May 2017
This file contains important information about NI-DCPower, including installation instructions, new features, a partial list of bugs fixed for NI-DCPower 17.0, and known issues.
If you plan to use LabVIEW NXG, refer to LabVIEW NXG Support and Considerations.
Product Security and Critical Updates
IVI Compliance Package Functionality
Automating the Installation of NI Products
Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 10
Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 8.1
LabVIEW NXG Support and Considerations
You can use NI-DCPower to control programmable power supplies and source measure units (SMUs).
NI-DCPower supports the following operating systems:
Note In 2016 NI-DCPower dropped support for Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and installations of Windows 7 without any service packs. NI-DCPower 17.0 will not install or run on an unsupported OS. You cannot deploy or distribute applications that use NI-DCPower 17.0 to an unsupported OS. Additionally, after installing NI-DCPower 17.0, 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?.
Note Support for Windows 32-bit operating systems may require disabling physical address extension (PAE). To learn how this might affect your system and what actions you might need to take, visit ni.com/info and enter the Info Code PAESupport.
1 NI software installs VC2015 Runtime and .NET 4.6.2. 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, Windows Embedded Standard 7 SP1, and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 require Microsoft updates to support SHA-256. Refer to Microsoft KB3033929 for more information about how to install this security update.
NI-DCPower supports the following application software versions, including service packs. If you are not using NI application software, refer to Microsoft Visual Studio Support.
| Application Software | Versions Supported by NI-DCPower |
|---|---|
| LabVIEW | 2014 SP1 (32-bit), 2014 SP1 (64-bit), 2015 SP1 (32-bit), 2015 SP1 (64-bit), 2016 (32-bit), 2016 (64-bit), or 2017 |
| LabVIEW Real-Time Module | 2014 SP1, 2015 SP1, 2016, or 2017 |
| LabWindows™/CVI™ | 2012 and later |
| LabWindows/CVI Real-Time Module | 2012 and later |
If you are using the NI-DCPower .NET Class Library, the .NET Framework 4.0 (minimum) is required. The NI-DCPower .NET Class Library can be used with the Visual C# or Visual Basic .NET programming languages in any Visual Studio version that can target the .NET Framework 4.0 or the .NET Framework 4.5.
Visit ni.com/security to view and subscribe to receive security notifications about NI products. Visit ni.com/critical-updates for information about critical updates from NI.
NI-DCPower 17.0:
NI-DCPower 16.0.1:
NI-DCPower 16.0:
NI-DCPower 15.2:
NI-DCPower 15.1:
NI-DCPower 15.0:
NI-DCPower 14.1:
NI-DCPower 14.0:
The following list details the hardware models supported in NI-DCPower 17.0.
PXI Programmable Power Supply
PXI Source Measure Unit
You can access the software and documentation known issues list online. Refer to the NI website for an up-to-date list of known issues in NI-DCPower 17.0.
The following items are the IDs and titles of a subset of issues fixed in NI-DCPower. This is not an exhaustive list of issues fixed in the current version of NI-DCPower. If you have a CAR ID, you can search this list to validate that the issue has been fixed.
The following items are changes in NI-DCPower 15.2 from NI-DCPower 15.1.
| ID | Fixed Issue |
|---|---|
| 522999 | Added support for monitoring SFP Debug Driver Sessions when sequencing. |
The following items are changes in NI-DCPower 14.1.2 from NI-DCPower 14.1.1.
| ID | Fixed Issue |
|---|---|
| 519695 | Fixed an issue in which NI-DCPower Self Calibrate could cause a voltage and current measurement offset on the PXIe-4138/4139. |
The following items are changes in NI-DCPower 14.1.1 from NI-DCPower 14.1.
| ID | Fixed Issue |
|---|---|
| 501023 | A hardware error in an NI-DCPower device no longer causes other devices in the system to fail to initialize properly. |
The following items are changes in NI-DCPower 14.1 from NI-DCPower 1.9.
| ID | Fixed Issue |
|---|---|
| 450955 | Running short sequences (three or fewer steps) or quickly aborting a sequence no longer occasionally returns an error. |
| 405305 | Fixed an issue with the PXIe-414x in which calling the niDCPower Configure Output Enabled VI after outputting a sequence of currents returned an error if you set nondefault current ranges. You can now set nondefault current ranges under these circumstances. |
Refer to the NI DC Power Supplies and SMUs Help, accessible from the Start menu under National Instruments and NI-DCPower Documentation, for information about NI-DCPower.
In LabVIEW, you can use the NI Example Finder to search or browse examples. NI–DCPower 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 (including NI–DCPower examples) and their descriptions:
The NI Example Finder is also available in LabWindows/CVI by selecting Help»Find Examples.
You can also access all the installed NI–DCPower examples for LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI at Start»All Programs»National Instruments»NI-DCPower»Examples .
Examples also are available online that demonstrate NI-DCPower functionality. Refer to ni.com/examples for these examples and for more information.
NI-DCPower no longer installs IVI Compliance Package. NI-DCPower supports IVI configuration and runtime, but no longer supports the following features:
If you want to use the above features, you must install IVI Compliance Package separately, either from ni.com/downloads or from the NI Device Drivers 2017 DVD.
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.
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:
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.
When you install NI 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.
The following sections detail considerations for using LabVIEW NXG with NI-DCPower.
Software support for LabVIEW NXG differs in the following ways:
PXI Programmable Power Supply
PXI Source Measure Unit
NI automates LabVIEW NXG installation using a package manager. Complete the following steps to install NI-DCPower for LabVIEW NXG.
View context help in LabVIEW by pressing <Ctrl-H> and hovering over an object.
Search for items using the search bar in the upper right corner of the LabVIEW window. You can also view context help for the search results.
Additional documentation is available online at ni.com/manuals.
Launch LabVIEW and click the Learning tab.
LabVIEW lessons are located in the Lessons tab, and LabVIEW Examples are located in the Examples tab. Follow the instructions in the lessons and examples.
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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:
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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