March 2017
This document contains information to introduce you to the LabVIEW 2017 SoftMotion Module including installation information, a list of changes in this version of SoftMotion, and information about known issues for this version of SoftMotion.
NI Software Support for Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003
Automating the Installation of NI Products
The LabVIEW SoftMotion Module allows you to use the LabVIEW project to configure and test your motion axis settings, tune your servo motors, program deterministic motion profiles, create custom motion applications, and simulate your designs created in SOLIDWORKS.
Note Refer to the SoftMotion Selection Guide for a description of the different SoftMotion Module packages available.
You can run the LabVIEW 2017 SoftMotion Module installer on the following operating systems:
The LabVIEW SoftMotion Module runs as a 32-bit application on all operating systems.
Note Support for Windows Server 2003 R2 may require disabling physical address extensions (PAE). To learn how this might affect your use of Windows Server 2003 and what actions you might have to take, visit ni.com/info and enter the info code PAESupport.
The LabVIEW 2017 SoftMotion Module does not support Windows 2000/NT/Me/98/95, Windows XP x64, or the Windows Server non-R2 editions.
To run the LabVIEW SoftMotion Module, National Instruments recommends that your system meet the following requirements in addition to the minimum requirements for the LabVIEW Development System for Windows:
The LabVIEW 2017 SoftMotion Module is compatible with the following National Instruments software.
Note To use SoftMotion for SOLIDWORKS you must have SOLIDWORKS 2009 SP2.1 or later.
You can install all of your LabVIEW products—including the LabVIEW 2017 SoftMotion Module—using the LabVIEW 2017 Platform DVDs. Refer to the LabVIEW Installation Guide on the LabVIEW Platform DVD 1 for installation instructions and system requirements.
To request additional LabVIEW 2017 Platform DVDs, refer to the National Instruments Web site at ni.com.
Note If you purchased this product with an NI Software Suite or NI Product Bundle, use the installation media that shipped with your purchase to install this product.
National Instruments releases critical software updates after product release using the NI Update Service. Visit ni.com/info and enter updates to view a list of all currently available updates.
National Instruments provides notification of certain critical issues at install time. Visit ni.com/info and enter notifications to view a list of current product notifications.
The LabVIEW SoftMotion Module relies on licensing activation. After the evaluation period for SoftMotion Module expires, you must activate a valid license before you can run the full version of the software. To activate the SoftMotion Module, use the serial number you received as part of your installation package.
If the LabVIEW SoftMotion Module is not activated and the evaluation period expires, the product will have restricted functionality. Refer to the SoftMotion Selection Guide for a description of the different SoftMotion Module packages available.
Refer to the Activation Instructions for National Instruments Software for more information about licensing activation.
LabVIEW 2017 SoftMotion Module is fully supported on LabVIEW 2017.
Added support for Real-Time CompactDAQ controllers, Industrial Smart Cameras, and Industrial Controllers. Refer to the National Instruments Website for a complete list of supported real-time controllers.
Since the release of the LabVIEW 2016 SoftMotion Module, several SDI plug-ins for third-party EtherCAT motor drives have been released on the LabVIEW Tools Network. To learn more about SDI or download plug-ins, visit the National Instruments Website.
Refer to the National Instruments Website for an up-to-date list of all bug fixes in this release.
To use the updates and features included in the LabVIEW 2017 SoftMotion Module, you must install the LabVIEW 2017 SoftMotion Module software on the LabVIEW Real-Time target system using Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX). NI recommends reformatting your LabVIEW Real-Time target and installing the latest recommended software set when upgrading LabVIEW and the LabVIEW SoftMotion Module.
Refer to the LabVIEW Help, accessible by selecting Help»LabVIEW Help from the pull-down menu in LabVIEW, for information about SoftMotion Module concepts, using SoftMotion, step-by-step instructions using the LabVIEW SoftMotion Module, and reference information about SoftMotion VIs and functions.
LabVIEW examples for the SoftMotion Module can be found in the Example Finder (at Help > Find Examples) in two different directories: the Hardware Input and Output\Motion Control\SoftMotion folder and the Toolkits and Modules\SoftMotion folder. The examples are grouped into three primary categories:
The Getting Started Guides contain detailed information for setting up and configuring specific SoftMotion hardware. Visit the Resources tab on the product page at ni.com to find a Getting Started Guide for your hardware. In LabVIEW 2014 SP1 SoftMotion Module and later, the examples for the NI 9502, 9503, and 9503 drive modules were converted to Sample Projects. These can be found in the Create Project menu in LabVIEW.
You can access the software and documentation known issues list online. Refer to the National Instruments Web site for an up-to-date list of known issues in this release.
LabVIEW SoftMotion Module will drop support for Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 as of July 1, 2016. Versions of LabVIEW SoftMotion Module that ship after July 1, 2016 will not install or run on Windows Vista, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003. For detailed information about NI application software product life cycles, visit ni.com/info and enter one of the following Info Codes:
| Product | Info Code |
| NI LabVIEW | lifecycle |
| NI LabWindowsT/CVIT | cvi_lifecycle |
| NI Measurement Studio | mstudiolifecycle |
| NI TestStand | tslcp |
| NI DIAdem | ddlcp |
| NI SignalExpress | selcp |
| NI VeriStand | nivslifecycle |
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 4.6.2, 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 4.6.2 separately before you install NI software.
For more information, refer to the following KnowledgeBase articles:
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