How to switch from DAQmx to NI-488.2 for use with a GPIB?

[CFlower]

Hi all,
Thanks for all your help so far. I've had a few days to figure things out and I have more information if you'll hear me out. 

I've gone ahead and installed all the appropriate drivers. The three pieces of equipment (GPIB) that I'm using are a Burleigh Wavemeter WA-1000, and two DSP Lock In Amplifiers from Signal Recovery. Models 7225 and 7265. My use with these lock ins is very simple, I just need to know how to write a program that will read in the signal from the lock in. That's it, once I get to that point I think I can handle the rest. 

Is anyone familiar with this? I found some very confusing and intricate programs (with this lab) that haven't been much help. I can hardly tell what's happening much less pick out what elements are reading in data etc. If anyone knows of a very barebones example or a resource to point me at I'd be very appreciable. 

Thanks! 

[natasftw]

If you installed the drivers correctly, you should have some VIs you can use in your Functions Palette.  LabVIEW drivers come with the basic functions like read and write when drivers exist.

Have you looked at these to see which were included?  They also tend to have examples of typical functionality.

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

http://www.signalrecovery.com/our-products/lock-in-amplifiers/7225.aspx

http://www.signalrecovery.com/our-products/lock-in-amplifiers/7265.aspx

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

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@natasftw wrote:

If you installed the drivers correctly, you should have some VIs you can use in your Functions Palette.  LabVIEW drivers come with the basic functions like read and write when drivers exist.

Have you looked at these to see which were included?  They also tend to have examples of typical functionality.

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I highly doubt he is talking about drivers for the instruments.

He is going to have to figure this on his own since this is the path he has chosen.

[NIquist]

http://www.signalrecovery.com/labview/intro-to-drivers.aspx

The LabVIEW drivers for your LI Amps are in the page above.  You'll need to register and then (if you're using Windows) download the WinZip file for your models (same driver).  It should have an EXE that will setup your palette with the new drivers.  Otherwise you'll have to install them manually:  http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/86256F0E001DA9FD86256F0B0057E6E7

[CFlower]

Thanks for all the helpful replies! I've got the drivers all installed correctly. I can concieve of how I would rewrite much of the code using these VIs but it would be quite a task given the number of DAQmx functions used for things like timing and sampling. I snooped around and read about the ability to simulate a DAQ card. It looked reasonable but it also looks like any simulated card only allows reading a noisy sine wave as data. Is it not possible to read my data via GPIB and effectively send it through a simulated DAQ so that I can use the DAQmx functions that are already written into the program?

Thanks!

[Dennis_Knutson]

It's not possible and would be silly in any case. The DAQ functions would not be reading your gpib instruments - they would be reading the same signals that the gpib instruments do. You use one or the other.

[NIquist]

Sorry but you're going to have to re-program the code to use the new hardware AND deal with whatever differences and limitations that the new hardware brings into the equation.  You are going to have to really understand everything that the old system did and then study the new hardware until you can replace the required functionality.  There's no easy way to program yourself out from under a big hardware change.