Python nidcpower v1.5.0 package compatibility with NI-DCPower driver versions

[VigneshGV]

Hello Everyone

I’m looking for confirmation and guidance regarding NI‑DCPower Python package (nidcpower) v1.5.0 and Python version v3.12 compatibility with different NI‑DCPower driver versions.

Based on NI documentation, here’s what we currently understand:

• The nidcpower v1.5.0 package is officially tested and validated against NI‑DCPower 2025 Q2 / 2025 Q4 drivers.
• We couldn't find Driver‑to‑Python compatibility matrix as similar to NI Driver-to-LabVIEW compatibility; instead, each Python release is tested against a recent quarterly driver.
• Per NI’s stated policy, the Python APIs are generally backward compatible with older driver runtimes as long as newer driver features are not used. If a Python API calls a function that does not exist in the installed runtime, users may see DriverTooOldError or similar IVI errors.

In our environment, we currently have systems running the following driver versions:

• NI‑DCPower 20.6
• NI‑DCPower 22.8
• NI‑DCPower 2025 Q4

Could someone help with below queries:

1. Are NI‑DCPower driver versions 20.6 and 22.8 considered supported when used with the nidcpower Python package v1.5.0?
2. Is there a minimum recommended NI‑DCPower driver version for nidcpower v1.5.0, even if older driver versions are not explicitly restricted or blocked?
3. Is there any official documentation that defines compatibility or support guidelines between NI Python package versions (such as nidcpower) and corresponding NI‑DCPower driver releases?

Vignesh.G.V

Soliton Technologies

[rolfk]

1) No! And you will get nobody to state that they officially are and chances that anyone from NI is going to retroactively verify that is indefinitely close to 0%.

The way to do that yourself is to read the according release notes about the individual release versions and what new features they introduce and verify that you are not using them in you program. And then do the whole testing of course, because there can also be behavioral chances that did not make their way into the release notes. Release notes are not a github listing of every single patch that went into a new release but a concise listing of changes that the product manager for that driver found worth to mention. Those release notes are maybe read by 1% of the users and the longer they get the less people will read them. They also take a large amount of time to compile, review and eventually get into the whole document management system.

But that's a lot of work! Yes and that is why NI hasn't done all that testing for all those versions across all the releases, platforms and back and forwards version compatibilities.

2) I'm not familiar enough with the IVI drivers but generally the minimum recommended version is whatever you found in the release notes. Other version combinations could work without problem, with limitations about certain functions, or cause weird problems or crashes. Only testing will show!

3) I doubt it. Python is a third party environment that NI has exactly zero control about. They can document what versions a specific driver release has been tested to work with, but anything beyond that is almost certainly up to you. It's no difference to any other Python driver out there. You are often lucky if you even get something like a release note with it.