NI-RFSG 14.5 Readme

January 2015


This file contains important information about NI-RFSG and is organized into the following sections:


New Features

Supported Hardware

System Requirements

Installed Software, Documentation, and Examples

Executable

Documentation

Accessing VIs and Functions

Finding Examples

Product Security and Critical Updates

Driver Version Naming Changes

Uninstalling/Modifying NI–RFSG

Behavior Changes

Known Issues

Bug Fixes

Automating the Installation of NI Products

How to Use NI Software with Microsoft Windows 8.x

NI-RFSG Drops Support for Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 in 2016

Legal Information


NI RF Signal Generators Software

The software installation provides support for customers using NI RF signal generator hardware, as specified in the Supported Hardware section. To program your NI RF signal generator, use the NI–RFSG instrument driver or NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel (SFP).

The getting started guide for your device provides information about how to install, configure, test, and begin using an NI RF signal generator, as indicated in the Documentation section.


New Features

NI–RFSG 14.5 includes the following new features:


  • Support for the NI PXIe-5654 RF signal generator
  • Support for the NI PXIe-5654 with NI PXIe-5696 amplitude extender (AE)
  • Support for LabVIEW 2014 SP1 (32- and 64-bit)
  • Support for I/Q impairments with vector signal transceiver (VST) devices
  • NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel 14.5, which includes the following new features:
    • Support for Arb waveform generation mode with the NI 5644R/5645R/5646R and NI 5673E
    • Support for the preceding new features listed for NI-RFSG

NI–RFSG 14.0 includes the following new features:


  • Support for LabVIEW 2014 (32- and 64-bit)
  • Support removed for LabVIEW 2010
  • NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel 14.0

NI–RFSG 1.9.7 includes the following new features:


  • Support for the NI PXIe-5646R VST
  • Support for downloading a custom bitfile to a VST device
  • Support for 64-bit application software with VST devices
  • NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel 1.9.7, which includes support for the other new features in NI-RFSG 1.9.7

NI–RFSG 1.9.6 adds support for the NI-RFSG Compensate for Filter Group Delay property for the NI PXIe-5672.


NI–RFSG 1.9.5 includes the following new features:


  • Support for LabVIEW 2013 (32- and 64-bit)
  • Support removed for LabVIEW 2009
  • NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel 1.9.5, which includes the following new features:
    • Improved launch time
    • Quick save/recall of SFP configurations
    • Cursor data entry
    • Enhanced readability of saved configuration files

NI–RFSG 1.9 includes the following new features:


  • Support for the NI PXIe-5644R/5645R vector signal transceivers
  • Includes the NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel (SFP) in the NI-RFSG installer
  • Improved the Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) test panel to use the NI-RFSG SFP
  • Improved representation of multiple-module devices in MAX

Supported Hardware

The following table shows which hardware products are supported in all operating systems listed in the Supported Operating Systems section.


Hardware Product NI-RFSG NI-RFSG SFP
NI PXI-5610
 
NI PXIe-5611
 
NI PXIe-5644R
NI PXIe-5645R
NI PXIe-5646R
NI PXI/PXIe-5650
NI PXI/PXIe-5651
NI PXI/PXIe-5652
NI PXIe-5653
 
NI PXIe-5654
NI PXIe-5654 with NI PXIe-5696
NI PXI-5670
NI PXI-5671
NI PXIe-5672
NI PXIe-5673/5673E

Note  Some hardware products are not supported by the NI-DAQmx-based runtime. Visit ni.com/info and enter the Info Code rfsgdevices for more information about which NI-RFSG devices are supported by the NI-DAQmx-based runtime.


Note  MXI Express and MXI-4 are supported on Windows 8.1/8.0/7/Vista/XP, but MXI-3 is supported on only Windows XP.


System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems

NI-RFSG 14.5 and NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel 14.5 support the following operating systems:


  • Windows 8.1 (32-bit and 64-bit)
  • Windows 8.0 (32-bit and 64-bit)
  • Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit)
  • Windows Vista (32-bit and 64-bit)
  • Windows XP Service Pack 3 (32-bit)
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 (64-bit)
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit)
  • Windows Server 2003 R2 (32-bit)

Note  NI-RFSG 14.5 and later does not support Windows Server non-R2 editions.


It is recommended that you have the most recent service pack for your operating system installed.


Supported Real-Time Operating Environments

NI-RFSG 14.5 supports the following real-time operating environments:


Note: When using NI-RFSG, the NI 5644R/5645R/5646R/5654/5654 with NI 5696 does not support the LabVIEW Real-Time Module or LabWindows/CVI Real-Time Module.


Minimum Runtime/Deployment System


  • Processor—Pentium 4 or equivalent
  • RAM—
    • Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3): 512 MB (NI-RFSG), 1 GB (NI-RFSG SFP)
    • Windows 8.1/8.0/7/Vista: 1 GB
    Note: Depending on the amount of data generated or processed, a larger amount of RAM may be required.
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or later
  • A screen resolution of 1,024 x 768
  • Windows 8.1/8.0/7/Vista/XP SP3, with all available critical updates and service packs

Recommended Development System


  • Processor—Intel i5 or equivalent
  • RAM—
    • Windows XP SP3: 2 GB
    • Windows 8.1/8.0/7/Vista: 4 GB
    Note: Depending on the amount of data generated or processed, a larger amount of RAM may be required.
  • A screen resolution of 1,024 x 768
  • Windows 8.1/8.0/7/Vista/XP SP3, with all available critical updates and service packs
  • If you are running your application on an RT target, 128 MB of memory or more is recommended.
  • Guest accounts are not supported under any OS.

Application Development Environments

Note: You should install ADEs, such as NI LabVIEW, NI LabWindows/CVI or Microsoft Visual Studio®, before installing NI-RFSG. To add support for ADEs installed after installing NI-RFSG, modify your NI-RFSG installation or launch the NI-RFSG installer again.

NI Application SoftwareVersions Supported by NI-RFSG
NI LabVIEW2011, 2012, 2013, or 2014
NI LabVIEW Real-Time Module2011, 2012, 2013, or 2014
NI LabWindows/CVI2010 or later
NI LabWindows/CVI Real-Time Module2010 or later
Note: Install any toolkits or add-on software you intend to use with the NI–RFSG instrument driver after NI–RFSG installation is complete. Refer to the getting started guide for your device for more information about software and hardware installation.
Note: MXI users must install the software included with the MXI hardware.

Installed Software, Documentation, and Examples

Installed Software

  • <NIDocDir> is an alias for the following National Instruments file folder location:
    • Windows 8.1/8.0/7/Vista: Users\Public\Documents\National Instruments
    • Windows XP: Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\National Instruments
  • <IVIROOTDIR32> is an alias for the following National Instruments file folder location:
    • Windows 8.1 (32-bit)/8.0 (32-bit)/7 (32-bit)/Vista (32-bit)/XP: Program Files\IVI Foundation\IVI\
    • Windows 8.1 (64-bit)/8.0 (64-bit)/7 (64-bit)/Vista (64-bit): Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\IVI\
      Note $(IVIROOTDIR32) is configured as an environment variable on the target system.
      If you upgraded an installation of IVI, your files may be located in the following location:
      • Windows 8.1 (32-bit)/8.0 (32-bit)/7 (32-bit)/Vista (32-bit)/XP: Program Files\IVI\
      • Windows 8.1 (64-bit)/8.0 (64-bit)/7 (64-bit)/Vista (64-bit): Program Files (x86)\IVI\
  • <IVIROOTDIR64> is an alias for the following National Instruments file folder location:
    • Windows 8.1 (64-bit)/8.0 (64-bit)/7 (64-bit)/Vista (64-bit): Program Files\IVI Foundation\IVI\

      Note  $(IVIROOTDIR64) is configured as an environment variable on the target system.



File Locations

ItemInstalled Location on Windows 8.1 (32-bit)/8.0 (32-bit)/7 (32-bit)/Vista (32-bit)/XP
NI-RFSG<IVIROOTDIR32>\Drivers\niRFSG
NI-RFSG Function Panel<IVIROOTDIR32>\Drivers\niRFSG\niRFSG.fp
NI-RFSG Examples<NIDocDir>\NI-RFSG\Examples
NI-RFSG Header files<IVIROOTDIR32>\Include
NI-RFSG Import Library files (32-bit)<IVIROOTDIR32>\Lib
NI-RFSG DLL (32-bit)<IVIROOTDIR32>\Bin
NI-RFSG SFP<IVIROOTDIR32>\Drivers\niRFSG
NI-RFSG SFP Example Waveforms<NIDocDir>\NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel\examples\Waveforms

Additional File Locations for Windows 8.1 (64-bit)/8.0 (64-bit)/7 (64-bit)/Vista (64-bit)

ItemInstalled Location on Windows 8.1 (64-bit)/8.0 (64-bit)/7 (64-bit)/Vista (64-bit)
NI-RFSG Function Panel<IVIROOTDIR64>\Drivers\niRFSG\niRFSG.fp
NI-RFSG Header files<IVIROOTDIR64>\Include
NI-RFSG Import Library files (64-bit)<IVIROOTDIR64>\Lib_x64
NI-RFSG DLL (64-bit)<IVIROOTDIR64>\Bin


Executable

To launch the NI-RFSG SFP, navigate to Start»All Programs»National Instruments»NI-RFSG»NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel.



Documentation

Documentation for NI-RFSG is located at Start»All Programs»National Instruments»NI-RFSG»Documentation. The documentation set is composed of the following documents.


Document Format Description
NI RF Signal Generators Help HTML/Windows Help Contains primary help content for NI-RFSG products. The help is an HTML version of a traditional user manual that includes the following information:
  • An introduction to RF Fundamentals
  • Hardware device overviews
  • How to get started with application development
  • The NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel Help
  • A complete reference for all NI-RFSG programming VIs and functions
Getting Started Guide for your device Printed and PDF Contains software and hardware installation, MAX configuration, signal connection, and troubleshooting information for your device.
Specifications for your device PDF Lists technical specifications for your device.
Calibration Procedure for your device PDF Contains calibration instructions for your device.
NI-RFSG Readme HTML (this document) Contains information about supported hardware and operating systems, new features, fixed issues, and legal notices.

For the most recent revisions of documentation and for newly released documentation, visit ni.com/manuals.


Note  To view PDFs, you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. You can install the viewer from www.adobe.com/acrobat.



Accessing VIs and Functions

NI–RFSG VIs are available in LabVIEW from the Functions»Measurement I/O»NI–RFSG palette.


NI–RFSG functions are available in LabWindows/CVI from the Instrument menu. To load the NI–RFSG function panel (.fp), select Instrument»Load, and navigate to <IVIROOTDIR32>\Drivers\niRFSG\niRFSG.fp or <IVIROOTDIR64>\Drivers\niRFSG\niRFSG.fp.



Finding Examples

In LabVIEW, you can use the NI Example Finder to search or browse examples. NI–RFSG examples are classified by keyword, so you can search for a particular device or measurement function. In LabVIEW, select Help»Find Examples to launch the NI Example Finder. The NI Example Finder offers two ways to access all installed LabVIEW example VIs (including NI–RFSG and Modulation Toolkit examples) and their descriptions:


  • Click the Browse tab to locate modulation examples by task at Hardware Input and Output»Modular Instruments»NI–RFSG or by directory structure at instr»niRFSG.
  • Click the Search tab to search all installed examples by keyword. For example, search for "RFSG" to locate all NI RF signal generator examples.

The NI Example Finder is also available in LabWindows/CVI by selecting Help»Find Examples.


You can also access all the installed NI–RFSG examples for LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI at Start»All Programs»National Instruments»NI–RFSG»Examples.


Examples are also available online that demonstrate integrating NI RF signal generators with NI RF signal analyzers and NI toolkit software including the Modulation Toolkit. Refer to ni.com/examples for these examples and for more information.


Product Security and Critical Updates

Visit ni.com/security to view and subscribe to receive security notifications about National Instruments products. Visit ni.com/critical-updates for information about critical updates from National Instruments.


Driver Version Naming Changes

NI-RFSG versions are now aligned with the versions of major NI application software products. This alignment gives you information about the year the driver was released and the most recent software version the driver was designed to work with. Driver versions now start with a two-digit year indicator: <ProductName><Year-BasedVersion>. For example, NI-RFSG 14.0 is the version released with LabVIEW 2014. The last version released under the old numbering scheme is NI-RFSG 1.9.8. The first version released under the new numbering scheme is NI-RFSG 14.0.


Uninstalling/Modifying NI–RFSG

For Windows XP, complete the following steps:


  1. Launch the Control Panel by selecting Start»Control Panel.
  2. Double-click Add or Remove Programs.
  3. Select National Instruments Software.
  4. Click Change/Remove.
  5. Select NI–RFSG 14.5 from the dialog box that appears.
  6. Click Remove to uninstall the product; click Modify to change the components that are installed.

For Windows 7/Vista, complete the following steps:


  1. Launch the Control Panel by selecting Start»Control Panel.
  2. Double-click Programs and Features.
  3. Select National Instruments Software.
  4. Click the Uninstall/Change button.
  5. Select NI–RFSG 14.5 from the dialog box that appears.
  6. Click Remove to uninstall the product; click Modify to change the components that are installed.

For Windows 8.1/8.0, complete the following steps:


  1. Right-click the Start screen.
  2. Select All apps, and launch the Control Panel.
  3. Select Programs»Programs and Features.
  4. Select National Instruments Software.
  5. Click the Uninstall button.
  6. Select NI-RFSG 14.5 from the dialog box that appears.
  7. Click Remove to uninstall the product; click Modify to change the components that are installed.

As part of the NI–RFSG 14.5 installation, the following software is installed. To completely remove the NI–RFSG 14.5 installation from your system, you must also remove all of the following packages:

  • NI-RFSG Runtime 14.5
  • NI-RFSA/NI-RFSG 14.5 Runtime for NI VST
  • NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel 14.5
  • NI-DAQmx 9.6.1
  • NI-FGEN Runtime 14.0.1
  • NI-RIO 14.0.1
  • NI IVI Compliance Package 14.0
  • NI-VISA Runtime 14.0.1
  • NI Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) 14.0.1
  • NI I/O Trace 3.0.2
  • NI System Configuration Runtime 14.0
  • NI Hierarchical Waveform Storage 14.0
Caution: Several of the software packages listed above are shared with other NI software packages. If you attempt to remove a piece of software that something else is dependent upon, a message warns you about the software dependencies. You can choose to either uninstall all of the software or to leave the shared software installed. If you choose to uninstall the shared software, some of your other NI software may no longer function correctly.
Note: Do not attempt to uninstall by manually deleting files.

Behavior Changes


NI–RFSG 14.5


  • When you delete a configuration list, NI-RFSG automatically resets the Active Configuration List property or NIRFSG_ATTR_ACTIVE_CONFIGURATION_LIST attribute to "" (empty string), which indicates no list is active, and the Active Configuration List Step property or NIRFSG_ATTR_ACTIVE_CONFIGURATION_LIST_STEP attribute to 0. Both properties or attirbutes immediately return an error if you try to set an invalid active list or active step.

NI–RFSG 1.9


  • The NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel (SFP) replaces the MAX test panel functionality for your device. In NI-RFSG 1.8.5 and earlier, you could use the MAX test panel with LabVIEW Real-Time targets. NI-RFSG SFP 1.9.5 does not support Real-Time applications.
  • The NI-RFSG SFP 1.9.5 does not support the NI PXI-5610 with an external arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) module. In NI-RFSG 1.8.5 and earlier, the MAX test panel supported the NI PXI-5610 with an external AWG module.

Known Issues

You can access the software and documentation known issues list online. Refer to the following locations at ni.com for an up-to-date list of known issues in NI-RFSG 14.5 and the NI-RFSG SFP 14.5.




Bug Fixes

NI-RFSG Instrument Driver

The following items are the IDs and titles of a subset of issues fixed between NI–RFSG instrument driver revisions. This table is not an exhaustive list of issues fixed in the current version of NI–RFSG.


NI–RFSG 14.5


IDFixed Issue
489122 Fixed an issue where the NI 5652 appears outside of the composite device in MAX.

NI–RFSG 14.0.1


IDFixed Issue
492490 Fixed an issue where LabVIEW Run-Time Engine 2013 SP1 does not install with NI-RFSG.

NI–RFSG 14.0


IDFixed Issue
466905Fixed an issue where set frequency and power level execution time takes longer than expected on the NI 5644R/5645R/5646R.

NI–RFSG 1.9.5


IDFixed Issue
392343Fixed an issue where errors occur during IVI simulation of NI 5610- or NI 5611-based devices.

NI–RFSG 1.9


IDFixed Issue
376578Fixed an issue where verification on the NI PXI/PXIe-5650/5651/5652 devices fails at low power levels after an external calibration.
378637Fixed an issue where nominal frequencies are returned rather than coerced values during NI PXI/PXIe-5650/5651/5652 external calibration.
325416Fixed an issue where the Reference Clock can not be exported to REF OUT2 connector of the NI 5673E.


NI-RFSG Soft Front Panel

The following items are the IDs and titles of a subset of issues fixed between NI–RFSG SFP revisions. This table is not an exhaustive list of issues fixed in the current version of the NI–RFSG SFP.


NI–RFSG SFP 1.9.5


Bug ID Fixed Issue
345106 Fixed an issue where the NI-RFSG SFP took more than 40 seconds to launch after the device selection.
346602 Fixed an issue where switching from Ref In to Clk In, when there was no signal on Clk In for the NI PXIe-5673, caused the device to enter an unknown state.
345543 Fixed an issue where the splash screen disappeared before the NI-RFSG SFP finished launching.
332005 Fixed an issue where a Windows command prompt window opened while closing the SFP.

Automating the Installation of NI Products

You can automate the installation of most NI products using command-line arguments to suppress some or all of the installer user interface and dialog boxes. However, starting with the August 2012 releases (products using NI Installers version 3.1 or later), you may need to perform additional steps before or during a silent installation of NI software.


If the NI product you are installing uses Microsoft .NET 4.0, the .NET installer may run before any NI software installs and may require a reboot before the installation of NI software begins. To avoid a .NET reboot, install .NET 4.0 separately before you install NI software.


For more information about automating the installation of NI products, refer to the following KnowledgeBase articles:


How to Use NI Software with Microsoft Windows 8.x

When you install National Instruments software on Microsoft Windows 8.x, you will notice a few additional tiles in the Apps view, including shortcuts to NI application software products such as NI LabVIEW, Measurement & Automation Explorer (NI MAX), and NI Launcher.


Using NI Launcher

NI Launcher helps you find and launch installed NI products. It provides you with a method of finding NI products similar to the Start menu in previous versions of Microsoft Windows. To use NI Launcher, click the NI Launcher tile in the Apps view. NI Launcher launches the desktop and opens a menu containing a list of NI products. Click any NI product to launch it.


Note  NI MAX does not appear as a desktop shortcut when installed on Microsoft Windows 8.x. You can launch NI MAX either from the Apps view or from within NI Launcher.

Pinning Frequently Used Applications

For convenience, you can pin your most-used NI applications, such as MAX, to either the Start screen or the Taskbar on the desktop, as necessary:


Current ApplicationIcon LocationPin to Action
Windows 8.x DesktopDesktop TaskbarRight-click application and select Pin to Taskbar
Windows 8.x Desktop Start screenRight-click application and select Pin to Start
Windows 8.x Start screenDesktop TaskbarRight-click application and select Pin to taskbar from the menu bar on the bottom of the screen

Finding All Programs

If you want to find a particular application or related files, such as documentation files, from the Start screen, you can access all installed files from the Apps view. To get to the Apps view, right-click anywhere on the Start screen and select All apps (Windows 8.0) or click the down arrow on the bottom left of the screen (Windows 8.1).


For more information about NI support for Windows 8.x, visit ni.com/windows8.


NI-RFSG Drops Support for Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 in 2016

NI-RFSG will drop support for Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 as of July 1, 2016. Versions of NI-RFSG that ship after July 1, 2016 will not install or run on Windows Vista, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003. For detailed information about NI application software product life cycles, visit ni.com/info and enter one of the following Info Codes:


Product Info Code
NI LabVIEWlifecycle
NI LabWindows/CVIcvi_lifecycle
NI Measurement Studiomstudiolifecycle
NI TestStandtslcp
NI DIAdemddlcp
NI SignalExpressselcp
NI VeriStandnivslifecycle

Legal Information

Copyright


© 2004–2015 National Instruments. All rights reserved.


Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National Instruments Corporation.


National Instruments respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask our users to do the same. NI software is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Where NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials belonging to others, you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you may reproduce in accordance with the terms of any applicable license or other legal restriction.


End-User License Agreements and Third-Party Legal Notices


You can find end-user license agreements (EULAs) and third-party legal notices in the following locations after installation:


  • Notices are located in the <National Instruments>\_Legal Information and <National Instruments> directories.
  • EULAs are located in the <National Instruments>\Shared\MDF\Legal\license directory.
  • Review <National Instruments>\_Legal Information.txt for information on including legal information in installers built with NI products.

U.S. Government Restricted Rights


If you are an agency, department, or other entity of the United States Government ("Government"), the use, duplication, reproduction, release, modification, disclosure or transfer of the technical data included in this manual is governed by the Restricted Rights provisions under Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.227-14 for civilian agencies and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement Section 252.227-7014 and 252.227-7015 for military agencies.


IVI Foundation Copyright Notice


Content from the IVI specifications reproduced with permission from the IVI Foundation.


The IVI Foundation and its member companies make no warranty of any kind with regard to this material, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The IVI Foundation and its member companies shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material.


Trademarks


Refer to the NI Trademarks and Logo Guidelines at ni.com/trademarks for information on National Instruments trademarks. Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.


Patents


For patents covering the National Instruments products/technology, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your media, or the National Instruments Patent Notice at ni.com/patents.


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