topic Re: Need help calling Switch Executive from VB.NET in Switch Hardware and Software

Need help calling Switch Executive from VB.NET

TrackerMan — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 17:58:28 GMT

I have a VB.NET application and would like to call Switch Executive functions from it. When I add the reference I do not get any functions listed.

Thanks,

Alan Howard

Huntron, Inc.

Re: Need help calling Switch Executive from VB.NET

chericks1 — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 12:48:13 GMT

Hi Alan,

I assume you were attempting to use the Switch Executive calls in the nise.dll (OpenSession, Connect, Disconnect, DisconnectAll, etc.). Unfortunately, as you stated above, the standard typelib won't allow you to make calls in the VB.NET environment.

However, a COM interface will work in VB.NET, so you will be able to use the Configuration API of Switch Executive. These function calls give you access to the definitions and configurations for all the switches, channels, hardwires, buses, exclusions, routes, and route groups associated with the switching configuration. In other words, if you are attempting to programmatically configure your Switch Executive Virtual Device, you can use the COM interface provided.

VB.NET is not yet a development environment supported by Switch Executive (we support C, CVI, LabVIEW, and VB6). In reference to the problem of using the Switch Executive function calls found in the nise.dll, one solution is to create a VB.NET wrapper. I have seen a VB.NET wrapper used before, and although it was neither fully developed nor tested, it did work with OpenSession, Connect, Disconnect, and CloseSession function calls. Until .NET is a development environment supported by Switch Executive, creating a VB.NET wrapper may be the way to go!

Let me know if you have further questions!

Chad Erickson
Switch Product Support Engineer
NI - USA

Re: Need help calling Switch Executive from VB.NET

TrackerMan — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 13:58:53 GMT

Do you have details on the VB.NET you are talking about?

Thanks,

Alan Howard

Huntron, Inc.

Re: Need help calling Switch Executive from VB.NET

chericks1 — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 17:42:42 GMT

Hi Alan,

Visual Basic .NET in Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 or Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition are the VB .NETs that are known to work with a valid wrapper. Please let me know if you have further questions on this issue!

Chad Erickson
Switch Product Support Engineer
NI - USA

Re: Need help calling Switch Executive from VB.NET

TrackerMan — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 17:45:38 GMT

Sorry I my response not clear. I was looking for more information on the valid wrapper for Switch Executive.

Thanks,

Alan Howard

Re: Need help calling Switch Executive from VB.NET

chericks1 — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 18:40:30 GMT

Hi Alan,

I may have a working example for you to reference. I notice you have SR# 7117946 open to National Instruments Support. May I contact you through that channel?

Thanks!

Chad Erickson

Switch Product Support Engineer

NI - USA

Re: Need help calling Switch Executive from VB.NET

TrackerMan — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 13:47:49 GMT

Sure

Re: Need help calling Switch Executive from VB.NET

chericks1 — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 16:22:16 GMT

Thank you.

Chad Erickson
Switch Product Support Engineer
NI - USA

Re: Need help calling Switch Executive from VB.NET

jordan_guffey — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 05:20:33 GMT

I know this is obviously a very old thread but I'm in need of the exact same thing. Has any progress on this come to light in the last 6 years? I'm currently using switch executive through teststand but since we mainly use teststand to call VB.NET functions, it would make our lives much easier to just call switch executive from VB.NET...

Re: Need help calling Switch Executive from VB.NET

TrackerMan — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 15:27:30 GMT

Search for a file called NISE.vb which makes calls to niswitch_32.dll

Re: Need help calling Switch Executive from VB.NET

Frank-L — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:45:25 GMT

Jordan,

There is not an inherent way to use .NET with the Switch Executive API.

There are ways that this could be done by using P/invoke to call the nise.dll ("C:\Windows\SysWOW64 [on my 64bit machine] ) and use these commands. This article talks a bit more about the ways to use P/invoke.

There are also 3rd party tools that supposedly can generate the P/invoke code as this can become quite complicated. I tried using P/Invoke Interop Assistant but was unsuccessful at getting the code generated properly. I am not a C# developer, and there is a chance that I am doing something wrong to get the code auto generated.

I tried to look for the example code that was sent to the original author but was unsuccessful at finding this code. While this code was originally written for an older version of NISE, I would assume that it should be able to properly call the nise.dll albeit without any of the new functions. Perhaps Trackerman has the copy still available?