VI stops working correctly when NI488.2 updated.

[LostNProgramming]

I am working with a VI that was written in labivew 6.1 or maybe even 6i. I am curretnly running labview 6.1. The VI I am using just polls real time temp data from an I2C device (very basic). My probelm is, we recently purchased some new hardware that required an NI GPIB-USB convertor. While installing the drivers for the GPIB-USB convertor I noticed that it updated NI488.2. Now, when I run my VI, it stops polling and freezes after about 3 seconds. If i uninstall the updated NI488.2 and install the original NI488.2 (whichever came with 6.1), the VI works fine again. I need to be able to use both the GPIB-USB convertor with the updated NI488.2 and my old VI on the same computer (for different operations). Is there a setting I can change or something in the VI I can change that will make it function properly with the updated NI488.2?

[LostNProgramming]

FYI,

     The NI488.2 that works with my VI is NI488.2.1.70. The NI488.2 that the USB-GPIB is instalilng is NI488.2.3 which creates issues with my VI.

[LostNProgramming]

Sorry, the GPIB-USB is updating the NI488.2 to NI488.2.2.7.3; however, I have also tried the new NI488.2.3 which I downloaded from the NI website and it causes the same errors within my VI.

[smercurio_fc]

I don't understand. Why are you using a GPIB interface for an I2C device?

Which GPIB<-->USB converter? NI has made more than one. You also did not indicate which operating system you are using. Certain versions of the NI-488 driver dropped support for certain versions of LabVIEW and operating systems. 2.7.3, for example, does not support LabVIEW 6.1.

[LostNProgramming]

I am sorry for the confusion. I am not using the GPIB-USB device to talk to the I2C interface. I am using the GPIB device to talk to a DSA in a seperate application. However, on the same PC, I have a VI that communicates with an I2C device (a  Maxim IC DS3900, which is a completly seperate application however both run on the same PC). I have labivew 6.1 running on windows XP professional SP3. I have been trying a few different things today and it appears this is not only a NI488.2 problem. Whatever drivers are being updated by this GPIB-USB device is causing my VI problems. I have to complety remove the software installed by the NI GPIB-USB convertor and reinstall 6.1 in order to get my VI to run correctly again. The GPIB-USB device I am using is an NI GPIB-USB-HS.

[smercurio_fc]

As you indicated, installing the GPIB-USB-HS installs NI-488.2  v2.7.3. As I indicated, that version does not support LabVIEW 6.1. So, in terms of your initial question of there being a "setting" or something that you can change, there isn't. Consequently, the specific version of NI-488.2 that you installed with LabVIEW 6.1 does not support the USB-HS. The earliest version of NI-488 that supported the USB-HS is v2.2. Unfortunately, the documentation for v2.2 does not indicate if it supports LabVIEW 6.1.

[LostNProgramming]

Ok. Thank you for your explanation. Now my question becomes what are my options here. My engineering abilities with Labview stop shortly after opening the VI. I need to use the labview 6.1 VI for communicating with an I2C device, a DS3900 which is used to program a variable resistor (MAX1859). I also need to use the GPIB-USB-HS in order to capture test data from a Tektronix DSA8200. I do not write my own VI's because I do not know how (however, I could "attempt" to learn or possibly outsource a project to someone if needed). I just use the programs that are supplied by the manufacturers or programs that were previously written by other people. It seems that upgrading my version of labivew will not correct this issue since an updated version will come with updated VISA and NI488.2. I would rather not have multiple PC's sitting around running multiple instances of VI's because that is not lean. Could I redo the code used to communicate with the I2C device to support a more recent version of NI488.2? Could I use the code differently, meaning could I export the code to be an executable instead of running within labview 6.1 itself? Could I use different hardware? Any suggestions from a Labview professional would be greatly appreciated here. Also, what happens one day if I decide to upgrade Labview. Does this mean that all of my equipment and VI's become obsolete? This is very scary circumstance I am finding myself in here and it is probably exaggerated my lack of knowledge with Labview.

[LostNProgramming]

[LostNProgramming]

Can anyone offer any advice please?

[DianeS]

Well, you have a few options, but you might not like them.

First of all, call your local NI rep and find out whether NI488.2.2 -- as Altenbach mentioned above, the earliest driver which supports the GPIB-USB-HS -- also supports LabVIEW 6i.  If it does, you're golden.  Download it and install it.

If it doesn't...

Nothing you do will allow you to use LV6i with a GPIB-USB-HS.  You cannot play tricks with building an executable or redoing the I2C code.  If you use LabVIEW 6i, you cannot use a GPIB-USB-HS.  Period.  The hardware drivers which support that device are not compatible with LabVIEW 6i.  Therefore you cannot use the VIs containing those drivers in the 6i environment.

So...you can revert to a PCI card for the GPIB, and possibly use your old GPIB drivers and therefore your existing code.  I don't know if your ancient drivers will support the newest PCI-GPIB card -- you'll have to check and see.  Whatever NI488 drivers you use -- I think you said you were using NI488.2.1.70 -- must support both LV6i and your GPIB-PCI card.  An NI rep should be able to help you with this.  You might also be able to find an old GPIB-PCI card on eBay or somewhere that will work with those old 488 drivers.

Alternatively, you can upgrade LabVIEW and go through a code rewrite.  You can either try to do this yourself, or hire a professional.  If you want to learn LV, this is a great opportunity.  If you don't, or don't have time, or just want to get this done as quickly as possible, hire a professional.  Believe me, you will wind up with much better code, with a lot less screwing around, if you have a qualified professional write and document the code for you.  Look for a certified professional, ideally a CLD or CLA. 

I think that at some point you will wind up going through an upgrade and code rewrite anyway, as 6i is really outdated and you will continue to have problems similar to what you have now with driver incompatibility, every time you want to (or are forced to) change something. 

I hope this points you in a direction.  Probably start by finding out if NI488 2.2 includes support for LabVIEW 6i.  Then, if it doesn't, decide what you want to change:  your hardware or your software.

Good luck.