LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows™/CVI™ Instrument Drivers Readme (Windows)

August 2006

This file contains important information about the LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers. The LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers converts VXIplug&play and IVI-C instrument drivers to LabVIEW VIs that work on all platforms for which the instrument driver is compiled.

System and Tool Requirements
Creating VIs with the Basic Configuration
Creating VIs with the Advanced Configuration
LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers Dialog Box
Known Issues
Copyright

System and Tool Requirements

You must have the following software installed before you can install and use the LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers:

• Windows 2000/XP
• National Instruments LabVIEW 8.2 or later

The LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers creates LabVIEW VIs from instrument drivers that meet the following requirements:

• The instrument driver complies with the VXIplug&play or IVI-C specific instrument driver requirements, as defined by the VXIplug&play Systems Alliance or the IVI Foundation.
• The component files are installed according to the VXIplug&play Systems Alliance specifications or IVI Foundation specifications.
• All DLL dependencies for the instrument driver, such as VISA and other support DLLs, are installed.

Creating VIs with the Basic Configuration

If you are not familiar with LabVIEW instrument drivers, use the basic configuration in the LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers. Complete the following steps to create VIs for a VXIplug&play or IVI-C instrument driver by specifying only the function panel (.fp) file.

1. Select Tools»Instrumentation»Create VI Interface to CVI Instrument Driver to display the LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers dialog box.
2. Select the Basic option and click the Next button.
3. Click the Browse button, navigate to the .fp file of the instrument driver you want to convert, and click the OK button.

4. Click the Next button.
5. Review the summary of conversion tasks and click the Next button to convert the instrument driver to VIs.
6. (Optional) Place a checkmark in the View the Report checkbox. The conversion report then appears in the default Web browser when you click the Done button.
7. (Optional) Place a checkmark in the View VI Tree checkbox. The VI Tree VI that illustrates the functional structure of the instrument driver then opens when you click the Done button.
8. Click the Done button to close the dialog box.

Creating VIs with the Advanced Configuration

If you want to specify advanced settings for the generated VIs, such as selecting the files and VIs to generate during the conversion process and editing documentation conversion tasks, use the advanced configuration in the LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers. Complete the following steps to create VIs for a VXIplug&play or IVI-C instrument driver to VIs by specifying advanced options.

1. Select Tools»Instrumentation»Create VI Interface to CVI Instrument Driver to display the LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers dialog box.
2. Select the Advanced option and click the Next button.
3. Click the first Browse button, navigate to the .fp file of the instrument driver you want to convert, and click the OK button. You also can select the .h or .sub files.
4. Navigate to and select the directory where you want LabVIEW to create the generated VIs or LLB and click the Next button. By default, LabVIEW saves the generated VIs in the labview\instr.lib directory of the currently running version of LabVIEW.
5. Select which files you want the conversion process to generate for the instrument driver VIs and click the Next button.
6. Verify the Driver Group, Driver Prefix, and Shared Library or DLL and edit if necessary. You must select a shared library or DLL that is in the IVI or VXIplug&play bin directory.
7. (Optional) Click the Edit Icon button to change the appearance of the icon for the generated VIs.
8. Click the Next button.
9. Select which VIs to generate and rename VIs and palettes. The number in the upper right corner of the listbox indicates the number of VIs currently selected.
   1. Place or remove checkmarks in the checkboxes next to each VI name to specify whether to generate that VI.
   2. (Optional) Select a VI or folder and click the Edit Name button to edit the name of the VI or folder. The folder names represent names of palettes.
   3. Click the Next button.
10. If you placed checkmarks in the Generate Property Node help (.rc file) or Convert help text for VIs and controls checkboxes when selecting which files to generate, review the help text conversion tasks.
    1. Click in a table cell to edit a conversion task.
    2. Click in a blank table cell to add a new conversion task.
    3. Click in the Change column and select Always, Never, or Prompt to always make the change in the help text, never make the change in the help text, or be prompted to accept or skip the change, respectively.
    4. The Show prompts checkbox contains a checkmark by default. Remove the checkmark if you do not want to be prompted to accept or skip each change to the help text that has a value of Prompt in the Change column.
    5. Click the Next button.
    6. If the Show prompts checkbox on the previous page of the dialog box contains a checkmark, click the Accept or Skip button to accept or skip each proposed change. Click the Accept All or Skip All button to accept or skip all remaining instances of the proposed change. You can edit the help text directly by clicking inside either text box.
11. Review the summary of conversion tasks and click the Next button to convert the instrument driver to VIs.
12. (Optional) Place a checkmark in the View the Report checkbox. The conversion report then appears in the default Web browser when you click the Done button.
13. (Optional) Place a checkmark in the View VI Tree checkbox. The VI Tree VI that illustrates the functional structure of the instrument driver then opens when you click the Done button.
14. Click the Done button to close the dialog box.

LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers Dialog Box

Select Tools»Instrumentation»Create VI Interface to CVI Instrument Driver to display this dialog box.

Use this dialog box to convert instrument drivers to LabVIEW VIs.

This dialog box includes the following components:

• Basic—Uses the basic configuration of the LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers, in which you specify only the .fp file.
  • Function Panel (.fp) File—Specifies the .fp file of the instrument driver you want to convert.

  Note  If any of the function windows in the .fp file has more than one panel, the LabVIEW Interface Generator converts only the first panel.

  • Browse—Displays a file dialog box in which you can navigate to and select an .fp file.
• Advanced—Uses the advanced configuration of the LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers, in which you specify advanced settings such as selecting the files and VIs to generate during the conversion process and editing documentation conversion tasks.
  • Function Panel (.fp) File—Specifies the .fp file of the instrument driver you want to convert.

  Note  If any of the function windows in the .fp file has more than one panel, the LabVIEW Interface Generator converts only the first panel.

  • Browse—Displays a file dialog box in which you can navigate to and select an .fp file.
  • Header (.h) File—Specifies the header (.h) file for the instrument driver.
  • Browse—Displays a file dialog box in which you can navigate to and select the .h file for the VXIplug&play or IVI driver.
  • .sub File—Specifies the .sub file for the instrument driver.
  • Browse—Displays a file dialog box in which you can navigate to and select the .sub file for the VXIplug&play or IVI instrument driver.
  • Destination Directory—Specifies the directory in which to save the generated instrument driver VIs. By default, LabVIEW saves the generated VIs in the labview\instr.lib directory of the currently running version of LabVIEW.
  • Browse—Displays a file dialog box in which you can navigate to and select a directory in which to save the generated instrument driver VIs.
  • Generate palette (.mnu files)—Creates a subpalette on the Functions palette with the generated instrument driver VIs.
    • Palette format—Sets the appearance of the instrument driver VIs on the Functions palette. All Icons displays palette items as icons. All Text displays a text list of palette items. Select All Text if you have a large number of functions without icons and you do not intend to update the icons. If you close the All Text palette, you can right-click the front panel or block diagram to display a shortcut menu that contains all the palette items. Select Window»Show Controls Palette or Window»Show Functions Palette to display the palette again. Icons and Text displays all palette items as icons with text labels below each icon.
  • Generate Property Node help (.rc file)—Creates an .rc file that stores the help for generated Property Nodes. This option is available only when you convert IVI drivers.
    • Convert Property Node help text—Enables searching the Property Node help for terms that are specific to the C language to replace with LabVIEW terms.
  • Generate LLB (.llb file)—Creates an LLB for the generated instrument driver VIs. You must leave the checkmark in this checkbox if you want to generate VIs.
    • Convert help text for VIs and controls—Enables searching the converted help for terms that are specific to the C language to replace with LabVIEW terms.
    • Generate application examples—Creates example VIs. This option is available only when you convert class-compliant IVI drivers.
    • Generate VI tree—Creates a VI Tree VI that illustrates the functional structure of the instrument driver. The .fp file hierarchy affects the VI tree hierarchy, so the VI tree has a well-defined or a flat hierarchy depending on the .fp file hierarchy.
  • Driver Group—Specifies the driver group of the instrument driver you want to convert.
  • Icon Preview—Displays the VI icon for the generated instrument driver VIs.
    • Edit Icon—Displays the Edit Instrument Driver VI Icon dialog box so you can edit the instrument driver icon banner and change the background color of the VI icons. Include the instrument driver prefix in the icon banner. The Edit Instrument Driver VI Icon dialog box uses the same drawing tools as the Icon Editor dialog box.
  • Driver Prefix—Shows the instrument prefix that the .fp file applies. LabWindows/CVI adds this prefix to all C function names in the function panel tree. The converter also adds this prefix to the names of VIs it generates.
  • Shared Library or DLL—Shared library or DLL of the instrument driver you want to convert.
  • Browse—Displays a file dialog box in which you can navigate to and select the shared library or DLL.
  • Select All—Places a checkmark next to every VI in the list.
  • Deselect All—Removes the checkmark from every VI in the list.
  • Edit Name—Enables you to rename the selected VI or folder in the list. The folder names represent names of palettes.
  • Change—Select Always, Never, or Prompt to always make the change in the help text, never make the change in the help text, or be prompted to accept or skip the change, respectively.
  • Show prompts—Prompts you to accept or skip each change to the help text that has a value of Prompt in the Change column. If you remove the checkmark from the checkbox, LabVIEW does not prompt you to accept or skip any changes to the help text.
  • Change to—Displays the word or string to replace the highlighted word or string.
  • Accept—Replaces the highlighted word or string with the word or string in the Change to text box.
  • Skip—Makes no changes to the highlighted word or string and continues to the next instance.
  • Accept All—Replaces every instance of the word or string with the word or string in the Change to text box.
  • Skip All—Makes no changes to the remaining instances of the word or string and continues to the next word or string.
• Back—Displays the previous page of the dialog box.
• Next—Displays the next page of the dialog box.
• Cancel—Cancels the changes you made and closes the dialog box.
• Help—Displays the LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers Readme, which includes step-by-step instructions, descriptions of dialog box components, and known issues.
• View the Report—Specifies to display the conversion report in the default Web browser when you click the Done button.
• View VI Tree—Specifies to open the VI Tree VI that illustrates the functional structure of the instrument driver when you click the Done button.

Known Issues

Refer to the KnowledgeBase for the latest information about the LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers.

• The LabVIEW Interface Generator for LabWindows/CVI Instrument Drivers does not work in multi-byte operating systems such as the Chinese version of Windows.
• If a function panel contains multiple controls with the same error, LabVIEW lists only the first control error encountered in the report. Examine function panels with a control error and verify that no other control errors exist in the function panel and the corresponding generated VI.
• If you enter an absolute path to a DLL in the Shared Library or DLL field, LabVIEW uses an absolute path in the generated VIs. If you plan to copy the generated VIs to another computer, ensure the .dll file is located in a directory that reflects the path you specified in the Shared Library or DLL field.
• The VIs LabVIEW 8.2 creates for IVI drivers do not specify the corresponding IVI class. Therefore, if you wire an IVI instrument driver VI to a Property Node, you must right-click the instrument handle out field and select Select IVI Class»instrument_driver_class from the shortcut menu to specify the appropriate IVI class manually. The instrument_driver_class is the name of the specific driver class and is the same as the prefix of the instrument driver. You also must specify the instrument_driver_class for the instrument handle input of these VIs. This known issue might be fixed in later versions of LabVIEW.

Copyright

This product includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation.

Copyright © 1999 The Apache Software Foundation. All rights reserved.

Refer to the XercesLicense.txt file in the labview\project\_DriverCtoLV directory for more information about the Apache Software License.

© 2006 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.