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Can I Have NI-488.2 and NI-Device on the Same Computer?

Primary Software: Driver Software>>NI-488.2
Primary Software Version: N/A
Primary Software Fixed Version: N/A
Secondary Software: Driver Software>>NI-Device

Problem:
I want one GPIB interface to simulate a GPIB instrument, and the other to control it. Can I have NI-488.2 and NI-Device on the same computer?

Solution:
If you have NI-488.2 2.0 or above, as well as NI-Device 1.4 or above, you may use the GPIB Driver Selection Utility. The GPIB Driver Selection Utility is available though the NI-Device folder in your start menu if you have NI-Device 1.5 or later installed. If you have NI-Device 1.4, you may download the attached zip file below and extract the contents to your ...\Program Files\National Instruments directory.

For other NI-488.2 and NI-Device combinations, read on. If you already associated the GPIB interface with NI-488.2, go to the Device Manager and remove the GPIB interface under National Instruments GPIB Interfaces. Physically remove all GPIB interfaces, install NI-Device, and skip to step 2. Otherwise, start at step 1.
  1. Install both NI-488.2 and NI-Device with no hardware in the system.

  2. Move the nigpib.inf file from the <windows>/inf into a temporary directory, where <windows> is the winnt or windows directory, depending on your operating system.

  3. Shut down the computer and install one GPIB interface.

  4. Restart the computer. After the GPIB interface is detected, switch the nidevice.inf and nigpib.inf files.

  5. Shut down the computer and install the other GPIB interface (any type supported by NI-488.2 for your operating system).

  6. Restart the computer and add the new hardware if appropriate. If it is a plug and play interface, NI-488.2 detects it automatically.

  7. You should be able to use NI-Device and NI-488.2 concurrently. Do not remove any hardware from the Device Manager. Place both .inf files in the inf directory so they do not get lost.
NI-Device essentially requires that NI-488.2 not be installed, but because the files do not interact with each other, keeping NI-488.2 on the computer is not a problem. The problem is with how Windows allocates the resources on your computer based on the .inf file in c:\windows\inf.

Note: When NI-Device is associated with your hardware, you no longer see it under Measurement & Automation Explorer.

Related Links:
Drivers and Updates: GPIB Driver Versions for Microsoft Windows and DOS
Developer Zone Tutorial: NI-Device: The Other Side of the GPIB Cable
KnowledgeBase 2BHDDVXY: What Is NI-Device and When Should I Use It?

Attachments:


GPIBdriverSel.zip

Report Date: 02/13/2002
Last Updated: 08/04/2007
Document ID: 2ICE47YY

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