Graphical programming support

Dataquest Solutions provides Spectrum card drivers and example programs for many of the most popular graphical programming environments currently sold. These environments require little of no code programming and are designed for rapid program development. All software described on this page have good display and processing capabilities, including virtual operator panels and controls for the PC screen. For very high mega-sample speeds graphical programs are best operated in single-shot mode to capture a series of data then process, this can be done rapidly and concurrently, however for Labview the latest generation Spectrum driver is now available improving continuous data transfer. Should you require further advice on the choice and capabilities of different graphical programs when operating with PC instrumentation please feel free to contact Dataquest Solutions.

LabVIEW

As this is one of the most widely used programming interfaces within industry and research a Spectrum card driver for Labview has been available for many years. With the advent of the M2i range a completely re-designed version of the driver has been released and is suitable for LabView 6.1 onwards. This has been optimised to allow LabView to receive data streaming from the installed card across a PCI-X bus in the region of 200 MBytes per second (raw data) so that signal acquisition (or working the opposite way for waveform generation) can proceed without interruption. For the M2i and M3i series cards data can also be processed real-time whilst transfer is proceeding due to the new improved data handing within the on-board memory. As well as raw data, data can be sorted and normalized as 16 bit integer or even completely recalculated to voltage values. All Spectrum card features and enhancement options are available as the Spectrum API is supported without limitations.

With the purchase of this driver option a set of ready-made example Vi's are provided and show many aspects Spectrum boards operation and associated function commands. These Vi's are ready to edit to meet the desired programming structure.

Here is a short description of just some of the supplied examples:-

For signal capture (A/D) cards

longacq_1channel.vi: This example shows how to make very long captures up to the full on-board memory (potentially 4 GByte). The captured waveform can be seen on screen and moved through in sample blocks using navigation buttons.
stream_m3i.vi: Specifically designed for the M3i series (though other series examples are available), this shows a method of continuous signal acquisition with the data streamed real time from card to PC. Complete with waveform display and buffer fill status indicator.

For arbitrary waveform generator (A/D) cards

analog_standard_out.vi: This shows how to use the output functionality of a waveform generator card. Standard waveform types are selectable e.g. sine, but this example can be modified to read from the programmers own arbitrary waveform data file.

For digital I/O cards

digital_standard_out.vi: Generates static arrays of bits from the output ports of the 7000 series digital cards and may be modified to read logic data from the programmers source. Also suitable for 7200 series pattern generator cards with programmable logic levels -2 to 10V.
digital_scope.vi: Provides a simple scope/logic analyser display of signals arriving at the digital inputs of the the 7000 series digital cards, including the 64 bit models and at all speeds.

Do you use National Instruments LabWindows/CVI? Then please click here to find more information on using this programming package with Spectrum hardware

DASYlab

DASYlab provides one of the most intuitive programming solutions to date. The point and click placement of modules makes this a popular choice for programmers and non-programmers alike, with applications for displaying and processing produced in just a few minutes. Set up of the hardware functions is easily done from an automatically generated panel,(see image), so that sample rate, number of channels, triggers, ranges etc are quickly entered.

The driver for the Spectrum cards integrates seamlessly with DASYlab versions 5.5 onwards. The DASYlab driver uses the standard Spectrum driver as its base, so latest card updates are easily applied. Both analogue and digital cards are supported (not M3i series at this time), as are their functions, plus many of the enhancement options such as synchronous digital inputs, synchronised multiple cards and trigger time stamp.

Agilent VEE

With its flow chart structure Agilent VEE makes a popular choice for users with some text programming experience but would prefer a faster way to complete projects, without losing the flexible development environment they are used to. VEE's programming structure lends itself well to data manipulation and the IF/THEN/ELSE in test sequencing. With the Spectrum card driver the user can take advantage of this and much more, including the wealth of specialist displays. VEE version 5 upwards is supported by Spectrum drivers for operating systems Windows 2000 and XP and 7, (but check that your version of VEE is supported under a particular Windows platform).

Once the optional Spectrum driver for VEE has been installed the VEE gives access to all the graphical programming functions required to easily initialise, set up and operate the Spectrum card. Aspects such as assigned memory, sampling rate, gain range etc. are easily accessed without code writing and multi-board operation with synchronisation option allows cards of different operation (A/D, D/A and digital I/O) to be combined. Captured data can be saved in the numerous formats that VEE supports and array of results can be brought back into VEE worksheet for further sorting and analysis.

Examples are provided to help the programmer, such as Scope4ch_ts_BaseXIO.vee shown in the image above. This example shows signals from four channels on a scope type display, whilst simultaneously time stamping all arriving acquisition triggers and monitoring the digital I/O bit status on the Base XIO, an option that adds asynchronous digital to a Spectrum A/D card.

ORDER INFORMATION		ORDER CODE
	M3i driver for Labview Version 6.1 or higher. Win 2000, XP, Vista, 7	M3i (card no.)xx-dl
	M3i driver for Agilent VEE Version 5.0 or higher. Win 2000, XP, Vista, 7	M3i (card no.)xx-vee
	M2i Driver for Labview Version 6.1 or higher. Win 2000, XP, Vista, 7	M2i (card no.)xx-dl
	M2i Driver for Dasylab Version 5.5 or higher. Win 2000, XP, Vista, 7	M2i (card no.)xx-hp
	M2i Driver for Agilent VEE Version 5.0 or higher. Win 2000, XP, Vista, 7	M2i (card no.)xx-vee
	M2i / M3i Driver for LabWindows/CVI Version 7.1 or higher. Win 2000, XP, Vista, 7	Included on the Spectrum driver CD free of charge
	Drivers also available for use with Compact PCI and PXI cards	Please request codes
	The software packages listed above should function normally on the 64-bit version of Windows because of a Microsoft "abstraction" layer, but we recommend you check your version will work in this enviroment with your software supplier.

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MS-DOS, Windows 2000 / XP / 7, and Excel are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation

Labview, DASYlab and LabWindows/CVI are trademarks of the National Instruments Corporation

MATLAB is a trademark of the MathWorks Corporation

VEE is a trademark for the Agilent.