Getting Started Using National Instruments IVI with LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI

1. Installing the Software

Complete the following steps to install the IVI software on your system. You can find all of the following components on ni.com.

1. Install the IVI Compliance Package from Drivers and Updates (link below).
2. Install NI-VISA from Drivers and Updates (link below).
3. Choose two IVI-C specific drivers to use in the examples. These two drivers must be from the same class. Install the two drivers you have chosen from NI Instrument Driver Network (link below).
4. Restart the computer after installing the software.

   See Also:
   NI Web Support--Drivers and Updates
   NI Instrument Driver Network

Back to Top

2. Configuring an IVI System in Measurement & Automation Explorer

Complete the following steps to configure your IVI system in MAX:

1. Launch MAX.
   
   Note If you cannot see the IVI Drivers folder, press F5 to refresh MAX.
   
2. Expand IVI Drivers.
3. Right-click Logical Names and select Create New (case sensitive).
4. Replace the default logical name, NewLogicalName, with the new case-sensitive name of your choice, such as MyDmm.
   
   
   
5. Click Go To to view the properties of the hp34401a driver session.
6. Under the General tab, you can enable or disable initialization options. If you do not have the actual instrument connected to your system, make sure that you select Specific Driver in the Simulate With drop-down. Otherwise, select Don't Simulate and create a new hardware asset under the Hardware tab.
   
   
   
7. Click Save IVI Configuration at the top of the configuration view.
8. Exit MAX.

   See Also:
   Using Measurement & Automation Explorer 3.0 to Configure Your IVI System

Back to Top

3. Running an IviDmm Class Example in LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI

Complete the following steps to run an IviDmm Class example.

LabVIEW Users

To run an IviDmm Class example in LabVIEW, complete the following steps:

1. Launch LabVIEW and click on Find Examples....
2. In the Browse tab of the NI Example Finder window, navigate to the \Hardware Input and Output\Instrument Drivers\IVI folder.
3. Double-click IviDmm-Single Point Measurement.vi.
4. Select MyDmm in the IVI Logical Name control as shown in the following figure.
   
   
   
5. Run the example.
6. Change the configuration settings on the front panel and run the example again.
   
   Note If you receive an error message after you change the configuration, the configuration settings probably do not match those of HP 34401A DMM.
   
7. Leave the example open and go to the Interchanging the HP 34401A DMM with the Fluke 45 DMM section.

To view the IVI class driver calls made in this example, press <Ctrl-E> to open the block diagram.

LabWindows/CVI Users

To run an IviDmm Class example in LabWindows/CVI, complete the following steps:

1. Launch LabWindows/CVI.
2. Select Find Examples....
3. On the Browse tab of the NI Example Finder, navigate to \Hardware Input and Output\Instrument Drivers\IVI and double-click ividmm.prj.
4. Select Run»Debug ividmm.exe.
5. In the Initialize DMM panel, type the logical name (MyDmm) in the Logical Name field, as shown in the following figure, and click Initialize.
   
   
   
6. In the Configure DMM panel, click Configure.
   
   
   
7. In the Read DMM panel, click Read.
8. To take multiple readings, click Read repeatedly.
9. To change the configuration settings of the DMM, return to the Configure DMM panel by clicking Configure.
   
   Note If you receive an error message after you change the configuration, the configuration settings probably do not match those of HP 34401A DMM.
   
10. Click Close and Quit.

To view the IVI class driver calls made in this example, select File»Open»Source (*.c) to open the source code of the example.

Back to Top

4. Interchanging the HP 34401A DMM with the Fluke 45 DMM

To interchange the HP 34401A DMM with the Fluke 45 DMM, complete the following steps:

1. Launch MAX.
2. Expand IVI Drivers.
3. Expand Logical Names and select MyDmm.
4. Select fl45 from Driver Session as shown in the following figure.
   
   
   
5. Click Go To to view properties of the fl45 driver session.
6. If simulating, make sure that you select Specific Driver from Simulate With.
7. Click Save IVI Configuration.
8. Exit MAX. You are now ready to run the example program using the same logical name but a different instrument.
9. To verify instrument interchange, repeat the instructions in the Running an IviDmm Class Example in LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI section.
   

Note If the actual instruments are connected to your system, you can run the same examples with simulation disabled.

You have successfully completed all sections and learned how to configure an IVI system in MAX, run a sample program in the simulation mode, and interchange instruments.

Back to Top

5. Related Links:

IVI Foundation Website

On-Demand Training: IVI Fundamentals I - What Are IVI Drivers? (SSP required)

On-Demand Training: IVI Fundamentals II - Why Use IVI Drivers? (SSP required)