Use NI class drivers with IVI COM?

[bfarley]

Hi,

I need to know if I can use NI class drivers in LV with an instrument with IVI COM drivers, and if so, is the code portable to an instrument with IVI C drivers.  I was told by an NI rep it was possible, but it looks to me like it isn't.  What I'm trying to do is develop IVI compliant code now for use (later) with a new instrument with an IVI C driver.  But the instrument I have now only has IVI COM drivers available

I know if I used automation directly it would not be compatible, but NI told me I could use the NI class drivers (IviRFSigGen in this case), and configure MAX to use the IVI COM driver.  This doesnt work.  More reading suggests to me the code would not be reusable either.

So assuming my hunches above are correct, how much risk do I face in beginning to develop code now using the IVI C class drivers - without be able to test it.  Can I assume it will work when I get the new instrument?

TIA,

Bill F

[Makoto]

I tried the NI class driver for IviDCPwr with a logical name, which configuration is mapped to an IVI-COM IviDCPwr driver as the Software Module.  As I see it, the NI class driver does not operate with IVI-COM driver.

The error was:

Error -1074134949 occurred at IviDCPwr Initialize With Options.vi
Possible reason(s):
Driver Status:  (Hex 0xBFFA005B) Primary Error: (Hex 0xBFFA005B) File not found.

After changing the IVI configurtaion for the logical name to map to an IVI-C driver as the Software Module, everything went fine. My environment is LabVIEW 7.1 + NI IVI Compliance Package 2.2, with driving Kikusui PAT series DC supply prototype IVI-COM driver.  I believe it is also true when using Agilent, as the IVI-COM driver architecture is the same.  I have not tested with the latest compliance package yet though.  I think that NI class drivers are just incompatible with IVI-COM.

[MichaelChaney]

Since some instrument vendors are providing IVI-COM specific drivers for their instruments, we now provide IVI-C class driver support for these drivers. With IVI-COM adapters, you can interchange an IVI-C and IVI-COM specific driver.

We currently provide IVI-C class driver support for IVI-COM specific drivers for the following five classes:
IviDCPwr
IviDmm
IviFgen
IviScope
IviSwtch

Each class driver has a corresponding COM adapter DLL. This DLL is able to communicate to any IVI-COM driver that complies to that particular class driver specification, and exposes a class-compliant C interface, just like a typical IVI-C specific driver.

Note: The IVI Compliance Package 2.2 or later is required to be present on the system in order to use IVI-C class driver support for IVI-COM specific drivers.

The IVI-COM adapters and installation instructions are included in the ZIP file below.

[bsexton]

Are these IVI class COM adapters formally supported by NI? I would like to use them but do not wish to include them in my projects unless they are supported. Is there any chance of getting an adapter file for the spectrum analyzer and signal generator classes?

[gagi1]

The IVI-COM adapters are not formally supported by NI. At this time, NI does not have any plans on creating IVI-COM adapters for IviSpecAn and IviRFSigGen classes. 

Thanks! 

[Joe_H1]

Hello,

My local Field Engineer, Travis Marsh, suggested that I try and ping this thread again and see if there was any change to NI's support policy for IVI-COM adapaters for RFSA and RFSG.  He said if there were more specific questions you might give him a call directly.

Also, so if I understand this all correctly I can use IVI Class functions for any for the 5 basic classes (Power supplies, FGEN, SCOPE, DMM, Power Meter) if I have an IVI-C or IVI-COM driver but I can only use IVI-C drivers if I want to use the class functions for RFSA and RFSG.

Thanks,

[NathanT]

Hello Joe,

      The IVI-COM adapters make it possible to use the IVI-C Class drivers with IVI-COM drivers.  With the recent release of IVI Compliance Package 4.1 (ICP), we now have IVI-COM adapters for all 12 of the IVI classes.  You will need to make sure and enable the IVI-COM adapter feature in the ICP installer's feature tree.  TestStand uses the IVI-C Class drivers, so you will need the IVI-COM adapters if you plan on using any IVI-COM drivers that do not have IVI-C wrappers.  If an IVI-COM driver has an IVI-C wrapper, the wrapper will be used instead of the IVI-COM adapter.  

       Please take note that the IVI-COM adapters merely translate the IVI-C Class driver calls to the IVI-COM driver's class interface.  If you see problems when using the IVI-COM driver, please try communicating with it directly through the ActiveX interface because the problem is most likely in the actual driver, not the IVI-C class driver or COM adapter.

Cheers,

NathanT