When do you need to use other programming langauge instead of pure labview programming

[seree]

Just want all expertise here to share experience that in what aspect/purpose and why, you have to use VC++, Labwindow, Matlab, Java, VB, etc. instead of pure labview. Thanks to all that help to share your worth experience.

[Ben]

Hi Seree,

I believe the first set of conditions are those that can be thought of as "do not re-invent the wheel".

Example:
I/O device comes with examples written in C++.
Generate .dll and call from LV.

Second class, speed.


Ben

[Enrique]

seree;

Your question can be interpreted in two ways:

1. Situations where the programmer select a programming language other than LabVIEW to develop his/her software.

2. Situations where the programmer, although is writting most of his/her code in LabVIEW, must use other programming languages to complement/complete the software, interacting with those part of the software using CIN, Call Library Functions, System Exec, ActiveX, etc., or any other suitable function from LabVIEW.

Because you use the phrase "pure LabVIEW", I may assume you mean the second option, but I decided to make sure because of the possibility that different persons interpret the question differently, each interpretation have different answers or opinions and mixing those answers
/opinions can cause confusion.

Regards;
Enrique

[seree]

Enrigue,
Yes, I mean the 2 option.

[Enrique]

seree;

My experience is that I may need to write non LabVIEW code for my LabVIEW applications when I want to use a third party device or software that come with its own libraries and I see myself in one of the following circumstances:

1. It is difficult or not possible to just call the functions directly from your LabVIEW code using the "Call Library Function" vi. In this case, I create a wraper dll to design a suitable interface and call the third party libraries from there.

2. When it is convenient to create a wraper dll to simplify your code. For example, there are cases where functions perform similar tasks and/or are mutually exclusive (if you use one function, there is no need or you should not use this other function). Depending on
the circumstances, you may want to write a wraper dll that include all those functions and include a selector in your interface.

[Enrique]

See what I mean? Observe Oleg and D D Villiers answers, which interpreted your question as option #1. Those are true and valid answers, just did not exactly answer your question if you mean option #2.

[drval]

My answer is: only when absolutely necessary and there is no other viable option. I am dealing with enormous amounts of legacy C++ code which may make my EXE non-functional under XP. If all of the code had been done in LV, I could easily adapt it. As it is, I will need to fairly laboriously trudge through multiple, separate modules to search for incompatabilities and try to develop alternatives.

The other obvious reasons to not use LV are when "the wheel has already been invented" -- and your happy with the implementation -- or when there is a clear speed advantage -- but this is directly analogous to the old "assembly vs high-level language" or not too many years ago.....

[D De Villiers]

Well, I can't vote for the rest - But Java! U will surly use Java (not
LabView) if u need to write cross-platform applications or a Java applet for
the Internet etc.

Regards,

Lennie De Villiers

--- Remove ~ and 9s from e-mail address to reply ---

> Just want all expertise here to share experience that in what
> aspect/purpose and why, you have to use VC++, Labwindow, Matlab, Java,
> VB, etc. instead of pure labview. Thanks to all that help to share
> your worth experience.

[Oleg]

I think that we have to use LV for those purposes for which it was created. For example in principle we can watch TV programs on PC but it is not very convinient. The same thing with LV. If your application is very far from DAQ or signal processing I think it will be better to use other languages.
I use other languages in the following situations:
1. To work with DMA and interrupts - VC
2. To make a lot of calculations - Fortran or VC
3. To work with API functions - VC
4. To work in DOS mode - C or Pascal.

I think that there are many other examples (DataBases, HTML etc.), but in the any case everything is determined by convinience.

Oleg Chutko.

[Ire]

Hi Enrique,

I was reading your message and its sounds good to me.Infact I was looking around some hints for the same problem.

I am thinking to use a device called 'Temote Invent' (Wireless sensor device;control platform TinyOS/Cygwin ) (for more info:http://www.moteiv.com/products/tmoteinvent.php) and I need to control this device using LabVIEW!! Could you tell me which is the best way to do this?(Application is remotely patient monitoring).

Another thing is I am thinking to use a robot head and controller (More info. is given below) in my research application. The manufacturer will provide the SDK (API) for this. My question is is it possible to control this device using Lab View??Please say some details.

(SDK/API ref link is: http://www.drrobot.com/products/item_downloads/PMS5005_3.pdf)

(Controller Info.:The PMS5005 Robot Sensing/Motion Controller can be used as sensing, control, motion execution, LCD display and wireless communication processing unit for various robotic applications. Its onboard firmware makes the low level function modules such as motor driver module and wireless communication module transparent to the users. The PMS5005 board by itself can already drive 6 standard RC servo motors and support multiple I/Os. A host (e.g. PC, DSP, or processor) will be used to communicate and control the PMS5005 for different applications through the UART (serial) interface. The system can help robotic and AI researchers and developers focus on the high level logic and algorithm design, and avoid the hassle of writing low level device drivers, standard control schemes and troubleshooting the electronic circuits. The ease of use, powerful functionality and onboard intelligence can eliminate design risk, streamline hardware and software development, and significantly shorten the time to delivery while effectively reducing the cost.

Note that MCR3210 (RS232 Interface Module) and CCR2150 (RS232 Cross-over Serial Cable) are required for wired connection of PMS5005 to PC or to devices with RS232 serial communication port.)

*If any one know about these please reply to me.

Thanks for your time.

Regards

Kabir

(mamunk2@gmail.com)