Use Scope Soft Front Panel to stream data

[annayaj]

Hello,

I've recently purchased the PCI-5922.  I'm planning on using it to record RF data from 0-400Khz.  I've managed to acquire data onto the onboard memory.  I have the 32MB version.  Is it possible to use the Soft Scope application to stream data to the PC memory or hard disk?  I would like to capture both channels at 1 Ms/s - each channel for up to 10 minutes.  Is this even possible with Soft Scope or is it only possible with a development environment such as Labview or C/C++?  I only have access to the  included software with the card.  Thanks.

[hoffiz]

Hi Annayaj,

The limitation of the soft front panel won’t allow you to stream data to disk, you can save some records from the soft front panel but you can’t stream data to disk. The soft front panel follows the same design as the “niScope EX Configured Acquisition.vi”, one of the examples VIs. What you want to do will only be possible; like you said, with a development system like LabView.  I will strongly suggest taking a look at this example if: NI-SCOPE Stream to Disk Using Win32 File IO.  I more simple version of this code in included in the shipped examples name as: “Continuous Acquisition - Stream to Disk.vi” (Help-> find examples).  Also take a look at the example: “niScope EX Fetch Forever.vi”.

I hope it helps.

[annayaj]

Thank you Jamie.  I've decided to use SignalExpress for now due to time constraints.   I do have one related question.  Using SignalExpress, I choose under Add Step>>Acquire>>DAQmx Acquire>>Analog Input>>Voltage.  I get a message to the effect 'No supported devices found'.  I am able to acquire data using the NI-Scope option rather then 'DAQmx Acquire'.  I'm thinking that acquisition through DAQmx Acquire is the better option.  Is there some way to point DAQmx Acquire to my card, a PCI 5922.  I've installed the latest versions of all software as well as drivers.  I remember during installation of SignalExpress there was a prompt to install drivers but I assumed since I had previously installed the latest NI-Scope (3.3), this would not be needed.

Thanks

[hoffiz]

Hi Annayaj:

The PCI-5922 can only be controlled from signal express and any other development system using the NI-SCOPE drivers.  You are getting the “No supported devices found” because probably you don’t have any NI-DAQmx supported device.  NI-DAQmx is the drivers for most of our Data Adquisition Devices not our SCOPES. You can’t point the PCI-5922 to the NI-DAQmx like I said before it will only work with the NI-SCOPE drivers.

 I think you are trying to find a solution to your stream data to disk issue. The difference here us that you are going to be following again that same design as the “niScope EX Configured Acquisition.vi”, where you fetch a record, you reconfigure the SCOPE and then you fetch data again, doing this you are going to have gaps between fetches, the “Fetch Forever” example will continuously read without going through this process,  so if you try to “record” the acquisition Signal Express is not going to be doing a true streaming to disk even if you slow down the rate to 4 MHz, (10 times your frequency).  So you will still need a Development System like Labview.