NI-DAQ and NI-DAQmx interoperability

[Shelly]

We have a data acquisition product that currently collects data from serveral different NI boards simultaneously using NI-DAQ 7.0.1 and Visual C++.NET 7.1.  We would like to add a NI DAQPad-6015 USB multifunction box to the package.  However the new box is only supported by NI-DAQmx.  What I would like to know is if I can write an interface using NI-DAQmx and have it work peacefully along with all of the legacy NI-DAQ code, or will I need to upgrade all of the old software to work with the NI-DAQmx API?

Thank you,

Frank Shelly

[Ryan_V[DE]]

Frank,

You should be able to use Traditional NI-DAQ and NI-DAQmx side by side in the same application, if that is what you are asking. You just cannot use both drivers on the same device at the same time. As the DAQmx  API is reatively constant across devices, you may find that after writing code for the 6015, that same code will work with your other devices. Also, you have a few choices in terms of programming language with DAQmx. You mention Visual C++ .NET 7.1. If I understand this correctly, you have the option of programming in either the standard DAQmx C API, or the DAQmx C++ class library. Also, should you decide to move to C#, there is a class library for that as well. A very similar library exists for VB .NET. Finally, for VB 6.0, you can use DAQmx ANSI C equivalent functions.

Please let me know if you meant something else by "work peacefully." Also, don't hesitate to let us know if you have any questions getting up and running with DAQmx.

Hope this helps,

[Shelly]

Thank you Ryan,

I was indeed planning on having the newest DAQPad-6015 instrument controlled by DAQmx, while the older instruments would continue to use the old API.  So your answer covered the question very well.  Thanks as well for the additional information on the difference between the .NET C++ API and the C API.  In our case we have decided to go with the C API.

Frank