NI-IMAQ C Programming Linux Support

[Test3r]

I'm in a project to setup a Camera Link demonstrator with a Basler 504k camera and an NI 1429 Frame Grabber card.  Initially I need to verify the performance (using LabView) but eventually writing a console application and hopefully a software solution in Linux somewhere down the line. After searching through the available help and posts it appears that while there is support and drivers available to program the NI1429 through both LabView and text based programming under Windows (XP), it is only possible to program the device through LabView under Linux.
 
One post* that I came across recommended looking for companies that specialise in writing specialised drivers for frame grabbers, with the examples of ImageMill (www.imagemill-tech.com) and Graftek (www.graftek.com). As best I can see (one site is in French - not one of my strengths) neither of the two websites appear to have Linux drivers for IMAQ(?). I considered writing the drivers myself but then unless I've misunderstood something, I realised that most if not all of the them must already be available for Linux through the Linux version of LabView? When I examine the individual NI-IMAQ VIs in WinXP, at least some of them appear to use the very functions that text-based programming utilise. I.e. in the niimaq.h header file.

I'm aware that the IMAQ Hardware document states that Linux is not supported** (see link below - updated in October). However, with many Scientific and Industrial users using Linux it seems to be a shame that NI lacks that flexible to offer full Linux support when it appears (to my understanding) that a sizeable part of the support is already there, albeit perhaps nested somewhere within the Linux LabView repository.

Sorry for the long-winded post. I would greatly appreciate if someone could shed some light on the 'mysteries' of the Linux support. There must be something that I am overlooking here.
 

Thank you for reading.
 
 

Forum post recommending specialised drivers:

* http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=200&message.id=2474&query.id=534240#M2474

The NI-IMAQ Operating System Compatibility document:

** http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/E5AF629EE63330C78625714F007EE568?OpenDocument
 

 

[John.P]

Hi,

Can I ask where you read that IMAQ was supported under Linux using LabVIEW?

To clarify what  NI supports under Linux please take a look at this link : http://www.ni.com/linux/support.

To my knowledge at this time there is no support for IMAQ under Linux using either LabVIEW or C as there is no support for the driver.

Apologies I can not be of more help.

John P

[Test3r]

Thank you for replying. I was assuming that all the cards supported by LabView under Windows would also be supported by LabView in Linux. This is incorrect and having just spoken with an NI representative this morning I learnt this.

To paraphrase the link you provided in your reply, the following product families are currently supported by NI in Linux:

• LabVIEW
• Data Acquisition Devices
• Modular Instruments
• GPIB
• NI-VISA
• PXI
• VXI

I believe this answers my question, unless there is someone out there who knows of NI hardware drivers being developed for the Frame Grabber cards unless NI has changed its mind.

Best regards