Sigma LBA-714PC Virtual Instrument VI Examples, LBA-PC Remote Control Capabilities, VI Libraries

Appendix B LabVIEW Support

B.1 Introduction

LabVIEW is a product and registered trademark of National Instruments Corporation. LabVIEW is a general purpose programming system designed specifically for data acquisition and instrument control. LabVIEW programs are called Virtual Instruments (VI’s) because their appearance and operation can mimic other instruments such as the LBA-PC laser beam analyzer. Thus, your LBA-PC can be remotely controlled by Virtual Instruments created using National Instruments LabVIEW.

The User Guide describes remote operation of the LBA-PC.

B.1.1 Virtual Instrument (VI) Examples

To assist you with the development of specialized VI’s for your application, Spiricon has supplied you with two libraries containing both basic and general VI examples. These examples are not provided as solutions to any specific requirement that the user might have in mind. Rather they are supplied to assist the VI designer in the development of their own specialized VI.

B.1.2 LBA-PC Remote Control Capabilities

Essentially all LBA-PC operations can be controlled remotely over a GPIB bus using National Instruments GPIB cards and LabVIEW developed VI’s. Other sections of this manual detail the GPIB commands supported by the LBA-PC. It is assumed that the user is familiar with LabVIEW, and the meanings of the information provided below regarding the sample LabVIEW VI’s. All of the following VI’s require that the user has obtained a copy of the LabVIEW development software and has it installed on their PC. Spiricon has developed these VI’s using LabVIEW for Windows version 6i, and makes no claims for their compatibility using earlier versions or other platforms. National Instruments GPIB interface hardware and their Windows drivers must be installed in both the remote (LBA-PC) computer and the local (or controlling) PC.

B.1.3 VI Libraries

If you checked the “Install Remote Capabilities” box during the installation of the LBA-PC application two VI library files, LBA-PC.LLB and SUBVI.LLB, will be installed in the following sub-directories:

C:\ SPIRICON
\ LBAPC
\LABVIEW GPIB Examples
LBAPC.LLB
Operator’s Manual	265	LBA-PC
Doc. No. 10654-001, Rev 4.10