Can't find DAQmx Stop Task.vi and other files after switching computers

[jonahv]

I recently did a reinstall of Labview 2009 (including DAQmx) on a new machine and a Labview project that i was using can no longer find DAQmx files.  On the old machine there used to be a directory with the DAQmx library in C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW 2009\vi.lib but that directory doesn't exist on the new machine.  The only similar directory I could find on the new install is C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\NI-DAQmx Base  Why is this directory not being created during the installation? 

[Don_Phillips]

It sounds like you installed NI-DAQmx Base and not NI-DAQmx.  The drivers are similar but, as far as I know, not interchangeable.

I would check to make sure you installed the correct distribution first.

[aSquared1]

Hi jonahv,

Usually I would like to get more information , like screenshots or OS type and version ....

but I will answer this question in general :

The NI-DAQmx Base is a different Driver than the NI-DAQmx .

It seems that you have not installed NI-DAQmx on the new machine.

You can find lots of NI-DAQmx versions to download in NI.com/drivers

check compatibility - http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/B0D5630C0A50D5C6862578E800459248?OpenDocument

Quote from the Readme file of DAQmx Base 3.6.0 :

 

"

Choosing Which API to Use

The following sections provide a NI-DAQmx and NI-DAQmx Base overview and include information about choosing the right API for the device and application.

NI-DAQmx

NI-DAQmx is the latest NI-DAQ driver with new VIs and functions and development tools for programming measurement devices. Install and use NI-DAQmx if the following situations apply:

• You are using Windows 7/Vista/XP. NI-DAQmx is the recommended driver software package for these operating systems.
• You are using a device supported by NI-DAQmx and a development environment supported by NI-DAQmx. Refer to the NI-DAQmx Readme for up-to-date information on supported development environments.

NI-DAQmx Base 3.6.0

Install and use NI-DAQmx Base 3.6.0 if the following situations apply:

• You are using an operating system not supported by NI-DAQmx, such as Mac OS X.
• You are developing a DAQ application for a Windows Mobile device with LabVIEW 2012 Touch Panel Module with Windows CE 4.2.

"

 Is that helps ?

[Alex_84]

Hi,

I've just installed Labview 2022 on the same PC where is Labview 2011.

Now, when I open my labview project (done with Labview 2011) with Labview 2011, I've got a message saying that there are missing files : DAQmx Stop Task.vi and other files. 

I guess installing a new version of labview messes up our current configuration.

How can I fix this ? 

[GerdW]

Hi Alex,

---

@Alex_84 wrote:

I've just installed Labview 2022 on the same PC where is Labview 2011.

---

So your LabVIEW versions are 11 years apart, but DAQmx only supports the current version and 3 years before...

Solution: deinstall LabVIEW and DAQmx completely, then install LabVIEW 2011 and it's DAQmx version. Then install LabVIEW 2022 on a different computer!

[Alex_84]

Thank you very much for your quick answer. 

I didn't see anywhere a mention that DAQmx supports only version 3 years before. 

It could be great to warn the users before installing new version.

Also when DAQmx is installing, it should detect an older version and ask to continue or to abort the installation after explaining the problematic. Improvments can be done on this matter. 

Thanks anyway for your support. Appreciated. 

Have a good day.

[rolfk]

---

@Alex_84 wrote:

Thank you very much for your quick answer. 

I didn't see anywhere a mention that DAQmx supports only version 3 years before. 

---

It's actually documented:

In the maybe not so prominently highlighted readme file, National Instruments almost always documents the supported versions and other requirements. Of course only wimps and wannabes do read Readme files, the real hardcore programmer does it rather with trial and error! 😁

Granted, the installer could be more forthcoming about removing existing software from the system. Obviously it has to remove earlier drivers to replace with the new ones but application support in LabVIEW and other installation locations should at least be warned about. Usually the older VIs are actually still compatible with the new driver but that is of course something that nobody wants to guarantee. Testing that before every release would be a total nightmare, so they have to make a cut somewhere. Even a single API change will be fatal eventually, and DAQmx consists of many hundreds APIs and testing them all in every permutation possible to be compatible with earlier VI interfaces is a real problem that simply would result in not getting drivers released anymore as testing takes to much time.

Personally I have sometimes resolved to rename the LabVIEW folder of older LabVIEW installations before installing the newer drivers. That makes the installer not find the old VI libraries and therefore they will not be removed. However beware! This is a tricky practice. You should not use such a LabVIEW version anymore to develop applications using these drivers. The underlaying binary drivers (DLLs) that were replaced by the installer on a system wide base might not be binary compatible anymore and make your application crash or otherwise behave in unexpected ways. It may and usually even will work with the more simple applications as those APIs were tried and tested since the inception of DAQmx and have little chance to be modified in any way. But if you get into more advanced hooks and crannies of DAQmx, things might actually have changed in the API itself, for improvements or real bug fixes and suddenly your system crashes all the time.

Nowadays however I have only installed one (older) version on my computer itself. Everything else is in project specific VmWare instances that contain exactly the software that is needed for that project and nothing else.