NI-DAQmx vs NI-DAQmx Base Linux

[larry_s]

According to this link: http://www.ni.com/dataacquisition/companion_software.htm and this link: http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/14480 NI-DAQmx Base offers a subset of NI-DAQmx functionality.  From those links it appears that NI-DAQmx is superior to NI-DAQmx Base.  While this is true for Windows what about in regards to the Linux operating system.  It appears that DAQmx for Linux has not been updated since 2005 where NIDAQmx Base is continuing to be updated for Linux.  What are the differences between the latest DAQmx for Linux version 8.0 and DAQmx Base for Linux version 3.2.  We are leaning toward openSUSE 10.3.  Is NI working towards releasing an equivalent to DAQmx 8.7.1 for Linux anytime in the future.  Given the last update for Linux DAQmx 2005 I suspect not.  Is DAQmx Base ver 3.2 for Linux superior to DAQmx 8.0 for Linux?

Would prefer to use a Debian based system but that is another story....... 

[tnek]

Hi larry,

An important consideration in this decision will be the actual hardware that you will be using. DAQmx has more functionality but certain devices may work with only one of the drivers. You can check the device support lists in the readmes of the drivers. 

Regards,
Kent
Applications Engineer

[larry_s]

Kent,

I do not understand how it is possible that (in regards to Linux) DAQmx 8.0 can have more functionality than DAQmx-Base 3.2.  For one thing there have been many changes and improvements in regards to the operating systems from the versions that work with DAQmx 8.0 and the more modern versions that work with Base 3.2.  For example I would need to load RHE 3 instead of RHE5 in order to run DAQmx however DAQmx-Base 3.2 will run in RHE5.  Also the release date of DAQmx 8.0 is Dec 2005 where base has a release date of July 2008.  Can you comment on this additional functionality in regards to DAQmx 8.0 and DAQmx-Base 3.2 in a Linux operating system?  This link I am thinking is more relevant in regards to the latest DAQmx 8.7.1 and not DAQmx 8.0.  http://www.ni.com/dataacquisition/find_product_by_application.htm

Thank you

[Tom_W_[DE]]

Hi Larry-

I think what Kent was getting at is that the age of NI-DAQmx for Linux means that the list of devices is quite a bit shorter than the support provided by newer versions of NI-DAQmx for Windows (and, in some cases NI-DAQmx Base).  For example, no USB DAQ, SCXI, or DSA device support is provided by NI-DAQmx 8.0 for Linux.  These are the biggest discrepancies between NI-DAQmx and NI-DAQmx Base with regards to the raw list of devices supported.

NI-DAQmx Base and NI-DAQmx are completely different development efforts with no shared code between them.  NI-DAQmx Base is released more frequently, but updated support with regards to kernel/distro versions are usually related to small changes in the Linux kernel and not due to large changes or improvements in kernel-level support in NI-DAQmx Base.  In truth, NI-DAQmx can be made to run on newer distros (though Debian-based distros are a unique challenge due to the rpm-centric NI installers for Linux) with small modifications that several users on these forums have documented.  For examples, search for any post by user 'ninevoltz'.

So, device support and newer kernel support aside, I echo Kent's message that NI-DAQmx provides more functionality for cases where the same devices are supported by both drivers.  For example, NI-DAQmx uses a much more advanced global storage mechanism which allows for the use of stored Virtual Channels and Tasks, similar to functionality provided by NI-DAQmx for Windows.  NI-DAQmx for Linux also provides safe multi-thread access via the user API, whereas NI-DAQmx Base makes no such guarantee.  You may also see increased performance in NI-DAQmx, due to the fact that it is implemented as a native kernel driver whereas NI-DAQmx Base is implemented in LabVIEW (using NI-VISA as its kernel-level interface).

My suggestion would be to choose from these options:

1. If you need better performance, better configuration tools, don't mind some tinkering to get things working, and your device is supported -> choose NI-DAQmx 8.0
2. If you want an out of the box solution that will work on newer distros, or if your device is not supported by NI-DAQmx 8.0 -> choose NI-DAQmx Base 3.2

Hopefully this helps-

[larry_s]

Tom,

Thanks for the info.  So at the moment I have the following installed successfully in OpenSUSE 10.3.  NI-DAQmx Base 3.2, NI-VISA 4.4, and NI-KAL 1.8.  I am interested to see the differences you are referring to between DAQmx and DAQmx Base.  Can mx8 and Base reside in the same system?  Can I try to install DAQmx 8.0 or do I need to uninstall DAQmx-Base 3.2 first?  Also if I succesfully install DAQmx 8.0 do I need an older version of NI-KAL and NI-VISA or can the latest version be used  (NI-VISA 4.4, and NI-KAL 1.8)?

Sorry if this does not make sense I am trying to come up to speed as rapidly as possible.  We recently purchased 2 copies of LabVIEW Professional 8.5 for Linux under the impression that the versions were very similar to Windows functionality.

[Tom_W_[DE]]

Hi Larry-

I just want to correct myself- should have re-read my message before I submitted it.  What I meant to say is that NI-DAQmx 8.0 does not support USB DAQ devices, while NI-DAQmx Base 3.2 does not support SCXI or DSA devices.  I'll post a response to your other questions in the morning.

Apologies for the confusion.

[Tom_W_[DE]]

Hi Larry-

NI-DAQmx does not depend on NI-VISA, but it does depend on NI-KAL.  There is no problem with installing NI-DAQmx and NI-DAQmx Base on the same system at the same time.  In order to switch between the two drivers for devices that are supported by both, you will need to follow these steps.

[larry_s]

Since 8.5 is installed and not 8.0 where do we get the 8.0 support files to load referenced in this link?  Text from the referenced link: If you do not have LabVIEW 8.0 installed, you must install LabVIEW 8.0 support when prompted. 

[Tom_W_[DE]]

Hi Larry-

When you run the NI-DAQmx 8.0 install script, you should see prompts for various options (including the option to install LabVIEW 8.0 support).  If you do not have LabVIEW 8.0 installed, the LabVIEW 8.0 support in NI-DAQmx 8.0 will be disabled by default.  You just need to manually select the option when prompted and the files will install to \usr\local\natinst\LabVIEW-8.0 or similar.

[larry_s]

Hi Tom,

I was able to load DAQmx 8.0 in OpenSUSE 10.3 with NI-KAL 1.8 and NI-VISA 4.4.  Next I am going to try on Open SUSE 11 and see if there is success with that.  A current issue is that when I attempt to run DAQmxTestPanels errors are generated.  I do not at the present have hardware connected by the way. 
larry@linux-600m:/usr/local/bin> ls
DAQmxTestPanels  LVMerge        nilsdev         niusb9162dlfw    viclean
driverwizard     mxbaseconfig   nispy           NIvisaic         visaconf
labview          nidaqmxconfig  nisvcloc        nivisaserver
lsdaq            nidatalogger   niSystemReport  updateNIDrivers
larry@linux-600m:/usr/local/bin> DAQmxTestPanels
Can't load LabVIEW runtime library /usr/local/lib/liblvrt.so.8.0
libOSMesa.so.4: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
larry@linux-600m:/usr/local/bin>