Port and Memory Utilities for Windows

These files allow a user to call In Port and Out Port from Windows 98/95/NT. The In Port and Out Port VIs in LabVIEW 7.x support Windows 2000/XP. Their only limitation is that the memory range that they can access is smaller (I16 versus U32). These utilities can still be installed in Windows 2000/XP if the added functionality is desired. There are also functions to read or write physical memory. The zip file below contains an installer that installs two LabVIEW libraries of 12 VIs each, a CVI DLL, the CVI run-time engine (RTE) (with the low level system driver), and the source file. There are separate libraries for LabVIEW 4.x and 5.x. The 5.x VIs are marked as thread-safe.

In Port.vi and Out Port.vi are direct replacements for the standard LabVIEW In Port and Out Port. There are also VIs for reading and writing physical memory. However, these use an intermediate DLL, AccessHW.DLL, which in turn calls the CVI RTE. Consequently, this DLL must be in the same directory as the VIs. Also attached is a C example that uses these functions.

To Install the AccessHW Libraries for LabVIEW 7.1:

1. Unzip AccessHW.zip and run Setup.exe
2. For the AccessHW directory select: C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW 7.1\user.lib\AccessHW
(Make sure this is the same for your system)
3. After installation completes go to C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW 7.1\user.lib\AccessHW
4. Delete AccessHW_LV4.llb
5. Start LabVIEW, and on the User Libraries pallet you will find a functions pallet titled AccessHW that contains the AccessHW VIs

Note: The application can be installed anywhere, but the AccessHW_LV5.llb and AccessHW.dll must be copied to the
C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW 7.1\user.lib\AccessHW
directory for the VIs to appear on the functions pallet.

Requirements

Filename: accesshw.zip

Software Requirements

Application Software: LabWindows/CVI Full Development System 5.0, LabVIEW Full Development System 4.1
Language(s): LabVIEW, C

Hardware Requirements

Hardware Group: Multifunction DAQ (MIO)

Reader Comments | Submit a comment »

Recommendation
It's probably a good idea to have Administrator prvileges when installing this. Installing a kernel device driver is a protected operation that only a local administrator is allowed to do, for very good reasons.
- Rolf Kalbermatter, CIT Engineering Nederland BV. rolf.kalbermatter@citengineering.com - Nov 22, 2007

It worked with Windows XP SP2
It worked for me with Windows XP SP2 and Labview 5.1 It was an older software for axis movement (owis ISA CARD PC-SM30.
- Oct 5, 2006

It really works on XP
Just leave all the files in the ...user.lib directory.
- Sep 16, 2005

We have used the utility for stepmotor controlling !!
- Lars, Lanoe Electronics. lars@lanoe.dk - Jan 28, 2005

It doesn't work well for LV 7
In Port and Out Port in LV 7 work only if you use them only one time. For ex., a simple program that reads the keyboard buffer (X60) for displaying the code of the key, when included in a while loop blocks completely the PC: no operation is possible more and you must reset the computer. The same is obviously true also for other memory address (for ex. the input register of the parallel port). Any suggestion?
- Francesco Festi, ITI . ffesti@hotmail.com - Dec 1, 2004

Not working with LV6i and XP
There are no errors when it uses the CVIRTE.DLL so it must be something further down the line, i.e. the "cvintdrv" service. It doesn't seem to be possible to find out for sure if it's loaded properly or not on XP. Yech. Toy OS's. The memory read VI seems to work though because I get the port address for COM1 when I use it to look at 0x400. I'm hoping upgrading to LV7 will help.
- David Sawford, Cambridge University. dws@mrao.cam.ac.uk - Nov 1, 2004

It works for me with XP
The Out Port.VI and In Port.VI works on my machine with Windows XP
- andreisr@yahoo.com.br - Sep 19, 2004

Works OK: LV6i / WinXP
- Steve G, UNC CH. - Jul 30, 2004

It Works with 6.1
I proved with ver. 6.1 and work perfect.I use it with 378h base adress for xp pro. just use the same process described by NI.
- vladimir Aragón, UAO. ba1005142@cuao.edu.co - May 29, 2004

Si funciona para XP pro
Instale el driver para win xp pro,y funciona correctamente con in/out port. (Particularmente con el puerto de la impresora).
- Vladimir Aragon, Universidad Autonoma de Occidente. vladimirAragon@universia.net.co - May 29, 2004

Doesn't works
The AccessHW_LV5.lib *does* seem to work with LV6.1 and XP Pro. (I'm using In Port, Out Port, and ReadFromMem16.vi to configure and read printer ports.) However, we really do need NI to update this documentation to confirm that they approve this combination in production code.
- Apr 29, 2004

Don't Work!
This Program doesn't work with LabView 6.0i and Windows XP. I do the procedure exactly you explain but i still observe the Capacity not Supported Message.
- Rodriguez, Engineering. - Apr 10, 2004

It works!
For me, worked with WinXP.
- celsocos@yahoo.com - Mar 11, 2004

why doesn't NI just update the vi library
wouldn't it make more sense for NI to add NT/2000/XP compatible In Port and Out Port vis to the LabVIEW vi library in their next release? while they're at it they could make it work with the LabVIEW runtime engine rather than requiring the CVI runtime as well.
- ksimmons@apcc.com - Mar 11, 2004

standard port i/o's unter Win98 are quicker
Probably a fine thing for Win NT to get access to the ports. Under Win98 / LabVIEW 4.1 they provided 30% less performance on my 200 MHz-machine. Maybe on quicker machines this won't happen, but anyway: As I understood the things there is no need to change the VI's "OUT PORT" and "IN PORT" in Windows 9x
- LarsMcLarson@gmx.de - Feb 12, 2004

Works for me with LV6.1 and XP!
The AccessHW_LV5.lib *does* seem to work with LV6.1 and XP Pro. (I'm using In Port, Out Port, and ReadFromMem16.vi to configure and read printer ports.) However, we really do need NI to update this documentation to confirm that they approve this combination in production code.
- Allan Green. allan.green@uhb.nhs.uk - Nov 25, 2003

Driver is obsolete, what about WXP?
These utilities are some years old. Now Windows XP ist the common OS, but this driver does not run with XP. It is time to support Windows XP.
- hans-christian.steeg@ruf-automotive.com - Nov 15, 2003

I downloaded and installed the accesshw.zip but it did not solve the "capability not supported" error problem on a Sony RX550DS running Windows XP. Is there a different zip file containing different vi versions for Windows XP and if so, where do I find it?
- Sep 15, 2003

Works for me under XP
no problem under Windows XP Pro and LabVIEW 5.1
- Chris Duffey - Aug 16, 2003

Don't work with WXP
These utilities are 5 years old. They do not work with Windows XP, the standard OS. Are there newer ones? Greetings Ch.Steeg
- Jul 7, 2003

Windows 2000 ?
I can't get this example to work under windows 2000. Is the anyone there can tell me why? Thanks in advance. Soeren
- Soeren Lassen, Siemens A/S. SNL@Siemens.dk - May 16, 2003