Lesson 6 Managing Resources

TOPICS
A. Understanding File I/O B. Understanding High-level File I/O C. Understanding Low-level File I/O D. DAQ Programming E. Instrument Control Programming F. Using Instrument Drivers

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A. Understanding File I/O

File I/O writes to or reads from a file A typical file I/O operation involves the following process:

Open/ Create/ Replace File

Read and/or Write to File

Close File

Check for Errors

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A. Understanding File I/O File Formats

LabVIEW can use or create the following file formats: BinaryUnderlying file format of all other file formats ASCIISpecific type of binary file that is a standard used by most programs LVM The LabVIEW measurement data file (.lvm) is a tabdelimited text file you can open with a spreadsheet application or a text-editing application TDMSType of binary file created for NI products consisting of two separate files: a binary file and a binary index file
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A. Understanding File I/O File Formats

In this course, you learn about creating text (ASCII) files Use text files in the following situations:
You want to access the file from another application Disk space and file I/O speed are not crucial You must not perform random access reads or writes Numeric precision is not important

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B. Understanding High-level File I/O

High-level VIs
Perform all three steps (open, read/write, close) for common file I/O operations Might not be as efficient as the functions configured or designed for individual operations

Low-level VIs
Individual VI for each step If you are writing to a file in a loop, use low-level file I/O functions
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B. Understanding High-Level File I/O

Write to Spreadsheet File
Converts an array of double-precision numbers to a text string and writes the string to an ASCII file

Read From Spreadsheet File

Reads a specified number of lines or rows from a numeric text file and outputs a 2D array of double-precision numbers

Write to/Read from Measurement File

Express VIs that write data to or read data from an LVM or TDMS file format

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C. Understanding Low-Level File I/O VIs

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Exercise 6-1 Spreadsheet Example VI

Use a high-level file I/O VI to write to a spreadsheet-readable file. GOAL

Exercise 6-2 Temperature Log VI

Modify a VI to create an ASCII file using disk streaming. GOAL

Exercise 6-2 Temperature Log VI

What would happen if you used the Write to Measurement File Express VI inside the While loop?
DISCUSSION

D. DAQ Programming
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Signal Terminal Block Cable DAQ Device Computer

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D. DAQ Programming Software Overview

NI-DAQmx
Driver level software Detects DAQ devices Installs NI-DAQmx functions in LabVIEW

Measurement & Automation Explorer

Configure and test DAQ device

DAQ Assistant
Configurable Express VI used to create a DAQ application

DAQmx API
Provides a set of VIs to program DAQ applications

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D. DAQ Programming Basic Flow

A basic DAQmx application involves the following process:
Create Task Configure Task Start Task Acquire or Generate Data Clear Task

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D. DAQ Programming Create Task

Create Virtual Channel VI
Creates a virtual channel and adds it to a task Use pull-down menu to select the appropriate instance of this VI

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D. DAQ Programming Configure Task

Configure timing if reading multiple samples
Sample rate, timing source, etc

Configure triggering if necessary for application

Configures the task to start or stop on a rising or falling digital edge, analog edge, or analog windows

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D. DAQ Programming Start Task

Starts the task after the task has been configured

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D. DAQ Programming Acquire or Generate Data

Acquire or generate data from the DAQ device Make sure pull-down menu selection is compatible with task configuration

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D. DAQ Programming Clear Task

DAQmx Clear Task VI
Stops the task Releases any resources the task reserved Clears the task

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D. DAQ Programming Example

Example acquisition with triggering

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E. Instrument Control Programming

Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA):
High-level API that calls low-level drivers Can control VXI, GPIB, serial, or computer-based instruments and makes the appropriate driver calls depending on the type of instrument used

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VISA

VISA
Virtual Instrument System Architecture

Serial

GPIB

VXI

USB

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VISA Programming Terminology

Resource
Any instrument in the system, including serial and parallel ports

Session
When you open a session to a resource, LabVIEW returns a VISA session number, which is a unique refnum to that instrument

Instrument Descriptor
Specifies the interface type (GPIB,VXI, ASRL), the address of the device, and the VISA session type (INSTR or Event)

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VISA Alias
Assign a user-defined name to a device or resource in place of the instrument descriptor

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VISA Programming
VISA functions operate similar to File I/O functions

Open Session to Instrument(s)

Perform I/O Operation(s)

Close Session to Instrument(s)

Check for Errors

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VISA Open Function

Establishes communication line to resource Generally used once per resource Returns VISA Resource Name

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VISA I/O Functions

VISA Write and VISA Read Functions

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VISA Close Function

Sessions take up system resources Close sessions before program ends

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VISA Write and Read Example

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VISA Serial
The VISA Configure Serial Port VI initializes the port identified by VISA resource name to the specified settings

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F. Using Instrument Drivers

Organized set of VIs that control a programmable instrument
Each VI performs multiple instructions Grouped by operation type (configuration, data, etc)

Reduce development time

Simplify instrument control Reusable Common architecture and interface
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Using Instrument Drivers

When you use an instrument driver, the driver contains the code specific to the instrument If you change instruments, replace the instrument driver VIs with the instrument driver VIs for the new instrument, which greatly reduces your redevelopment time

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Using Instrument Drivers Where are they?

You can locate most LabVIEW Plug and Play instrument drivers in the Instrument Driver Finder
Access within LabVIEW by selecting Tools InstrumentationFind Instrument Drivers or HelpFind Instrument Drivers Connects you with ni.com to find instrument drivers

When you install an instrument driver

An example program using the driver is added to the NI Example Finder Instrument driver VIs are added to the Instrument I/OInstrument Drivers palette in the Functions palette
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Using Instrument Drivers Example

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Choose One: Exercise 6-3 Using DAQmx (DAQ) or Exercise 6-4 NI Devsim VI(GPIB/serial)

6-3: Explore a DAQmx example program that continuously acquires data, and modify it to wait on a digital trigger 6-4: Install an instrument driver and explore the example programs that accompany the instrument driver GOAL

Choose One: Exercise 6-3 Using DAQmx (DAQ) or Exercise 6-4 NI Devsim VI(GPIB/serial)
In Exercise 6-3, what types of VIs did you use outside of the While Loop? In Exercise 6-4, how would modify the example programs if you wanted to continuously acquire data? DISCUSSION

SummaryQuiz
1. Your continuously running test program logs to a single file the results of all tests that occur in one hour as they are calculated. If you are concerned about the execution speed of your program, should you use low-level or high-level File I/O VIs?
a) Low-level file I/O VIs b) High-level file I/O VIs

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SummaryQuiz Answer
1. Your continuously running test program logs to a single file the results of all tests that occur in one hour as they are calculated. If you are concerned about the execution speed of your program, should you use low-level or high-level File I/O VIs?
a) Low-level file I/O VIs b) High-level file I/O VIs

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SummaryQuiz
2. If you want to view data in a text editor like Notepad, what file format should you use to save the data?
a) ASCII b) TDMS

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SummaryQuiz Answer
2. If you want to view data in a text editor like Notepad, what file format should you use to save the data?
a) ASCII b) TDMS

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SummaryQuiz
3. Which of the following conveys the basic DAQmx programming flow?
a) Create TaskConfigure TaskAcquire/Generate DataStart Task b) Acquire/Generate DataStart TaskClear Task c) Start TaskCreate TaskConfigure TaskAcquire/Generate DataClear Task d) Create TaskConfigure TaskStart TaskAcquire/Generate DataClear Task

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SummaryQuiz Answer
3. Which of the following conveys the basic DAQmx programming flow?
a) Create TaskConfigure TaskAcquire/Generate DataStart Task b) Acquire/Generate DataStart TaskClear Task c) Start TaskCreate TaskConfigure TaskAcquire/Generate DataClear Task d) Create TaskConfigure TaskStart TaskAcquire/Generate DataClear Task

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SummaryQuiz
4. VISA is a high-level API that calls low-level drivers.
a) True b) False

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SummaryQuiz Answer
4. VISA is a high-level API that calls low-level drivers.
a) True b) False

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