LabVIEW 8.0 and NiDAQmx 8.0 installation on Slackware Linux - how-to

[Bryan]

I have, after some effort, successfully installed both LabVIEW 8.0 and NiDAQmx 8.0 on a several systems running Slackware Linux 10.2.  I am attaching the full instructions on how to do it including some scripts (embedded in the instructions) that simplify the process.  I have not yet found anything that doesn't work properly, but I haven't fully exercised it yet.

Bryan Peterson
bryan_peterson@byu.edu
Brigham Young University
Dept. of Physics and Astronomy

[Ryan_V[DE]]

Bryan,

Great work, man! Thanks for taking the time to post.

Regards,

[Sarah_Coleman_NIUK]

Hi Bryan,

Thanks very much for posting that document. I just used it to solve a service request!

Do you mind if I use it to create a tutorial on ni.com?

[Bryan]

Sarah,

I'm not sure how to get this to you directly, but it is fine with me if you use what I did for training purposes.

Bryan Peterson
bryan_peterson@byu.edu

[Bryan]

If you are interested in using LabVIEW and NIDAQmx and/or NIDAQmx-base on Slackware 12.0 it is actually easier than with previous versions - with one major caveat.

1.  Be sure to download Visa 4.2.0 and install it before either NIDAQmx or NIDAQmx-base (or NI488225L either).

2.  As near as I can tell, the version or rpm shipped with 12.0 still won't allow you to install into anything but the default directory.  So for NIDAQmx-base (at least for version 2.1) you need to edit the install script and remove from all the rpm commands the option "--prefix [some prefix value]" - it will then install fine in the default locations.

3.  I didn't notice any problems with either NIDAQmx or NI488225L - they both seemed to just install.

4.  The install script for LabVIEW 8.2 still has a couple of lines in it that disable rpm if running on slackware.  If you have followed the earlier instructions to populate the rpm database then you can comment out those few lines and allow the installer to use rpm.  If you haven't populated your rpm database then you can go ahead and use the non-rpm install but I have had problems with things not getting installed correctly with previous versions.  I didn't try the non-rpm install on either LabVIEW 8.0 or 8.2.  I haven't tried either with 8.5.

5.  The kernel shipped with Slackware 12.0 (2.6.21.5) does not - as near as I can determine - work properly with DAQmx-base and at least the USB6009 acquisition module.  I had to drop back to a version 2.6.19.7 kernel before it would work.  I haven't been able to find a reason for the failure - it just says it can't read the configuration information from the device even though it works fine on 2.6.19.7.

[RDR]

Hello Bryan,

Thank you again for your attention to detail and contribution to the discussion forums!  This information will be invaluable for other users working on a similar setup.  Have a great afternoon!

-Bob

[dobarni]

Hi Bryan,

Many thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.

Since you are an expert, maybe you could tell me whether is possible to make the NI-DAqmx Base2.1 driver work with the USB 6008 on Slackware 10.2 (2.4.31 kernel), too?

Thanks again for your help.

Greetings,

Barna D.

Application Engineer
National Instruments Hungary

[Bryan]

I believe that I was using a 2.4.33 kernel on 10.2 when I first made it work.  The main problem that I ran into - and this may be what you are seeing, is that the 6008 is shipped with the DAQmx firmware loaded from the factory.  If you want to use it with DAQmx Base then you have to change the firmware.  And the only way to do that (at least that I have found) is to attach it to a windows machine that has both DAQmx and DAQmx Base installed on it.  There is a KnowledgeBase article on that topic (Title: Why can't I see my USB-6008, -6009, or -6401 under "DAQmx Devices" in MAX after installing NI-DAQmx 7.5 or later?, Document ID: 3NE7GJMY) - I have a printed copy but I don't have the URL to get it.  It is actually telling you how to switch it from Base to mx but the method is the same - you just have to reverse it.

Because I use my 6008 under both Linux and WIndows I have Base installed on both and the Base firmware is loaded so I don't have to keep switching it.

Once I did that I believe that it just showed up on the list from lsdaq and it worked.  It may be necessary to fiddle with permissions.  See if it shows up on lsdaq under root before you go to the trouble to switch it.  I remember the 2.4 kernel sometimes didn't get the permissions right so I had to set them explicitly so that a non-root user could access the device.

Bryan Peterson
bryan_peterson@byu.edu