voltages coming in can be presented in their correct values to the user (temperature, current, HV, etc).

And of course I need to be able to log the data coming in and save it for later review.

Is FlexLogger able to do all the above to the level I have described or would I need to purchase LabView Full Edition to get my required functionality?

[Jarrod_S.]

FlexLogger can handle everything you described, including scaling the voltage and current measurements to engineering units and visualizing them in a configurable operator interface. It has a trial license, and you can even try it out with simulated hardware to get an idea for its capabilities. I would give it a try!

If it fits your needs, it will save you a lot of time over a homemade LabVIEW application, and you'll get access to some nice-to-have features like metadata that you might not have bothered to program yourself. All that said, LabVIEW is great for building custom logging applications. LabVIEW really shines when you need custom processing, control or automation that is very specific to your application.

[LiEEAZ]

Excellent, thank you all for your assistance!