GETTING STARTED GUIDE
™
NI-DAQ mx Base 3.x
This guide describes how to install and configure the NI-DAQmx Base 3.x
software and a data acquisition (DAQ) device. This guide also describes
how to verify that the device is operating properly.
Note For information about NI-DAQmx Base for Linux and Mac OS X, refer to
ni.com/info and enter rddqld.
Contents
Conventions ............................................................................................ 2
Related Documentation........................................................................... 3
Overview.................................................................................................3
NI-DAQmx Base ............................................................................. 4
Device Support ................................................................................4
Operating System, Application Software, Programming Language,
and Device Support in NI-DAQmx Base 3.x ....................................... 4
Operating System Support ............................................................... 4
Install Application Software ................................................................... 5
Step 1. Install the NI-DAQmx Base Software ........................................ 5
Insert the CD.................................................................................... 5
Install Support Files ......................................................................... 6
Step 2. For Devices Using the LabVIEW 8.5 PDA Module for
Windows Mobile Only—Run the PDA Setup Utility.......................... 7
Step 3. Unpack the Devices, Accessories, and Cables............................7
Step 4. Install the Devices, Accessories, and Cables .............................. 8
NI PCMCIA Device Installation...................................................... 8
NI USB Device Installation ............................................................. 9
NI CompactFlash Device Installation.............................................. 10
Accessories and PCI/PXI Devices................................................... 11
Step 5. Confirm That Your Device Is Recognized ................................. 11
Devices Using the LabVIEW 8.5 PDA Module for
Windows Mobile........................................................................... 11
Step 6. Create and Configure Tasks........................................................ 11
Using the NI-DAQmx Base Task Configuration Utility ................. 11
Devices Using the LabVIEW 8.5 PDA Module for
Windows Mobile ....................................................................12
Create, Modify, and Configure a Task in NI-DAQmx Base.....13
Devices Using the LabVIEW 8.5 PDA Module for
Windows Mobile ...........................................................................14
Using Tasks in an Application .........................................................15
Documentation.........................................................................................15
Getting Started Developing an Application.............................................15
Examples ..........................................................................................15
Devices on LabVIEW 8.5 PDA Module for
Windows Mobile ....................................................................16
Obtaining Information about Measurement Applications
and Devices....................................................................................16
LabVIEW ..................................................................................16
ANSI C......................................................................................16
Training Courses .......................................................................17
Where to Go for Support .........................................................................17
Conventions
The following conventions are used in this guide.
» The » symbol leads you through nested menu items and dialog box options
to a final action. The sequence File»Page Setup»Options directs you to
pull down the File menu, select the Page Setup item, and select Options
from the last dialog box.
This icon denotes a tip, which alerts you to advisory information.
This icon denotes a note, which alerts you to important information.
This icon denotes a caution, which advises you of precautions to take
to avoid injury, data loss, or a system crash. When this symbol is marked
on the device, refer to the Read Me First: Safety and Radio-Frequency
Interference document, shipped with the device, for precautions to take.
bold Bold text denotes items that you must select or click in the software, such
as menu items and dialog box options. Bold text also denotes parameter
names.
italic Italic text denotes variables, emphasis, a cross-reference, or an introduction
to a key concept. Italic text also denotes text that is a placeholder for a word
or value that you must supply.
monospace Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should enter from the
keyboard, sections of code, programming examples, and syntax examples.
This font is also used for the proper names of disk drives, paths, directories,
NI-DAQmx Base Getting Started Guide 2 ni.com
programs, subprograms, subroutines, device names, functions, operations,
variables, filenames, and extensions.
monospace italic
Italic text in this font denotes text that is a placeholder for a word or value
that you must supply.
Related Documentation
The following documents contain information you might find helpful as
you read this guide:
• Software documentation
–NI-DAQmx Base Help
– NI-DAQmx Base C Function Reference Help
– NI-DAQmx Base 3.x Readme
–NI-DAQmx Help
– Getting Started with the LabVIEW PDA Module for Windows
Mobile, available in PDF format by selecting Start»Programs»
National Instruments»LabVIEW 8.5»LabVIEW Manuals
and selecting
– LabVIEW Help, available by selecting Help»Search the
LabVIEW Help
– LabVIEW Fundamentals, available in PDF format by selecting
Start»Programs»National Instruments»LabVIEW 8.5»
LabVIEW Manuals and selecting
• Hardware documentation
– CF-6004 User Guide
– NI USB-6008/6009 User Guide and Specifications
– NI USB-6501 User Guide and Specifications
– E Series User Manual
• Documentation for the PDA device you use
PDA_Getting_Started.pdf
LV_Fundamentals.pdf
Overview
National Instruments measurement devices are packaged with NI-DAQmx
or NI-DAQmx Base driver software. NI-DAQmx includes an extensive
library of VIs and ANSI C functions that you can call from your application
software, such as LabVIEW or NI LabWindows
features of your NI measurement devices. The NI-DAQmx Base driver
software has an application programming interface (API), which is a
library of VIs and ANSI C functions for creating applications for your
device.
© National Instruments Corporation 3 NI-DAQmx Base Getting Started Guide
™
/CVI™, to program all the
NI-DAQmx Base
Note If you are familiar with NI-DAQmx, refer to the NI-DAQmx Base 3.x Readme for
information about the differences between NI-DAQmx Base and NI-DAQmx.
Device Support
NI-DAQmx Base is a driver that allows you to build applications that
run using a PDA device and Windows. NI-DAQmx Base includes the
following features:
• NI-DAQmx Base is a subset of the NI-DAQmx API and is similar in
functionality to NI-DAQmx.
• NI-DAQmx Base consists of a LabVIEW VI framework, which allows
you to customize the driver, if needed, when using LabVIEW.
• NI-DAQmx Base provides a high-level interface on the
LabVIEW 8.5 PDA Module for Windows Mobile,
Windows 2000/XP, and Windows Vista x86/x64.
NI-DAQmx Base 3.x supports the following devices under the
LabVIEW 8.5 PDA Module for Windows Mobile:
• NI CF-6004
• NI DAQCard-6024E
• NI DAQCard-6036E
• NI DAQCard-6062E
• NI USB-6008
• NI USB-6009
• NI USB-6501
Operating System, Application Software, Programming Language, and Device Support in NI-DAQmx Base 3.x
Operating System Support
NI-DAQmx Base 3.x supports Windows 2000/XP and
Windows Vista x86/x64. The development environment for devices on
the LabVIEW 8.5 PDA Module for Windows Mobile is supported on
Windows 2000/XP and Windows Vista x86/x64.
Note Only one version of NI-DAQmx Base (such as NI-DAQmx Base 3.0) can be
installed on the same computer at the same time.
NI-DAQmx Base Getting Started Guide 4 ni.com
Install Application Software
Install the NI application software, including LabVIEW,
NI LabWindows/CVI, and NI Measurement Studio. PDA Module users
must use LabVIEW 8.5 PDA Module for Windows Mobile with
NI-DAQmx Base 3.0. Refer to the Operating System, Application
Software, Programming Language, and Device Support
in NI-DAQmx Base 3.x section for more information. Also, refer to Getting
Started with the LabVIEW PDA Module for Windows Mobile for more
information by selecting Start»Programs»National Instruments»
LabVIEW 8.5»LabVIEW Manuals and selecting
PDA_Getting_Started.pdf.
Note PDA Module users should make sure that LabVIEW 8.5 PDA Module for Windows
Mobile is completely installed and configured before continuing.
Step 1. Install the NI-DAQmx Base Software
The following sections describe how to install the NI-DAQmx Base
software.
Insert the CD
Note Install your driver software before installing new hardware devices, or the operating
system might not detect your device, and you might see warnings asking you to install the
driver.
Inserting the CD launches the NI-DAQmx Base install window.
If the NI-DAQmx Base install window does not open automatically,
complete the following steps:
1. Select Start»Run.
2. Enter
3. Click Install NI-DAQmx Base.
© National Instruments Corporation 5 NI-DAQmx Base Getting Started Guide
x
:\setup.exe, where
x
is the letter of the CD drive.
Install Support Files
The NI-DAQmx Base installer detects the NI software installed on the
operating system and automatically selects the latest versions of the driver,
application software, and language support files from the CD.
The NI-DAQmx Base installer displays which features will be installed on
your computer, as shown.
Complete the following steps to install NI-DAQmx Base.
1. In the Features window, shown in the previous figure, verify that the
installer detected and selected the correct support files and the correct
version number of the application software.
2. Click the + in front of the feature to expand the list of feature
subcomponents, as shown in the previous figure. You can select
additional options to install the support files, examples, and
documentation.
3. Follow the software prompts.
4. Click Finish and wait for the installer to complete. NI-DAQmx Base
might require you to reboot your computer to complete installation.
NI-DAQmx Base Getting Started Guide 6 ni.com
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