LabVIEW BASIC 1 training for test engineers

LabVIEW Basic 1

Overview
The LabVIEW BASIC 1 course introduces the LabVIEW environment, its features, dataflow programming, and common LabVIEW architectures. This course is the fastest way to become productive with LabVIEW. It prepares you to develop test and measurement, data acquisition, instrument control, data logging, and measurement analysis applications using LabVIEW. At the end of LabVIEW BASIC 1, you can create applications using a state machine design pattern to acquire, process, display, and store real-world data. The hands-on format of the course enables you to quickly apply skills learned in the course to your application.

Duration
Classroom: Three (3) Days

Audience

• New users and users preparing to develop applications using LabVIEW or NI Developer Suite
•  Users and technical managers evaluating LabVIEW or NI Developer Suite in purchasing decisions
• Users pursuing the Certified LabVIEW Associate  Developer certification

Prerequisites

• Experience with Microsoft Windows
• Experience writing algorithms in the form of flowcharts or block diagrams

NI Products Used During the Course

•  LabVIEW Professional Development System
•  NI Data Acquisition device
•  IEEE 488.2 (GPIB) board
•  NI Instrument Simulator
•  DAQ Signal Accessory

After attending this course, you will be able to:

•  Use LabVIEW to create data acquisition, analysis, and display applications
•  Create user interfaces with charts, graphs and buttons
•  Use the programming structures and data types that exist in LabVIEW
•  Use common design techniques and the state machine design pattern in your applications
•  Use various editing and debugging techniques
• Create and save VIs for use as subVIs
• Read and write your data to files
• Create applications that use plug-in data acquisition (DAQ) boards
• Create applications that use GPIB and serial port instruments

Suggested Next Courses

• LabVIEW Core 2
• Data Acquisition and Signal Conditioning
• LabVIEW Instrument Control
• LabVIEW Real-Time Application Development
• LabVIEW FPGA
• Other hardware courses

---

LabVIEW Core 1 Course Outline
Day 1
Setting Up Hardware
This lesson describes the basics of DAQ, GPIB, and serial hardware and the configuration of hardware in the Measurement & Automation Explorer. Topics include:

• DAQ hardware
• DAQ software
• Instrument control
• GPIB and serial port communication
• Using instrument control software

Navigating LabVIEW
This lesson introduces the LabVIEW environment. In this lesson, you will build a LabVIEW application that enables you to fully explore the environment and that acquires, analyzes and presents data. Topics include:

• The LabVIEW environment including windows, menus, and tools
• The LabVIEW front panel and block diagram
• Creating and using LabVIEW projects
• Understanding the dataflow programming model of LabVIEW
• Searching for Controls, VIs, and functions

Troubleshooting and Debugging VIs
This lesson teaches various debugging and errorchecking techniques in LabVIEW to identify problems with block diagram organization or with data passing between different points in the block diagram.Topics include:

• Using the LabVIEW help features include the Context Help, the LabVIEW Help and the Example Finder
• Correcting broken VIs
• Using common debugging techniques
• Addressing undefined or unexpected data
• Implementing error checking and error handling

---

Day 2
Implementing a VI
This lesson teaches how to implement code in LabVIEW to meet project requirements. Topics include

• Designing a user interface (LabVIEW front panel)
• Choosing data types and displaying data as a plot
• Using structures like the While loops and For loops
• Adding software timing to your code
• Making decisions in your code using case structures
• Documenting your code

Relating Data
This lesson introduces data types that combine data into a single structure and when their use can optimize applications. Topics include:

• Creating and using array controls and indicators
• Implementing cluster controls and indicators
• Using type definitions to define custom controls for applications

Managing Resources
This lesson teaches how to store data, implement a basic DAQ application using the DAQmx API, and control stand-alone instruments with the VISA API and instrument drivers in LabVIEW. Topics include:

• An introduction to different file formats
• Implementing File I/O functions to read and write data to files
• Programming with the DAQmx API
• Programming with the VISA API
• Programming with instrument drivers

---

Day 3
Developing Modular Applications
This lesson introduces modular programming in LabVIEW. In LabVIEW, when a VI is used within another VI, it is called a subVI. You will learn how to build the icon and connector pane of a VI so that it can be used as a subVI. Topics include:

• Basics of modular programming
• Creating an icon and connector pane
• Using a VI as a subVI
• Creating subVIs from an existing VI

Common Design Techniques and Patterns
This lesson introduces common LabVIEW design techniques and the state machine design pattern. Topics include:

• Sequential programming
• State programming
• State machine design pattern

Using Variables
This lesson explains how to use variables to transfer data among multiple loops and VIs. You will also learn about the programming issues involved when using variables and how to overcome these challenges. Topics include:

• Using local, global, and single process shared variables
• Implementing functional global variables
• Identifying and controlling race conditions – semaphores