National Instruments Low-Cost Multifunction I/O Board for ISA Lab-PC+ Software Programming Choices

Introduction Chapter 1

Lab-PC+ User Manual 1-2 © National Instruments Corporation

Software Programming Choices

There are several options to choose from when programming your National Instruments DAQ

and SCXI hardware. You can use LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, NI-DAQ, or register-level

programming.

LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI are innovative program development software packages for

data acquisition and control applications. LabVIEW uses graphical programming, whereas

LabWindows/CVI enhances traditional programming languages. Both packages include

extensive libraries for data acquisition, instrument control, data analysis, and graphical data

presentation.

LabVIEW features interactive graphics, a state-of-the-art user interface, and a powerful graphical

programming language. The LabVIEW Data Acquisition VI Library, a series of VIs for using

LabVIEW with National Instruments DAQ hardware, is included with LabVIEW. The LabVIEW

Data Acquisition VI Libraries are functionally equivalent to the NI-DAQ software.

LabWindows/CVI features interactive graphics, a state-of-the-art user interface, and uses the

ANSI standard C programming language. The LabWindows/CVI Data Acquisition Library, a

series of functions for using LabWindows/CVI with National Instruments DAQ hardware, is

included with the NI-DAQ software kit. The LabWindows/CVI Data Acquisition libraries are

functionally equivalent to the NI-DAQ software.

Using LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI software will greatly reduce the development time for

your data acquisition and control application.

The NI-DAQ driver software is included at no charge with all National Instruments DAQ

hardware. NI-DAQ is not packaged with signal conditioning or accessory products. NI-DAQ has

an extensive library of functions that you can call from your application programming

environment. These functions include routines for analog input (A/D conversion), buffered data

acquisition (high-speed A/D conversion), analog output (D/A conversion), waveform generation

(timed D/A conversion), digital I/O, counter/timer operations, SCXI, RTSI, calibration,

messaging, and acquiring data to extended memory.

NI-DAQ has both high-level DAQ I/O functions for maximum ease of use and low-level DAQ

I/O functions for maximum flexibility and performance. Examples of high-level functions are

streaming data to disk or acquiring a certain number of data points. An example of a low-level

function is writing directly to registers on the DAQ device. NI-DAQ does not sacrifice the

performance of National Instruments DAQ devices because it lets multiple devices operate at

their peak performance.