National Instruments Computer Accessories 321518A 01 User Manual

Getting Started  
with  
VirtualBench  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
March 1997 Edition  
Part Number 321518A-01  
© Copyright 1997 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.  
Important Information  
Warranty  
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Contents  
Conventions Used in This Manual...................................................................................vii  
Customer Communication ...............................................................................................viii  
Chapter 1  
VirtualBench Installation for Windows...........................................................................1-1  
Minimum System Requirements .....................................................................................1-1  
Installing VirtualBench under Windows 95/NT 4.0........................................................1-3  
What Is Installed by the Setup Program ..........................................................................1-4  
Chapter 2  
Front Panel Features ........................................................................................................2-1  
Chapter 3  
Front Panel Features ........................................................................................................3-1  
Chapter 4  
Front Panel Features ........................................................................................................4-1  
Chapter 5  
VirtualBench-FG  
Front Panel Features ........................................................................................................5-1  
Generating a Waveform...................................................................................................5-2  
© National Instruments Corporation  
v
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
Contents  
Chapter 6  
Front Panel Features........................................................................................................ 6-1  
Chapter 7  
Waveform Generator Front Panel Features..................................................................... 7-1  
Waveform Editor Front Panel Features........................................................................... 7-2  
Chapter 8  
Front Panel Features........................................................................................................ 8-1  
Chapter 9  
Front Panel Features........................................................................................................ 9-1  
VirtualBench-Device Calibrator  
Front Panel Features........................................................................................................ 10-1  
Calibrating a DAQ Device .............................................................................................. 10-2  
Appendix  
Customer Communication  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
vi  
© National Instruments Corporation  
About  
This  
Manual  
The VirtualBench suite of tools is a high-performance, easy-to-use  
virtual instruments application program for Microsoft Windows 3.1x,  
Windows 95, or Windows NT. Getting Started with VirtualBench gives  
you step-by-step instructions on how to use each instrument. It also  
includes a description of the front panel of each instrument.  
Conventions Used in This Manual  
The following conventions are used in this manual:  
bold  
Bold text denotes a parameter, menu name, palette name, menu item,  
return value, function panel item, or dialog box button or option.  
italic  
Italic text denotes mathematical variables, emphasis, a cross reference,  
or an introduction to a key concept.  
bold italic  
Bold italic text denotes an activity objective, note, caution, or warning.  
monospace  
Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should literally enter  
from the keyboard. Sections of code, programming examples, and  
syntax examples also appear in this font. This font also is used for the  
proper names of disk drives, paths, directories, programs, subprograms,  
subroutines, device names, variables, filenames, and extensions, and for  
statements and comments taken from program code.  
<>  
»
Angle brackets enclose the name of a key on the keyboard, for example,  
<PageDown>.  
The » symbol leads you through nested menu items and dialog box  
options to a final action. The sequence  
File»Page Setup»Options»Substitute Fonts directs you to pull down  
the File menu, select the Page Setup item, select Options, and finally  
select the Substitute Fonts option from the last dialog box.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
vii  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
About This Manual  
paths  
Paths in this manual are denoted using backslashes (\) to separate drive  
names, directories, and files, as in  
C:\dir1name\dir2name\filename.  
This icon to the left of bold, italicized text denotes a note, which alerts  
you to important information.  
Customer Communication  
National Instruments wants to receive your comments on our products  
and manuals. We are interested in the applications you develop with our  
products, and we want to help if you have problems with them. To make  
it easy for you to contact us, this manual contains comment and  
configuration forms for you to complete. These forms are in the  
appendix, Customer Communication, at the end of this manual.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
viii  
© National Instruments Corporation  
 
Chapter  
Welcome to VirtualBench  
1
Welcome to VirtualBench, a suite of high-performance, easy-to-use  
virtual instruments for Microsoft Windows 3.1x, Windows 95, and  
Windows NT. This document contains installation instructions, lists of  
system requirements and new features, and updated information to help  
you get started with VirtualBench.  
VirtualBench Installation for Windows  
You must install VirtualBench along with two other items:  
A National Instruments data acquisition (DAQ) device  
NI-DAQ driver software  
Minimum System Requirements  
To run VirtualBench you must have the following:  
MS-DOS, version 5.0 or later  
Microsoft Windows 3.1 or later; Microsoft Windows 95 or  
Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 or later  
Personal computer using at least a 33 MHz 80486 or higher  
microprocessor (National Instruments recommends a 66 MHz  
80486 or higher microprocessor.)  
VGA resolution (or higher) video adapter  
Math coprocessor or one of the following coprocessor emulation  
programs:  
WEMM387.386 from WATCOM  
Q387 from Quickware  
Minimum of 16 MB of RAM  
30 MB free hard disk space  
Microsoft-compatible mouse  
© National Instruments Corporation  
1-1  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 1  
Welcome to VirtualBench  
NI-DAQ 4.9.0 if you plan to use an AT-DSP2200, AT-A2150, or  
EISA-A2000 DAQ device  
NI-DAQ 5.0 or later if you plan to use Microsoft Windows NT 4.0  
or later, or if you plan to use any of the following new DAQ  
devices:  
PCI-MIO-16E-1  
PCI-MIO-16E-4  
PCI-MIO-16XE-10  
PCI-MIO-16XE-50  
PCI-1200  
AT-DIO-32HS  
AT-5102  
AT-5411  
DAQCard-5102  
DAQCard-4050  
PC-DIO-96PNP  
PC-DIO-24PNP  
SCXI-1120D  
VXI-MIO  
PCI-DIO-96  
PCI-DIO-32HS  
PCI-5411  
VXI-AO-48XDC  
VXI-SC-1000  
PCI-5102  
Installing VirtualBench under Windows 3.1x  
To install VirtualBench from CD, perform the following steps:  
1. Open the Windows Program Manager by double-clicking on the  
Program Manager icon.  
Note:  
It is recommended that you not run other applications while you install  
VirtualBench.  
2. Insert your VirtualBench CD into your CD-ROM drive.  
3. Select Run from the File menu in the Program Manager.  
4. Enter X:\WIN31\DISK1\SETUP(where Xis your CD drive) in the  
input box and click on OK.  
5. Follow the instructions that appear in the dialog boxes.  
To install VirtualBench from diskettes, perform the following steps:  
1. Make backup copies of your VirtualBench diskettes and store the  
originals in a safe place.  
2. Open the Windows Program Manager by double-clicking on the  
Program Manager icon.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
1-2  
© National Instruments Corporation  
 
Chapter 1  
Welcome to VirtualBench  
Note:  
It is recommended that you not run other applications while you install  
VirtualBench.  
3. Insert Disk 1 into your 3.5-inch floppy disk drive.  
4. Select Run from the File menu in the Program Manager.  
5. Enter A:setupor B:setup(depending on the pathname of your  
floppy disk drive) in the input box and click on OK.  
6. Follow the instructions that appear in the dialog boxes.  
Installing VirtualBench under Windows 95/NT 4.0  
To install VirtualBench from CD, perform the following steps:  
1. Insert your VirtualBench CD into your CD-ROM drive.  
Note:  
At this point your operating system may prompt you to run SETUP.EXE. You  
should ignore this prompt. Select Close and continue to the next step.  
2. Select Run from the Windows 95/NT Start menu.  
3. Enter X:\WIN95-NT\DISK1\SETUP(where Xis your CD drive) in  
the input box and click on OK.  
4. Follow the instructions that appear in the dialog boxes.  
To install VirtualBench from diskettes, perform the following steps:  
1. Make backup copies of your VirtualBench diskettes and store the  
originals in a safe place.  
2. Insert Disk 1 into your 3.5-inch floppy disk drive.  
Note:  
It is recommended that you not run other applications while you install  
VirtualBench.  
3. Select Run from the Start menu.  
4. Enter A:setupor B:setup(depending on the pathname of your  
floppy disk drive) in the input box and click on OK.  
5. Follow the instructions that appear in the dialog boxes.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
1-3  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 1  
Welcome to VirtualBench  
What Is Installed by the Setup Program  
If you purchased the full VirtualBench suite, the setup program installs  
the VirtualBench engine and nine virtual instruments: the oscilloscope  
(Scope), dynamic signal analyzer (DSA), digital multimeter (DMM),  
function generator (FG), logger, arbitrary waveform generator (Arb),  
DC analog output controller (AODC), digital input/output controller  
(DIO), and device calibrator. Each instrument comes with online help.  
If you did not purchase the full VirtualBench suite, the setup program  
for VirtualBench installs the VirtualBench engine and the instruments  
you purchased. The VirtualBench toolbar enables only the buttons for  
the instruments you purchased. However, you can access online help for  
all the VirtualBench instruments.  
Note:  
Note:  
Do not rename the VirtualBench folders: scope, logger, dmm, fg, dsa,  
arb, aodc, dio, and cal. VirtualBench must have this folder hierarchy to  
work correctly.  
Be sure to view the VirtualBench readme.txtfile in Disk 1of the  
VirtualBench installation disk for the latest information concerning the  
installation and use of VirtualBench.  
Connecting Signals to Your Data Acquisition Device  
Refer to the user manual for your National Instruments DAQ device for  
instructions on connecting signals to your device.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
1-4  
© National Instruments Corporation  
 
Chapter  
VirtualBench-Scope  
2
In Windows 3.1x, you launch VirtualBench-Scope by double-clicking  
on the Scope icon in the VirtualBench window within the Program  
Manager. In Windows 95/NT 4.0, you launch VirtualBench-Scope by  
selecting Start»Programs»VirtualBench»VirtualBench-Scope.  
Front Panel Features  
Vertical Channel  
Slider  
Selector  
Channel  
Settings  
Time  
Base  
Trigger  
Settings  
Group  
Graphics  
Display  
Main Control Bar  
© National Instruments Corporation  
2-1  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 2  
VirtualBench-Scope  
The front panel of VirtualBench-Scope has the following features:  
Channel Selectorselects a waveform for display on the Graphics  
display.  
Channel Settings—adjusts the vertical sensitivity of the selected  
channel. Turning the knob clockwise increases the sensitivity (each  
vertical division represents a smaller voltage value).  
Timebase—allows you to change the timebase setting. Turning the  
knob clockwise results in a shorter time period displayed in the  
Graphics display (each horizontal division represents a shorter time  
period).  
Graphics Displaydisplays waveforms.  
Vertical Slider—adjusts voltage offset for each channel. This slider  
is useful when you want to view multiple waveforms in the  
Graphics display.  
Trigger Settings Groupcontrols the conditions required for a  
signal to be acquired; for example, whether to wait for a digital  
trigger before acquiring data, or whether to acquire data in free-run  
mode (no triggering).  
Main Control Bar Buttons  
Run—acquires data continuously. When clicked off, the  
VirtualBench-Scope is placed in idle mode.  
Single—instructs VirtualBench-Scope to perform a  
single-sweep acquisition.  
Auto Setupstarts configuration of the scope for the best  
timebase, volts per division, and trigger setting for each  
channel currently selected with the channel selector.  
Modesets the mode of the scope to either Volts versus Time  
or X versus Y mode.  
X Scrollscrolls along the X-axis or time axis.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-Scope Online Help for additional help on  
the front panel items.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
2-2  
© National Instruments Corporation  
Chapter 2  
VirtualBench-Scope  
Acquiring Data  
You can start acquiring signals with VirtualBench-Scope by completing  
the following steps:  
1. Connect a signal to the Channel 0 input of your National  
Instruments DAQ device. See the user manual of your DAQ device  
for details. For example, on a 68-pin MIO E-series device, connect  
a signal to pins 68 (ACH0) and 67 (AIGND) for a Referenced  
Single Ended input.  
2. Configure VirtualBench-Scope.  
a. Select Settings from the Edit menu on the front panel.  
b. Select the National Instruments device you want to use from  
the General tab of the Settings dialog box. If a device does not  
appear in the Device menu ring, make sure you have properly  
configured the device using the NI-DAQ Configuration Utility.  
c. Specify which channels on the data acquisition device  
correspond to the VirtualBench-Scope channels, using the  
Channels tab. For an MIO E-series device, you would select  
VirtualBench-Scope Ch 1to be representative of DAQ  
Channel 0.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
2-3  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 2  
VirtualBench-Scope  
d. Click on OK to use these settings.  
3. Save your settings by selecting Edit»Save Settings from the  
pull-down menu on the front panel. Enter the name of the file you  
want to save, for example MyScope.set.  
Note:  
When you launch VirtualBench-Scope, it automatically uses the settings  
from when you last used VirtualBench-Scope.  
4. Enable the CH 1 button in the Channel Selector (Acquire) group.  
Make sure all other channels are disabled.  
5. Click on AutoSetup on the Main Control bar.  
6. Click on Run to stop the acquisition.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-Scope Online Help for additional help on  
configuring VirtualBench-Scope for your specific application.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
2-4  
© National Instruments Corporation  
Chapter  
VirtualBench-Logger  
3
In Windows 3.1x, you launch VirtualBench-Logger by double-clicking  
on the Logger icon in the VirtualBench program group. In  
Windows 95/NT 4.0, you launch VirtualBench-Logger by selecting  
Start»Programs»VirtualBench»VirtualBench-Logger.  
Front Panel Features  
Status  
Display  
Strip Chart  
Display  
Legend  
Control  
Y Axis  
Select  
Control  
Channel  
Select  
Acquire  
Data  
Controls  
Performance  
Indicator  
© National Instruments Corporation  
3-1  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 3  
VirtualBench-Logger  
The front panel of VirtualBench-Logger has the following features:  
Strip Chart Displaydisplays the logged data.  
Y-Axis Select Controlsselects which channel Y scale to display  
on either the left or right Y axis of the Strip Chart Display.  
Status Displayshows the Current Time, Start Time, and Stop  
Time of the current data acquisition.  
Channel Select Controlselects which channels to display on the  
Strip Chart Display. You can use the Labels/Values radio buttons  
below the Channel Select control to switch between the Channel  
Labels and the Channel Values.  
Legend Control—changes the trace attributes of each Display  
Channel. Clicking on a trace in the Legend Control brings up a  
menu that allows you to make changes to the Point Style, Line  
Style, Interpolation method, and Color of the trace.  
Acquire Data Controls  
Logging On/Off—starts or stops logging of data to disk when  
you run the instruments.  
Clear Chartclears the Strip Chart Display. Clicking on this  
button does not affect the acquisition of data.  
Startstarts the acquisition of data using the current logger  
configuration.  
Stopstops the acquisition of data and data logging when  
enabled.  
Pausetemporarily stops the flow of data to the Strip Chart  
and Log file when enabled.  
Performance Indicatorshows how efficiently  
VirtualBench-Logger is running in data acquisition mode. You  
should strive to keep VirtualBench-Logger running as efficiently as  
possible. As the performance decreases, the indicator turns red to  
indicate poor performance. When the performance reaches 0, an  
error message pops up and the Logger stops collecting data.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-Logger Online Help for additional help on  
the front panel items.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
3-2  
© National Instruments Corporation  
Chapter 3  
VirtualBench-Logger  
Acquiring Data  
You can start acquiring data with VirtualBench-Logger by following  
these steps:  
1. Connect several known voltage signals to the input channels of  
your DAQ device. See the user manual of your DAQ device for  
details. It is recommended that you use known reference signals to  
verify proper operation of VirtualBench-Logger and your DAQ  
device.  
2. Configure VirtualBench-Logger.  
a. Select Settings from the Edit menu on the front panel.  
b. Select the Device and SCXI Module that you want to use. The  
SCXI Module list is disabled when no SCXI modules are  
configured for the selected device. If a device does not appear  
in the Device list, make sure you have properly configured the  
device in the NI-DAQ Configuration Utility.  
c. Set the Start and End Channel appropriately for the channels  
that you connected signals to in step one.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
3-3  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 3  
VirtualBench-Logger  
d. Set the channel attributes for each channel from the Start to  
End Channel. Give each channel an appropriate label for easy  
identification on the Strip Chart display.  
e. Click on the File Config button. Specify the name of the Log  
file where the logged data is stored on disk. Specify the  
location of this file by using the Browse button. Select Enable  
Logging and Begin Logging on Start. Click on OK.  
f. Click on the Timing Config button. Set the Start and Stop  
Timing to start and stop manually respectively. Set the Time  
Interval to 1.00seconds. Set the Display Length to one  
minute. Set Log to Disk every n Time Intervals to 2. Click on  
OK.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
3-4  
© National Instruments Corporation  
Chapter 3  
VirtualBench-Logger  
g. Click on OK in the Logger Settings dialog box to return to the  
front panel.  
3. Select the channels that you want to display on the strip chart using  
the Channel Select Control.  
4. Use the right and left Y-axis Controls to select the display channels  
Y scale to display on the strip chart.  
5. Click on Start in the Data Acquisition Controls area. The  
VirtualBench-Logger begins acquiring data at one-second intervals  
and displays it on the strip chart. If no data displays, check the  
signal connections to your DAQ device or check the Range Limits  
for the channels you selected in the Logger Settings dialog box.  
6. Click on the Stop button to stop the acquisition.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-Logger Online Help for additional help on  
configuring VirtualBench-Logger for your specific application.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
3-5  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
Chapter  
VirtualBench-DSA  
4
In Windows 3.1x, you launch VirtualBench-DSA (Dynamic Signal  
Analyzer) by double-clicking on the DSA icon in the VirtualBench  
program group. In Windows 95/NT 4.0, you launch VirtualBench-DSA  
by selecting Start»Programs»VirtualBench»VirtualBench-DSA.  
Front Panel Features  
Display 1  
Controls  
Display 2  
Controls  
Main Control Bar  
The front panel of VirtualBench-DSA has the following features:  
Display Settings Control—provides individual control of the  
measurements being performed on Display 1 and 2. You can switch  
between Display 1 and 2 by clicking on the left and right arrow  
buttons above the Display Settings Control. You can select the  
channels, function, magnitude/phase mode, magnitude unit,  
© National Instruments Corporation  
4-1  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 4  
VirtualBench-DSA  
log/linear mode, phase unit, and markers in this control. You can  
refer to the online help for a detailed description of each  
component.  
Display 1/Display 2 Controls—changes the marker positions and  
display attributes of the respective displays.  
Main Control Bar Buttonscontains the Run, Single, and Source  
controls.  
Run—acquires data continuously. When clicked off, the DSA  
is in idle mode.  
Single—acquires a single frame of data.  
Source—turns on the source using the selection made in the  
Source Configuration dialog box.  
Note:  
The Source button is only available when you use an AT-DSP2200 device  
with VirtualBench-DSA.  
Trigger Timeout—turns yellow when a trigger does not occur  
within the time specified by the Trigger Timeout in the Trigger  
Configuration dialog box.  
Measurement Displaysdisplays measurements, reference  
waveforms, and markers for marker measurements.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-DSA Online Help for additional help on  
the front panel items.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
4-2  
© National Instruments Corporation  
Chapter 4  
VirtualBench-DSA  
Acquiring and Measuring Signals  
You can start acquiring and measuring signals with VirtualBench-DSA  
by following these steps:  
1. Connect a signal to the Channel 0 or 1 input of your DAQ device.  
Please refer to the user manual of your DAQ device for details.  
2. Configure the DSA.  
a. Select Settings from the Edit menu on the front panel.  
b. Select the Hardware tab, from the DSA Settings dialog box.  
c. Select the Device that you want to use for the data acquisition.  
The device must be successfully configured in the NI-DAQ  
Configuration Utility to appear in the Device list.  
d. Set Channel A or B to Channel 0 or 1, depending on where you  
connected the signal in step one.  
e. Change the Input Voltage Range to reflect the upper and lower  
limit of your signal (in volts).  
© National Instruments Corporation  
4-3  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 4  
VirtualBench-DSA  
f. Click on the Acquisition tab in the DSA Settings dialog box.  
g. Set the Frame Size control to 1024. VirtualBench-DSA will  
analyze data in blocks of 1024 points.  
h. Select a Sample Rate that is at least twice the maximum  
frequency that you are trying to measure.  
i. Select the Averaging Type as OFF and Window Type as None  
(Uniform).  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
4-4  
© National Instruments Corporation  
Chapter 4  
VirtualBench-DSA  
j. Click on the Triggering tab in the DSA Settings dialog box.  
k. Set the Trigger Type to none. This setting puts the acquisition  
in a Freerun mode.  
l. Click on OK.  
3. Change the display indicator (left and right arrow buttons) to  
Display 1, in the Display Settings control.  
4. Select Channel A or B (depending on where you connected your  
signal), in the Channel Selector of the Display Settings control.  
5. Select Time Waveform, in the Function Selector of the Display  
Settings control. Choose the mode as Magnitude, the Units as  
Vrms, and the Scale as Linear.  
6. Select Markers Off in the Markers section.  
7. Use the left or right arrow buttons to change the display indicator  
to Display 2, in the Display Settings control.  
8. Select Pwr Spectrum. Select the mode Magnitude, the Units Vrms,  
and the Scale dB, in the Function Selector of the Display Settings  
control.  
9. Click on the Single button. VirtualBench-DSA displays a single  
frame of data. The Time Waveform is on Display 1, and the Power  
Spectrum on Display 2. If no data is visible, click on the Autoscale  
Y Axis button (the button with the y and up/down arrows) in the  
© National Instruments Corporation  
4-5  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
Chapter 4  
VirtualBench-DSA  
Display Control. Check your signal connections if data is still not  
visible.  
10. Click on Run. VirtualBench-DSA continuously acquires and  
displays frames of data.  
11. Click on Run again to stop acquisition.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-DSA Online Help for additional help on  
configuring VirtualBench-DSA for your specific application.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
4-6  
© National Instruments Corporation  
Chapter  
VirtualBench-FG  
5
In Windows 3.1x, you launch VirtualBench-FG (Function Generator)  
by double-clicking on the FG icon in the VirtualBench program group.  
In Windows 95/NT 4.0, you launch VirtualBench-FG by selecting  
Start»Programs»VirtualBench»VirtualBench-FG.  
Front Panel Features  
Display  
Window  
Range  
Selector  
Function  
Selector  
Run/Stop  
Frequency  
Knob  
Waveform  
Modifier  
Controls  
The front panel of VirtualBench-FG has the following features:  
Display Windowshows the actual waveform frequency being  
generated.  
Range Selectorselects the frequency range of VirtualBench-FG.  
Function Selectorselects which type of waveform is to be  
generated by VirtualBench-FG.  
Frequency Knobcontrols the frequency of the waveform within  
the range selected by the Range Selector.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
5-1  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 5  
VirtualBench-FG  
Waveform Modifier Controls—modifies some of the properties of  
the waveform.  
Duty Cycle—adjusts the duty cycles of the Sine Wave, Square  
Wave, and Triangle Wave.  
Offset—adjusts the DC offset of the waveform.  
Amplitude—adjusts the peak amplitude of the generated  
waveform.  
Run—starts or stops waveform generation.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-FG Online Help for additional help on the  
front panel items.  
Generating a Waveform  
You can configure VirtualBench-FG to generate a waveform by  
performing the following steps.  
1. Configure the output.  
a. Select Settings from the Edit menu on the front panel.  
b. Select the Device that you want to use for waveform  
generation. The device must be successfully configured in the  
NI-DAQ Configuration Utility to appear in this list.  
c. Set the Device Channel to 0 or 1.  
d. Click on OK.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
5-2  
© National Instruments Corporation  
 
Chapter 5  
VirtualBench-FG  
2. Connect a device or scope to the output of the analog output device  
that you specified in step one. See your DAQ device user manual  
for details.  
3. Click on Run. VirtualBench-FG continuously generates an analog  
waveform at the output pin.  
4. Click on Run again to stop the waveform generation.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-FG Online Help for additional help on  
configuring VirtualBench-FG for your specific application.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
5-3  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
Chapter  
VirtualBench-DMM  
6
In Windows 3.1x, you launch VirtualBench-DMM (Digital Multimeter)  
by double-clicking on the DMM icon in the VirtualBench program  
group. In Windows 95/NT 4.0, you launch VirtualBench-DMM by  
selecting Start»Programs»VirtualBench»VirtualBench-DMM.  
Front Panel Features  
Range  
Selector  
Measurement  
Display  
Mode  
Selector  
Math  
Buttons  
Main  
Controls  
The front panel of VirtualBench-DMM has the following features:  
Measurement Displaydisplays measurements.  
Mode Selectorselects which measurement mode you want to use.  
The modes, from left to right, are as follows:  
Volts DCmeasures the DC component of a voltage signal.  
Volts ACmeasures the AC component of a voltage signal.  
Current DCmeasures the DC component of a current  
source.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
6-1  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 6  
VirtualBench-DMM  
Current ACmeasures the AC component of a current  
source.  
Ohmsmeasures resistance.  
Temperaturemeasures temperature.  
Diodemeasures the voltage drop across a diode.  
Note:  
Diode mode is only available when you are using the DAQCard-4050.  
Range Selectordetermines the measurement range. This range is  
different for each measurement mode. AutoRange mode selects the  
best range to fit the input signal.  
Main Control Buttons  
Runstarts or stops the DMM acquisition.  
Single—acquires a single measurement.  
Logenables logging.  
Math Control Buttons  
Nullselects Relative mode. When you select this button, all  
subsequent measurements are made relative to the  
measurement made when this button was pressed.  
Max/Mindisplays the maximum and minimum values since  
the button was first pressed.  
dBdisplays the decibel value of your signal.  
dBmdisplays the decibel power level with respect to  
one mW.  
mX+Bmanipulates normal display readings (X) according  
to the calculation mX+B.  
%displays the current value as a percentage of a reference.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-DMM Online Help for additional help on  
the front panel items.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
6-2  
© National Instruments Corporation  
Chapter 6  
VirtualBench-DMM  
Measuring a Signal  
You can start measuring signals with VirtualBench-DMM by following  
these steps:  
1. Configure VirtualBench-DMM.  
a. Select Settings from the Edit menu on the front panel.  
b. Select the General tab.  
c. Select the Device and SCXI Module that you want to use. The  
SCXI Module list is not visible when no SCXI modules are  
configured for the selected device. If a device does not appear  
in the Device List, make sure you have properly configured the  
device in the NI-DAQ Configuration Utility.  
d. Set the channel to the source of your signal.  
e. Set the Sample Rate to Medium.  
f. Click on OK.  
2. Measure voltage. (VirtualBench-DMM measures AC and DC  
voltage without any external hardware.)  
a. Connect a signal (AC or DC) to the Channel input that you  
specified in step one. See the user manual of your DAQ device  
for details.  
b. Click on the first (VDC) or second (VAC) button in the Mode  
Selector, depending on which type of voltage you connected in  
substep "a" of step two.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
6-3  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 6  
VirtualBench-DMM  
c. Click on Run. VirtualBench-DMM continuously acquires and  
displays voltage measurements in the display window.  
d. Check to see that the input signal does not exceed the range of  
your DAQ device, and that the input signal does not exceed the  
selected range, when the DMM display shows +CLIP or -CLIP.  
e. Click on Run again to stop the measurement.  
3. Measure current. VirtualBench-DMM requires the use of a  
precision external shunt resistor to measure current.  
a. Connect a precision shunt resistor across the input of the  
Channel that you specified in step one. See the user manual of  
your DAQ device for details.  
b. Connect your current signal to the same terminals.  
c. Select Settings from the Edit menu on the front panel.  
d. Select the Current and Resistance tab.  
e. Enter the value of the shunt resistor that you placed across the  
channel specified in step one input of your DAQ device.  
f. Click on OK.  
g. Click on the third (IDC) or fourth (IAC) button in the Mode  
Selector, depending on which type of voltage you connected in  
substep "b" of step three.  
h. Click on Run. VirtualBench-DMM continuously acquires and  
displays current measurements in the display window.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
6-4  
© National Instruments Corporation  
Chapter 6  
VirtualBench-DMM  
i. Check to see that the input signal does not exceed the range of  
your DAQ device, and that the input signal does not exceed the  
selected range, when the DMM display shows +CLIP or -CLIP.  
j. Click on Run again to stop the measurement.  
4. Measure resistance. If you are not using a DAQCard-4050 device,  
VirtualBench-DMM requires the use of a precision external current  
source to measure resistance.  
a. If you are not using the DAQCard-4050, go to step b. If you are  
using a DAQCard-4050, connect the resistor to be measured to  
the terminals of the device and go to step g.  
b. Connect a precision current source to the channel that you  
specified in step one. See the user manual of your DAQ device  
for details.  
c. Connect your resistance to be measured across the same  
terminals.  
d. Select Settings from the Edit menu on the front panel.  
e. Select the Current and Resistance tab.  
f. Enter the value of the current source that you placed at the  
Channel specified in step one input of your DAQ device.  
g. Click on OK.  
h. Click on the fifth (Resistance) button in the Mode Selector.  
i. Click on Run. VirtualBench-DMM continuously acquires and  
displays resistance measurements in the display window.  
j. Check to see that the input signal does not exceed the range of  
your DAQ device, and that the input signal does not exceed the  
selected range, when the DMM display shows +CLIP or -CLIP.  
k. Click on Run again to stop the measurement.  
5. Measure Temperature. VirtualBench-DMM requires the use of a  
thermistor, IC sensor, or thermocouple to make precise temperature  
measurements.  
a. Connect a precision temperature sensor to the channel that you  
specified in step one. See the user manual of your DAQ device  
for details.  
b. Select Settings from the Edit menu on the front panel.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
6-5  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
Chapter 6  
VirtualBench-DMM  
c. Select the Temperature tab.  
d. Select the type of sensor that you connected to the channel  
specified in step one, in substep "a", from the Temperature  
Sensor list.  
e. Select the Temperature Units you want the temperature to be  
displayed.  
f. Select the cold junction sensor type from the Source list, when  
you are using a thermocouple. Select the channel to which the  
cold junction sensor is connected.  
g. Click on OK.  
h. Click on the sixth (Temperature) button in the Mode Selector.  
i. Click on Run. VirtualBench-DMM continuously acquires and  
displays Temperature measurements in the display window.  
j. Check to see that the input signal does not exceed the range of  
your DAQ device, and that the input signal does not exceed the  
selected range, when the DMM display shows +CLIP or -CLIP.  
k. Click on Run again to stop the measurement.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-DMM Online Help for additional help on  
configuring VirtualBench-DMM for your specific application.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
6-6  
© National Instruments Corporation  
Chapter 6  
VirtualBench-DMM  
6. Measuring a diode. If you are using a DAQCard-4050 device, you  
may measure the voltage drop across a diode, up to two volts.  
a. Connect the diode to the terminals of the DAQCard-4050.  
b. Click on the sixth (diode) button in the move selector.  
c. Click on Run.  
d. Click on Run again to stop the measurement.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
6-7  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
Chapter  
VirtualBench-Arb  
7
In Windows 3.1x, you launch VirtualBench-Arb (Arbitrary Waveform  
Generator) by double-clicking on the Arb icon in the VirtualBench  
program group. In Windows 95/NT 4.0, you launch VirtualBench-Arb  
by selecting Start»Programs»VirtualBench»VirtualBench-Arb.  
Waveform Generator Front Panel Features  
Frequency Update Amplitude Offset Phase  
Control Rate  
Waveform  
Name/Load  
Waveform  
Play Mode  
Play/Stop  
The key features of the Waveform Generator front panel of  
VirtualBench-Arb are:  
Waveform Name/Load Waveform Controlshows the name of  
the waveform, if any, that currently loads into the channel buffer.  
Select this window to load from a file to a waveform.  
Play Mode—plays the waveform continuously. When deselected,  
plays the waveform only once.  
Update Ratecontrols the update rate of the waveform. This  
control does not affect the play speed of waveform files (.wfm) but  
does affect waveform quality. With text and sound (.wav) files, the  
update rate determines the play speed by controlling the number of  
samples of the waveform that are played per second.  
Frequency Controlmodifies the rate at which waveform files  
(.wfm) are played. The waveform rate is multiplied by this value to  
determine the actual play speed. Text and sound (.wav) files are  
unaffected by this control.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
7-1  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 7  
VirtualBench-Arb  
Amplitude Controlscales the waveform by a specified amount.  
Offset Control—adds a voltage offset to the waveform.  
Phase Controlshifts the waveform buffer by a certain phase,  
specified in degrees.  
Play/Stop Controlstarts or stops waveform generation for one  
channel.  
Waveform Editor Front Panel Features  
Units  
Style  
Control  
View  
Control  
X Axis  
Control  
Segment  
Listbox  
New  
New  
Component  
Component  
Component  
Button  
Segment Type Control  
Button  
Parameters  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
7-2  
© National Instruments Corporation  
 
Chapter 7  
VirtualBench-Arb  
The Waveform Editor front panel of VirtualBench-Arb has the  
following features:  
View Controlselects the waveform view displayed on the graph.  
Waveform displays the entire waveform. Segment displays the  
first of the selected segments. Component displays only the first  
selected component.  
X Axis Controlselects the X-axis units. Time displays the  
waveform as a function of time. Frequency displays the power  
spectrum of the waveform.  
Units Controlselects the active units currently being used for the  
display and control values.  
Style Controlchanges the graph attributes.  
Segment Listbox Controlselects the segment or component to be  
edited. A segment is preceded by a number and indicates a unique  
section of the waveform. The value in parentheses indicates the  
segment length. Indented text in the list box represents a waveform  
component.  
New Segment Button—inserts a new waveform segment  
immediately after the current selection.  
New Component Button—inserts a new component immediately  
after the current selection.  
Component Type Controlselects the type of component. A  
waveform Library function is one of 20 predefined waveform  
patterns. An Expression is a single-variable function evaluated over  
an interval. A Sketch is a waveform drawn by the mouse.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-Arb Online Help for additional help on the  
front panel items.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
7-3  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
Chapter 7  
VirtualBench-Arb  
Generating a Waveform  
You can start generating waveforms with VirtualBench-Arb by  
following these steps:  
1. Configure VirtualBench-Arb.  
a. Select Settings from the Edit menu on the front panel.  
b. Select the Channels tab.  
c. Select the Device that you want to use for waveform  
generation. To appear in the Device list, the device must be  
successfully configured in the NI-DAQ Configuration Utility.  
d. Select the number of channels to be used for waveform  
generation. For example, select 1 to generate waveforms on  
only one channel.  
e. Select the corresponding DAQ device channels to map to the  
VirtualBench-Arb alphabetical channel names.  
f. Click on OK.  
2. Creating a New Waveform.  
a. Select Window»Waveform Editor.  
b. Enter the duration of the waveform in the Duration control to  
set the duration of the first segment.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
7-4  
© National Instruments Corporation  
 
Chapter 7  
VirtualBench-Arb  
c. Click on New Component. By default, every time you click on  
New Component, a new library component is added to any  
existing waveform.  
d. Select the type of component: Library, Expression, or Sketch.  
The following steps further describe how to use these options.  
3. Creating a Waveform using the Library Functions.  
a. Enter the duration of the waveform in the Duration control.  
This control sets the duration of the first segment in the  
waveform.  
b. Click on New Component. This action adds a component to  
the first segment.  
c. Be sure that Library is selected in the Component Type  
control.  
d. Select a waveform from the library and modify the parameters  
if necessary.  
e. Click on New Component again to add a new component. This  
component adds to the first to produce the final segment.  
Change the Function selector to perform subtraction,  
multiplication, division, or frequency modulation.  
f. Click on New Segment to add additional waveform segments  
to the end of the waveform.  
4. Creating a Waveform from a Mathematical Expression.  
a. Create a new segment by clicking on New Segment.  
b. Create a new component in the segment by clicking on New  
Component.  
c. Select Expression from the Component Type control.  
d. Enter an expression in terms of variable x, in the expression  
box. Any error is indicated in red, with the character position  
of the error placed in parentheses.  
e. Enter the range for x in the From: and To: input boxes. The  
expression is evaluated over this range.  
f. You can change the number of cycles of the waveform by  
changing the Cycles control.  
5. Creating a Waveform from a Freehand Sketch.  
a. Create a new segment by clicking on New Segment.  
b. Create a new component in the segment by clicking on New  
Component.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
7-5  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
Chapter 7  
VirtualBench-Arb  
c. Select Sketch from the Component Type control.  
d. Click on Draw. Notice that this changes from View to  
Component mode, so that only the current component is  
displayed.  
e. Click and drag over the graph to create a waveform using the  
mouse. Change the mode to line by clicking on the Mode  
button. This mode allows you to draw straight lines.  
f. Click on Draw again to finish editing.  
6. Save your waveform by selecting File»Save.  
7. Close the Waveform Editor front panel.  
8. In the front panel of the Waveform Generator, click on the  
Waveform Name/Load Waveform control to bring up the file  
dialog box. Select the waveform file that you saved in step six.  
9. Adjust the Rate control to an appropriate update rate. Select a rate  
that is at least twice the maximum frequency component of your  
signal.  
10. Click on the Play button (the button containing a green triangle) to  
begin waveform generation.  
11. Click on the Stop button (the button containing a red square) to end  
signal generation.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-Arb Online Help for additional help on  
configuring VirtualBench-Arb for your specific application.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
7-6  
© National Instruments Corporation  
Chapter  
VirtualBench-AODC  
8
In Windows 3.1x, you launch VirtualBench-AODC (Analog Output  
Direct Current) by double-clicking on the AODC icon in the  
VirtualBench program group. In Windows 95/NT4.0, you launch  
VirtualBench-AODC by selecting  
Start»Programs»VirtualBench»VirtualBench AODC.  
Front Panel Features  
AO  
Level Control  
Update  
Control  
Channel  
Control  
The front panel of VirtualBench-AODC has the following features:  
Channel Control—allows you to independently assign the selected  
analog output control to any of your device analog output channels.  
AO Level Control—manipulates the analog output level of the  
assigned analog output channel. The analog output channel is not  
actually changed until the Update button is clicked on.  
Update Control—updates the channel selected in the Channel  
control with the voltage/current specified in the AO Level control.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-AODC Online Help for additional help on  
the front panel items.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
8-1  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 8  
VirtualBench-AODC  
Controlling Analog Output  
You can start controlling analog output with VirtualBench-AODC by  
following these steps:  
1. Configure VirtualBench-AODC.  
a. Select Settings from the Edit menu on the front panel.  
b. Click on the General tab in the AODC Settings dialog box.  
c. Select the Device and SCXI Module that you want to use. The  
SCXI Module list is disabled if no SCXI modules are  
configured for the selected device. The device must be  
successfully configured in the NI-DAQ Configuration Utility  
to appear in this list.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
8-2  
© National Instruments Corporation  
 
Chapter 8  
VirtualBench-AODC  
d. Click on the AO Channels tab on the AODC Settings  
dialog box.  
e. Select the Range and Initial Voltage (V) or Current (mA) for  
each channel in the Channels list.  
f. Click on OK to use these settings.  
2. Use the Channel control to assign an analog output channel from  
your DAQ device to that particular AO Level control.  
3. Use the slider or digital controls in the AO Level control to set the  
output level.  
4. Click on Update to update the analog output channel with the new  
value you specified in AO Level control.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-AODC Online Help for additional help on  
configuring VirtualBench-AODC for your specific application.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
8-3  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
Chapter  
VirtualBench-DIO  
9
In Windows 3.1x, you launch VirtualBench-DIO (Digital Input/Output)  
by double-clicking on the DIO icon in the VirtualBench program group.  
In Windows 95/NT 4.0, you launch VirtualBench-DIO by selecting  
Start»Programs»VirtualBench»VirtualBench DIO.  
Front Panel Features  
LED Indicator  
Port  
Control  
Hex  
Control  
Hex  
Indicator  
On/Off  
Buttons  
Write  
Control  
The front panel of VirtualBench-DIO has the following features:  
Port Control—allows you to independently assign the selected  
digital port control group to any of your device digital ports.  
LED Indicatorshows the current state of the assigned digital  
port.  
On/Off Buttonssets the digital state of the assigned digital port.  
The state of the digital port is not actually changed until the Write  
button is clicked on. These buttons only appear for ports or lines  
configured for output.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
9-1  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 9  
VirtualBench-DIO  
Hex Controlsets the digital state, in hexadecimal form, of the  
assigned digital port. The state of the digital port is not actually  
changed until the Write button is clicked on.  
Hex Indicatorshows the current state, in hexadecimal form, of  
the assigned digital port.  
Write Controlsets the assigned digital port to the state shown on  
the On/Off checkboxes or Hex Control. The Write button is  
disabled if the digital port is configured for read mode.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-DIO Online Help for additional help on the  
front panel items.  
Reading from and Writing to Digital Ports  
You can start reading from and writing to the digital ports of your  
National Instruments device with VirtualBench-DIO by following these  
steps:  
1. Configure VirtualBench-DIO.  
a. Select Settings from the Edit menu on the front panel.  
b. Click on the General tab in the DIO Settings dialog box.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
9-2  
© National Instruments Corporation  
 
Chapter 9  
VirtualBench-DIO  
c. Select the Device and SCXI Module that you want to use. The  
SCXI Module list is disabled if no SCXI modules are  
configured for the selected device. The device must be  
successfully configured in the NI-DAQ Configuration Utility  
to appear in this list.  
d. Click on the Ports tab in the DIO Settings dialog box.  
e. Select the preferred Port Direction, Inversion, and Initial  
Output State for every port in the Port list.  
f. Click on OK to use these settings.  
2. Use the Port Control to assign a digital port from your DAQ  
device to that particular port control group.  
3. Change the output state of a particular port by selecting or  
deselecting the On/Off buttons or Hex control to the preferred state  
and finally clicking on the Write button to change the port to the  
new state.  
4. Read the states displayed on the LEDs. If the port is configured as  
input, no additional settings are needed.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-DIO Online Help for additional help on  
configuring VirtualBench-DIO for your specific application.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
9-3  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
Chapter  
VirtualBench-  
Device Calibrator  
10  
In Windows 3.1x, you launch the VirtualBench-Device Calibrator by  
double-clicking on the Calibrate icon in the VirtualBench program  
group. In Windows 95/NT4.0, you launch the VirtualBench-Device  
Calibrator by selecting  
Start»Programs»VirtualBench»VirtualBench Device-Cal.  
Front Panel Features  
Device  
List  
Calibrate  
Button  
The front panel of the VirtualBench-Device Calibrator has the  
following features:  
Device Listshows all the devices installed in your computer that  
are self-calibrating, and the last calibrated date. The device must be  
successfully configured in the NI-DAQ Configuration Utility to  
appear in this list.  
Calibrate Buttonbegins the calibration process.  
You can use the VirtualBench-Device Calibrator to calibrate the  
analog input circuitry of the following DAQ devices: E-series,  
AT-MIO-16F-5, AT-MIO-64F-5, AT-MIO-16X, and PC-LPM-16.  
Special connections are not necessary; VirtualBench-Device Calibrator  
automatically accesses the calibration features of these devices.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
10-1  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Chapter 10  
Virtual Bench-Device Calibrator  
Calibrating a DAQ Device  
You can calibrate your device with VirtualBench-Device Calibrator by  
following these steps:  
1. Wait at least 15 minutes after both your computer and device are  
powered on before calibrating your device.  
2. Select the device you want to calibrate from the Device List.  
3. Click on Calibrate. Calibration of your device may take some  
time. Do not be alarmed if calibration takes up to 20 seconds.  
4. Wait for calibration to complete before using any other  
VirtualBench instrument.  
Note:  
Please refer to the VirtualBench-Device Calibrator Online Help for  
additional help on configuring VirtualBench-Device Calibrator for your  
specific application.  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
10-2  
© National Instruments Corporation  
 
Appendix  
Customer Communication  
For your convenience, this appendix contains forms to help you gather the information necessary  
to help us solve your technical problems and a form you can use to comment on the product  
documentation. When you contact us, we need the information on the Technical Support Form  
and the configuration form, if your manual contains one, about your system configuration to  
answer your questions as quickly as possible.  
National Instruments has technical assistance through electronic, fax, and telephone systems to  
quickly provide the information you need. Our electronic services include a bulletin board  
service, an FTP site, a fax-on-demand system, and e-mail support. If you have a hardware or  
software problem, first try the electronic support systems. If the information available on these  
systems does not answer your questions, we offer fax and telephone support through our technical  
support centers, which are staffed by applications engineers.  
Electronic Services  
Bulletin Board Support  
National Instruments has BBS and FTP sites dedicated for 24-hour support with a collection of  
files and documents to answer most common customer questions. From these sites, you can also  
download the latest instrument drivers, updates, and example programs. For recorded instructions  
on how to use the bulletin board and FTP services and for BBS automated information, call (512)  
795-6990. You can access these services at:  
United States: (512) 794-5422  
Up to 14,400 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity  
United Kingdom: 01635 551422  
Up to 9,600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity  
France: 01 48 65 15 59  
Up to 9,600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity  
FTP Support  
To access our FTP site, log on to our Internet host, ftp.natinst.com, as anonymousand use  
your Internet address, such as [email protected], as your password. The support files  
and documents are located in the /supportdirectories.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
A-1  
Getting Started with VirtualBench  
 
Fax-on-Demand Support  
Fax-on-Demand is a 24-hour information retrieval system containing a library of documents on a  
wide range of technical information. You can access Fax-on-Demand from a touch-tone  
telephone at (512) 418-1111.  
E-Mail Support (currently U.S. only  
)
You can submit technical support questions to the applications engineering team through e-mail  
at the Internet address listed below. Remember to include your name, address, and phone number  
so we can contact you with solutions and suggestions.  
Telephone and Fax Support  
National Instruments has branch offices all over the world. Use the list below to find the technical  
support number for your country. If there is no National Instruments office in your country,  
contact the source from which you purchased your software to obtain support.  
Telephone  
Fax  
Australia  
Austria  
02 9874 4100  
02 9874 4455  
0662 45 79 90 19  
02 757 03 11  
905 785 0086  
514 694 4399  
45 76 26 02  
09 502 2930  
01 48 14 24 14  
089 714 60 35  
2686 8505  
03 5734816  
02 41309215  
03 5472 2977  
02 596 7455  
5 520 3282  
0662 45 79 90 0  
02 757 00 20  
905 785 0085  
514 694 8521  
45 76 26 00  
09 527 2321  
01 48 14 24 24  
089 741 31 30  
2645 3186  
03 5734815  
02 413091  
03 5472 2970  
02 596 7456  
5 520 2635  
Belgium  
Canada (Ontario)  
Canada (Quebec)  
Denmark  
Finland  
France  
Germany  
Hong Kong  
Israel  
Italy  
Japan  
Korea  
Mexico  
Netherlands  
Norway  
Singapore  
Spain  
Sweden  
Switzerland  
Taiwan  
0348 433466  
32 84 84 00  
2265886  
91 640 0085  
08 730 49 70  
056 200 51 51  
02 377 1200  
01635 523545  
0348 430673  
32 84 86 00  
2265887  
91 640 0533  
08 730 43 70  
056 200 51 55  
02 737 4644  
01635 523154  
U.K.  
Technical Support Form  
Photocopy this form and update it each time you make changes to your software or hardware, and  
use the completed copy of this form as a reference for your current configuration. Completing  
this form accurately before contacting National Instruments for technical support helps our  
applications engineers answer your questions more efficiently.  
If you are using any National Instruments hardware or software products related to this problem,  
include the configuration forms from their user manuals. Include additional pages if necessary.  
Name __________________________________________________________________________  
Company _______________________________________________________________________  
Address ________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
Fax ( ___ )___________________ Phone ( ___ )________________________________________  
Computer brand________________ Model________________ Processor____________________  
Operating system (include version number) ____________________________________________  
Clock speed ______MHz RAM _____MB  
Mouse ___yes ___no Other adapters installed_______________________________________  
Hard disk capacity _____MB Brand _____________________________________________  
Display adapter ___________________________  
Instruments used _________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
National Instruments hardware product model __________ Revision ______________________  
Configuration ___________________________________________________________________  
National Instruments software product ____________________________ Version ____________  
Configuration ___________________________________________________________________  
The problem is: __________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
List any error messages: ___________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
The following steps reproduce the problem:____________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
VirtualBench Hardware and Software  
Configuration Form  
Record the settings and revisions of your hardware and software on the line to the right of each  
item. Complete a new copy of this form each time you revise your software or hardware  
configuration, and use this form as a reference for your current configuration. Completing this  
form accurately before contacting National Instruments for technical support helps our  
applications engineers answer your questions more efficiently.  
National Instruments Products  
DAQ hardware __________________________________________________________________  
Interrupt level of hardware _________________________________________________________  
DMA channels of hardware ________________________________________________________  
Base I/O address of hardware _______________________________________________________  
Programming choice ______________________________________________________________  
VirtualBench and NI-DAQ version___________________________________________________  
Other boards in system ____________________________________________________________  
Base I/O address of other boards_____________________________________________________  
DMA channels of other boards ______________________________________________________  
Interrupt level of other boards_______________________________________________________  
Other Products  
Computer make and model _________________________________________________________  
Microprocessor __________________________________________________________________  
Clock frequency or speed __________________________________________________________  
Type of video board installed _______________________________________________________  
Operating system version __________________________________________________________  
Operating system mode____________________________________________________________  
Programming language ____________________________________________________________  
Programming language version______________________________________________________  
Other boards in system ____________________________________________________________  
Base I/O address of other boards_____________________________________________________  
DMA channels of other boards ______________________________________________________  
Interrupt level of other boards_______________________________________________________  
Documentation Comment Form  
National Instruments encourages you to comment on the documentation supplied with our  
products. This information helps us provide quality products to meet your needs.  
Title:  
Getting Started with VirtualBench™  
Edition Date:  
Part Number:  
March 1997  
321518A-01  
Please comment on the completeness, clarity, and organization of the manual.  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
If you find errors in the manual, please record the page numbers and describe the errors.  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
Thank you for your help.  
Name __________________________________________________________________________  
Title ___________________________________________________________________________  
Company _______________________________________________________________________  
Address ________________________________________________________________________  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
Phone ( ___ )__________________________ Fax ( ___ ) ________________________________  
Mail to: Technical Publications  
National Instruments Corporation  
Fax to: Technical Publications  
National Instruments Corporation  
(512) 794-5678  
6504 Bridge Point Parkway  
Austin, TX 78730-5039  

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