How can I generate fake AI channels for testing purposes?

[Edwin Velds]

In order to be able to test my VIs under several conditions, I'd like to test them by feeding pre-programmed data over regular virtual channels. Is something like this possible ?

Edwin

[markwysong]

Edwin,

I'm not sure this answers your question, but often times I have to develop code on a machine that doesn't actually have the DAQ hardware. Therefore, I usually create a subVI which is similar to my data acquisition VI in every way (inputs and outputs), but instead of getting the data from the card, I output some known array of data for the channels. The rest of my program doesn't know this is "dummy" data, so it works just as it should.

This is the method I recommend for such applications.

Mark

[Edwin Velds]

This is not exactly what I'm looking for because I prefer to test my VIs unaltered. Due to channel selection and custom calibration VIs this would require quite a few changes. I'll do it like this if no other options are available.

Edwin

[Randy_H]

Edwin,

Are you using the AO channels on your board? If not, then start with a shipping example and just route the AO channels to the AI channels that you want to test. If you have a second board and are worried about losing performance because of doing a second operation, then you could use a second computer instead to generate the output.

Randy Hoskin
Applications Engineer
National Instruments
http://www.ni.com/ask

[Edwin Velds]

Randy,

You mean to externally connect AO channels to AI channels? Unfortunately that is no solution for me because my board (PCI-6034E) does not have any AO channels at all. A loopback inside MAX is not possible ?

Edwin

[Randy_H]

Edwin,

MAX does not have this capability, sorry. Your next best bet is to use a known set of external circuits. Lastly, you could look at one of our AO boards.
http://sine.ni.com/apps/we/nioc.vp?cid=10118〈=US

Randy Hoskin
Applications Engineer
National Instruments
http://www.ni.com/ask