How can I detect Non NI hardware in Device Manager?

[morngoose]

I've got an USB Wifi device, which loads up in device manager (under network adaptors) when connected to my PC.

I wish to detect this, using Labview, but have no idea how to do so.

This device does NOT load up in Measurement & Automation explorer.

Any one have any advice?

Thanks

Goose

[Norbert_B]

Goose,

the Measurement and Automation eXplorer (MAX) is solely for NI hardware or, to be more precise, hardware which can be used by NI drivers.

If you use hardware from other vendors, they will bring their own drivers and interfaces (called Application Programming Interface, short API).

I suggest you to ask the instruments vendor if there is an API for LabVIEW available. If not, he should provide something like a DLL. If you have all neccessary information, you can create your own LV API for the device by encapsulating the DLL in a set of VIs (later called "the API").

If you do not have all neccessary information and sources available to do this, you will have problems to include the device in LV.

hope this helps,

Norbert 

[patrice.perreault]

Hi,

Do you have any tutorial on how to create LV using manufacturer's dll?

Patrice

[smercurio_fc]

If I understand the question correctly, you have a DLL and want to call it from LabVIEW. The LabVIEW Help contains a chapter on calling code from text-based languages. There is alson an example that ships with LabVIEW. Open the Example Finder (Help -> Find Examples) and search for "dll". You can also find numerous documents on the NI site: http://search.ni.com/nisearch/app/main/p/bot/no/ap/global/lang/en/pg/1/q/call%20dll%20tutorial/

This is probably related to this question: http://forums.ni.com/t5/Discussions-de-produit-de-NI/Sonde-temp%C3%A9rature-compatible-labview/m-p/1...

[patrice.perreault]

Hi

This is as pointed related to the message I left (in French, sorry!) related to the fact that I bought a Universal Thermocouple Connector (UTC) to connect thermocouples to a PC. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask if a LabView API was available, which is not the case. I only have the manufacturer's DLL. I'm trying to figure out how to make LabVIEW recognized the thermocouple.

Browsing the example finder, I don't see an example related to this problem (but I am quite honestly a newbee on instrumentation).

Thanks,

Patrice

[smercurio_fc]

The example I was referring to is the "Call DLL" example, which shows you how to call a DLL with various parameters. You will not find an example specific to that thermocouple. If you were given a DLL were you also given documentation and examples on how to use it?

[patrice.perreault]

Thanks again,

The softawere is a dedicated one and the equipment doesn't come with LabVIEW compatible DLL.

[smercurio_fc]

But I thought you said it came with a DLL. Does the software they provide use that DLL? Have you tried asking the vendor how to use the DLL from another language, such as C?

[patrice.perreault]

It came with all the drivers to enable to run under its dedicated Omega's sofwtare : TRH Central, i.e. a bunch of dlls.

[smercurio_fc]

Then if they don't provide a means to allow you to write a program in some other language to control the device, you will have to use their software. You can try to do a search for controlling an external application, as this has come up before.