LabView... finally?

Post date: Nov 19, 2017 6:49:27 PM

The major part of the researchers working in labs around the world is using (or has used in the past) programs made with LabView to characterize physical properties of samples.

Everyone is a user but much less are programmers, able to develop apps for new experiments.

Now I am facing this reality. I have always been a LabView user working with many kind of programs, but I have never had the occasion (or the need) to look, and make my hands dirty with the so-called LabView "block diagram".

Now this need has come! Developing my own experiment I found my self in the need to create also a dedicated program, making me able to "talk" with several kind of instruments, and to record their data.

I should tell... it is not easy!

Actually LabView is very user friendly, with a useful and powerful Help Tool and with a visual and comprehensible interface.

Nevertheless as often in these cases, there is an activation barrier which is very time consuming.

The last 2-3 weeks have been intense, but fun I should say. Now I feel myself more confident on programming with LabView.

The result is that the first block of the program for my experiment is now completed.

It needs some minor refinements of course, but is ready to work. I will use it for the temperature control of the experiment, which one of the most important features to be able to tune.

Now I am facing another common "beast" the PID control. Let's see how it goes.