Configure an NI device

Connect National Instruments DAQ hardware to the Driver and configure it for tasks.

The Driver connects to National Instruments hardware that works with NI-DAQmx: CompactDAQ chassis and modules, USB and PCIe DAQ devices, and PXI. It finds them through NI-DAQmx. Before a task can use a device, you configure it.

Prerequisites

Supported

WindowsLinuxNI Linux RT

Not supported

macOSDocker

• Install NI-DAQmx on the computer that runs the Driver. If the Driver says that System Configuration is missing, install NI System Configuration.
• After you install, restart the Driver.

How the Driver finds devices

The Driver looks for NI devices every few seconds. A device shows in the devices toolbar with:

• Name -> NI and the model, such as NI 9205 or NI USB-6343.
• Location -> the name of the device in NI-DAQmx, such as Dev1 or cDAQ1Mod1. The Driver uses it to address the ports of the device, such as Dev1/ai0.

The key of an NI device is its serial number. Modules show under their chassis. The Driver skips CompactRIO controllers, but it finds the modules in them.

To stop the search, right-click the Driver in the devices toolbar and select Toggle NI device scanner.

Configure a device

for dev in client.devices.retrieve(makes=["NI"]):
    print(dev.key, dev.name, dev.model, dev.location)

for (const dev of await client.devices.retrieve({ makes: ["NI"] }))
  console.log(dev.key, dev.name, dev.model, dev.location);

Do not create NI devices in code. A device that you create has a different key than the device that the Driver finds, and the Console cannot use it.

Troubleshooting

• The device does not show in the devices toolbar.

  Cause

  The Driver cannot load NI-DAQmx, or it skips the device.

  Fix

  • NI-DAQmx is not installed -> install NI-DAQmx and restart the Driver.
  • The device has no name -> check that NI MAX shows the device with a name. The Driver skips a device that has no name.

  For more causes, see Troubleshoot hardware.

• The NI-DAQmx and System Configuration libraries are not installed on this system.

  Cause

  The Driver cannot load the libraries. The task shows “Failed to create task”, with this text in the description.

  Fix

  1. Install the software in the prerequisites.
  2. Restart the Driver.

• The device is temporarily unreachable. The Driver will keep trying to reach it.

  Cause

  The Driver lost the connection to the device. The task shows “Failed to read data” or “Failed to write commands”, with this text in the description.

  Fix

  Check the cable and the power. The task continues when the device comes back.

For other problems, see Troubleshoot hardware.