Generate DC Voltage Using NI-DCPOWER MATLAB Instrument Driver in Simulation Mode

Requirements

This example requires a Microsoft® Windows® system and NI-DCPOWER package 1.7 or higher.

Verify NI-DCPOWER Installation

Use the instrhwinfo command to check if the NI-DCPOWER software package is installed correctly. If installed correctly, NI-DCPOWER is listed as one of the modules installed on the Windows machine. This example uses libraries installed with it.

driversInfo = instrhwinfo ('ivi');
disp(driversInfo.Modules');

    {'nidcpower'       }
    {'nidmm'           }
    {'niFgen'          }
    {'nisACPwr'        }
    {'niScope'         }
    {'nisCounter'      }
    {'nisDCPwr'        }
    {'nisDigitizer'    }
    {'nisDmm'          }
    {'nisDownconverter'}
    {'nisFGen'         }
    {'nisPwrMeter'     }
    {'nisRFSigGen'     }
    {'nisScope'        }
    {'nisSpecAn'       }
    {'nisSwtch'        }
    {'nisUpconverter'  }
    {'niSwitch'        }

Create a MATLAB Instrument Object

Use the icdevice function to create an instrument object from the MDD which was part of the NI-DCPOWER support package, and establish a connection to the DCPOWER using that object.

The icdevice function takes two or more input arguments: the MDD file name, the resource name for the DCPOWER, and optional device-specific parameters.

You can get the resource name for the DCPOWER from NI Measurement and Automation Explorer. For example: A resource name of PXI1Slot1 in NI MAX would be DAQ::PXI1Slot1 and Device 1 would be DAQ::Dev1. You can remove the optionstring argument and the corresponding string parameter if you have the actual hardware.

You can establish a connection to the DCPOWER using the connect command.

ictObj = icdevice('nidcpower.mdd', 'DAQ::PXI1Slot1', 'optionstring','simulate=true');
connect(ictObj);
disp(ictObj);

   Instrument Device Object Using Driver : niDCPower
 
   Instrument Information
      Type:               IVIInstrument
      Manufacturer:       National Instruments Corp.
      Model:              National Instruments DC Power Supplies
 
   Driver Information
      DriverType:         MATLAB IVI
      DriverName:         niDCPower
      DriverVersion:      1.0
 
   Communication State
      Status:             open

Configure the DCPOWER

For the purpose of this example, the DCPOWER is configured as

* Channel: 0

* Source Mode: Single Point

* Output Function: DC Voltage

* Voltage Level: 6V

Use the MATLAB Instrument Driver Editor midedit to view other properties and functions that allow you to configure a device. The tool shows all the properties and functions that the NI-DCPOWER software package supports.

channel = '0';
src = get(ictObj, 'source');

% Configure the Source mode to Single Point
sourceMode = 1020;
invoke(src, 'configuresourcemode', sourceMode);

% Set the output function to DC Voltage
outputFunction = 1006;
invoke(src, 'configureoutputfunction', channel, outputFunction);

srcDCVoltage = get(ictObj, 'sourcedcvoltage');

% Configure the Voltage level, in volts, for the output channel generation
voltageLevel = 6;
invoke(srcDCVoltage, 'configurevoltagelevel', channel, voltageLevel);

Start Generation and Acquisition

% Initiate the device to start generation
control = get(ictObj, 'control');
invoke(control, 'initiate');

% Measure voltage
measurementType = 1;
measure = get(ictObj, 'measure');
volts = invoke(measure, 'measure', channel, measurementType);

Display the Read Voltage

voltageDisplay = sprintf('Voltage : %d v', volts);
disp(voltageDisplay);

Voltage : 6 v

Clear the Connection

Disconnect from and delete the MATLAB Instrument Object.

disconnect(ictObj);
delete(ictObj);
clear ictObj;