The Instrument of Choice
Imagine a revolutionary instrument that exactly
meets your application needs. An instrument that acquires, analyzes, and displays
data exactly the way you want it to. Imagine LabVIEW - the Instrument of Choice.
Thousands of successful engineers, scientists, and technicians use LabVIEW to create solutions for their demanding application needs. LabVIEW, a revolutionary graphical programming system for data acquisition and control, data analysis, and data presentation, offers an innovative programming methodology in which you graphically assemble software objects called virtual instruments (VIs).
LabVIEW gives you the flexibility of a powerful programming language without the associated difficulty and complexity. If you are looking for a faster way to program your instrumentation systems without sacrificing performance, then join the thousands of successful LabVIEW users and discover the software that is revolutionizing test and measurement, data acquisition and control, process monitoring, and factory automation.
Developing a Complete Instrumentation System
With LabVIEW, you control your system and present your results through
interactive graphical front panels. You have numerous options for data management
- storing data to disk, sharing data over a network and between applications, and
preparing hardcopy output.
You can acquire data from thousands of devices, including GPIB, VXI, serial devices, PLCs, and plug-in data acquisition (DAQ) boards. You can also connect to other data sources via networking, interapplication communication, and structured query language (SQL) database links.
After you have acquired the data, you can convert your raw data into meaningful results by using the powerful data analysis routines in LabVIEW.
"Our LabVIEW-based in-vehicle data acquisition system has been a big hit
with our customers. LabVIEW has provided us the functionality, creative license
and tools to design systems that meet the cutting edge requirements of our
customers in the automotive industry."
John Date, Vice President Engineering, Dateppli Inc.
Virtual Instrumentation
The introduction of LabVIEW
in 1986 pioneered a new instrumentation approach called virtual instrumentation.
Virtual Instrumentation empowers users to build their own instrumentation systems
with standard computers and cost-effective hardware. These software-centered
systems leverage off the computational, display, and connectivity capabilities of
popular computers to give you the power and flexibility to build each of your
instrumentation functions. You can mix and match your choice of data acquisition
and instrument control hardware, including all of your existing instruments, to
create virtual instrumentation systems that exactly meet your needs.
Saves Time and Money
Virtual Instrumentation saves time and money by empowering you to build
"user-defined" systems in a fraction of the time it takes with traditional
approaches. In development, you get the answers you need more quickly and have
the time to test more thoroughly. In manufacturing, you test products faster and
more completely. Your quality goes up, while your time to market goes down.
Improves Productivity
Because LabVIEW substantially reduces the time required to develop applications,
LabVIEW users all over the world are experiencing substantial productivity gains.
These productivity gains stem not only from the ease of use in LabVIEW but also
from simplified code maintenance and reuse.
Increases Flexibility
By combining LabVIEW with standard data acquisition and instrument control
devices, you can create virtual instruments and use them in many applications.
Unlike traditional instruments, which are limited by the design of the
manufacturer, a virtual instrument can operate as a variety of devices, such as a
temperature monitor, voltmeter, strip chart recorder, digitizer, and signal
analyzer.
LabVIEW Test and Measurement Tools
LabVIEW has become an
industry-standard development tool for test and measurement applications. With
the LabVIEW Test Executive, graphical test programs, and the industry's largest
instrument library, you have a single, consistent development and execution
environment for your entire system.
LabVIEW VI Development
LabVIEW eases application development with GUI libraries, analysis libraries, and
I/O libraries for GPIB, VXI, DAQ, and serial interfaces. In addition, you can
easily connect to other applications through networking and interapplication
communication. With the open architecture of LabVIEW, you can call any DLL or
shared library, so you can reuse your existing code.
The LabVIEW Test Executive
The Test Executive controls test execution sequences for production and
manufacturing applications. To leverage off your existing code, you can
incorporate tests written in a variety of languages into the Test Executive. In
addition, you can easily incorporate statistical process control (SPC) methods
and SQL database connectivity into your test sequences.
Instrument Drivers
Instrument drivers dramatically reduce software development costs because you do
not have to spend time programming the low-level control of each instrument. The
LabVIEW instrument driver library has more than 500 drivers for instruments from
more than 45 manufacturers. The instrument driver architecture of LabVIEW has
been standardized and endorsed by all major suppliers through the
VXIplug&play Systems Alliance. LabVIEW is the standard development
platform for all VXIplug&play GWIN framework drivers. LabVIEW also
runs all VXIplug&play drivers that conform to either the WIN or GWIN
framework specifications.
"LabVIEW's functional test design environment enables rapid development of
cost-effective ATE solutions."
Hugh Williams, Test Equipment Design Leader, British Aerospace (Systems and
Equipment) Limited - BASE
In-Vehicle Data Acquisition System
Dateppli, Inc., based in
Midland, Michigan, has developed a LabVIEW-based, in-vehicle DAQ system. Using
DRIVE (Data Retrievable In-Vehicle), engineers can easily acquire data from a
moving vehicle under test track and over-the-road test conditions. DRIVE is
especially useful for test engineers who acquire a combination of digital and
analog data, such as strain measurement, acceleration, and deflection, from a
moving vehicle. Engineers at Dateppli chose LabVIEW to develop DRIVE because of
its functionality, its straightforward programming approach, and its interactive
control for on-the-fly dynamic data acquisition.
Production Test and ATE
GenRad, Inc. uses LabVIEW to control instruments and perform tests in their
ENCOMPASS Test Management System. ENCOMPASS is an open, high-productivity test
development environment for use with its GENEVA (GenRad Extended VXIbus-Based
Architecture) test and measurement systems. Engineers at GenRad chose LabVIEW for
their ENCOMPASS product because of its productivity and ease of use for
functional verification and test. With its large library of instrument drivers
and its simple graphical programming, LabVIEW provides an open system for
production testing.
Surveillance Radar Quality Control System
Intersoft Electronics, a
Belgium-based engineering company, uses LabVIEW for many applications. The
RASS-PDP and RASS-S programs use LabVIEW to analyze primary and secondary
surveillance radar performance for EUROCONTROL and the FAA. A total quality
control of the radar chain, from antenna to data processor, is performed. LabVIEW
is used for all of the data acquisition, RF instrument control, data analysis,
and reporting in these applications.
Versatile Tools for SCADA
LabVIEW offers user
interface, I/O, data analysis, and connectivity to address applications such as
simple data logging, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), and direct
PID control. The graphical programming capabilities of LabVIEW give you a
combination of both ease of use and flexibility not available in traditional
man-machine interface (MMI) or SCADA software products.
Powerful User Interface
If you have MMI requirements, the user interface tools in LabVIEW will help you
quickly create intuitive graphical displays, including trend charts, pushbuttons,
LED alarms, and graphs, without having to draw controls from scratch. You can
further customize your MMI with the LabVIEW Picture Control Toolkit or imported
graphics created in other drawing packages to present instrumentation symbols and
system diagrams.
Variety of I/O Options
LabVIEW offers a wide range of instrumentation I/O options, with drivers included
at no charge for plug-in DAQ boards, serial instruments, and GPIB and VXI
hardware. Drivers are also available for communicating with programmable logic
controllers (PLCs), motion controllers, and other industrial DAQ devices. With
LabVIEW, you can easily mix and match the instrumentation that best suits your
industrial I/O needs.
Online Data Analysis
The LabVIEW analysis tools give you the ability to analyze and process your data
online, so you can quickly and reliably make important decisions about your
process. Using the SPC Toolkit, you can integrate quality control capabilities
into your data acquisition and control programs.
Company-Wide Connectivity
In today's business environment, company-wide access to data from your process is
critical. LabVIEW includes the connectivity tools you need to provide this access
to your data, including built-in dynamic data exchange (DDE), NetDDE, and TCP/IP.
For database connectivity, LabVIEW has integrated SQL access to a wide range of
databases.
"LabVIEW is a product of enormous quality, flexibility, and power - both
York International and our customers have benefitted from it, and we have only
begun to scratch the surface of the program's power. LabVIEW proved the perfect
tool to develop a flexible, fast MMI."
Jack Gornik, Building Automation Manager, York International
North Sea Oil Well Monitoring
CARDIAC, a National
Instruments Alliance Program member based in Norway, has developed a unique
Multiphase Flowmeter (MPFM) with LabVIEW to measure oil, gas, and water flow from
North Sea oil wells. The MPFM application integrates sensors and transmitters
using serial, HART, ModBus, and direct analog connections into a single virtual
instrument. The MPFM also acts as a ModBus slave within a Fisher-Rosemount Provox
DCS installed at the oil well.
HVAC Monitoring and Control
York International uses LabVIEW as the MMI in many of their HVAC (heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning) control systems. LabVIEW communicates over a
standard serial interface to remote smart panels that control sensors, motors,
and other HVAC instrumentation. LabVIEW performs functions such as alarm
notification and monitoring and control of chillers. York installations include
Apple Computer in Cupertino, California, The Pond hockey arena in Anaheim,
California, and the National Instruments manufacturing and engineering facility
in Austin, Texas.
Production Line Automation with PLCs
Consolidated Diesel uses
LabVIEW and National Instruments DAQ products for several systems in their engine
manufacturing facility. One system is used for setting top dead center (TDC) of a
diesel engine on the production line. This system uses a National Instruments
AT-MIO-16 multifunction DAQ board to control a drive that positions the engine on
the stand. LabVIEW controls the engine position through the DAQ board while
monitoring Modicon PLCs that control the production line.
Create the Front Panel
On the front panel of your VI, you place the controls and data displays for your
system by choosing objects from the Controls menu, including numeric displays,
meters, gauges, thermometers, tanks, LEDs, charts, graphs, and more. When your VI
is complete, you can use the front panel to control your system - while the VI is
running - by clicking a switch, moving a slide, zooming in on a graph, or
entering a value from the keyboard.
Construct the Graphical Block Diagram
To program the VI, you construct the block diagram without worrying about the
many syntactical details of conventional programming. You select objects (icons)
from the Functions menu and connect them with wires to pass data from one block
to the next. These blocks range from simple arithmetic functions, to advanced
acquisition and analysis routines, to network and file I/O operations.
Dataflow Programming
LabVIEW uses a patented dataflow programming model that frees you from the linear
architecture of text-based languages. Because the execution order in LabVIEW is
determined by the flow of data between blocks, and not by sequential lines of
text, you can create diagrams that have simultaneous operations. Consequently,
LabVIEW is a multitasking system - running multiple execution threads and
multiple VIs.
Modularity and Hierarchy
LabVIEW VIs are modular in design, so any VI can run by itself or be used as part
of another VI. You can even create an icon for your own VIs, so you can design a
hierarchy of VIs and subVIs that you can modify, interchange, and combine with
other VIs to meet your changing application needs.
Graphical Compiler
In many applications, execution speed is critical. LabVIEW is the only graphical
programming system with a compiler that generates optimized code with execution
speeds comparable to compiled C programs. Consequently, you can increase your
productivity with graphical programming without sacrificing execution speed.
"We looked at many
other DAQ systems. Other systems were not very flexible and did not suit our
needs. With LabVIEW, we got a development system that exactly fit our
needs."
Instrument Control
The LabVIEW, GPIB, VXI, and Serial VI Libraries use National Instruments
industry-standard device driver software for complete control of your
instrumentation. You can control any GPIB instrument connected to a National
Instruments IEEE 488.2 interface board. Your VXI instruments are easily
programmed with the LabVIEW VXI Development System, which includes VISA (Virtual
Instrument Software Architecture), the new interface-independent software
interface endorsed by the VXIplug&play Systems Alliance. You can
communicate to your instruments from embedded VXI controllers or computers with
an MXI or GPIB-VXI interface.
The Instrument Driver VI Library, available free of charge, contains drivers for more than 500 GPIB, VXI, Serial, and CAMAC instruments. These drivers are included on the LabVIEW CD-ROM distribution. They are also available on our Internet site, our BBS, and can be requested on disk.
Data Acquisition and Control
The DAQ VI Library has functions to acquire and output data with all National
Instruments plug-in and remote DAQ products. The plug-in boards are ideal for
high-speed and direct control applications. Because of their lower cost, they
bring the cost per channel down significantly. LabVIEW also has drivers for
industrial I/O devices such as PLCs, data loggers, and single-loop controllers.
All National Instruments SCXI modules for signal conditioning and remote data
acquisition work with LabVIEW. To help you select the right DAQ hardware for your
system, we have created a free software configuration utility called DAQ Designer
- you can request it from any National Instruments office.
"LabVIEW for Windows NT provides us with an excellent environment for our
S655 printed circuit board tester. We were able to easily call DLLs directly from
LabVIEW. With features like DDE and database support, we'll be able to expand our
application in the future."
Patrick Mullin, Engineering Manager, Schlumberger ATE
Data Analysis
LabVIEW features powerful, comprehensive analysis libraries that rival those of
dedicated analysis packages. These libraries are complete with statistics,
evaluations, regressions, linear algebra, signal generation algorithms, time and
frequency-domain algorithms, windowing routines, and digital filters. For a
comprehensive list of more than 140 analysis functions in LabVIEW, contact
National Instruments.
Connectivity
LabVIEW features numerous VI Libraries to communicate with other applications.
You can call any DLL or shared library from LabVIEW. VIs for several networking
protocols, including TCP/IP and UDP, are also available to communicate with
remote applications. Using DDE VIs, you can create both Client and Server VIs to
communicate with other Windows applications either on the same machine or using
NetDDE on a remote computer. For Macintosh users, you can use Apple Events and
program-to-program communication (PPC) VIs to communicate with other
applications. On Unix platforms, VIs are available to pass data between
applications via named pipes. For example, you can share data with an existing
HP-BASIC program running under HP-UX.
Stand-Alone Applications
The LabVIEW Application Builder gives you the ability to create and distribute
stand-alone executable applications. These executable applications run at
compiled execution speeds and do not require a separate run-time system.
Flexibility to Meet Your Needs
LabVIEW delivers not only ease of use, but the flexibility and versatility to
build a complete system. That's why so many people turn to LabVIEW for both their
simple and sophisticated applications.
Editing and Debugging
LabVIEW has extensive tools for development, test, and debugging. It features
execution highlighting, single-step mode, wire probes, and breakpoints, so you
can trace and monitor the execution flow through the diagram. The
context-sensitive Help window describes each icon and its connections. The Online
Help gives instant access to common questions, online manuals, error codes,
examples, customer support information, and more.
Existing Code Is Reusable
As you move to a new programming system, it is very important to maintain
compatibility with your existing code. With LabVIEW, you can call executables
written in other languages; communicate with other applications using DDE, Apple
Events, and named pipes; and directly call external code written in any language
through DLLs and shared libraries.
Large Application Management
When developing large applications, configuration management features are a
necessity to ensure that your applications meet rigorous quality standards. With
LabVIEW, you can log in under a user name and keep track of the progress of your
VIs, including your name, the time and date the VIs are updated, and the
modifications made.
Ready-to-Run Examples
LabVIEW is shipped with more than 300 example VIs, along with a special utility
to help you locate exactly what you're looking for. You can use these examples as
is or customize them to meet your needs, eliminating the need to build programs
from scratch.
"The hands-on approach made learning and understanding easier.
Absolutely superb instructors! Clear, concise and extremely sensitive to our
individual needs."
LabVIEW Basics , Customer Education Course Student
Applications Assistance
National Instruments
provides comprehensive customer assistance for our products. LabVIEW users have
access to updates, example programs, all instrument drivers, and documents to
answer common questions on the National Instruments World Wide Web site
(http://www.natinst.com), FTP site (ftp.natinst.com), and Bulletin Board Service
(512) 794-5422. Application Notes, product information, and common questions are
available from our automatic information retrieval system (512) 418-1111. By
joining the LabVIEW Maintenance and Support Program, you will receive free
upgrades, discounts on training, and first-priority technical support.
Customer Education
National Instruments offers LabVIEW Customer Education materials and courses
around the world. The LabVIEW Basics and LabVIEW Advanced courses teach you about
all LabVIEW programming concepts. Courses are also available to help you develop
LabVIEW Data Acquisition applications, LabVIEW GPIB applications, and LabVIEW VXI
applications. You can also use the LabVIEW Training Video to learn the basics in
just a few hours.
LabVIEW User Groups
LabVIEW User Group meetings are held throughout the year at trade shows, company
sites, and regional offices. Users share information with each other and learn
about new LabVIEW features and upcoming products. You can also subscribe to the
user-sponsored info-labview Internet mailing list
(info-labview-request@pica.army.mil). This list is very popular with LabVIEW
users for discussing applications, tips and techniques, and more. We encourage
you to use info-labview to discuss your potential applications with other LabVIEW
users.
The Instrument Library Developer Program (ILDP)
The ILDP was formed to satisfy the high demand for instrument drivers. The ILDP
offers instrument manufacturers special training and other benefits for writing
instrument drivers. Through the ILDP partnership with instrument vendors, the
LabVIEW Instrument Library continues to grow while maintaining a high standard of
quality.
Alliance Program
National Instruments is joining system integrators, consultants, and hardware
vendors from around the world by combining our powerful and flexible software and
hardware tools with their specialized technical expertise to focus on solutions
for particular application areas. For the LabVIEW consultant, the program
includes product and training discounts, additional technical assistance, and new
product information, as well as referrals and comarketing opportunities. For the
LabVIEW user, the program ensures qualified, specialized assistance for
application and system development from highly qualified Alliance Program
members.
The LabVIEW
Advanced Analysis VI Library offers a powerful and comprehensive set of analysis
routines for processing acquired data. These VIs deliver the latest technologies
in analysis software. These libraries are rich in statistics, evaluations,
regressions, linear algebra, signal generation algorithms, time and
frequency-domain algorithms, windowing routines, and digital
filters.Measurement
AC & DC Estimator
Amp & Freq Estimate
Amplitude and Phase Spectrum
Auto Power Spectrum
Cross Power Spectrum
Harmonic Analyzer
Impulse Response Function
Network Functions (avg)
Power & Frequency Estimate
Scaled Time Domain Window
Spectrum Unit Conversion
Transfer Function
Signal Generation
Arbitrary Wave
Chirp Pattern
Gaussian White Noise
Impulse Pattern
Periodic Random Noise
Pulse Pattern
Ramp Pattern
Sawtooth Wave
Sinc Pattern
Sine Pattern
Sine Wave
Square Wave
Triangle Wave
Uniform White Noise
Windows
Blackman Window
Blackman-Harris Window
Cosine Tapered Window
Exact Blackman Window
Exponential Window
Flat Top Window
Force Window
General Cosine Window
Hamming Window
Hanning Window
Kaiser-Bessel Window
Triangle Window
Filters
Bessel Filter
Butterworth Filter
Cascade->Direct Coefficients
Chebyshev Filter
Elliptic Filter
Equi-Ripple Filter
FIR Filter
FIR Narrowband Filter
FIR Windowed Filter
IIR Cascade Filter
IIR Filter with I.C.
IIR Filter
Inverse Chebyshev Filter
Median Filter
Parks-McClellan
Statistics
1D, 2D, and 3D ANOVA
Chi Square Distribution
Contingency Table
erf(x)
erfc(x)
F Distribution
General Histogram
Histogram
Inv Chi Square Distribution
Inv F Distribution
Inv Normal Distribution
Inv T Distribution
Mean
Median
Mode
Moment about Mean
MSE
Normal Distribution
Polynomial Interpolation
Rational Interpolation
RMS
Spline Interpolant
Spline Interpolation
Standard Deviation
T Distribution
Variance
Signal Processing
AutoCorrelation
Complex FFT
Convolution
Cross Power
CrossCorrelation
Decimate
Deconvolution
Derivative x(t)
Fast Hilbert Transform
Fast Hartley Transform
Integral x(t)
Inverse Complex FFT
Inverse Fast Hilbert Transform
Inverse FHT
Inverse Real FFT
Peak Finding
Power Spectrum
Pulse Parameters
Real FFT
Threshold Peak Detector
Unwrap Phase
Y[i]=Clip{X[i]}
Y[i]=X[i-n]
Zero Padder
Regression
Exponential Fit
General LS Linear Fit
General Polynomial Fit
Linear Fit
Nonlinear Lev-Mar Fit
Array & Numeric
1D and 2D Linear Evaluation
1D Polar To Rectangular
1D and 2D Polynomial Evaluation
1D Rectangular To Polar
Numeric Integration
Polar To Rectangular
Quick Scale 1D and 2D
Rectangular To Polar
Scale 1D and 2D
Find Polynomial Roots
Linear Algebra
A x B
A x Vector
Determinant
Dot Product
Inverse Matrix
Linear Equations
Normalize Matrix
Normalize Vector
Outer Product
Trace
Unit Vector
LU Factorization
Cholesky Factorization
QR Factorization
SVD Factorization
Solve Linear Equations (extra input, called by Linear Equations) EigenVectors and
Values
Matrix Condition Number
Matrix Norm
Matrix Rank
PseudoInverse Matrix
Complex LU Factorization
Complex Cholesky Factorization
Complex QR Factorization
Complex SVD Factorization
Complex Inverse Matrix
Solve Complex Linear Equations
Complex EigenVectors and Values
Complex Determinant
Complex Matrix Condition Number
Complex Matrix Norm
Complex Matrix Rank
Complex PseudoInverse Matrix
Complex A x B
Complex A x Vector
Complex Dot Product
Complex Outer Product
Complex Vector Norm
Generate a Special Matrix
Test Positive Definite Matrix
Overview
The Microsoft Windows family has become enormously popular because it delivers
the ease of graphical computing not possible in character-based DOS systems.
Windows offers intuitive GUIs, access to more memory, multitasking, and
interprocess communication.
Native versions of LabVIEW for Windows 95, Windows NT, and Windows 3.1 all deliver an easy-to-use software development system for PC-compatible computers. LabVIEW adds the necessary tools for data acquisition, industrial automation, data analysis, and data presentation, giving you an integrated system for developing instrumentation and control software.
The LabVIEW VISA, GPIB, VXI, RS-232, and Data Acquisition VI Libraries call the standard National Instruments DLLs and device drivers to acquire data with plug-in boards and external instruments. These industry-standard drivers deliver both functionality and ease of use. LabVIEW uses DDE for interprocess communication, so you can collect and analyze data with LabVIEW, then pass it to other applications for data storage or report generation. TCP/IP and UDP networking protocols are also used for transferring data between applications and across networks.
Full Development System
The LabVIEW Full Development System (FDS) equips you with all of the tools you
need to develop typical instrumentation systems. The FDS includes the VISA, GPIB,
RS-232, DAQ, and complete Advanced Analysis VI Libraries. The LabVIEW FDS also
includes the necessary functions for direct access to DLLs and other external
code.
VXI Development System
The LabVIEW VXI Development System (VXS) is required for using LabVIEW with VXI
systems. The LabVIEW VXS has all the capabilities of the FDS, plus an integrated
VXI Library for programming VXIbus instruments and the complete VXI Instrument
Library.
Base Package
The LabVIEW Base Package is the minimum LabVIEW configuration for developing data
acquisition and instrument control systems. The Base Package includes VISA, GPIB,
RS-232, DAQ, and Base Analysis VI Libraries. The Base Analysis VI Library
includes portions of the Statistics, Linear Algebra, and Array and Numeric
Operations VI Libraries, as well as the Call Library Node function for directly
accessing DLLs.
Advanced Analysis Libraries
Adding the LabVIEW Advanced Analysis Libraries to the Base Package gives you all
the tools in the FDS. This package provides a migration path between the Base
Package and the FDS. The Advanced Analysis Libraries include Statistics, Linear
Algebra, Array and Numeric Operations, Signal Generation, Digital Signal
Processes, Digital Filters, Digital Windows, and Peak Detection. In addition, the
Code Interface Developer's Toolkit for linking external routines into diagrams is
also included.
System Requirements
The minimum system is a 386/25 with 387 coprocessor; a 486 with floating-point
capability is strongly recommended. In addition, LabVIEW requires a minimum of 8
MB RAM and 30 MB disk space for the application, all examples, and complete
online help.
LabVIEW for Windows 95
In addition to the many easy-to-use user interface features of Windows 95,
LabVIEW also takes advantage of the 32-bit architecture and flat memory model
necessary in high speed and critical applications. LabVIEW for Windows 95 can
call any 32-bit DLL, so you can access code from any standard 32-bit compiler.
LabVIEW also features Drag and Drop, as well as OLE Automation VIs to share data
between applications.
To link external routines using the Code Interface Developer's Kit, you need any standard 32-bit C compiler, for example, from Watcom or Microsoft.
LabVIEW for Windows NT
In addition to the standard LabVIEW features, LabVIEW for Windows NT takes
advantage of the 32-bit architecture and flat memory model of Windows NT for
high-performance applications, relying on operating system features such as
memory protection, application isolation, fault tolerance for system reliability,
and the secure NTFS file system.
LabVIEW for Windows NT requires Windows NT 3.1 or greater.
LabVIEW for Windows 3.1
LabVIEW for Windows can call any 16-bit DLL, so you can leverage off existing
code. In addition, you can call any executable from directly within a LabVIEW
application.
LabVIEW for Windows requires Windows 3.1 or greater. If you plan to use the Code Interface Developer's Kit to link external routines, you need the Watcom C compiler for creating 32-bit object code.
The LabVIEW VISA, GPIB, VXI, RS-232, and Data Acquisition VI Libraries call the standard National Instruments drivers to acquire data from plug-in boards and external instruments. These industry-standard drivers deliver both functionality and ease of use.
LabVIEW for Macintosh and Power Macintosh
On the Macintosh, LabVIEW runs concurrently and behaves consistently with other
Macintosh applications. With the 32-bit linear address system architecture,
LabVIEW has access to much greater physical and virtual memory, so you can create
sophisticated programs as well as collect and analyze large amounts of data.
Under Mac OS System 7, LabVIEW can use Apple Events to pass data to other
applications. LabVIEW requires a 68020 (or greater) computer with a coprocessor,
and at least 8 MB memory and 25 MB disk space. It requires Mac OS System 7.0 or
later.
LabVIEW for Power Macintosh is a native-mode version compiled specifically for the PowerPC processor to deliver the power and performance necessary for demanding applications. Because LabVIEW can already sustain the data acquisition rates of the full line of National Instruments plug-in hardware, the performance of the Power Macintosh has the greatest impact on analysis and presentation capabilities. LabVIEW for Power Macintosh will run on PowerPC-based desktop and notebook computers with Mac OS System 7.1.2 or later.
LabVIEW for Sun
Sun Microsystems leads the fast-growing, high-performance workstation market. Sun
computers offer a unique blend of the power and performance of a client-server
computing model with the productivity of a desktop interface. LabVIEW for Sun
turns your SPARCstation into a workstation-class instrument controller. This
combination delivers the computing power necessary for your demanding real-time
instrumentation system applications.
Under the multitasking Sun Solaris system, LabVIEW runs concurrently with other applications without interrupting data acquisition and control operations. LabVIEW for Sun also uses TCP/IP communication protocol to establish connections between LabVIEW and other processes on the network.
LabVIEW requires Solaris 1.1, Solaris 2.3, or later, and X Window System software, such as OpenWindows 3 or later. If you plan to incorporate external C object files with the Code Interface Developer's Toolkit, you must use an ANSI C compiler.
LabVIEW for HP-UX
Hewlett-Packard is widely recognized as a leading supplier of high-performance
computing technology in the workstation market. HP Series 700 workstations use
the power and extensibility of the PA-RISC architecture to deliver
lightening-fast response times, solid benchmarks, and superior graphics. LabVIEW
for HP-UX, with the graphical compiler necessary to take advantage of the PA-RISC
architecture, turns your HP workstation into a world-class instrument controller.
Under the multitasking HP-UX system, LabVIEW runs concurrently with other applications without interrupting instrument control operations. Multi-user licenses can reside on networks accessible by a number users at the same time. LabVIEW also uses TCP/IP communication protocol to establish connections between LabVIEW and other applications.
If you already have a large base of applications in HP BASIC, you need not lose that development effort or waste time reimplementing them in a graphical programming language. Using LabVIEW, you can call HP BASIC to run existing applications.
The minimum system is for LabVIEW for HP-UX is a Model 700 Series HP workstation with 16 MB RAM and 24 MB disk space. LabVIEW requires HP-UX 9.0.3 or greater. If you plan to incorporate external C object files with the Code Interface Developer's Toolkit, you must use an ANSI C compiler.
Full Development System
The LabVIEW Full Development System (FDS) for Macintosh and Power Macintosh
computers, Sun SPARCstations, and HP workstations, equips you with all of the
tools you need to develop typical instrumentation systems. The FDS includes the
VISA, GPIB, RS-232, DAQ, and complete Analysis VI Libraries. The LabVIEW FDS also
includes the Code Interface Developer's Toolkit for linking external code.
VXI Development System
The LabVIEW VXI Development System (VXS), available for Windows, Macintosh, Power
Macintosh, and Sun, is required for using LabVIEW with VXI systems. The LabVIEW
VXS has all the capabilities of the FDS, plus an integrated VXI Library for
programming VXIbus instruments and the complete VXI Instrument Library.
