IVI specific drivers usage in Teststand

[Siddu 140]

Hi,

I am using Teststand 2.0.1 and i want to use some of the IVI specific drivers in my application. Can somebody guide me how to do that. Another clarification, if we use the IVI drivers which fall into any of the classes how do we achieve the interchangeability? Is it only through MAX that we achieve it.

Regards,
Siddu

[Aaron B.]

Hi Siddu,

For getting started with IVI steps in TestStand 2.0.1, I would highly recommend reading the PDF help document titled, "IVI Step Types". It is located in "Start >> Programs >> National Instruments >> TestStand 2.0.1 >> Online Help >> IVI Step Types". There is also an IVI shipping example located in the TestStand folder in "\Examples\Ivi\IviStepTypes.seq"

With regards to the interchangeability: if you want to use a new driver, you need to add it to the class in MAX and assign a driver session that uses it. You will then be able to access that session in TestStand or any other programming environment you are using. If you need more information about how to set that up, please let me know.

Regards,


Aaron B.
National Instruments

[Siddu 140]

Hi Aaron,

I have used the Step types for the instruments which fall into the IVI class in Teststand. Now i want to use a IVI custom driver ( specific such as a CAN card ) in Teststand. Please let me know whether there is any way to work over the Custom specific drivers in Teststand as we work with the Class drivers.

Regards,
Siddu

[craigherdman]

Siddu 140,

I am not one of our TestStand supporters so I may not understand your core question exactly...but I'll give it a shot! We can keep track of our IVI drivers and IVI sessions in MAX as Aaron alluded to. You will have an IVI Drivers tab in your Configuration window in MAX where you can perform a variety of actions. From what I understand, once you have correctly configured your IVI Driver in MAX you can see it in TestStand. I have attached a ZIP file containing a text file of instructions and screenshots pertaining to the instructions that discuss how one configures IVI Drivers in MAX. Also the help window on the right-hand side of MAX when you select the IVI Drivers tab is a great resource.

With regards to the CAN driver there really isn't the concept of a CAN IVI driver. National Instruments provides a CAN driver for our CAN product line. More information on National Instruments CAN products can be found here: National Instruments' CAN.

I hope this information helps out and if you have any other questions please post back!

Craig H.

[Siddu 140]

Hi,

I have understood the concept of interchangeability using IVI drivers through MAX. Actaully i have stuck up with working over some custom drivers in Teststand. Is the DLL adapter the only way to work with Custom drivers such as CAN boards, photometers etc. which do not fall into the IVI class category or is there a way to configure them like the normal drivers which fall into the IVI class in Teststand using the IVI steps.

Regards,
Siddu

[Aaron B.]

Hello Siddu,

The functionality of the IVI step types are meant merely to simplify coding. Page C-2 of the TestStand Manual states that:

"IVI step types complement, but do not replace, the instrument
configuration and measurement operations you perform in code modules
that you write using LabVIEW, Measurement Studio, Microsoft Visual
Basic, or other tools. Although IVI step types are the easiest way to
configure and acquire data from IVI class instruments, you must use code
modules to control instruments under the following circumstances:

- When you need to precisely specify the instrument driver calls to
ensure optimal performance.

- When you need to call specific driver functions that an IVI class does
not support.

- When your instrument does not conform to an IVI class or does not
have an IVI driver.

- When you need to interleave your instrument control operations with
other code that must reside in a single code module."

The DLL adapter is certainly not the only way to work with Custom drivers. You should be able to access your instrument from any whichever type of code module you are developing in (ie: LabVIEW, CVI, C++, C# or VB.NET, etc). If your custom driver falls into the category of one of the standard drivers, you can still use the built in step types, but otherwise, you will have to write the code in your Application Development Environment (ADE) of choice and call it from TestStand. Sorry for the mix-up and not addressing this specific question sooner.

Regards,

Aaron B.
National Instruments

[Siddu 140]

Thanks Aaron. I was in the same opinion and actually wanted to get clarified on the point to proceed further.

Regards,
Siddu

[McGregorMortis]

If you do call your custom IVI driver using the DLL Flexible Prototype adapter, you may want to use a trick I use to get IVI error-codes translated into readable TestStand run-time error messages. I described it in this posting.

- Ron