Using Scales on custom device channel in VeriStand

[Davide_Galli]

Hello,

I'm wondering if it's possible to use the Scales utility to a channel defined in a generic custom device?

Is there a way to use the scales, in the system definition file, to "scale" the channels created by a custom device, as it's possible to do with Daq or Xnet channels?

If i set a channel as scalable, while creating the channel, what I obtain is the possibility to visualise the channel in the "channel scaling and calibration utility", but I can't use the scale utility (http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/372846J-01/veristand/scales_se/)

Thank you in advance for your help!

Davide

[pep91]

Hello Davide,

you could check this link out, maybe it could help you on your issue:

Import Scales Wizard:

http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/372846J-01/veristand/scales_import_db/

I hope this can help you.

Kind regards,

Giuseppe

[Davide_Galli]

Hello Giuseppe,

thank you for you answer. What I'd like to undestand is if there is a way to use scales on custom device and not to import scales in the syste definition channel.

While in the NI Daq custom devices i can see this highlighted object

in the custom devices we produce we can't have that option

and so it's impossible to use the "scales" feture on our custom tools. 

Thank you for your help!

Davide

[Guilherme_Correa]

You can use the scales available on your system inside a custom device. It's only a matter on how do you want to program it.

I have already used custom scales inside a custom device that created waveform channels.

[Davide_Galli]

Hello Guilherme,

thank you for your answer. 

When you say:

---

It's only a matter on how do you want to program it.

what do you mean? Can you please explain where should I work to accomplish it? I can't find any documentation/example about how to do it.

Thank you

Davide

[Guilherme_Correa · Accepted solution]

Hello Davide,

Sure, when I mentioned it's just a matter of programming I meant you have several ways to inform your custom device to use a scale.

The easiest way would place a scale control in the page where you setup the channel configuration. Then in your code you would read and use that given scale to that channel.

If you don't want to change the channel page to include the control, you may read from a config file the channel setup, such as min and max values, input configuration, scale name, among others.

Anoter way would be just like VeriStand does by calling a VI once you pressed the scale button. In order to place the button in the top menu, you must edit the custom device XML. For that you should read carefully the custom device developer's guide, then the new VI responsable to create or assign the scale to a channel would have to be created from the VI template file RunTimeMenu Custom Item 2 Launch.vit available inside the Custom Device API library -> Templates -> RTM.

My advice for you would be going for the first option where you can have the channel configuration (including the scale) read from a file.

Please let me know if you have more doubts concerning this development.

Good luck.

[Davide_Galli]

Hello Guilherme,

thank you for your explanation, it's very helpfull. 

I've noticed that the "custom device develloper guide" is still in the 2010 version, I hope that before 2020 there whould be a new version by NI 😉

Thanks

Davide

[Guilherme_Correa]

That's true..

NI has not released a newer version since this one.

I hope NI release a newer version soon.. wait more 3 years is painfull.

Have a great day.

[ikaiser]

I just came across this thread coincidentally, and I want to answer your open question, although I am reviving an old thread:

There indeed seems to be no newer pdf. However, the pdf (called "beta") is mainly a copy of VeriStand's help topic "creating custom devices". See e.g. Creating Custom Devices - NI VeriStand 2017 Help (older versions of the online help back to at least 2013 have the same topic page, I didn't check back further). The structure is the same as in the pdf (see the links to sections 1...6 at the end of the webpage). However, there might be of course additional information in the pdf or on the webpages (as the online content went through several revisions).

Also, have a look at this tutorial: Building Custom Devices for NI VeriStand.

[GuilhermeCorrea]

Ikaiser,

A pdf version would be very handy instead of the Help file, but at least is something to start with.

Thanks for the update.