Instrument I/O Assistant blank

I have been having problems getting a code to work. So, I purchased LabVIEW for Everyone (a book) to see if I could figure out how to get the code to run right. (here is a link to that thread )
I just redownloaded and installed NI-Visa. The book says to use Instrument I/O Assistant to configure a device (PmodsGPS in my case). When I insert the assistant, I get the a gray blank screen. (see below) what does this mean? Why do I not see any options to configure?

Thanks Dennis.
I believe the book recomends it to avoid having to use the write functions and PMTK code. It basically says to use it to make life simpler. This is a beginners book and it really doesn't get into Visa functions very much. I was hoping it would dive a little futher into them.
I still don't know why you had me close one string and then open another config file only have insert another write function. I know I'm lost, but I was hoping this might shed some light on the whole situation...

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Instrument i/o assistant doesnt work

I have installed LV 8.20 evaluation Version on a WIN2K PC
and added the instrument i/o assistant from the Device Driver Reference CD 1(May 2006).
When I drop the instrument i/o assistant in blank vi and try to configure it ,
I get a popup that tells me:
"Measurement & Automation Explorer or instrument i/o assistant not installed correctly.
Please install these from the driver CD".
Same on another WIN2K PC .

Hello beethoven,
please think about downloading the latest driver CD of this year (August 06) which is available from:
ftp://ftp.ni.com/outgoing/
This is a rather huge file (~1 GB), so this is only useful if you have a broadband connection. In case I could also create a Service Request and sent these files on CD. In parallel I will setup a system with the same configuration (LV eval) for testing.
Please alternatively try to install the following files from the attached ZIP to the following location ('instrIOAsst' folder deeds to be created):
\LabVIEW 8.0\vi.lib\instrIOAsst
Unzip all of the files to the folder, start LV again and drop an IIOA VI on the blockdiagram.
Let me know if this works.
Otherwise post your email here and I will create a Service Request for you.
Regards,
C.L.
Attachments:
IIOA_LV_SupportFiles.zip ‏1616 KB

How do I program Instrument I/O Assistant to read a variable in the input string?

How do I program the Instrument I/O Assistant to read a variable in the input string? I can manually type in the string using the Instrument I/O Assistant using the "Write" or "Query" tools but I do not know how to send a variable input to the Instrument I/O Assistant so that variable can be used inside the "Write" string. For example, I have a power supply whose current I want to set to X Amps. I can type the command "PC10" to program the current to 10 Amps, however I want to be able to program it at any arbitrary current. How do I feed the value X into the code for this purpose?

You can't. The assistant was designed to be a quick and dirty way to do some basic communication with an instrument. You can turn it into a VI (right click and select Open Front Panel) and modify it so that your write string is an input to the VI or use it as a template and create your own code with VISA Read and Write primatives.

How to send multiple commands throught the Instrument I/O Assistant

I am using the Instrument I/O Assistant to set up an instrument driver. I am only using two rs 232 commands. The way I have the Instrument I/O Assistant setup is: first I have a default instrument setup step then I use a write step with the first command, then I read and parse, then I do a write command again with the second command and finally I read and parse again. All of this works fine inside the window but when I run it in my program only the first command's response it outputed . The second command's response is not outputted it just sends a null. Can the Instrument I/O Assistant only handle one read and write, or is my logic wrong?
Thanks for your help
Ian

Hi Ian,
You should be able to perform multiple reads/writes with the Instrument IO Assistant. What termination character are you using? I have seen cases where different termination results in different parsing, which may explain why you're only receiving a null character on your second read. Thanks!
Regards,
Anna M.
National Instruments

Instrument I/O Assistant Help - Parsing Errors

Hello All -
I am having trouble working with a TSI DustTrak DRX - which does not have its own driver so I had to make one. At this point, all I want to do is send a command to the instrument and get an indicator to repeat what the output is. So far no luck.
1) I think my driver works. The instrument is connected via ethernet. The instrument has a static IP. In MAX when I look under "Network -Devices" it appears there. "Validate" results in a successful connection. If I click on "Open VISA Test Panel/Input/Output" I am able to enter commands (e.g., rdmn\r returns the instrument number) and "Query" and the correct answer comes up. It should be noted that the number of bytes returned for different commands are different, and also that the measurement data is always of variable length, so I often get the "Timeout expired before operation completed" error. For a simple read instrument number command, the number of bytes is predictable, but for the measurement data, it is not, unfortunately.
2) When I put an "Instrument I/O assistant" on the block diagram of a new VI, and add a "Query and Parse" step with the same command (rdmn - no \r this time), I again get the expected value (or when I query the measurement, rmmeas, I get the expected output string). Again, it should be noted I get the "Timeout expired before operation completed. VISA Status code : bfff0015" error. Once I close then reopen the Instrument I/O Assistant configuration window (though not before) I can parse the data, and the token appears as a potential output of the VI. Here I can declare the output as either String or Number.
a) If I declare the output as a string and create a string idicator, an empty string is returned.
b) If I declare the output as a number (it is "8533", so this should be OK), I get the following error (even without creating an indicator before running): "Error 1 occurred at Scan From String (arg 1) in Untitled 5:Instance:0->Untitled 5 Possible reason(s): LabVIEW: An input parameter is invalid. For example if the input is a path, the path might contain a character not allowed by the OS such as ? or @." I know from MAX that the returned value is actuall 8 bytes: \r\n8533\r\n . So, there are no unallowed characters here. And there are no paths involved - no read/write.
Some other info:
1) If I send start or stop commands to the instrument in MAX or the Instrument IO Assistant, I can get the instrument to turn on/off as it should, so I'm clearly comunicating to the instrument correctly.
2) I get the same behavior if I parse the returned measurement string - \r\n385,0.013,0.014,0.015,0.020,0.035,\r\n from MAX - as a set of numbers (that is, with "Error 1 occurred at Scan From String (arg 1) in Untitled 5:Instance:0->Untitled 5 Possible reason(s): LabVIEW: An input parameter is invalid. For example if the input is a path, the path might contain a character not allowed by the OS such as ? or @.")
Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks.

Hi James - Thank you very much. I actually found the problem and was able to fix by changing how the output text was parsed - the \r\n in front and back was confusing it - and making sure that I flushed the read buffer after reading, just in case. I also had to modify so that the first character was read and discarded before reading (and using) the rest of the output string.
Now for a rookie question: I've got it set up as a working VI now - how do I declare which variables are inputs and outputs when I put it in another vi?
Thanks.

Instrument I/O Assistant problems

Hi,
I am having trouble using the I/O assistant through my parallel port. It is not writing to it. The VI example, Parallel Port Read and Write Loop, works just fine. Is there a way to use the I/O Assistant instead?
Thanks,
Ryan

Hi Ryan,
What sort of problems are you having? You should be able to use the Instrument I/O Assistant to communicate through the parallel port. This tutorial, Instrument Control in LabVIEW Tutorial, shows how to set up the I/O Assitant. If that's not working properly, what errors are you seeing? Have you run NI-Spy to see where those errors are occuring? Are you sure that you are sending the correct termination?
Let me know if you need any other help,
Meghan
Applications Engineer
Message Edited by Meghan R on 07-10-2007 02:26 PM

Instrument I/O Assistant (sending command from labview to arduino)

Hi,
I am a beginner in Labview. I would like to control the intensity of AC loads using labview. In this case, i would prefer to use instrument I/O assistant. The instrument I/O assistant in labview will have to send a command to Arduino. The intensity will be controlling by using slider in labview. How to write the vi for this example? Please advice.

feliciacpw92 wrote:
Hi,
I am a beginner in Labview. I would like to control the intensity of AC loads using labview. In this case, i would prefer to use instrument I/O assistant. The instrument I/O assistant in labview will have to send a command to Arduino. The intensity will be controlling by using slider in labview. How to write the vi for this example? Please advice.
In the thread for your other post, you were told that LabVIEW installs by default example programs on how to use LabVIEW with serial port.
Have you bothered looking at that?
You need to do some work on your own.

Instrument I/O Assistant Task with Device Driver

Hello All,
I got some messag pop-up hint while using Tools»Create Instrument I/O Task in Labwindow/CVI.
=> "The feature requires the Instrument I/O Assistant.
=> Please install the Instrument I/O Assistant from the NI Device Drivers CD..
I want to practive to create Instrument I/O Task.
Is there any download entry on NI's web site for this?
Much thanks,
nonomiya

Hi Nonomiya,
You simply need to install the Instrument I/O assistant from the device
driver CD that ships with CVI. It should allow you to use these tasks.
As far as something that will act like the assistant and let you create
those tasks in CVI without actually installing the Instrument I/O
Assistant from the device driver CD, there's not much available.
Hope this is helpful,
Regards,
Matt S.
LabVIEW Integration Engineer with experience in LabVIEW Real-Time, LabVIEW FPGA, DAQ, Machine Vision, as well as C/C++. CLAD, working on CLD and CLA.

Instrument I/O Assistant with PXIe-1062Q

Hello,
I'm using a PXIe-1062Q with LabVIEW 2009 installed on it. In the Measurement & Automation Explorer the chassis is visible, as well as the two PXIe-6363 cards I built in. Even th self test of the 6363 works without any failures.
My Problem is, that after if I insert an Instrument I/O Assistant 1.01 in LabVIEW, and click on Select an instrument, the two PXIe-6363 don't appear in the list. Only Com1 and LTP1 is listed.
What shall I do? Thank you very much for your support!
Kind regards, Michael
Solved!
Go to Solution.

The 6363 is programmed with DAQmx functions. You would use the DAQ Assistant.

Instrument I/O Assistant and Graphing

Does anyone know how to use data taken from an Instrument I/O Assistant Input and put it into the y values of a graph?? I'm having issues with this because it returns values like "v 0" and "v 256" but I need just the number value to get a graph to work. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Hi Rach_77,
In order to get rid of the "v ", you can use the String Subset Function and set the offset to 2. This will take away the first two values and just give you the number. From there, you will just have to convert the value to whatever type you would like. I hope this helps!
Kim W.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments

Instrument I/O Assistant Missing

Hi I am trying to communicate with an oscilloscope through Labwindows CVI by making use of the Instrument I/O Assistant, and on this site it shows how one is able to do that:
http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/4554
However in my tools menu there is no Create Instrument I/O Task option available. I am running version 6.0 could that be the reason? If so any other ways to get around that? And if not any ideas how I can communicate with the oscilloscope through the Instrument I/O Assistant.
Thanks in advance

Hello,
It could be that Instrument I/O Assistant was not around in CVI 6.0, be sure that you have NI VISA installed. Are you talking Serial or GPIB to the instrument? You certainly do not need the instrument I/O assistant, you can write the code yourself and start with the VISA examples which cab be found at:
Start >> Programs >> National Instruments >> VISA >> Examples >> C
Have a good weekend!
National Instruments

Instrument I/O Assistant RS232 communication problem

Hello!
I am currently trying to create an instrument driver for a Ballard "Nexa" fuel cell with the Instrument I/O Assistant.
The fuel cell data is 43 byte sent every 200 ms at 9600 Baud (8N1). I do have a working communication, because I can see the data coming in when I´m using an ordinary terminal program. The Instrument I/O Assistant however does not seem to receiver anything.
Here´s what I do / what I see:
Create an empty VI
Place an "Instrument I/O Assistant" block on the block diagram, the Instrument I/O Assistant windows pops open.
Choose device: COM1 or COM2, depending on where the Nexa is connected (Choosing different devices has no influence on my problem)
Add step "read and analyze"
Click "Run this step" to read the data coming in from the serial port, but nothing happens until the the timeout set on the choose device tab has expired, then I get a timeout message (see attached picture).
I added a RS232 diagnostics plug that has blinking LEDs while data is flowing to make sure there is data coming in while the assistant is running.
I a previous thread, I read that the Instrument I/O Assistant has a bug concerning the locale settings of windows:
http://exchange.ni.com/servlet/ProcessRequest?RHIVEID=101&RPAGEID=135&HOID=5065000000080000002DBF0000&UCATEGORY_0=_49_%24_6_&UCATEGORY_S=0&USEARCHCONTEXT_TIER_0=0&USEARCHCONTEXT_TIER_S=0&USEARCHCONTEXT_QUESTION_0=Instrument+I%2FO+Assistant+is+not+communicating&USEARCHCONTEXT_QUESTION_S=0
So I tried the same after switching my locale settings from german to english, but with no success, the I/O Assistant still seems to see not input.
Does somebody have another s
uggestion? Has anybody written a serial read/parse VI from scratch that he/she might share so I can use that as a starting point, if the assistant keeps failing for me?
Thank you,
Ingo.
Attachments:
errormsg.gif ‏5 KB

Hi TN,
As I just started using LabVIEW, developing an instrument driver seems like some pretty heavy stuff. For now, I´ve managed to have someone else write the communications backend, I´ll only do the data conversion and display. But I´ll for sure take a closer look at that communications VI so I ´ll get it done myself next time...
Anyway, thank you for your reply, I appreciated it.
Ingo.

Instrument I/O Assistant: Close I/O Instrument

Hello,
is is possible to close an i/o instrument via the Instrument I/O
Assistant? When not, what else can be done?
Thanks and greetings
Udo

The assistant does do a VISA Close. You can right click on the assistant and select Open Front Panel and view the code if you wish.

Instrument I/O assistant error msg "Unable to view proterties"

Hi, NI's AE,
I have re-installed many times NI LabView8.2(EV) + DAQmx8.3 on all
in one SOC platform(X86) with WinXP(SP3) step by step, but all
rebooting fail after DAQmx8.3 installed.
Then I re-install pure WinXP(SP3) + LabView8.2(EV) + DAQmx8.9,
rebooting ok.
LabView simulated VI from template works well, however I got error
"Unable to view properties" when I drag & drop "DAQ Assistant"?
After google the related issue of "Instrument I/O Assistant error".
I check the "Add/Remove S/W List" and "System Services" of window,
everything seems ok.
Attach file description :
    Add_Remove_List.jpg -
        No extra software installed, except NI's S/W.
    Add_Remove_NI_List.jpg -
    The key drivers, NI Instrument I/O Assistant & NI-VISA 4.0 &
        NI-488.2.2.46 all be installed well.
    NI Service List.jpg -
        NI's related service be well active.
    Instrument IO Assistant - Unableto view properties error.JPG -
        Drag & drop "DAQ Assistant" VI, popup error dialog box
        "Unable to view properties", not "Create New Express Task"
        form.
Is there any compatible issue between LabView8.2 & DAQmx8.9 ?
B/R
Hank

Sorry, forget attach file!
Attachments:
Add_Remove_List.JPG ‏99 KB
Add_Remove_NI_List.JPG ‏132 KB
Instrument IO Assistant - Unableto view properties error.JPG ‏77 KB

Instrument i/o assistant express

hi, i hav all ready installed the driver cds along the the labview7.1 software but i m not able to use the instrument i/o assistant express in my application then plz guide me how can get it.

Could you give us a little more information? Can't use, how?
Do you have the Instrument I/O Assistant Express VI?
Can you drop it?
Can you configure it?
Does it then fail to operate ase configured?
Where in the chain of use does it fail?
Thanks,
Bob Young
Bob Young - Test Engineer - Lapsed Certified LabVIEW Developer
DISTek Integration, Inc. - NI Alliance Member
mailto:[email protected]

Instrument I/O Assistant blank

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