NI-VNA 17.5 Readme

January 2018


Thank you for using NI-VNA. This file contains important information about NI-VNA and is organized into the following sections:


New Features

Supported Hardware

System Requirements

Installed Software, Documentation, and Examples

Documentation

Accessing VIs and Functions

Finding Examples

Product Security and Critical Updates

Driver Version Naming Changes

Uninstalling NI-VNA

IVI Compliance Functionality

Known Issues

Automating the Installation of NI Products

Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 10

Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 8.1

Legal Information


New Features

NI-VNA 17.5 includes the following new features:


  • Removes dependency on .NET 2.0

NI-VNA 17.0 includes the following new features:


  • Adds support for LabVIEW 2017 (32- and 64-bit)
  • Removes support for LabVIEW 2013

NI-VNA 16.0 includes the following new features:


  • Adds support for LabVIEW 2016 (32- and 64-bit)
  • Removes support for LabVIEW 2012

NI-VNA 15.0 includes the following new features:


  • Adds support for LabVIEW 2015 (32- and 64-bit)
  • Removes support for LabVIEW 2011

NI-VNA 14.0 includes the following new features:


  • Adds support for LabVIEW 2014 (32- and 64-bit)
  • Adds support for output triggers
  • Adds support for loading sweep settings from a configuration file

Supported Hardware

The following hardware products are supported in all operating systems listed in the Supported Operating Systems section.


  • PXIe-5630 Vector Network Analyzer
  • PXIe-5632 Vector Network Analyzer

Device-specific information about these modules is included in the NI Vector Network Analyzers Help.


System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems

NI-VNA 17.5 supports the following operating systems:


  • Windows 10/8.11/7 SP12 (32-bit and 64-bit)
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 SP11 (64-bit)

1 NI software installs VC2015 Runtime and .NET 4.6.1. Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 require Microsoft updates to support these items. Refer to Microsoft KB2919442 and KB2919355 for more information about how to install these updates.


2 NI software is signed with a SHA-256 certificate. Windows 7 SP1 requires Microsoft updates to support SHA-256. Refer to Microsoft KB3033929 for more information about how to install this security update.


Note:  NI-VNA 17.5 does not support Windows Server non-R2 editions.


Note  In 2016, the NI-VNA dropped support for Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and installations of Windows 7 without any service packs. The NI-VNA will not install or run on an unsupported OS. You cannot deploy or distribute applications that use the NI-VNA to an unsupported OS. Additionally, after installing the NI-VNA, you cannot use any installers built on this computer with any version of LabVIEW, LabWindows™/CVI™, NI TestStand™, or Measurement Studio on an unsupported OS.


For more information about the changes to our OS support for 2016, refer to KB 79UC78LS, Why Does my LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, Measurement Studio, or TestStand Built Installer Fail on Windows XP/Vista and Server 2003?.


NI recommends that you have the most recent service pack for your operating system installed.


Minimum System Requirements

  • Processor—1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
  • RAM—1 GB RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
  • A screen resolution of 1,024 x 768
  • Windows 10/8.1/7, with all available critical updates and service packs

Application Development Environments (ADEs)

Note  You should install ADEs, such as NI LabVIEW, NI LabWindows™/CVI™ or Microsoft Visual Studio®, before installing NI-VNA. To add support for ADEs installed after installing NI-VNA, modify your NI-VNA installation or launch the NI-VNA installer again.


  • NI LabVIEW 2014 SP1, 2015 SP1, 2016, or 2017
  • LabWindows/CVI 9.0.1 or later
  • Microsoft Visual C++ (MSVC) 6.0 or later

Installed Software, Documentation, and Examples

Installed Software

  • <NIDocDir> is an alias for the following National Instruments file folder location: Users\Public\Public Documents\National Instruments
  • <IVIROOTDIR32> is an alias for the following National Instruments file folder location:
    • (32-bit) Program Files\IVI Foundation\IVI\
    • (64-bit) Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\IVI\
      Note $(IVIROOTDIR32) is configured as an environment variable on the target system.
      If you upgraded an installation of IVI, your files may be located in the following location:
      • (32-bit) Program Files\IVI\
      • (64-bit) Program Files (x86)\IVI\
  • <IVIROOTDIR64> is an alias for the following National Instruments file folder location:
    • (64-bit) Program Files\IVI Foundation\IVI\
      Note $(IVIROOTDIR64) is configured as an environment variable on the target system.

File Locations

Item Installed Location
NI-VNA <IVIROOTDIR32>\Drivers\niVNA
NI-VNA Function Panel <IVIROOTDIR32>\Drivers\niVNA\niVNA.fp
NI-VNA Examples <NIDocDir>\niVNA\Examples
NI-VNA Header files <IVIROOTDIR32>\Include
NI-VNA Import Library files (32-bit) <IVIROOTDIR32>\Lib
NI-VNA Import Library files (64-bit) <IVIROOTDIR32>\Lib_x64
NI-VNA DLL (32-bit) <IVIROOTDIR32>\Bin

Additional File Locations for 64-bit Operating Systems

Item Installed Location
NI-VNA Function Panel <IVIROOTDIR64>\Drivers\niVNA\niVNA.fp
NI-VNA Header files <IVIROOTDIR64>\Include
NI-VNA Import Library files (64-bit) <IVIROOTDIR64>\Lib_x64
NI-VNA DLL (64-bit) <IVIROOTDIR64>\Bin

Documentation

Documentation for NI-VNA is located at Start»All Programs»National Instruments»NI-VNA»Documentation. The documentation set is composed of the following documents.


Document Format Description
NI Vector Network Analyzers Help HTML/Windows Help Contains primary help content for NI RF vector network analyzers. The help is an HTML version of a traditional user manual that includes the following information:
  • An introduction to fundamental RF vector network analyzer concepts
  • Hardware device information
  • How to get started with application development
  • A complete reference for all NI-VNA programming functions and VIs
Getting started guide for your device Printed and PDF Contains software and hardware installation, MAX configuration, signal connection, and troubleshooting information for your device.
Specifications for your device PDF Lists technical specifications for your device.
Calibration procedures for your device PDF Contains calibration instructions for your device.
NI-VNA Readme HTML (this document) Contains information about supported hardware and operating systems, new features, fixed issues, and legal notices.
Introduction to niVNA HTML Contains information about driver documentation, examples, connecting to your instrument, configuring instrument settings, and known issues.
NI-VNA IVI Compliance Document TXT Contains information about IVI compliance.

For the most recent revisions of documentation and for newly released documentation, visit ni.com/manuals.


Note  To view PDFs, you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. You can install the viewer from www.adobe.com/acrobat.


Accessing VIs and Functions

NI–VNA palette VIs are available from the Functions»Measurement I/O»NI–VNA palette.


NI–VNA functions are available in LabWindows/CVI from the Instrument menu. To load the NI–VNA function panel (.fp), select Instrument»Load, and navigate to IVI\Drivers\niVNA\niVNA.fp.


Finding Examples

In LabVIEW, you can use the NI Example Finder to search or browse examples. NI–VNA examples are classified by keyword, so you can search for a particular device or measurement function. In LabVIEW, select Help»Find Examples to launch the NI Example Finder. The NI Example Finder offers two ways to access all installed LabVIEW example VIs and their descriptions:


  • Click the Browse tab to locate examples by task at Hardware Input and Output»Modular Instruments»NI–VNA or by directory structure at instr»niVNA.
  • Click the Search tab to search all installed examples by keyword. For example, search for "VNA" to locate all NI RF vector network analyzer examples.

The NI Example Finder is also available in LabWindows/CVI by selecting Help»Find Examples.


You can also access all the installed NI–VNA examples for LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI at Start»All Programs»National Instruments»NI–VNA»Examples.


Product Security and Critical Updates

Visit ni.com/security to view and subscribe to receive security notifications about National Instruments products. Visit ni.com/critical-updates for information about critical updates from National Instruments.


Driver Version Naming Changes

NI-VNA versions are now aligned with the versions of major NI application software products. This alignment gives you information about the year the driver was released and the most recent software version the driver was designed to work with. Driver versions now start with a two-digit year indicator: <ProductName><Year-BasedVersion>. For example, NI-VNA 14.0 is the version released with LabVIEW 2014. The last version released under the old numbering scheme is NI-VNA 2.0.1. The first version released under the new numbering scheme is NI-VNA 14.0.


Uninstalling NI-VNA

As part of the NI-VNA 17.5 installation, the following software is installed. To completely remove the NI-VNA 17.5 installation from your system, you must also remove all of the following packages:


  • NI Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) 17.5
  • NI-VISA Run-Time Engine 17.5

Caution  Several of the software packages listed above are shared with other NI software packages. If you attempt to remove a piece of software that something else is dependent on, a message launches to warn you about the software dependencies. You can choose to either uninstall all of the software or to leave the shared software installed. If you choose to uninstall the shared software, some of your other NI software may no longer function correctly.


Note  Do not attempt to uninstall by manually deleting files.


IVI Compliance Functionality

NI-VNA 17.5 no longer installs IVI Compliance Package. NI-VNA 17.5 supports IVI configuration and runtime, but no longer supports the following features:


  • LabVIEW and SVI IVI class driver APIs for developing IVI interchangable applications.
  • IVI Class Simulation Drivers.
  • IVI-COM Adapters.
  • If you want to the above features, you must install IVI Compliance Package separately, either from ni.com/downloads or from the NI Device Drivers 2017 DVD.


    Known Issues

    You can access the software and documentation known issues list online. Refer to the NI-VNA 17.5 Known Issues at ni.com for an up-to-date list of known issues in NI-VNA 17.5.


    Licenses and Notices

    NI-VNA contains third-party software for which the following licenses and notices apply:


    Automating the Installation of NI Products

    You can automate the installation of most NI products using command-line arguments to suppress some or all of the installer user interface and dialog boxes. However, starting with the August 2012 releases (products using NI Installers version 3.1 or later), you may need to perform additional steps before or during a silent installation of NI software.


    If the NI product you are installing uses Microsoft .NET 4.0, the .NET installer may run before any NI software installs and may require a reboot before the installation of NI software begins. To avoid a .NET reboot, install .NET 4.0 separately before you install NI software.


    For more information about automating the installation of NI products, refer to the following KnowledgeBase articles:


    Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 10

    Microsoft Windows 10 is the latest version of the Windows operating system and features significant changes compared to previous versions. Windows 10 introduces several new capabilities and also combines features from both Windows 7 and Windows 8. For more information about NI support for Windows 10, visit ni.com/windows10.


    Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 8.1

    When you install National Instruments software on Microsoft Windows 8.1, you will notice a few additional tiles in the Apps view, including shortcuts to NI application software products such as NI LabVIEW, Measurement & Automation Explorer (NI MAX), and NI Launcher. For more information about NI support for Windows 8.1, visit ni.com/windows8.



    Legal Information

    Copyright


    © 2010–2018 National Instruments. All rights reserved.


    Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National Instruments Corporation.


    NI respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask our users to do the same. NI software is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Where NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials belonging to others, you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you may reproduce in accordance with the terms of any applicable license or other legal restriction.


    End-User License Agreements and Third-Party Legal Notices


    You can find end-user license agreements (EULAs) and third-party legal notices in the following locations after installation:


    • Notices are located in the <National Instruments>\_Legal Information and <National Instruments> directories.
    • EULAs are located in the <National Instruments>\Shared\MDF\Legal\license directory.
    • Review <National Instruments>\_Legal Information.txt for information on including legal information in installers built with NI products.

    U.S. Government Restricted Rights


    If you are an agency, department, or other entity of the United States Government ("Government"), the use, duplication, reproduction, release, modification, disclosure or transfer of the technical data included in this manual is governed by the Restricted Rights provisions under Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.227-14 for civilian agencies and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement Section 252.227-7014 and 252.227-7015 for military agencies.


    IVI Foundation Copyright Notice


    Content from the IVI specifications reproduced with permission from the IVI Foundation.


    The IVI Foundation and its member companies make no warranty of any kind with regard to this material, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The IVI Foundation and its member companies shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material.


    Trademarks


    Refer to the NI Trademarks and Logo Guidelines at ni.com/trademarks for information on NI trademarks. Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.


    Patents


    For patents covering the NI products/technology, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your media, or the NI Patent Notice at ni.com/patents.


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