Configure a LabJack device

Connect a LabJack T4 or T7 to the Driver and configure it for tasks.

The Driver connects to LabJack T4, T7, and T8 devices over USB, Ethernet, or Wi-Fi. It finds them with the LabJack LJM library. Before a task can use a device, you configure it.

Prerequisites

Supported: WindowsmacOS
Not supported: LinuxNI Linux RTDocker

Install the LJM library on the computer that runs the Driver. The Driver loads it on its next scan, so you do not need to restart the Driver.
Connect the device to that computer by USB, or to the same network.

How the Driver finds devices

The Driver looks for LabJack devices every few seconds. A USB device shows in the devices toolbar within a few seconds. A device on the network can take about a minute.

Name -> the model and the last four digits of the serial number, such as LJM_dtT7-8422.
Location -> the connection, such as LJM_ctUSB or LJM_ctETHERNET.

The Console also shows the notification “New LJM_dtT7 connected”, with a Configure button.

If the Driver does not find a device on the network, for example because the device is on another subnet, add the IP address of the device to the LJM ljm_specific_ips.config file.

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 LabJack 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.

Find the LabJack devices that the Driver found:

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

The key of a LabJack device is its serial number. Configure devices in the Console.

Find the LabJack devices that the Driver found:

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

The key of a LabJack device is its serial number. Configure devices in the Console.

Do not create LabJack devices in code. The Driver opens a device by its serial number, so only a device that the Driver found works in a task.

Troubleshooting

The device does not show in the devices toolbar.
Cause
The Driver cannot load the LJM library, or it runs on Linux.
Fix
- LJM is not installed -> install the LJM library. The device shows after the next scan.
- The Driver runs on Linux -> LabJack devices do not work on Linux. Run the Driver on Windows or macOS.
For more causes, see Troubleshoot hardware.
The Driver cannot reach the device.
Cause
The task shows “Failed to start task”, “Failed to read data”, or “Failed to write commands”, with this text in the description. Causes:
- The USB cable or the network connection is lost, or the device has no power.
- Another program holds the device. A USB device works with one program at a time.
Fix
1. Check the USB cable, the network, and the power to the device.
2. Close Kipling and other LabJack software.
A running task continues when the Driver reaches the device, and the Driver sets up the channels of the device again. A task that failed to start does not retry. Start it again.

For other problems, see Troubleshoot hardware.

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