converting PCMCIA 6062E DAQ to USB-6218 DAQ

[njuneardave]

Hello all,

I'm currently working on a project where our system uses a DAQ card (6062E) for a PCMCIA slot, but we are looking at changing the DAQ card to a USB port (card:  USB-6218).  My question is if all of the pre-existing interface code for the PCMCIA DAQ will be the same for the USB DAQ.

Here is a snippet of code that goes and discovers the DAQ card (written in VB):

Public Function IsDaqCardPresent() As Boolean
      Dim strings As String() = NationalInstruments.DAQmx.DaqSystem.Local.Devices
      For Each s As String In strings
         Dim dev As Device = DaqSystem.Local.LoadDevice(s)
         If dev.ProductType = "DAQCard-6062E" Then
            DAQ_DeviceID = dev.DeviceID
            Return True
         End If
      Next
      Return False
   End Function

This should be fine for realizing the DAQ card, but with a new port, would I need to change any other code to interface to it, or would all of the interface code remain the same?



thanks so much,

David

[Speedy_Badger]

Hello David,

In your code I see that you are using the function call "NationalInstruments.DAQmx.DaqSystem.Local.Devices." From this I am assuming it is safe to say you are using the DAQmx API to control your current and future DAQ applications. If that is the case then you should have little trouble migrating your application from the PCMCIA 6062E to the USB-6218. The DAQmx API is transparent in regards to low level port configuration.

Since you are searching for a device and comparing it to a known name such as "DAQCard-6062E," you would simply modify this string to the appropriate device name. Most likely in your case this would be "USB-6218."

It is important to note that the 6062E and the 6218 are fundamentally different devices so functionality supported by the 6062E might not be supported by the 6218.

Hope this helped!

Regards,