Inconsistent behavior using Ocean Optics LabVIEW driver

[GastonBA]

Hello,

I am having similar problems with a USB2000+ Spectrometer.

I was able to use spectra suite, but the spectrometer was not recognized in Labview. So when I dig into Initialize.vi (from the Ocean Optics 2000 4000.lvlib) I found the instructions to Install the INF file.

After I done that, SpectrSuite does not work anymore, it is not seen when I launch the program.

Uninstalling and installing it again did not made the trick. I suspect a problem with the driver maybe?

Help appreciated,

Gaston

[GastonBA]

Hello all,

with the original driver from Ocean Optics, I am able to use SpectraSuite (their old software).

The problem is that I am not able to see the spectrometer on NI-Max (ergo, not in labview).

If I do the Install of the inf file or update the driver, I go to be able to see it on NI-Max, but again, Spectra Suite stops working.

Is there a driver that I could use that let me use both??

PS: Yes, it is a driver problem.

[Gregory]

Hi Gaston, it's best to start a new thread than wake up an old thread. Also, your question is not exactly the same as the original.

Anyway, if you do not want to switch the drivers back and forth, you can purchase their "OmniDriver" which is a different driver. They have some LabVIEW examples for that as well, but it will not be the same exact functions as you are currently calling in LabVIEW.

https://www.oceaninsight.com/products/software/drivers/omnidriver-and-spam/

[GastonBA]

Gregory,

I have Omnidriver. The problem is that Omnidriver kills the functionality of SpectraSuite.

I was asking in this thread as the original person that posted stated that got BOTH to work.

Gaston

[Gregory]

Sorry, I did not mean that I was able to use the LabVIEW drivers and SpectraSuite at the same time, just that the LabVIEW driver output eventually matched what I was seeing in SpectraSuite. However, I don't think you have to do any driver flipping with OmniDriver. Can I see a snippet of your code where you call the instrument drivers?

[GastonBA]

Gregory,

SpectraSuite works if I use the driver from OO from 6/15/2012.

If I do an update driver and let windows to look for the one that is best, it selects this:

Labview program is the example on the pack available to download in the file pointed in this conversation.

The problem is that unless I load the second driver, NI MAX (or Labview) does not see the spectrometer (does not show on the Visa even making a refresh). This is an issue that or I use the old driver, and then able to use SpectraSuite or I install the new driver, able to make Labview programs, and then CANNOT use SpectraSuite (again, in this case, SpectraSuite fails to recognize the spectrometer).

This is a problem with incompatible drivers. My code (that I downloaded here) has nothing to do with it. Visa does not even see it.

Gaston

  

[Gregory]

Hi Gaston, it looks like you are using the 3rd party instrument driver in LabVIEW, not the OmniDriver. The OmniDriver involves using .NET nodes to talk to the instrument. I think the 3rd party instrument driver you have is more fully featured, so I prefer that one. 

You can look at this post (and the attached PDF there) to learn more about using the OmniDriver in LabVIEW.

https://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/Ocean-Optics-Spectrometers-under-LabView-Ocean-Optics-OmniDriver/td...

[GastonBA]

Gregory,

I place the images with the driver providers. The one that works with SpectraSuite (with the icon on top, my art), is provided by OO, signed by Microsoft (maybe 32 bit?, since it is old...).

The second driver, that works with Labview, Also provided by Ocean Optics, Signed by National Instruments.

I am not using the NET programming, just the downloaded program from the place that is listed in this page: 

http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.download_page?p_id_guid=7833BD4A31DA1274E04400144FB7D2...

Gaston

[Gregory · Accepted solution]

Hi Gaston, yes that's correct. You will have to continue flipping the drivers in the OS. So just to recap:

Using Spectra Suite and NI drivers from the link you provided: you have to flip the driver in the OS

Using Spectra Suite and the OmniDriver .NET calls in LabVIEW: you do not have to flip the driver in the OS. However, it will take an investment in time to get the OmniDriver working with LabVIEW to cover all the functionality you might be using in the NI drivers.