Differentiating LabWindows/CVI from General-Purpose Programming Tools

LabWindows/CVI (C for Virtual Instrumentation) is a standard programming
solution targeted at engineers and scientists developing instrumentation
applications using the standard C programming language with the Microsoft
Windows or Sun Solaris operating systems.

For instrumentation programs, LabWindows/CVI offers a number of advantages
over general purpose development packages, such as Visual Basic, Visual
C++, and the SDK from Microsoft. Like these general-purpose packages,
LabWindows/CVI is an open system, so users can easily integrate external
modules, libraries, or dynamic link libraries (DLLs) developed with other
software packages. The driving force behind LabWindows/CVI development
will always be to improve tools for scientific and engineering
applications, with the ability for users to incorporate existing code from
other general-purpose packages. LabWindows/CVI, although serving a more
specific market segment than general-purpose packages, will maintain an
open architecture to guarantee a comprehensive solution for the user.

The following features differentiate LabWindows/CVI from general-purpose
development environments:

Integrated Development Environment with Built-In Libraries

LabWindows/CVI is a comprehensive development tool for test and measurement
or data acquisition applications. Engineers and scientists are becoming
more and more skilled in using the C programming language to solve their
instrumentation applications. However, unlike software engineers dedicated
to developing applications, scientists and engineers usually do not have
the time or computer science background to master all of the advanced
development tools available for C programmers. LabWindows/CVI provides
advanced tools for editing, compiling, and debugging C applications within
a single environment, offering a cohesive development solution. And,
because all of the acquisition, analysis, and presentation libraries are
built into the LabWindows/CVI development environment, users are assured
of seamless integration between their hardware and software.
LabWindows/CVI ensures easy hardware integration for complex data
acquisition or instrument control applications, while providing the
flexibility of using the standard ANSI C programming language with which
many scientists and engineers are familiar.

Simplified User Interface Programming 

As applications move onto operating systems more sophisticated than DOS,
such as Windows and X Window System, building and controlling graphical
user interfaces (GUIs) becomes a complex and difficult task. Again,
scientists and engineers are embracing the PC with Windows as a standard
platform, yet they don't have the time or background to master the
integral details of low-level Windows operating systems calls and message
handling. The LabWindows/CVI User Interface Editor provides a simple
drag-and-drop environment for creating custom GUIs. More importantly, the
LabWindows/CVI User Interface Library (UIL) provides an easy-to-use
application programming interface (API) for controlling these custom GUIs.
The UIL hides the details of handling low-level Windows and X Window
System messages from the LabWindows/CVI developer.

User Interface Controls 

LabWindows/CVI features advanced user interface tools geared specifically
toward scientific applications. For example, extensive waveform display
capabilities are included with LabWindows/CVI in the graph and strip chart
controls for creating scope displays, waveform displays, and X vs. Y
displays with options for engineering notation for the units, log scaling,
and auto-scaling of the axes. Process control and VXI-based testing
applications require controls dedicated for building instrumentation
displays, such as meter displays, gauge readouts, thermometer displays,
and tank level controls. The user interface tools in LabWindows/CVI focus
on the controls and displays found in a technical or scientific report, as
opposed to business presentation graphics.

Instrument Drivers 

For test and measurement applications, the single biggest factor in saving
development time is the existence of the appropriate instrument drivers.
With an instrument driver, engineers can instantly communicate with their
GPIB, RS-232, or VXIbus instruments without worrying about interface bus
or instrument command issues. An instrument driver is a custom library of
functions acting as a simple translator from high-level, intuitive
functions to the low-level, cryptic commands that the instrument
understands.

LabWindows/CVI uses the same instrument drivers currently available for
existing DOS users of LabWindows. When LabWindows/CVI 1.0 is shipped, its
instrument driver library will contain over 300 GPIB, RS-232, and VXIbus
instrument drivers.

Multiplatform 

LabWindows/CVI bundles all of these tools and utilities within a single
development environment that runs under the Microsoft Windows or Sun
Solaris operating systems. Because many scientific and engineering
applications require the analysis processing power of a workstation, users
find the multiplatform solution attractive. The choice of Windows or UNIX
ensures users that they can build their applications on the best machine
available for their application.

Summary 

LabWindows/CVI adds several important tools and features to standard
programming languages that drastically reduce development time for
instrumentation applications. Through integrated DLLs, libraries, and GUI
development tools, users can combine many different general-purpose
development tools within the LabWindows/CVI environment. Future versions
of LabWindows/CVI will provide stand-alone DLLs for all of the
acquisition, analysis, and presentation libraries included in the product,
so developers will have the choice of using the LabWindows/CVI environment
or alternative Windows environments to create their applications.

Availability and How to Get More Information 

The Windows version of LabWindows/CVI will be available from National
Instruments in November. LabWindows/CVI for Sun will be available from
National Instruments in December. For more details, see the press release
and other product background information in this press kit.

For more information, please contact National Instruments at 6504 Bridge
Point Parkway, Austin, TX 78730-5039, (512) 794-0100. Call toll free at
(800) 433-3488. Fax: (512) 794-8411.

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