Basic Usage

You can use the NI-SCOPE .NET class library to interactively program NI high-speed oscilloscopes and digitizers. The NI-SCOPE .NET API is an Interchangeable Virtual Instrument (IVI)-compliant instrument driver that features a set of methods and properties that exercise the functionality of the NI-SCOPE hardware.

  1. Initialization—Use a constructor to create a new instance of the NIScope class. You must create an instance of this class before you can call into the underlying NI-SCOPE driver. 
    VB.NET

Using scopeSession As New NIScope("resourceName", false, false)
    ' Initialize a session to NI-SCOPE instruments.
    ' Your code goes here. 
End Using
     

    C#

using (NIScope scopeSession = new NIScope("resourceName", false, false))
{
      // Initialize a session to NI-SCOPE instruments.
      // Your code goes here.
}
  2. Configuration—Use the NIScope object to access various sub-objects and to configure the NI-SCOPE driver directly or indirectly. You can use a sub-object of the ScopeChannelCollection class to configure channel-specific properties. 
    VB.NET

Dim scopeSession As New NIScope(ResourceName, False, False)
scopeSession.Channels(ChannelName).Configure(VerticalRange, VerticalOffset, ScopeVerticalCoupling.DC, 1.0, True)
scopeSession.Timing.ConfigureTiming(sampleRateMin, recordLengthMin, refPosition, 1, True)
Dim recordLength As Long = scopeSession.Acquisition.RecordLength
scopeSession.Measurement.Initiate()
Dim byteWaveforms As AnalogWaveformCollection(Of Byte) = scopeSession.Channels(ChannelName).Measurement.FetchByte(timeout, recordLength, byteWaveforms, waveformInfo)

    C#

NIScope scopeSession = new NIScope(ResourceName, false, false);
scopeSession.Channels[ChannelName].Configure(VerticalRange, VerticalOffset, ScopeVerticalCoupling.DC, 1.0, true);
scopeSession.Timing.ConfigureTiming(sampleRateMin, recordLengthMin, refPosition, 1,true);
long recordLength = scopeSession.Acquisition.RecordLength;
scopeSession.Measurement.Initiate();
AnalogWaveformCollection<byte> byteWaveforms = scopeSession.Channels[ChannelName].Measurement.FetchByte(timeout, recordLength, byteWaveforms, out waveformInfo);
  3. Initiate—NI-SCOPE devices start acquiring waveforms, causing the NIScope session to enter the running state. 
    VB.NET

scopeSession.Measurement.Initiate()

    C#

scopeSession.Measurement.Initiate();
  4. Running State—In the Running state, you can take measurements, fetch buffered measurements, query the output state, or query device states. 
    VB.NET

Dim recordLength As Long = scopeSession.Acquisition.RecordLength
Dim sampleRate As Double = scopeSession.Acquisition.SampleRate
Dim byteWaveforms As AnalogWaveformCollection(Of Byte) = scopeSession.Channels(ChannelName).Measurement.FetchByte(timeout, recordLength, byteWaveforms, waveformInfo)
    C#

long recordLength = scopeSession.Acquisition.RecordLength;
double sampleRate = scopeSession.Acquisition.SampleRate;
AnalogWaveformCollection<byte> byteWaveforms
= scopeSession.Channels[ChannelName].Measurement.FetchByte(timeout, recordLength, byteWaveforms, out waveformInfo);
  5. Close—Closes the session to the device(s) and frees un-managed resources that are held by the session. You can close the session with Close or Dispose. 
    VB.NET

scopeSession.Close()
or
scopeSession.Dispose()
or 
Using scopeSession As New NIScope("resourceName", false, false)
    ' Your code goes here. 
End Using
    C#

scopeSession.Close();
or
scopeSession.Dispose();
or
using (NIScope scopeSession = new NIScope("resourceName", false, false))
{
    // Your code goes here.
}

Refer to the Programming Flow topic in the NI High-Speed Digitizers Help for information about the specific NI-SCOPE software states.