Introduction Hello once again!! Here I am writing another tutorial for this great linux users-community. In this time I must say that it had been easier doing the manual because the number of members of this community has grown up and the number of posts and discussions too. In this case only I had to gather all information of several posts. It´s a pity that the level of members of linux-user is higher and higher BUT my level of English is the same of last time. I apologize for it. Steps to Complete REQUIREMENTS At the first place I must say that the manual is adequate for a distro with these properties: Ubuntu 8.04 Kernel: 2.6.24-24-generic [# uname -r] gcc version: gcc (GCC) 4.2.4 (Ubuntu 4.2.4-1ubuntu3) [# gcc --version] cpu i386 SOME ESSENTIAL UBUNTU PACKAGES Right after it, it's the moment to install several packages included in ubuntu repository which are necessary: # apt-get install linux-headers-2.6.24-24-generic# apt-get install alien On the other hand I recommend to install libosmesa6 and libosmesa6-dev but using sinaptic. To finish, remenber change bash to sh # cd /bin# ln -s bash sh NIKAL 1.10 INSTALLATION Now it's the moment to download nikal 1.10 , like it's a ISO you need to mount and after it copy the files to other place. I'm going to create all folders that I need in my Desktop (Escritorio in spanish). # mkdir /home/vicente/Escritorio/tmp# mount -o loop NIKAL110.iso /home/vicente/Escriorio/tmp# mkdir nikal# cp -R /home/vicente/Escritorio/tmp/ /home/vicente/Escritorio/nikal/# chmod -R 777 /home/vicente/Escritorio/nikal/# umount /home/vicente/Escritorio/tmp/ # cd /home/vicente/Escritorio/nikal/tmp Ok now we must unpackage nikal-1.10.0f0.tar.gz to do it I prefer to use the gnome environment, open a navigator, go to /home/vicente/Escritorio/nikal/tmp and click with secondary mouse button on nikal-1.10.0f0.tar.gz and click extract here. # cd /home/vicente/Escritorio/nikal/tmp/nikal-1.10.0f0/rpms With alien we will change *.rpm to *.deb. With dkpg command we will install the deb package. # alien nikali-1.10.0-f0.noarch.rpm --scripts # dpkg -i nikali_1.10.0-f0_all.deb If there is something different in this tutorial from my previous one it is the fact that, some packages are going to create a scripts named *InstallerUtility.sh. where * is the name of package installed. We must find and execute these scripts after each dpkg. # cd /usr/local/natinst/nikal/bin# . nikaliInstallerUtility.sh# nikaliPostInstall# ./updateNIDriversReboot? yes After it, check it that module nikal is working: # modprobe nikal NI488.2 INSTALLATION The next step is to install NI488.2, first download NI-488.2-beta-2.5 and follow the same steps that we follow with nikal, remember unpackage NI-488.2-beta-2.5.1b1.tar.gz. # cd /home/vicente/Escritorio/NI4882/NI-488.2-beta-2.5.1b1# ./INSTALL --nodeps After to install using the method ./INSTALL --nodeps it appears errors post installation. At this moment if you check it nikal you will find that nikal isn't working. Don't worry follow these steps: # cd /home/vicente/Escritorio/nikal/tmp/nikal-1.10.0f0/rpms # dpkg -P nikali# dpkg -i nikali_1.10.0-f0_all.deb# cd /usr/local/natinst/nikal/bin# . nikaliInstallerUtility.sh# nikaliPostInstall# ./updateNIDriversReboot? yes Right after it, you can check it that you have installed nikal, nipalk, gpibrtk and a new demon nipal. # modprobe nikal # modprobe nipalk# modprobe gpibprtk# /etc/init.d/nipal restart (appears a error but nipal is working) I know that it is a pretty peculiar method (even for a human beings) but works. For example if you have a PCI/GPIB card you can test it writting up this # gpibtsw In my case I find this: VISA 4.5.0 INSTALLATION Ok now Visa 4.5. You must download Visa 4.5.1 mount, copy, umount and unpackage nivisa-4.5.0f0.tar.gz (if you prefer 'tar zxvf nivisa-4.5.1f0.tar.gz'), like nikal package. After it we must change packages .rpm to .deb. To do it follow these steps: # mkdir /home/vicente/Escritorio/kk# mount -o loop NI-VISA-4.5.1.iso /home/vicente/Escriorio/kk# mkdir visa451# cp -R /home/vicente/Escritorio/kk/ /home/vicente/Escritorio/visa451/# chmod -R 777 /home/vicente/Escritorio/visa451/# umount /home/vicente/Escritorio/kk/ # cd /home/vicente/Escritorio/visa451/kk # tar zxvf nivisa-4.5.1f0.tar.gz Be carefull with the path used, PLEASE We will use a installation-script and it's necessary that you must create the folders with the same names. # mkdir nivisa-4.5.1 # cd rpms # rm nipalki-2.4.0-f0.x86_64.rpm # rm nivisak-4.5.1-f0.x86_64.rpm # alien -k --scripts *.rpm # cd .. # cp rpm/*.deb nivisa-4.5.1/ Ok, the user Wimpie has made a fantastic installation-script to install nivisa, the community has to be thankful for his/her contribution. (If you have tried to install visa by other way without success and you want to follow our method please, first run Wimpie's uninstall_visa.sh attached in this tutorial. you can run the script from any path. ) Download the script install_visa.sh attached below and copy it at /home/vicente/Escritorio/visa451/kk , change the path in your case, but install_visa.sh must be at folder /home/'name-user'/Desktop/visa451/kk, I hope don't lost me in translation. Run the script and cross your fingers root@vicente-desktop:/home/vicente/Escritorio/visa451/kk# ./install_visa Right after it, you must run updateNIDrivers. # cd /usr/local/natinst/nikal/bin# ./updateNIDriversreboot? yes Several new kernel modules have to be installed or updating: NI-KAL successfully updated. nipalk.ko successfully updated. NiViPciK.ko successfully updated. niorbk.ko successfully updated. nidimk.ko successfully updated. NiViPxiK.ko successfully updated. nipxirmk.ko successfully updated. Now go to a Shell and write down: # visaconf If you have a PCI/GPIB card you will find something like this: PyViSA INSTALLATION First you need download PyVisa (PyVISA-1.3-1.noarch.rpm) after it and before to install PyVISA we must install one package from repositories: apt-get install python-ctypes Ok, change *.rpm to *.deb and install: # alien -k --scripts *.rpm # dpkg -i pyvisa_1.3-1_all.deb Ok, now you can run this example to test your PCI/GPIB card (Instrument with gpib address 9): PRUEBA.PY: import pyvisa.vpp43 as vpp43vpp43.visa_library.load_library("/usr/local/vxipnp/linux/bin/libvisa.so.7")from visa import *my_instrument = instrument("GPIB0::9::INSTR")my_instrument.write("*IDN?")print my_instrument.read() In my case after running the script I find this: root@vicente-desktop:/home/vicente/Escritorio/pyvisa# python prueba.pyHEWLETT-PACKARD,34970A,0,3-1-2 NIdaqmxBase INSTALLATION Download NIdaqMXBase 3.3.0 it is a ISO file, you need mount and copy the files (see NIKAL installation). After you mount the ISO, go to folder nidaqmxbase and change the packages .rpm to .deb with this command: # alien -k --scripts *.rpm Right after it copy the Wimpie's script install_daqmx attached below at the same folder where you has generated the .deb packages. To finish execute the script and one again cross your fingers (very important): # ./install_daqmx Ok now run updateNIDrivers # cd /usr/local/natinst/nikal/bin# ./updateNIDrivers So, It is the moment to probe our usb devices, for example NI-USB 6008. root@vicente-desktop:/usr/local/natinst/nidaqmxbase/bin# lsdaq--------------------------------Detecting National Instruments DAQ DevicesFound the following DAQ Devices:NI USB-6008: "Dev1" (USB0::0x3923::0x717A::01418C98::RAW)-------------------------------- And if you go to visaconf you will find something like this: WARNING: If you find after do it # lsdaq this error: root@vicente-desktop:/home/vicente# lsdaq--------------------------------Detecting National Instruments DAQ DevicesFound the following DAQ Devices: Device Error: incompatible firmware. Serial Number: 01418C98 Execute <NI-DAQmx Base directory>/bin/FWUpdate to update. you must go to folder /usr/local/natinst/nidaqmxbase and execute the script FWUpdate to update the firmware. # cd /usr/local/natinst/nidaqmxbase # ./FWUpdate Let go to test now the device NI-cDAQ-9172 : to be continued Additional Notes Today (11-29-2009) it is been one month and two weeks since my VI to trace I-V curves of photovoltaic modules started to run. In this time we have collected about 10.000 I-V curves (one curve each 2 minutes during solar hours) and the system has been working continuously during that days. I must say that I have not had any kind of problem after starting up, there aren't incomprehensible messages from Windows OS, I haven't a slowly PC after 44 days of working ...the windows users know what I mean. In my case for my monitoring system, I can say that the change has been worthwhile. PC: Intel core duo, 1GB Ram, 1 PCI-GPIB card Datalogger: agilent 34970A with daq and actuators cards using GPIB port. Power supply: Kepco BOP 36-12M with GPIB port Thanks for your help.

Linux Users

How to Install Nikal1.1+NI488.2+NiVisa4.5+PyVisa+NIdaqmxBase on Ubuntu 8.04 (Only for human beings)

I see, thank you mariogiov. That helps narrow down the cause of my other problems.

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Linux Users

How to Install Nikal1.1+NI488.2+NiVisa4.5+PyVisa+NIdaqmxBase on Ubuntu 8.04 (Only for human beings)

Re: How to Install Nikal1.1+NI488.2+NiVisa4.5+PyVisa+NIdaqmxBase on Ubuntu 8.04 (Only for human beings)