How to build a Labview driver for a USB device?

[Corneliu]

I have purchased a USB Hall probe (a device that measures magnetic fields) and now I need to build a LabVIEW driver for it (the company that sells this device did not build drivers for it, to keep the price down I suppose). The USB device does come with an operating software, but what I need is to control the device using LabVIEW. I have some experience with LabVIEW, but none with building drivers. I don´t really know where to start, so any advice would be helpful.

[Tim_W.]

To do USB in LabVIEW you'll want to get the NI-VISA driver. After you've got VISA, check out a few examples: 

USB Instrument Control Tutorial

Six Things You Need to Know about USB Instrument Control

There are also examples built in to LabVIEW (under Help>>Find Examples to open the NI Example Finder, then under Hardware Input and Output>>VISA)

Tim W.

Applications Engineering

National Instruments

http://www.ni.com/support 

[Broken_Arrow]

You might also contact the manufacturer and ask if they have an SDK, or ask questions about the protocol. You can often just use the USB INSTR Class and write / receive commands to the USB device similar to RS232 serial. If Task Manager recognizes the device without using their proprietary software, then your chances are even better.

[SnowMule]

First step is to see how it talks to their software.  Does it enumerate as a virtual COM port?  Poke around in Device Manager and MAX. 

Can also use a tool like SnoopyPro or Portmon to sniff USB or serial communications while controlling the device using their software.  Always good to know how the manufacturer talks to it before you dive in writing your own drivers.

[Broken_Arrow]

Good points SnowMule. BTW, when I said "Task Manager", I meant to say "Device Manager".

SDK's, even if written in barbaric languages of yesteryear like C, can still get you a long way, just by reading the cryptic cave texts, even if you don't know C.

[manolito]

Could you tell me wich are the principles to build a driver for a device that I want to control through labView.

More precisely, it is a AX-18A Smart Robotic Arm.

Thank you.

manolo