newbie question: interfacing and collecting data from an air data computer using labview

[woudie]

Hey NI community!

Recently, I discovered that my latest project will require me to interface and collect data from an air data computer (ADC). I am still rather new to data acquisition in general and have been learning every so far on the fly. So far, the most I have been able to learn is that I will be interfacing with the ADC using a rs232. What I am really lost on is, does anyone know how to configure LabVIEW to work with an ADC? Would I need to find a LabVIEW driver for the device to be able to create a VI to collect data from it? Sorry if the info I provided was not sufficient, I only know its an ADC so far, so I'm looking for more general information. Any advice on that or what the right questions I should be asking is greatly appreciated! 

Cheers,

Stephen Abraham

Ps. sorry if the post is a bit confusing. If more clarification is needed, please ask

[RavensFan]

Do you have any links to what an "air data" computer is?

Have you read the manual, particular the sections that discuss how to communicate with it using RS-232?

LabVIEW has some examples in the Example Finder for how to do serial communication.  They aren't great, but it isn't complicated.  The key things are making sure you have the right cable and communications parameters.  And knowing how to format commands to send and how to interpret the response.

The reason the LV examples aren't great is everyone winds up modifying the Basic Serial Read and Write, but it uses the Bytes at Port property node which is the wrong thing to use about 99% of the time.  Most devices, if they are sending human readable ASCII data, use a termination character to signal the end of the message like a carriage return or line feed.  So your code would just enable the termination character, use a VISA Read on a large number of bytes, and the read command will terminate once it gets the termination character where you will now know you have a full packet of data.

[JÞB]

Assume something like this

[kaba2005]

Hi Stephen,

if the air data computer uses an RS-232 interface it's very simple to set up a communication with LV. Have a look at VISA. What you need to know is how the connection is configured (databits, stopbits, baudrate, etc..) and which protocol or commands are used. This should be described in an interface documentation of this adc.

[RTSLVU]

So you have the interface and communication specifications?

Like baud rate, bits, parity, query commands, command and data output format?

I would guess this "Air Computer" whatever that is, has a manual and if you read it you will find most of your answers.

[Eric1977]

I agree with what everyone else said but I wouldn't even bring LabVIEW into the equation right now. Try HyperTerminal or some similar program that communicates & returns data on a very simple level and transfer your knowledge of that to LabVIEW. JMO.