how do i start acquiring data with an external trigger?

[ZoeR-H]

Hi,

I am using an NI USB-6009 and am collecting pressure data from a transducer. I have a programme set up to take and save the data. I want to now be able to trigger to start collecting the data via an external trigger (switch). I am using the trigger to start another piece of software for a different sensor on another machine and I want the labview data to start collecting at the same time. I am unsure if the trigger section on the Daq assistant would be the right thing to use or if there is a better way to do this. I am very new to labview and have had help to get this far! 

Thanks in advance!

Zoe

[Paul_F]

Look at some of the examples of external hardware triggering, this is usually the way to synchronise multiple measurments

[LanxiZ]

Hi Zoe,

My name is Lanxi and I am an Application Engineer from NIUK. I will assist you with your query.

There are some rules you need to keep in mind when doing the multiple device synchronization:

1.All devices share a Master Timebase and a Start Trigger

2.All devices share a Sample Clock

3.Create one master task

-Configure master task, but do not start immediately
-Only start master task after all slave tasks have started

4.Create as many slave tasks as necessary
-Start slave tasks before starting master task

5.Data Transfer Bus cannot pass timing and synchronization signals. If sharing internal signals between devices, must setup a synchronization bus

6.USB Devices have no synchronization bus
-Must synchronize USB devices with external sample clock

Below is an example of synchronize measurements on multiple USB Devices which I suppose will be useful to you:

“Synchronize Analog Input on Multiple USB Devices”:
https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-3864

Please let me know if you find this information useful and if there is anything else I can do then let me know.

Regards,

Lanxi