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.
The Driver loads the software on its next scan, so you do not need to restart the Driver. Restart the computer if the NI installer asks.

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. The Driver also finds simulated devices that you create in NI MAX, so you can try Synnax without hardware.

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

Configure a device

In the devices toolbar, right-click the device and select Configure. You can also click Configure in the “New … connected” notification. To list each device that the Driver found, click and select NI hardware.
Enter a Name and an Identifier, or click one of the identifiers that the Console suggests.
Click Save. To also open a read task for the device, click Save and create read task.

Configure each module that a task uses.

Find the NI devices that the Driver found:

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

Configure devices in the Console.

Find the NI devices that the Driver found:

const devices = await client.devices.retrieve({ where: { make: { eq: "NI" } } });
for (const dev of devices) console.log(dev.key, dev.name, dev.model, dev.location);

Configure devices in the Console.

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. The device shows after the next scan.
- 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.
National Instruments NI-DAQmx shared library is not installed.
Cause
The Driver cannot load NI-DAQmx. The task shows “Failed to configure task”, or the device finder shows “Failed to scan for devices”, with this text in the description. The text names System Configuration instead when only that library is missing.
Fix
1. Install the software in the prerequisites.
2. Start the task again. You do not need to 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.

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Write task

Analog read task