Chapter 1
Introduction
1-4
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National Instruments Corporation
Software Programming Choices
There are several options to choose from to program and use your
National Instruments DAQ instruments. You can use LabVIEW,
LabWindows/CVI, VirtualBench, or the NI435X instrument driver.
National Instruments Application Software
LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI are innovative program development
software packages for data acquisition and control applications.
LabVIEW uses graphical programming, whereas LabWindows/CVI
enhances traditional programming languages. Both packages include
extensive libraries for data acquisition, instrument control, data
analysis, and graphical data presentation.
LabVIEW features interactive graphics, a state-of-the-art user interface
and a powerful graphical programming language. The LabVIEW Data
Acquisition VI Library, a series of VIs for using LabVIEW with
National Instruments DAQ hardware, is included with LabVIEW. The
LabVIEW Data Acquisition VI Library is functionally equivalent to the
NI-DAQ software.
LabWindows/CVI features interactive graphics, a state-of-the-art user
interface, and uses the ANSI standard C programming language. The
LabWindows/CVI Data Acquisition Library, a series of functions for
using LabWindows/CVI with National Instruments DAQ hardware, is
included with the NI-DAQ software kit. The LabWindows/CVI Data
Acquisition library is functionally equivalent to the NI-DAQ software.
NI 4350 instruments are supported by the Easy I/O for DAQ library in
LabWindows/CVI. Use of the NI435X instrument driver
is recommended while using LabWindows/CVI.
Using LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI software will greatly reduce the
development time for your data acquisition and control application.
VirtualBench
VirtualBench is a suite of VIs that allows you to use your data
acquisition products just as you use stand-alone instruments, but you
benefit from the processing, display and storage capabilities of PCs.
VirtualBench instruments load and save waveform data to disk in the
same format that can be used with popular spreadsheet programs and
word processors. A report generation capability complements the raw