modulation toolkit for labview for embedded controller PXI 8106

[Prads]

Hello,

I have an embedded controller : NI PXI 8106 with PXI 5661 and 5671. It came with RFSA, RFSG but not the Modulation Toolkit (MT). Now I am unable to access certain RF Toolkit vis like NI RFSA close.vi etc. I opened a code which makes use of this RFSA close.vi and probably since I donot have the MT, I cannot run it since the code asks to choose the path!

I checked for the MT in start->all programs->national instruments->modulation but in vain. Also I opened MAX and under "Software" I could find RFSA, RFSG drivers etc but not the MT.

When I checked online it says I got to purchase the MT cd/dvd. If I do, how do I run it on my controller?  What are my other options? 

pk 

[abhisheknag]

Hello pk,

By NI RFSA Close.vi, I am assuming you are referring to niRFSA Close.vi. If you are, the situation you are running into is odd because niRFSA Close.vi is not a part of MT. It is a part of NI-RFSA, which you say you have installed on your system. One thing to keep in mind is you will need to restart your system once you install any NI driver. If you have restarted your machine and are not able to locate niRFSA Close.vi, here are some steps you can follow:

1. Check if NI-RFSA is installed on the version of LabVIEW you are using. You can do this by going to Measurement I/O - niRFSA on the functions palette on your block diagram. If NI-RFSA is not installed, proceed to install it on the version of LabVIEW you are using.

2. niRFSA Close.vi can be found at <LabVIEW>\instr.lib\niRFSA\niRFSA.ll, where <LabVIEW> is the folder you have installed LabVIEW to, on your machine.

About Modulation Toolkit, once you purchase MT from NI, you can proceed to install it on your controller just like you would install any other software on a Windows machine. Since your controller does not have a CD drive, you will either need to use a USB CD drive or, copy the contents of the CD you receive to a USB drive/network share and then proceed to install.

Please keep us posted!

Regards,

Abhishek

[Prads]

Hi Abhishek,

I observed the following:

1. I donot have Spectral Measurement Toolkit (SMT) as well. In the readme file of NI RFSA, under system requirements I saw that the SMT is needed for proper working of VSA. Is that the reason.

2. Also I couldnot find the vis (niRFSA) under Measurement I/O  function palette. And when I check under Start-All Programs-National Instruments, I see NI-RFSA but under that I see Documentation, Examples, 5660 Demo Panel, and NI-RFSA Soft Front Panel. Now under Examples I see only C folder. Does that mean it is not available for LabVIEW? Similarly for NI-RFSG, I see only Documentation and Script Editor. Does that mean RFSA and RFSG are not installed for LabVIEW?

I couldnot find niRFSA under <LabVIEW>\instr.lib\niRFSA\niRFSA.ll, where <LabVIEW> is the folder you have installed LabVIEW to, on your machine. So I believe I donot have niRFSA. The folder named NI-RFSA under Start-All Programs-National Instruments misled me.

3. Can't I install a trial version of the SMT, MT, RFSA and RFSG? Also I have license to NI LabVIEW full version. Can't I use that License key to install the above tools. If yes, kindly provide the link. 

Please advice. Thank you.

pk 

[Prads]

Also to add to the above post, I have

LabVIEW 8.6. Under MAX-Software, I can see 

NI-RFSA 2.1

NI RFSG 1.4

NI-DAQmx8.8 etc. among others but as mentioned earlier I donot have SMT and MT.

Regards,

pk 

[Prads · Accepted solution]

Hello,

I think I solved the above problem. I had to install RFSA and RFSG for labVIEW. For some reason the hardware was shipped to me with RFSA and RFSG but only for C. This part was misleading because I could see RFSA and RFSG on my system under National Instruments but not the RFSA vi's. Also Spectral Measurement Toolkit (SMT) was not installed. SMT is a MUST for proper operation of RF VSA. After installing the required drivers and toolkits, I am able to run and use the vi's completely.

Thank you Abhishek for your support.

pk 

[abhisheknag]

Good to know pk.

In general, you should always install drivers after you have installed an ADE. In other words, install NI-RFSG and NI-RFSA after you install LabVIEW. The installer for the drivers is the same whether you choose to install to LabVIEW or C. However, the installer makes a run time decision about what to install based on what it finds installed on the system already. The same holds good for the toolkits as well.

So, for future reference, recommended install order - LabVIEW - NI-RFSG/NI-RFSA - SMT - MT.

[strangeRock]

So you mean RFSA/RFSG drivers are same wrt C/Labview. coz after I installed the drivers for LabVIEW, i could see its presence for LV8.6 in the Start-All Programs-NI-RFSA menu. Earlier it displayed only C tab under this path. Also after installing the drivers again for LV8.6 was I able to see the vis under the Measurement I/O in the functions palette. 

pk 

[abhisheknag]

Yes, in other words, the same installer will install drivers to LabVIEW/C depending on what's already installed on your system.

Abhishek

[strangeRock]

Yes, thats true that the same installer would do the job BUT you got to re-do it for LabVIEW as well right? Now that's misleading if you only look at the RFSA and RFSG installed but donot care to see if its for LabVIEW or C. So I wanted others who might face a similar situation to be aware of this.

Regards,

pk