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NI-DMM 15.0 Readme


Thank you for using NI-DMM. This file contains important information about NI-DMM 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-DMM

Known Issues

Bug Fixes

Automating the Installation of NI Products

How to Use NI Software with Microsoft Windows 8.x

NI Software Support for Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003

Legal Information



New Features

NI-DMM 15.0 adds support for LabVIEW 2015 (32- and 64-bit)


NI-DMM 14.0 adds support for LabVIEW 2014 (32- and 64-bit


NI-DMM 3.1 adds support for LabVIEW 2013 (32- and 64-bit)


NI-DMM 3.0.6 adds support for LabVIEW 2012 (32- and 64-bit)


NI-DMM 3.0.5 adds support for LabVIEW 2011 (32- and 64-bit)


NI-DMM 3.0.4 includes the following bug fixes:


  • Fix related to code not generating in the Japanese versions of LabVIEW when the NI-DMM/Switch Express VI was used with switch devices (ID 276993).
  • Fix related to a loading issue with the NI-DMM/Switch Express VI in LabVIEW 2010 (64-bit) (ID 246480).

NI-DMM 3.0.3 includes the following new features:


  • Support for LabVIEW 2010 (32- and 64-bit).
  • Fix related to a custom installer built on a 32-bit OS using LabVIEW, LabWindows™/CVI™, or NI TestStand does not deploy NI-DMM or its dependent user applications on a 64-bit OS (ID 228650).

NI-DMM 3.0.2 includes the following new features:


  • Updated the external calibration procedure to accommodate a hardware change on newer NI 407x devices. NI-DMM 3.0.2 or later is required for external calibration beginning with NI PCI-4070 revision 189380G-01, NI PXI-4070 revision 191485G-01, NI PXI-4071 revision 191485J-02, and NI PXI-4072 revision 191485F-03.
  • Fixed an issue with NI 407x devices that caused an internal hardware error when taking measurements with autorange (ID 196451).

NI-DMM 3.0.1 includes the following bug fix:


  • Fix related to offsets in AC current measurements for 407x devices (ID 135829).

NI-DMM 3.0 includes the following new features:


  • Introduction of the niDMM_GetErrorMessage function.
  • Support for LabVIEW 2009 (32-bit) and LabVIEW 2009 (64-bit).
  • Support for temperature measurements in the NI-DMM/Switch Express VI.
  • Support for temperature measurements in the DMM Soft Front Panel.
  • Support for 64-bit user mode.
  • C examples rewritten in ANSI C and makefile support added for 64-bit targets.

NI-DMM 2.9 includes the following new features:


  • Support for LabVIEW 8.6.
  • Support for temperature measurements.
  • Japanese localization for driver, LabVIEW API, and documentation.
  • New behavior: Error and self test message strings now return localized values in LabVIEW. User applications that check the value of these strings (or trap errors by comparing the error cluster) may experience a change in behavior.
  • New behavior: Simulation now has increased realism. Timing and error reporting are more representative of an actual device.
  • Reset Device button in MAX has improved functionality. If you have selected an NI 4065/407x in the Devices and Interfaces configuration tree, the Reset Device button aborts any ongoing acquisitions before resetting the device to factory default.
  • New behavior: If you have selected an NI 4065/407x in MAX, the Test Panels button in MAX will launch the NI-DMM Soft Front Panel.
  • Temperature has been added to function.ctl. If this type def is being used in the prototype for a TestStand step, the step prototype will need to be reloaded before the sequence can be executed.

Supported Hardware

The following table shows which hardware products are supported under particular operating systems:


Hardware Product Supported Under Windows 8.1 (32-bit)/Windows 8.0 (32-bit)/7 (32-bit)/Vista (32-bit)/ XP1 Supported Under Windows 8.1 (64-bit)/Windows 8.0 (64-bit)/7 (64-bit)/Vista (64-bit)
NI PXI-4072
NI PXI-4071
NI PXI-4070
NI PCI-4070
NI PXI-4065
NI PCIe-4065
NI PCI-4065
NI USB-4065
NI PXI-4060
2
X
NI PCI-4060
2
X
NI PCMCIA-4050
2
X
NI PXI-4022

1 MXI Express and MXI-4 are supported on Windows 8.1/Windows 8.0/Windows 7/Vista/XP, but MXI-3 is supported on only Windows XP SP3.


2 This device is supported only in Windows XP (32-bit)


Device-specific information about these modules is included in the NI Digital Multimeter Help.


System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems

NI-DMM 15.0 and later supports the following operating systems:


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

Note  NI-DMM 15.0 and later does not support Windows Server non-R2 editions.


NI recommends that you have the most recent service pack for your operating system installed. Windows 2000 supports NI-DMM 3.0.2 or earlier for most devices, except for the NI 4050 and NI 4060, for which Windows 2000 supports NI-DMM 3.0.4.


Supported Real-Time Operating Environments

NI-DMM 15.0 and later supports the following real-time operating environments:


Minimum System Requirements

  • Processor—Pentium III/Celeron 600 MHz or equivalent
  • RAM—
    • Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3): 128 MB
    • Windows 8.1/8.0/7/Vista: 512 MB
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or later
  • A screen resolution of 800 x 600 with 256 colors
  • Windows 8.1/8.0/7/Vista/XP SP3, with all available critical updates and service packs

Recommended System

The performance of waveform acquisitions at full rate (1.8 MS/s) on the NI 4070/4071/4072 depends highly on system-specific factors such as CPU speed, memory architecture, and system chipset characteristics. Simultaneous acquisitions on multiple NI 4070/4071/4072 devices or acquisitions of longer durations may require a faster processor or more memory. Other applications running at the same time may also affect performance.


  • Processor—Pentium 4 or equivalent
  • RAM—
    • Windows XP SP3: 256 MB
    • Windows 8.1/8.0/7/Vista: 1 GB
  • A screen resolution of 1024 x 768
  • Windows 8.1/8.0/7/Vista/XP SP3, with all available critical updates and service packs

Application Development Environments (ADEs)

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


  • NI LabVIEW 2012 SP1 (32-bit), 2012 SP1 (64-bit), 2013 SP1 (32-bit), 2013 SP1 (64-bit), 2014 SP1 (32-bit), 2014 SP1 (64-bit), 2015 (32-bit), or 2015 (64-bit)
  • LabVIEW Real-Time Module 2012 SP1, 2013 SP1 (NI PXI-4065, NI PXI-4070, NI PXI-4071, and NI PXI-4072 devices only), 2014 (NI PXI-4065, NI PXI-4070, NI PXI-4071, and NI PXI-4072 devices only), or 2015 (same device support as in 2014)
  • LabWindows™/CVI™ 2009 or later
  • LabWindows/CVI Real-Time Module 2010 or later (NI PXI-4065, NI PXI-4070, NI PXI-4071, and NI PXI-4072 devices only)
  • Microsoft Visual C++ (MSVC) 6.0 or later
  • If you are running your application on an RT target, 128 MB of memory or more is required.

Installed Software, Documentation, and Examples

Installed Software

  • <NIDocDir> is an alias for the following National Instruments file folder location:
    • Windows XP: Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\National Instruments
    • Windows 8.1/8.0/7/Vista: Users\Public\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

Item Installed Location on Windows 8.1/8.0/7/Vista/XP
NI-DMM <IVIROOTDIR32>\Drivers\niDMM
NI-DMM Function Panel <IVIROOTDIR32>\Drivers\niDMM\nidmm.fp
NI-DMM Examples <NIDocDir>\niDMM\Examples
NI-DMM Header files <IVIROOTDIR32>\Include
NI-DMM Import Library files (32-bit) <IVIROOTDIR32>\Lib
NI-DMM Import Library files (64-bit) <IVIROOTDIR32>\Lib_x64
NI-DMM DLL (32-bit) <IVIROOTDIR32>\Bin

 

Additional File Locations for Windows 8 (64-bit)/7 (64-bit)/Vista (64-bit)

Item Installed Location on Windows 8.1 (64-bit)/8.0 (64-bit)/7 (64-bit)/Vista (64-bit)
NI-DMM Function Panel <IVIROOTDIR64>\Drivers\niDMM\nidmm.fp
NI-DMM Header files <IVIROOTDIR64>\Include
NI-DMM Import Library files (64-bit) <IVIROOTDIR64>\Lib_x64
NI-DMM DLL (64-bit) <IVIROOTDIR64>\Bin

Executable

Select Start»All Programs»National Instruments»NI-DMM»NI-DMM Soft Front Panel to launch the NI-DMM Soft Front Panel.


Documentation

Most documentation is available at Start»All Programs»National Instruments»NI-DMM»Documentation. The documentation set is composed of the following documents:


 


Document Format Description
NI Digital Multimeters Help HTML/Windows Help Contains primary help content for NI-DMM. The help is an HTML version of a traditional user manual that includes the following information:
  • An introduction to multimeter fundamentals.
  • Hardware device information
  • How to get started with application development
  • A complete reference for all NI-DMM programming functions and VIs
NI Digital Multimeters Getting Started Guide Printed and PDF Contains software and hardware installation, MAX configuration, signal connection, and troubleshooting information for your device.
Specifications for your device Printed and PDF Lists technical specifications for your device.
Calibration Procedures for your device PDF Contains calibration instructions for your device.
NI-DMM Readme HTML (this document) Contains information about supported hardware and operating systems, new features, fixed issues, and legal notices.
Introduction to NI-DMM HTML Contains information about driver documentation, examples, connecting to your instrument, configuring instrument settings, and known issues.
NI-DMM IVI Compliance Document TXT Contains information about IVI compliance.

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


To use the .NET API, you must install the .NET class libraries or the .NET Wrapper in addition to the NI device driver. For information on versions of the .NET Framework and the drivers each supports, as well as the download location of the installer files, refer to the National Instruments .NET Driver Support document at ni.com/info and enter Info Code NETAPIdriversupport.


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


Accessing VIs and Functions

To access the LabVIEW sample projects and templates from the New Project dialog, select Sample Projects in the left pane and navigate to the project that best matches your application requirements.


NI–DMM palette VIs are available from the Functions»Measurement I/O»NI–DMM palette.


NI–DMM functions are available in LabWindows/CVI from the Instrument menu. To load the NI–DMM function panel (.fp), select Instrument»Load, and navigate to IVI\Drivers\niDMM\niDMM.fp.


Finding Examples

In LabVIEW, you can use the NI Example Finder to search or browse examples. NI–DMM 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–DMM examples) and their descriptions:


  • Click the Browse tab to locate examples by task at Hardware Input and Output»Modular Instruments»NI–DMM or by directory structure at instr»niDMM.
  • Click the Search tab to search all installed examples by keyword. For example, search for "DMM" to locate all NI-DMM examples.

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


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


Examples also are available online that demonstrate NI-DMM functionality. 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-DMM 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-DMM 14.0 is the version released with LabVIEW 2014. The last version released under the old numbering scheme is NI-DMM 3.1 The first version released under the new numbering scheme is NI-DMM 14.0.


Uninstalling/Modifying NI-DMM

Perform the following procedure to uninstall NI-DMM 15.0:


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-DMM 15.0 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-DMM 15.0 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.x, complete the following steps:


  1. Right-click on 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-DMM 15.0 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–DMM installation, the following software is installed. To completely remove the NI–DMM installation from your system, you must also remove all of the following products:


  • NI-DMM Runtime 15.0 and later
  • NI LabVIEW SignalExpress 2012 (optional)
  • NI IVI Compliance Package 15.0
  • NI Measurement & Automation Explorer 15.0
  • NI-DAQmx 15.0
  • Traditional NI-DAQ 7.4.4 (optional)
  • NI-VISA 15.0
  • NI I/O Trace 15.0
  • NI System Configuration 15.0

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.


Obsolete VIs/Functions

The following VIs/functions are obsolete, and no maintenance is provided for these VIs/functions:


Obsolete
niDMM Calculate Accuracy
niDMM Clear Error Info
niDMM Get Error Info
niDMM Configure Auto Zero Mode (LabVIEW only)
niDMM Configure Measurement
niDMM Configure Sample Delay Mode
niDMM Error Query
niDMM Get Error (LabVIEW only)
niDMM Error Message (LabWindows/CVI only)

Note  Obsolete VIs/functions may cause a warning popup in existing LabVIEW DMM applications after NI-DMM 3.1 is installed.


Known Issues

You can access the software and documentation known issues list online. Refer to the NI-DMM 15.0 Known Issues at ni.com using the info code exnnn5 for an up-to-date list of known issues in NI-DMM 15.0.


Bug Fixes

The are no changes in NI-DMM 15.0 from NI-DMM 3.1.


The following items are changes in NI-DMM 3.0.6 from NI-DMM 3.0.5.


ID Fixed Issue
305548 Fixed an issue in NI-DMM 3.0.5 where you could not change the calibration password on the NI 4070/4071/4072.

The following items are changes in NI-DMM 3.0.4 from NI-DMM 3.0.3.


ID Fixed Issue
276993 Fixed an issue in NI-DMM 3.0.3 where code was not generating in the Japanese versions of LabVIEW when the NI-DMM/Switch Express VI was used with switch devices.
246480 Fixed an issue where the NI-DMM/Switch Express VI did not load in LabVIEW 2010 (64-bit).

The following items are changes in NI-DMM 3.0.3 from NI-DMM 3.0.2.


ID Fixed Issue
228650 Fixed an issue in which a custom installer built on a 32-bit OS using LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, or NI TestStand does not deploy NI-DMM or its dependent user applications on a 64-bit OS.

The following items are changes in NI-DMM 3.0.2 from NI-DMM 3.0.1.


ID Fixed Issue
196451 Fixed an issue with NI 407x devices that caused an internal hardware error when taking measurements with autorange.

The following items are changes in NI-DMM 3.0.1 from NI-DMM 3.0.


ID Fixed Issue
135829 Fixed an issue where NI 407x devices exhibited larger than normal offsets in AC current measurements when the Auto Zero property/attribute was set to Auto or Off after performing a self-calibration or external calibration.

The following items are changes in NI-DMM 3.0 from NI-DMM 2.9.


ID Fixed Issue
112297 Fixed an issue where, when taking LC measurements, the backlog returned from the niDMM_FetchMultipoint function returned the number of points sampled prior to averaging rather than the number of points available.
116484 Fixed an issue where, if the error message was too long, the buffer returned by the niDMM_error_message function was not null-terminated. Now, the buffer returned by the niDMM_error_message function is always null-terminated.
131868 Fixed an issue where niDMM_ConfigureRTDCustom and niDMM_ConfigureThermistorCustom set the C value to the user-specified value from the B parameter rather than from the C parameter.
157349 If you upgraded to NI-DAQmx 8.9.0 or later after installing NI-DMM 2.9, then installing NI-DMM 3.0 or later will again enable switch devices to be used in the NI-DMM/Switch Express VI.


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 Desktop Desktop 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 screen Desktop 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-DMM Drops Support for Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 in 2016

National Instruments NI-DMM will drop support for Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 as of July 1, 2016. Versions of NI-DMM 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 LabVIEW lifecycle
NI LabWindows™/CVI™ cvi_lifecycle
NI Measurement Studio mstudiolifecycle
NI TestStand tslcp
NI DIAdem ddlcp
NI SignalExpress selcp
NI VeriStand nivslifecycle

 



Legal Information

Copyright


© 2007–2015 National Instruments Corporation. 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.

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.


Members of the National Instruments Alliance Partner Program are business entities independent from National Instruments and have no agency, partnership, or joint-venture relationship with National Instruments.


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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