NI-SCOPE 2.1.4 Readme

NI-SCOPE Software Readme File

Version 2.1.4

Thank you for using the NI-SCOPE 2.1.4 Instrument Driver for Windows XP/2000/NT/98/Me.

This file organizes important information regarding NI-SCOPE 2.1.4 into the following sections:

What's New?
Known Issues
Corrected Functionality
Installation Issues
Programming in NI-SCOPE
NI 5112 Default Instrument Setup
NI 5911 Default Instrument Setup
NI 5102 Default Instrument Setup
NI 5620/5621 Default Instrument Setup

1. What's New?

NI-SCOPE 2.1.4 did not add any new functionality to NI-SCOPE 2.1.3, see the Corrected Functionality section for more information.

NI-SCOPE 2.1.3 added the following functionality to NI-SCOPE 2.1.2:

Support for the NI 5621 for PXI.
Support for NI-DAQ 6.9.3.
Support for NI-SCOPE Soft Front Panel 1.5.1
- This version of the Scope-SFP added support for the NI 5621 for PXI.

NI-SCOPE 2.1.2 added the following functionality to NI-SCOPE 2.0.1:

Support for NI-DAQ 6.9.2.
Support for NI-SCOPE Soft Front Panel 1.5.
- This version of the Scope-SFP supports writing data to disk in an HDF5 file. LabVIEW utilities for manipulating these files are included on your distribution CD. They can be found in the /sfpFile directory. The installer is a self-extracting ZIP file. Please read the installation instructions before use. Documentation for the VIs is in the ZIP file in HDF5 Waveform File VIs.htm. It is installed in the install directory <LabVIEW>\instr.lib\Soft Front Panel File
Updated calibration documents for the NI 5102, NI 5911 and NI 5112.

NI-SCOPE 2.0.1 added the following functionality to NI-SCOPE 2.0:

NI-SCOPE 2.0.1 fixed the errors listed in the corrected functionality section. It did not add any features.

NI-SCOPE 2.0 added the following functionality to NI-SCOPE 1.6.2:

Support for the NI 5620 IF Digitizer.
Continuous acquisition for NI 5112 and NI 5620.
- Allows fetching data from the digitizer during acquisition
- Allows configuring more records than fit in the onboard memory, up to about 500,000
Timestamps for NI 5112 and NI 5620
- An absolute timestamp is returned with the Fetch functions that allows correlating multiple records and/or acquisitions in time.
The Fetch functions are easier to use and have new functionality
- Allows fetching multiple channels
- Allows fetching multiple records
- Returns a cluster suitable for wiring directly to charts or graphs in LabVIEW
Synchronization
- NI 5112 and NI 5620 hardware acquisition arm
- NI 5112 outputs End of Record event for synchronization with other devices such as switches
- NI 5102 outputs End of Acquisition, Stop Trigger and Start Trigger events for synchronization with other devices such as switches
- NI 5112 allows calibration of trigger delays along RTSI, PXI Star, and PFI lines
RIS algorithm improvement
- Allows you to specify number of averages
Simpler API
- One triggering VI per type in LabVIEW, and one triggering function per type in C, including trigger source
- One configure timing function to replace all varieties of niScope_ConfigureHorizontal
Examples
- LabVIEW, Measurement Studio ++, CVI, Console C, and Visual Basic examples completely rewritten to illustrate many digitizer applications including multi-board synchronization and continuous acquisition. Approximately 25 examples in LabVIEW and 13 to 16 in other environments.
New Documentation
- NI-SCOPE Software User Manual
- LabVIEW VI Function Reference Help. LabVIEW API has links to this help file.

NI-SCOPE 1.6.2 added the following functionality to NI-SCOPE 1.6.1:

Installation and compatibility with NI-DAQ 6.9.1
Support for up to 64 devices
Installs .pdf files documenting revisions to the NI 5112 hardware manual
Fixed unrecognized shortcuts for the examples in the start menu folder

NI-SCOPE 1.6.1 added the following functionality to NI-SCOPE 1.6:

Installation and compatibility with NI-DAQ 6.9.0
Fixed the type library to allow error-free calibration in Visual Basic.

2. Known Issues

Mircrosoft Windows 98 First Edition

The NI-SCOPE installer may stop responding in Windows 98 First Edition due to a problem with DCOM. To avoid this problem download the program dcom98.exe from Microsoft's web site and run it before installing NI-SCOPE.

NI-DAQ 6.9.3

Due to space limitations the hardware documents installed by NI-DAQ were not included in this distribution. Please go to http://www.ni.com to get the latest revision of these documents if you need them.

Reset

The NI-SCOPE examples used to reset the instrument every time a new session was created. This could cause the relays of the digitizers to switch more than necessary and shorten their life. The examples have been updated.

NI 5621

The user manual, examples and documentation were not updated to include the NI 5621 as a supported product. The only difference between the NI 5620 and NI 5621 is the vertical coupling. The NI 5621 supports DC coupling only, whereas the NI 5620 supports AC coupling only.

NI 5911

When synchronizing multiple NI 5911 digitizers in master-slave mode, the sample rate must be 100 MHz, 50 MHz, or 25 MHz/n, where n is any positive integer. The master-slave operation may also cause trigger jitter.

NI 5112

You can now read data as soon as it is acquired. However, on a single record acquisition, the fetch functions do not wait for the trigger holdoff to expire. If you configure a trigger holdoff on a single record acquisition, you must make sure the trigger holdoff period has expired before initiating another acquisition. Call niScope_AcquisitionStatus to find out when the entire acquisition including trigger holdoff has completed.

Visual Basic

ViConstString, ViChar, and ViString are used as parameters for the NI-SCOPE functions. However, these types are invalid in Visual Basic. Visual Basic users should declare variables of type String.

IVI

The trigger type (NISCOPE_ATTR_TRIGGER_TYPE) for immediate triggering used to be returned as NISCOPE_VAL_EDGE (1). It is now returned as NISCOPE_VAL_IMMEDIATE_TRIGGER (6).

3. Corrected Functionality

NI-SCOPE 2.1.4 fixed the following errors with NI-SCOPE 2.1.3:

Some of the read VIs were saved in LabVIEW version 6.0 instead of 5.1. Some of the examples that used these VIs could not be opened in LabVIEW 5.1. The VIs were correctly saved in LabVIEW 5.1.

NI-SCOPE 2.1.3 fixed the following errors with NI-SCOPE 2.1.2:

Doing an acquisition of type DDC on the NI 5620 and NI 5621 at high decimation rates could cause the error BFFA401C "Timeout checking status" when calling Fetch or Read on fast computers (CPU speed > 900Mhz).
Self calibration on the NI 5112 improved the TDC circuit calibration resulting in better RIS acquisitions.

NI-SCOPE 2.0.1 fixed the following errors with NI-SCOPE 2.0:

NI-SCOPE 2.0.1 allows fetching multiple record measurements. In NI-SCOPE 2.0, fetching multiple record measurements with a fetch function that returns an array of scalar measurements resulted in a driver crash. Attempting to fetch each record's measurement separately returned a zero result for all records greater than zero.
The NI-SCOPE 2.0 LabVIEW fetch VIs that return a single waveform would cause a LabVIEW error or crash if multiple waveforms were requested. This behavior was fixed to properly return an error message.
The Measurement Studio examples for NI-SCOPE 2.0 would not properly upgrade to Measurement Studio 6.0. This is corrected in NI-SCOPE 2.0.1.
NI-SCOPE 2.0.1 fixes a memory leak that occurred when changing RIS rates using the NI 5911 and NI 5112. This could lead to an "insufficient memory available" error being reported from any NI-SCOPE function.
NI-SCOPE 2.0.1 fixes error reporting with the measurement library. NI-SCOPE 2.0 occasionally failed to report an error for a measurement if a previous measurement had failed.

4. Installation Issues

This section provides information on installing NI-SCOPE and NI-DAQ, upgrading from previous versions, installed file locations, and uninstalling NI-SCOPE.

A. Using NI-SCOPE with NI-DAQ 6.9.3

NI-SCOPE will launch the NI-DAQ installer if NI-DAQ is not installed, or if the installed version is less than 6.9.3. It is recommended to uninstall NI-DAQ if you have a version older than 6.9.3. NI-DAQ 6.9.3 support files will be installed if you have LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI in your system. However, the only component that NI-SCOPE needs from NI-DAQ is the device driver.

Service Pack 5 or greater is required for NI-DAQ 6.9.3 in Windows NT.

B. Upgrading from a Previous Version of NI-SCOPE

Install Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6

When upgrading under Windows NT, you may get a message after rebooting indicating that the palintk device failed to load. If this happens, install Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6. You can download Service Pack 6 from www.microsoft.com/ntserver/nts/downloads/recommended/SP6.

Upgrading with the NI 5112

Install the NI 5112 after installing NI-SCOPE.

NI-SCOPE communicates with your NI 5112 through another driver called NI-DAQ. If the installer detects that you are upgrading from NI-DAQ 6.5.2 or earlier, it prompts you to remove any NI 5112 devices before proceeding with the installation. Otherwise, your system may crash when assigning a device number in Measurement & Automation Explorer. If you do not uninstall your NI 5112 and your system does crash, perform the following procedure:

Power off your computer and remove the NI 5112 hardware.
Restart your computer and remove the NI 5112 in Measurement & Automation Explorer by double-clicking on the Devices and Interfaces folder in the configuration tree, right-clicking on the NI 5112 and selecting Delete.
Power off your computer and re-install the NI 5112 hardware.
Restart your computer and open Measurement & Automation Explorer to automatically assign a device number to the NI 5112.

Upgrading from NI-SCOPE 1.x

It is recommended that you uninstall any previous version of NI-SCOPE prior to installing NI-SCOPE 2.1.4. If you choose to leave a previous version on your system, any old NI-SCOPE example programs will be overwritten by the new versions. In addition, there may be some leftover files.

NI-SCOPE 1.5/1.1 Compatibility Issues

NI 5911 External Calibration - The niScope_Calibrate function can no longer be used for externally calibrating the NI 5911. The calibration procedure has been enhanced to include a password protection feature and a more robust external calibration that is equivalent to the factory calibration. For more information, see the ni5911cal.pdf that is installed when you select "External Calibration Support" during NI-SCOPE installation.
LabVIEW Error Handling - LabVIEW error handling has been improved to work with the general LabVIEW error handler. However, this has changed the behavior slightly. If an error occurs, a text description of the error is included in the error cluster, and the error information is cleared in the driver. Therefore, the error cluster must be connected to all the VIs before the error message is displayed with niScope_ErrorHandler.vi.

Upgrading from the DAQSCOPE driver for the NI 5102

Applications written with DAQSCOPE will not work with NI-SCOPE 2.1.4 However, software written to the NI-SCOPE interface will be completely compatible with future products in the NI high-speed digitizer family. NI-SCOPE 2.1.4, unlike DAQSCOPE, is compliant with the IVI-Scope instrument driver class specification, and so offers additional functionality and interchangeability not found in the DAQSCOPE driver.

It is recommended that you uninstall NI-SCOPE 1.x prior to installing NI-SCOPE 2.1.4. The NI-SCOPE 2.1.4 installer detects and can uninstall any old versions of NI-SCOPE.

C. Installed File Names and Locations

This particular installation of NI-SCOPE 2.1.4 installed files for the following NI drivers (filled in after installation):

The NI-SCOPE documents are in .pdf format. There is an Acrobat Reader installer located on the NI-SCOPE CD in the \Components\nidaq\Acrobat directory.

D. Mass Compiling to Your LabVIEW Version

If you are installing NI-SCOPE 2.1.4 in a LabVIEW environment (LabVIEW 5.0 or later), the NI-SCOPE VIs installed may be compiled in a version of LabVIEW different from the one you are running. If you are running LabVIEW 5.0 or 5.1.1, NI-SCOPE installs VIs already compiled in your version. If you are running another LabVIEW version, LabVIEW recompiles each VI to your version as you load the VI.

If you wish to avoid individually recompiling each VI, you can use the LabVIEW mass-compile feature on the installed NI-SCOPE directories to bring the VIs to your current LabVIEW version. For example, if you are running LabVIEW 6.0, use the Tools>Advanced>Mass Compile option. If LabVIEW is installed at location C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW 6, select the C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW 6\instr.lib\NISCOPE and C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW 6\examples\instr\niScopeExamples directories to mass compile. (The niScope VI Tree VI is not executable and does not compile.)

E. Uninstalling NI-SCOPE

Uninstall NI-SCOPE, NI-DAQ, and any additional NI software using the Add/Remove Programs option on your Control Panel. Do not attempt to uninstall by deleting files, which may be shared with other programs.

Note: The following additional software packages may have been installed as part of NI-SCOPE 2.1.4 installation. Exercise care when removing these packages since they may be used by other NI products:

IVI Engine 1.61
NI-VISA 2.5.2
Scope Soft Front Panel 1.5.1
NI-DAQ 6.9.3

5. Programming in NI-SCOPE

A. Overview

NI-SCOPE provides an intuitive, full-featured interface for programming your hardware. NI-SCOPE is IVI-Scope compliant, meaning that software written to the NI-SCOPE interface will be completely compatible with future products in the NI high-speed digitizer family.

B. Application Development Environments Supported

This release supports the following application development environments: LabVIEW 6.x/5.x, LabWindows/CVI 5.x, Microsoft Visual C++ (MSVC), and Microsoft Visual Basic.

C. Software Examples

NI-SCOPE 2.1.4 ships with several examples for LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, MSVC, Visual C++, and Microsoft Visual Basic that will aid you in developing your software. These examples illustrate how to perform the most common operations with your hardware. See your NI-SCOPE Software User Manual for discussion and location of these examples.

D. Using NI-SCOPE Call By Reference in LabVIEW

Call By Reference is a LabVIEW feature that allows the execution source for a VI to be dynamically determined at run time. There are two issues that need to be addressed when using Call By Reference with NI-SCOPE:

The Call By Reference mechanism by design will try to dynamically load and unload the code for a VI. This can cause problems with NI-SCOPE and other IVI-based drivers because state information can be lost when the driver DLL is unloaded. To avoid having the NI-SCOPE DLL unload after each Call By Reference VI call, statically place any NI-SCOPE VI, such as niScope_Initialize.vi on the diagram inside a case structure wired to FALSE. This keeps the NI-SCOPE DLL loaded in between calls to the NI-SCOPE VIs without actually executing the code in the case structure.
When using NI-SCOPE and LabVIEW 5.0, a small memory leak is generated each time a VI is called through Call By Reference. If this is done repeatedly, the computer will eventually report an out of memory error. This problem has been fixed in LabVIEW 5.1.

6. NI 5112 Default Instrument Setup

When you initialize the NI 5112 with niScope_Initialize or reset it with niScope_Reset, the hardware is reset to a default state. The default state for the instrument is given below:

Acquisition Type Normal

Sample Mode Real Time

Channels Enabled None

Vertical Range 10.0 V

Vertical Offset 0.0 V

Vertical Coupling DC

Horizontal Min Number Of Points 1000 Points

Horizontal Time Per Record .001 s

Horizontal Reference Position 50%

Enforce Realtime Sampling Yes

Trigger Source Immediate

Trigger Type Immediate Trigger

Trigger Level 0.0 V

Trigger Slope Positive

Trigger Holdoff 0 s

Trigger Delay 0 s

Trigger Hysteresis 0.25 V

Probe Attenuation 1.0

Input Clock Source None (onboard reference)

Output Clock Source None

Clock Sync Pulse Source None

Master Enable No

Min Sample Rate 1.0 MHz

Trigger Output Event None

Trigger Output Source None

7. NI 5911 Default Instrument Setup

When you initialize the NI 5911 with niScope_Initialize or reset it with niScope_Reset, the hardware is reset to a default state. The default state for the instrument is given in the following table:

Acquisition Type	Normal
Sample Mode	Real Time
Channel Enabled	No
Vertical Range	20.0 V
Vertical Offset	0.0 V
Vertical Coupling	DC
Horizontal Min Number Of Points	1000 Points
Horizontal Time Per Record	.001 s
Horizontal Reference Position	50%
Enforce Realtime Sampling	Yes
Flexible Resolution Sample Rate	12.5 MHz
Trigger Source	Immediate
Trigger Type	Immediate Trigger
Trigger Level	0.0 V
Trigger Slope	Positive
Trigger Holdoff	0 s
Trigger Delay	0 s
Trigger Hysteresis	0.25 V
Probe Attenuation	1.0
Input Clock Source	None (onboard reference)
Output Clock Source	None
Clock Sync Pulse Source	None
Master Enable	No
Min Sample Rate	1.0 MHz
Trigger Output Event	None
Trigger Output Source	None

8. NI 5102 Default Instrument Setup

When you initialize the NI 5102 with niScope_Initialize or reset it with niScope_Reset, the hardware is reset to a default state. The default state for the instrument is given below:

Acquisition Type	Normal
Sample Mode	Real Time
Channels Enabled	None
Vertical Range	10.0 V
Vertical Offset	0.0 V
Vertical Coupling	DC
Horizontal Min Number Of Points	1000 Points
Horizontal Time Per Record	.001 s
Horizontal Reference Position	50%
Enforce Realtime Sampling	Yes
Trigger Source	Immediate
Trigger Type	Immediate Trigger
Trigger Level	0.0 V
Trigger Slope	Positive
Trigger Holdoff	0 s
Trigger Delay	0 s
Trigger Hysteresis	0.25 V
Probe Attenuation	1.0
Input Clock Source	None (onboard reference)
Output Clock Source	None
Clock Sync Pulse Source	None
Master Enable	No
Min Sample Rate	1.0 MHz
Trigger Output Event	None
Trigger Output Source	None

9. NI 5620/5621 Default Instrument Setup

When you initialize the NI 5620/5621 with niScope_Initialize or reset it with niScope_Reset, the hardware is reset to a default state. The default state for the instrument is given below:

Acquisition Type	Normal
Sample Mode	Real Time
Channels Enabled	Channel 0
Vertical Range	2.0 V
Vertical Offset	0.0 V
Vertical Coupling	AC (5620), DC (5621)
Horizontal Min Number Of Points	1000 Points
Horizontal Time Per Record	.001 s
Horizontal Reference Position	50%
Enforce Realtime Sampling	Yes
Trigger Source	Immediate
Trigger Type	Immediate
Trigger Level	0.0 V
Trigger Slope	Positive
Trigger Holdoff	0 s
Trigger Delay	0 s
Probe Attenuation	1.0
Input Clock Source	None (onboard reference)
Output Clock Source	None
Clock Sync Pulse Source	None
Master Enable	No
Min Sample Rate	1.0 MHz
Trigger Output Event	None
Trigger Output Source	None