Both NI VISA Configuration and NIvisaic are not responding Macbook Air(Macc OS X

[amitlipman]

Hi all,

I installed both  NI VISA Configuration V 5.2 and NIvisaic (VISA Interactive control) on my Macbook Air  (Mac OS X v 10.7.4) and both of them are not responding...

Is there any thing I can do??

Thanks,

Amt

[Patrick_NI]

Hello Amt, 

Do you mind linking me to where you downloaded each of these?

VISA 5.2 isn't supported on Mac OS, however, VISA 5.1.2 is.  It's possible that downgrading to VISA 5.1.2 will solve this issue.  This driver is located here:

http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/2915/lang/en

[amitlipman]

Hey Patrick,

First the VISA V 5.2 was installed by a former user but the V 5.1.1 -BETA -MAC OS X I reached from googling  "ni-visa configuration mac os x 10.7"

http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/2660/lang/en

I hope that helps..

 

Second I uninstalled the former version and installed v 5.1.2 from the link.
However the same issue repeats itself, the small square window apear "NI-VISA Configuration" and on the Bottom Version 5.2, initializing (which is weird because I installed 5.1.2 and when I Press only once, the Mac shows the file details which states that it's V 5.1.2 and it's had been installed today so it's definitely the right VISA) but the program won't upload no matter how long I wait..

And one more thing: is it absolutely necessary to install visa to enable the labview to communicate with a external device?

Thanks a lot,
Amit.

[The_Hunt]

Hello Amit, 

To answer your question, no it is not entirely necessary to use VISA to communicate with an external device. Now how are you currently communicating with this device? And what is the 3rd party device that you are using? 

When you uninstalled the previous VISA 5.2, did you do so by going through the Add/Remove Programs?

I would suggest looking for the required drivers for your 3rd party device on our website by going to: 

www.ni.com/idnet

And search for your device. This will tell you what drivers are necessary for communication. 

[amitlipman]

Hi Huntigton,

currently i'm not able to communicate with the device. The device is a oven controller (ASC Thermal Specimen Demagnetizer TD-48SC) which is connected to the Mac's USB port through convertor (RS-485 to RS232) and a Keyspan P/N: USA-19HS.

I searched the devices mentioned above at www.ni.com/ident but I didn't find any of them. To my best understanding the only driver I supposed to install is for the Keyspan which I already installed.

But yet it doesn't appear in the physical channels on Labview. On the diagram panel I connected a "physical channel" constant to "DAQ mxbase create channel" but the scroll down bar was empty (I expected to see Dev1/ai0).

I thought it's necessary to define the device on VISA for the Labview to recognize it. Can it be defined in other manner without VISA (which isn't working)?

When I uninstalled the VISA 5.2 I used "appcleaner" app (unfortunately Mac doesn't have a add/remove program), can I make sure somehow the uninstallation went right?

Thanks,

Amit

[The_Hunt]

Amit, 

You can check and see which version of VISA your computer is actually running by going into your Measurement and Automation Explorer and expanding the 'software' tab on the left hand side. NI-VISA should be near the bottom, and it will list what the current version you are using. 

If you are currently running VISA 5.1.2, are you able to see your 3rd party device in Measurement and Automation Explorer (under devices)? With the correct and compatible version of VISA, you should be able to see your device. 

If you do not see your device in MAX, then you will not see your device in the physical channels in LabVIEW. We cannot guarantee if your device can or will connect to LabVIEW if the 3rd party device is not listed in our idnet. VISA will be your best option for communication. If and when you can detect your device, I would use VISA function calls in your LabVIEW program as well, not DAQmx calls. 

Otherwise I can suggest requesting a new driver for this device back on the www.ni.com/idnet webpage. 

[johnsold]

Huntington,

Please pay attention! The OP clearly specified that he is on a Mac and is using DAQmx Base. MAX is a Windows-only application, so advice to use that is less than useless.

On my Mac I have an NI-VISA folder in the National Instruments folder in Applications. In that folder the Readme.html file says that NI-VISA 5.2 for Mac OS X 10.6 and 10.7 is installed. The Readme file is dated August 2012.

VISA 5.2 supports only 32-bit applications and LV 2009 or later. It aparently has some support for the 64-bit kernel, but does not specify what that means.

Amit,

I am suspicious that the problem is one of the protocol converters or in the way you have set up your porgram.  Generally the Keyspan USB to RS-232 converters have reputations for worknig well on the Mac. Devices with the FTDI chips work much better than the Prolific devices.

You will not be using DAQmx Base if you are using VISA for USB -> RS-232 -> RS-485.  So you will never see the device on the physical channel control. 

I have an Easy-Sync USB to RS-232 converter. It shows up in System Profiler under USB with the model number but no description. Do you see your Keyspan there? Simple VISA VIs in LabVIEW allow me to communicate with external devices. 

Do you have the manuals for the protocol converters and for the oven controller? Depending on the quality of the manuals and the complexity of the communications protocol, it may be fairly simple to set up a program to control the oven or a long and tedious job of reverse engineering.

Lynn

[amitlipman · Accepted solution]

Hi guys,

Thanks, but all I done to get the VISA to work was to start up the Mac on 32 bits instead of 64 bits and it enabled me to operate the VISA.

Here is a link that explains how to do so: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3773

Amit